ULukha 19
1 UJesu wangena eJerikho kodwa esedlula.
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town.
2 Kwakulendoda eyayithiwa nguZakhewu; wayeyinduna yabathelisi njalo enothile.
There was a man there, known by the name of Zacchaeus, who was a senior tax collector and a rich man.
3 Wayefuna ukubona uJesu ukuthi wayengumuntu onjani, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wayengumuntu omfitshane, wehluleka ngenxa yesiminyeminye.
He tried to see what Jesus was like; but, being short, he was unable to do so because of the crowd.
4 Wasegijimela phambili, wakhwela phezu komkhiwa wesikhamore ukuze ambone njengoba uJesu wayesiza ngaleyondlela.
So he ran on ahead and climbed into a mulberry tree to see Jesus, for he knew that he must pass that way.
5 Kwathi uJesu esefikile kuleyondawo, wakhangela phezulu wathi kuye, “Zakhewu, yehla masinyane. Ngizakwethekelela endlini yakho lamuhla.”
When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, be quick and come down, for I must stop at your house today.’
6 Wasesehla uZakhewu masinyane wamamukela ngokuthokoza.
So Zacchaeus got down quickly, and joyfully welcomed him.
7 Bonke abantu bakubona lokhu bangunguna besithi, “Useyekuba yisethekeli sesoni.”
On seeing this, everyone began to complain, ‘He has gone to stay with a man who is an outcast.’
8 Kodwa uZakhewu wasukuma wathi eNkosini, “Khangela, Nkosi! Okwamanje senginika ingxenye yenotho yami kwabampofu njalo nxa ngike ngadlelezela omunye umuntu loba ngakuphi, ngizambhadala ngokuphindwe kane lokho engakuthathayo.”
But Zacchaeus stood forward and said to the Master, ‘Listen, Master! I will give half my property to the poor, and, if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give him back four times as much.’
9 UJesu wasesithi kuye, “Lamuhla insindiso isifikile kulindlu ngoba indoda le layo iyindodana ka-Abhrahama.
‘Salvation has come to this house today,’ answered Jesus, ‘for even this man is a son of Abraham.
10 Ngoba iNdodana yoMuntu yalanda ukudinga lokusindisa lokho okwakulahlekile.”
The Son of Man has come to search for those who are lost and to save them.’
11 Bathi besalalele lokhu, wabatshela omunye umzekeliso, ngoba wayesesondele eJerusalema, abantu sebecabanga ukuthi umbuso kaNkulunkulu wawusuzahle uvele masinyane.
As the people were listening to this, Jesus went on to tell them a parable. He did so because he was near Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to be proclaimed at once.
12 Wathi, “Indoda ethile yasesikhosini ngokuzalwa yaya elizweni elikhatshana isiyagcotshwa ukuba yinkosi andubana iphenduke.
He said, ‘A nobleman once went to a distant country to receive his appointment to a kingdom and then return.
13 Yasibiza izinceku zayo ezilitshumi yazinika imali engamamina alitshumi. Yathi, ‘Isebenziseni imali le ngize ngiphenduke.’
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds of silver each, and told them to trade with them during his absence.
14 Kodwa labobantu ayezababusa babemzonda lumuntu, bathumela izithunywa ukuthi zimlandele ziyekuthi, ‘Kasimfuni lumuntu ukuthi abe yinkosi yethu.’
But his subjects hated him and sent envoys after him to say “We will not have this man as our king.”
15 Lanxa kunjalo wagcotshwa waba yinkosi, waphenduka ekhaya. Wasebiza izinceku lezo ayezinike imali ukuze ezwe ukuthi zazithole nzuzo bani ngayo.
On his return, after having been appointed king, he directed that the servants to whom he had given his money should be summoned, so that he might learn what amount of trade they had done.
16 Owokuqala weza wathi, ‘Nkosi, imali yakho isizele amanye amadola alitshumi.’
The first came up, and said “Sir, your ten pounds have made a hundred.”
17 Inkosi yayo yathi, ‘Wenze kuhle, nceku yami elungileyo! Ngenxa yokuthi uthembekile entweni encinyane, usuzabusa amadolobho alitshumi.’
“Well done, good servant!” exclaimed the master. “As you have proved trustworthy in a very small matter, I appoint you governor over ten towns.”
18 Owesibili weza wathi, ‘Nkosi, imali yakho isizele amanye amadola amahlanu.’
When the second came, he said “Your ten pounds, Sir, have produced fifty.”
19 Inkosi yayo yaphendula yathi, ‘Busa phezu kwamadolobho amahlanu.’
So the master said to him “And you I appoint over five towns.”
20 Kwasekusiza enye inceku yathi, ‘Nkosi, nansi imali yakho; bengiyigoqele ngelembu.
Another servant also came and said “Sir, here are your ten pounds; I have kept them put away in a handkerchief.
21 Bengikwesaba wena ngoba uyindoda elukhuni. Ucupha lapho ongathelanga khona njalo ubuye uvune lapho ongahlanyelanga khona.’
For I was afraid of you, because you are a stern man. You take what you have not planted, and reap what you have not sown.”
22 Inkosi yayo yaphendula yathi, ‘Ngizakwahlulela ngamazwi akho wena nceku exhwalileyo! Angithi ubukwazi ukuthi ngingumuntu olukhuni, ocupha lapho angathelanga khona lovuna lapho angahlanyelanga khona?
The master answered “Out of your own mouth I judge you, you worthless servant. You knew that I am a stern man, that I take what I have not planted, and reap what I have not sown?
