ULukha 1
1 Njengoba abanengi sebebeke izandla ukubeka ngendlela efaneleyo ukulandiswa kwezinto eziqiniseke ngokupheleleyo phakathi kwethu,
Since, indeed, many have attempted to set in order a narrative of the things that have been completed among us,
2 njengalokhu basinika labo ababonayo ngamehlo ekuqaleni njalo bezinceku zelizwi,
just as they have been handed on to those of us who from the beginning saw the same and were ministers of the word,
3 kukhanye kukuhle lakimi, sengizihlolisisile zonke izinto kusukela ekuqaleni, ukuthi ngikubhalele ngokulandelana, mhlekazi Teyofilu,
so it seemed good to me also, having diligently followed everything from the beginning, to write to you, in an orderly manner, most excellent Theophilus,
4 ukuze wazi iqiniso ngalezozinto ozifundisiweyo.
so that you might know the truthfulness of those words by which you have been instructed.
5 Ensukwini zikaHerodi inkosi yeJudiya kwakukhona umpristi othile othiwa nguZakariya, oweqembu likaAbhiya; lomkakhe wayevela kumadodakazi kaAroni, lebizo lakhe linguElizabethi.
There was, in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the section of Abijah, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 Njalo babelungile bobabili phambi kukaNkulunkulu, behamba ngayo yonke imilayo lezimiso zeNkosi, bengasoleki.
Now they were both just before God, progressing in all of the commandments and the justifications of the Lord without blame.
7 Njalo babengelamntwana, ngoba uElizabethi wayeyinyumba, basebeleminyaka eminengi bobabili.
And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both had become advanced in years.
8 Kwasekusithi esenza inkonzo yobupristi phambi kukaNkulunkulu esesimisweni seqembu lakibo,
Then it happened that, when he was exercising the priesthood before God, in the order of his section,
9 ngomkhuba wenkonzo yobupristi, nguye owadliwa yinkatho yokutshisa impepha esengene ethempelini leNkosi.
according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell so that he would offer incense, entering into the temple of the Lord.
10 Njalo ixuku lonke labantu lalikhuleka ngaphandle ngesikhathi sokutshisa impepha.
And the entire multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense.
11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kuye, imi ngakwesokunene selathi lempepha.
Then there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense.
12 Kwathi uZakariya eyibona waqhuqha, lokwesaba kwawela phezu kwakhe.
And upon seeing him, Zechariah was disturbed, and fear fell over him.
13 Kodwa ingilosi yathi kuye: Ungesabi Zakariya; ngoba umkhuleko wakho uzwakele, lomkakho uElizabethi uzakuzalela indodana, njalo uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJohane.
But the Angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you. And you shall call his name John.
14 Futhi uzakuba lenjabulo lentokozo, labanengi bazakujabulela ukuzalwa kwakhe.
And there will be joy and exultation for you, and many will rejoice in his nativity.
15 Ngoba uzakuba mkhulu phambi kweNkosi, iwayini kanye lokunathwayo okulamandla kasoze akunathe, futhi uzagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele kusukela esesesiswini sikanina.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
16 Labanengi kubantwana bakoIsrayeli uzabaphendulela eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo;
And he will convert many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 njalo yena uzahamba phambi kwayo emoyeni lemandleni kaElija, ukuphendulela inhliziyo zaboyise kubantwana, labangalaleliyo ekuhlakanipheni kwabalungileyo, ukulungiselela iNkosi isizwe esilungisiweyo.
And he will go before him with the spirit and power of Elijah, so that he may turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and the incredulous to the prudence of the just, so as to prepare for the Lord a completed people.”
18 UZakariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Ngizakwazi ngani lokhu? Ngoba mina ngilixhegu, lomkami useleminyaka eminengi.
And Zechariah said to the Angel: “How may I know this? For I am elderly, and my wife is advanced in years.”
19 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: NginguGabriyeli mina, omayo phambi kukaNkulunkulu; njalo ngithunyiwe ukukhuluma lawe, lokukubikela lezizindaba ezinhle.
And in response, the Angel said to him: “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you, and to proclaim these things to you.
