Luke 15
1 Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.
Ngalesosikhathi kwasekubuthana kuye abathelisi lezoni ukuzokuzwa imfundiso yakhe.
2 The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”
Kodwa abaFarisi labafundisi bomthetho bakhonona bathi, “Umuntu lo wemukela izoni adle lazo.”
3 He told them this parable:
UJesu wasebatshela umzekeliso lo, wathi:
4 “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
“Ake kuthiwe omunye wenu ulezimvu ezilikhulu besekulahleka eyodwa kuzo. Kazukuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye khonale egangeni ayidinge leyo elahlekileyo aze ayithole na?
5 When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
Kuthi lapho eseyitholile ayithwale emahlombe ngokuthokoza
6 When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’
aye layo ekhaya. Abesebiza abangane bakhe labomakhelwane athi, ‘Thokozani lami; sengiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’
7 I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.
Ngilitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kuzakuba lokuthokoza ezulwini ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa okudlula labobantu abalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye abangakudingiyo ukuphenduka.”
8 “Or what woman, if she had ten drachma coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found it?
“Kumbe kuthi owesifazane elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi kulahleke uhlamvu olulodwa. Kalumathisi yini isibane, athanyele endlini, adingisise kuhle aze aluthole na?
9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost!’
Kuthi eselutholile abize abangane bakhe labomakhelwane, athi kubo, ‘Thokozani lami; sengilutholile uhlamvu lwami lwesiliva obelulahlekile.’
10 Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
Ngiyalitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kulokuthokoza phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa.”
11 He said, “A certain man had two sons.
UJesu waqhubeka wathi: “Kwakukhona indoda eyayilamadodana amabili.
12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ So he divided his livelihood between them.
Encinyane yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, ngipha esami isabelo selifa.’ Ngakho uyise wabehlukanisela impahla yakhe bobabili.
13 Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and travelled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.
Ngemva kwesikhatshana indodana encane yabutha konke okungokwayo yasuka yaya elizweni elikhatshana, yafika khonale yayichitha inotho yayo ngempilo yokuxhwala.
14 When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.
Isitshaye yachitha konke, kwaba lendlala enkulu kulolonke ilizwe, yasiswela kakhulu.
15 He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
Yasisiyadinga umsebenzi komunye umuntu wakulelolizwe owayisa esiqintini sakhe ukuyagcina ingulube.
16 He wanted to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.
Yabona kungcono kuyo ukuthi ixotshe iphango ngokudla okwakudliwa zingulube, kodwa kayizange iphiwe lutho langubani.
17 But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!
Kwathi lapho ingqondo yayo isicabanga kuhle, yathi, ‘Kambe zingaki izinceku zikababa ezidla zizezitshiye kodwa nanku mina ngifa ngendlala!
18 I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight.
Ngizasuka ngibuyele kubaba ngifike ngithi kuye: Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe.
19 I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’
Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezinceku zakho.’
20 “He arose and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran, fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Ngakho yaphakama yaya kuyise. Kodwa yathi isesebucwala uyise wayibona wayizwela isihawu; wagijimela kuyo indodana yakhe, wayigona, wayanga.
21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
Indodana yathi kuye, ‘Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe. Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.
Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe, ‘Phangisani! Lethani isembatho esihle ukwedlula ezinye limgqokise. Lifake indandatho emunweni wakhe, limgqokise lamanyathela ezinyaweni zakhe.
23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s eat and celebrate;
Beseliletha ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe. Asenzeni idili sithokoze.
24 for this, my son, was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.’ Then they began to celebrate.
Ngoba indodana yami le yayisifile, kodwa isiphila njalo; yayilahlekile manje isifunyenwe.’ Waqalisa manje umkhosi wokujabula.
25 “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
Sonke lesisikhathi indodana endala yayisensimini. Yathi isibanga endlini yezwa kuhlatshelelwa njalo kugidwa.
26 He called one of the servants to him and asked what was going on.
Yasibiza omunye wezinceku yambuza ukuthi kwakusenzakalani.
27 He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’
Waphendula wathi, ‘Umfowenu usebuyile, ngakho uyihlo usemhlabele ithole elinonisiweyo ngoba ubuye ephilile, ephelele.’
28 But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and begged him.
Umnewabo wazonda kakhulu, wala ukungena ngekhaya. Uyise wasephuma esiya kuye ukuyamncenga.
29 But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
Kodwa waphendula uyise wathi, ‘Khangela! Iminyaka yonke le bengikusebenzela kanzima njalo kangizange ngeqe imilayo yakho. Kodwa kawuzange ungiphe lokulizinyane kodwa lokhu ukuthi lami kengithokoze labangane bami.
30 But when this your son came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’
Kodwa lokhu kuthi nxa indodana yakho le esitshaye yathintitha inotho yakho lezifebe, isibuyile ekhaya uyihlabele ithole elinonisiweyo!’
31 “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
Uyise wathi, ‘Ndodana yami, uhlezi ulami sonke isikhathi njalo konke engilakho ngokwakho.
32 But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”
Kodwa bekufanele sithokoze sijabule ngoba umfowenu lo wayesefile, manje usephila njalo; ubelahlekile, usefunyenwe.’”