23 Kungani pho ungabekanga imali yami ebhanga ukuze kuthi ekubuyeni kwami ngiyithathe isilenzuzo na?’
Then why didn’t you put my money into a bank? And I, on my return, could have claimed it with interest.
24 Yasisithi kwababemi khonapho, ‘Mthatheleni lelo alalo liliphe lowo olalitshumi.’
Take away from him the ten pounds,” he said to those standing by, “and give them to the one who has the hundred.”
25 Basebesithi, ‘Nkosi, angithi uvele uselalitshumi?’
“But, Sir,” they said, “he has a hundred pounds already!”
26 Yaphendula yathi, ‘Ngithi kini, lowo olakho uzaphiwa okunye okunengi kodwa lowo ongelalutho, lalokho alakho uzakwemukwa.
“I tell you,” he answered, “that, to him who has, more will be given, but, from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.
27 Kodwa izitha zami lezo ebezingafuni ukuthi ngizibuse, ziletheni lapha lizibulalele phambi kwami.’”
But as for my enemies, these men who would not have me as their king, bring them here and put them to death in my presence.”’
28 UJesu esezitshilo zonke lezizinto wahamba wabandulela eqonda eJerusalema.
After saying this, Jesus went on in front, going up to Jerusalem.
29 Wathi esebanga eBhethifage kanye leBhethani entabeni eyayithiwa yiNtaba yama-Oliva wathuma abafundi bakhe ababili wathi kubo:
It was when Jesus had almost reached Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, that he sent on two of the disciples.
30 “Yanini emzini ophambi kwenu, lizakuthi lingena kuwo libone inkonyane kababhemi ibotshelwe khonapho, engakaze igadwe muntu. ‘Ikhululeni liyilethe lapha.
‘Go to the village facing us,’ he said, ‘and, when you get there, you will find a foal tethered, which no one has yet ridden; untie it and lead it here.
31 Nxa kungaba lozalibuza ukuthi, Liyikhululelani na?’ kumele lithi, ‘INkosi iyayifuna.’”
And, if anybody asks you “Why are you untying it?”, you are to say this – “The Master wants it.”’
32 Labo ababethunyiwe bahamba njalo bathola kunjengoba ebetshilo.
So the two who were sent went and found it as Jesus had told them.
33 Besayikhulula inkonyane kababhemi, abanini bayo bababuza bathi, “Liyikhululelani na?”
While they were untying the foal, the owners asked them – ‘Why are you untying the foal?’
34 Baphendula bathi, “INkosi iyayifuna.”
And the two disciples answered – ‘The Master wants it.’
35 Bayiletha kuJesu, baphosela amajazi abo phezu kwenkonyane, bagadisa uJesu phezu kwayo.
Then they led it back to Jesus, and threw their cloaks on the foal and put Jesus on it.
36 Wathi eseqhubeka, abantu bendlala amajazi abo endleleni.
As he went along, the people kept spreading their cloaks in the road.
37 Esefikile eduze kwalapho indlela eyehla khona isuka eNtabeni yama-Oliva abafundi lexuku lonke lasuka ngokuthokoza ladumisa uNkulunkulu ngamazwi amakhulu ngenxa yemimangaliso yonke ababeyibonile, bathi:
When he had almost reached the place where the road led down the Mount of Olives, everyone of the many disciples began in their joy to praise God loudly for all the miracles that they had seen:
38 “Ibusisiwe inkosi ebuya ngebizo likaThixo!” “Ukuthula ezulwini lodumo kweliphezulu!”
‘Blessed is He who comes – our king – in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory on high.’
39 Abanye abaFarisi exukwini bathi kuJesu, “Mfundisi, khuza abafundi bakho!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, restrain your disciples.’
40 Waphendula wathi, “Ngiyalitshela ngithi nxa bethula amatshe azamemeza.”
But Jesus answered, ‘I tell you that if they are silent, the stones will call out.’
41 Wathi esebanga eJerusalema ekhangele idolobho, walikhalela
When he drew near, on seeing the city, he wept over it, and said,
42 wathi, “Nxa wena, wena ngokwakho, ubukwazi namhla lokho obekungakulethela ukuthula kodwa okwamanje kufihliwe emehlweni akho.
‘If only you had known, while yet there was time – even you – the things that make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your sight.
43 Zizafika insuku kuwe lapho izitha zakho zizakwakha umthangala zikuhonqolozele njalo zikuphahle inxa zonke.
For a time is coming when your enemies will surround you with earthworks, and encircle you, and hem you in on all sides;
44 Zizakusakazela phansi emhlabathini, wena kanye labantwana abaphakathi kwemiduli yakho. Kaziyikutshiya lalinye ilitshe phezu kwelinye ngoba kawusinanzelelanga isikhathi sokuza kukaNkulunkulu kuwe.”
they will trample you down and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone on another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’
45 Wasengena ethempelini wadudula ababethengisa khona
Jesus went into the Temple Courts and began to drive out those who were selling,
46 esithi kubo, “Kubhaliwe ukuthi, ‘Indlu yami iyindlu yokukhuleka,’kodwa lina seliyenze ubhalu lwabaphangi.”
saying as he did so, ‘Scripture says – “My house will be a house of prayer”; but you have made it a den of robbers.’
47 Insuku zonke wayefundisa ethempelini. Kodwa abaphristi abakhulu labafundisi bomthetho kanye labakhokheli ababephakathi kwabantu babezama ukumbulala.
Jesus continued to teach each day in the Temple Courts; but the chief priests and teachers of the Law were eager to take his life, and so also were the leaders of the people.
48 Kodwa kabayizuzanga indlela yokukwenza lokho ngoba abantu bonke babewakholwa amazwi akhe.
Yet they could not see what to do, for the people all hung on his words.
