Luke 15
1 Tax collectors and other “sinners” often used to come and listen to Jesus.
Kwasekusondela kuye bonke abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwa.
2 As a result the Pharisees and the religious teachers complained, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
AbaFarisi lababhali basebesola besithi: Lo wemukela izoni, adle lazo.
3 So Jesus told them this story as an illustration.
Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi:
4 “Imagine a man who had a hundred sheep lost one of them. Wouldn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and search for the one that's lost until he finds it?
Nguwuphi umuntu kini ongathi elezimvu ezilikhulu, abeselahlekelwa ngenye yazo, ongazitshiyi ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye egangeni, alandele elahlekileyo, aze ayithole?
5 When he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders.
Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokoza.
6 Once he gets home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Come and celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!’
Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole imvu yami ebilahlekile.
7 I tell you that there's more joy in heaven over a sinner that repents than over ninety-nine good people who don't need to repent.
Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli ukuphenduka.
8 Imagine a woman who has ten silver coins, and loses one of them. Wouldn't she light a lamp and sweep the house, carefully searching until she finds it?
Loba nguwuphi umfazi othi elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi, uba elahlekelwa luhlamvu olulodwa lwesiliva, angalumathisi isibane, athanyele indlu, adingisise aze aluthole?
9 When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Come and celebrate with me! I've found the silver coin that I lost.’
Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo.
10 I tell you there is joy in the presence of God's angels over one sinner that repents.
Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.
11 Once there was a man who had two sons,” Jesus explained.
Wasesithi: Umuntu othile wayelamadodana amabili;
12 “The younger one told his father, ‘Father, give me my inheritance now.’ So the man divided his property between them.
encinyane yawo yasisithi kuyise: Baba, nginika isabelo sempahla esiqondene lami. Wasewehlukanisela impahla.
13 A few days later the younger son packed up what he had and left for a distant country. Here he wasted all his money living a reckless life.
Njalo kungelansuku ezinengi emva kwalokhu indodana encinyane yabutha konke yasuka yahamba yaya elizweni elikhatshana, njalo lapho yachitha khona impahla yayo, iphila okobuhlanya.
14 After he'd spent everything, the country was hit by a severe famine and he was starving.
Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela.
15 So he went and took a job with one of the farmers there who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube.
16 He was so hungry that he would have eaten even the pig food, but no one gave him anything.
Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika ulutho.
17 When he came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘All of my father's workers have more than enough to eat—why am I dying from hunger here?
Kwathi ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathi: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala;
18 I'm going home to my father! I'll tell him, Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you.
ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakho;
19 I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. Please treat me as one of your hired workers.’
njalo kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo.
20 So he left and went home to his father. Even though he was still far away in the distance, his father saw him coming, and his heart went out to his son. The father ran to his son, hugging and kissing him.
Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelo, wagijima wawela entanyeni yayo, wayanga.
21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. I'm no longer worthy to be called your son.’
Indodana yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini laphambi kwakho, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.
22 But the father told his servants, ‘Quick—bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Khuphani lilethe isembatho esihle kakhulu liyigqokise, lifake indandatho esandleni sayo, lamanyathela enyaweni zayo;
23 Bring the calf we've been fattening and kill it. Let's have a feast to celebrate
lilethe ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe, njalo sidle sithokoze;
24 because this is my son who was dead, but who has returned alive; he was lost but now he's found.’ So they started celebrating.
ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiwe; basebeqala ukuthokoza.
25 Now the older son was working out in the fields. As he walked towards the house, he heard music and dancing.
Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusina.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.
Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizinto.
27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he's come home safe and sound.’
Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephila.
28 The brother became angry. He refused to go in. So his father came out to plead with him.
Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga.
29 He told his father, ‘Look, all these years I've served you, and never disobeyed you, but you never once gave me even a young goat so I could have a party with my friends.
Kodwa yaphendula yathi kuyise: Khangela, iminyaka engaka ngikusebenzela, kangizange ngeqe umlayo wakho, kodwa kawuzange unginike lazinyane lembuzi, ukuze ngijabule kanye labangane bami.
30 Now this son of yours comes back, having spent your money on prostitutes, and you kill the fattened calf for him!’
Kodwa kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabela ithole elinonisiweyo.
31 ‘Son,’ the father replied, ‘you are always here with me. Everything I have is yours.
Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulami, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakho.
32 But we should be happy and celebrate! This is your brother who was dead, but who has returned alive; he was lost but now he's found!’”
Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokoza; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwe.
