Luke 15
1 Now the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners were everywhere in the habit of coming close to Him to listen to Him;
Kwasekusondela kuye bonke abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwa.
2 and this led the Pharisees and the Scribes indignantly to complain, saying, "He gives a welcome to notorious sinners, and joins them at their meals!"
AbaFarisi lababhali basebesola besithi: Lo wemukela izoni, adle lazo.
3 So in figurative language He asked them,
Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi:
4 "Which of you men, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in their pasture and go in search of the lost one till he finds it?
Nguwuphi umuntu kini ongathi elezimvu ezilikhulu, abeselahlekelwa ngenye yazo, ongazitshiyi ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye egangeni, alandele elahlekileyo, aze ayithole?
5 And when he has found it, he lifts it on his shoulder, glad at heart.
Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokoza.
6 Then coming home he calls his friends and neighbours together, and says, 'Congratulate me, for I have found my sheep--the one I had lost.'
Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole imvu yami ebilahlekile.
7 I tell you that in the same way there will be rejoicing in Heaven over one repentant sinner--more rejoicing than over ninety-nine blameless persons who have no need of repentance.
Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli ukuphenduka.
8 "Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully till she finds it?
Loba nguwuphi umfazi othi elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi, uba elahlekelwa luhlamvu olulodwa lwesiliva, angalumathisi isibane, athanyele indlu, adingisise aze aluthole?
9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, and says, "'Congratulate me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.'
Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo.
10 "I tell you that in the same way there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one repentant sinner."
Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.
11 He went on to say, "There was a man who had two sons.
Wasesithi: Umuntu othile wayelamadodana amabili;
12 The younger of them said to his father, "'Father, give me the share of the property that comes to me.' "So he divided his wealth between them.
encinyane yawo yasisithi kuyise: Baba, nginika isabelo sempahla esiqondene lami. Wasewehlukanisela impahla.
13 No long time afterwards the younger son got all together and travelled to a distant country, where he wasted his money in debauchery and excess.
Njalo kungelansuku ezinengi emva kwalokhu indodana encinyane yabutha konke yasuka yahamba yaya elizweni elikhatshana, njalo lapho yachitha khona impahla yayo, iphila okobuhlanya.
14 At last, when he had spent everything, there came a terrible famine throughout that country, and he began to feel the pinch of want.
Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela.
15 So he went and hired himself to one of the inhabitants of that country, who sent him on to his farm to tend swine;
Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube.
16 and he longed to make a hearty meal of the pods the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika ulutho.
17 "But on coming to himself he said, "'How many of my father's hired men have more bread than they want, while I here am dying of hunger!
Kwathi ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathi: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala;
18 I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you:
ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakho;
19 I no longer deserve to be called a son of yours: treat me as one of your hired men.'
njalo kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo.
20 "So he rose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and pitied him, and ran and threw his arms round his neck and kissed him tenderly.
Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelo, wagijima wawela entanyeni yayo, wayanga.
21 "'Father,' cried the son, 'I have sinned against Heaven and before you: no longer do I deserve to be called a son of yours.'
Indodana yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini laphambi kwakho, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.
22 "But the father said to his servants, "'Fetch a good coat quickly--the best one--and put it on him; and bring a ring for his finger and shoes for his feet.
Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Khuphani lilethe isembatho esihle kakhulu liyigqokise, lifake indandatho esandleni sayo, lamanyathela enyaweni zayo;
23 Fetch the fat calf and kill it, and let us feast and enjoy ourselves;
lilethe ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe, njalo sidle sithokoze;
24 for my son here was dead and has come to life again: he was lost and has been found.' "And they began to be merry.
ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiwe; basebeqala ukuthokoza.
25 "Now his elder son was out on the farm; and when he returned and came near home, he heard music and dancing.
Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusina.
26 Then he called one of the lads to him and asked what all this meant.
Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizinto.
27 "'Your brother has come,' he replied; 'and your father has had the fat calf killed, because he has got him home safe and sound.'
Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephila.
28 "Then he was angry and would not go in. But his father came out and entreated him.
Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga.
29 "'All these years,' replied the son, 'I have been slaving for you, and I have never at any time disobeyed any of your orders, and yet you have never given me so much as a kid, for me to enjoy myself 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 but now that this son of yours is come who has eaten up your property among his bad women, you have killed the fat calf for him.'
Kodwa kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabela ithole elinonisiweyo.
31 "'You my dear son,' said the father, 'are always with me, and all that is mine is also yours.
Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulami, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakho.
32 We are bound to make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has come back to life, he was lost and has been found.'"
Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokoza; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwe.