20 Njalo khangela, uzakuba yisimungulu njalo wehluleke ukukhuluma, kuze kube lusuku okuzakwenzeka ngalo lezizinto, ngenxa yokuthi ungakholwanga amazwi ami, azagcwaliseka ngesikhathi sawo.
And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak, until the day on which these things shall be, because you have not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21 Labantu babemlindele uZakariya; bamangala ngokuphuza kwakhe ethempelini.
And the people were waiting for Zechariah. And they wondered why he was being delayed in the temple.
22 Kuthe esephuma wehluleka ukukhuluma labo; njalo bazi ukuthi ubone umbono ethempelini; njalo yena wayesebaqhweba, wahlala eyisimungulu.
Then, when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, but he remained mute.
23 Kwasekusithi seziphelile insuku zokukhonza kwakhe, waya endlini yakhe.
And it happened that, after the days of his office were completed, he went away to his house.
24 Kwathi emva kwalezonsuku uElizabethi umkakhe wathatha isisu, wazifihla okwezinyanga ezinhlanu, esithi:
Then, after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself for five months, saying:
25 Yenze kanje kimi iNkosi ensukwini eyangikhangela ngazo ukususa ihlazo lami phakathi kwabantu.
“For the Lord did this for me, at the time when he decided to take away my reproach among men.”
26 Kwathi ngenyanga yesithupha ingilosi uGabriyeli yathunywa nguNkulunkulu emzini weGalili othiwa yiNazaretha,
Then, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 entombini eyayigane indoda, ebizo layo lalinguJosefa, eyendlu kaDavida; lebizo lentombi linguMariya.
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
28 Ingilosi yasingena kuye yathi: Ekuhle, wena othandiweyo! INkosi ilawe, ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana.
And upon entering, the Angel said to her: “Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”
29 Kwathi eseyibonile wethuswa kakhulu yilizwi layo, wanakana ukuthi yikubingelela okunjani lokhu.
And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 Ingilosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi, Mariya; ngoba uthole uthando kuNkulunkulu.
And the Angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God.
31 Njalo khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana, uzakuthi ibizo layo nguJesu.
Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS.
32 Yena uzakuba mkhulu, uzabizwa ngokuthi yiNdodana yoPhezukonke; futhi iNkosi uNkulunkulu izamnika isihlalo sobukhosi sikayise uDavida,
He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father.
33 njalo uzabusa phezu kwendlu kaJakobe kuze kube nininini, langombuso wakhe kawuzukuba lokuphela. (aiōn g165)
And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity. And his kingdom shall have no end.” (aiōn g165)
34 UMariya wasesithi kuyo ingilosi: Lokhu kungenzeka njani, njengoba ngingazi indoda?
Then Mary said to the Angel, “How shall this be done, since I do not know man?”
35 Ingilosi yasiphendula yathi kuye: UMoya oNgcwele uzakuza phezu kwakho, lamandla oPhezukonke azakwembesa; ngakho lalokhu okungcwele okuzazalwa nguwe kuzakuthiwa yiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
And in response, the Angel said to her: “The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called the Son of God.
36 Njalo khangela, isinini sakho uElizabethi, laye ukhulelwe yindodana ebudaleni bakhe; lale yinyanga yesithupha kuye obekuthiwa uyinyumba.
And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren.
37 Ngoba kuNkulunkulu kakulalutho oluzakwehlula.
For no word will be impossible with God.”
38 UMariya wasesithi: Khangela, incekukazi yeNkosi; kakube kimi njengelizwi lakho. Ingilosi yasisuka kuye.
Then Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the Angel departed from her.
39 Ngalezonsuku uMariya wasesukuma waya ezintabeni ngokuphangisa, emzini weJuda,
And in those days, Mary, rising up, traveled quickly into the hill country, to a city of Judah.
40 wangena endlini kaZakariya, wabingelela uElizabethi.
And she entered into the house of Zechariah, and she greeted Elizabeth.
41 Kwasekusithi uElizabethi ezwe ukubingelela kukaMariya, inkonyane yeqa esiswini sakhe; loElizabethi wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele,
And it happened that, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 wamemeza ngelizwi elikhulu, wathi: Ubusisiwe wena phakathi kwabesifazana, njalo sibusisiwe isithelo sesizalo sakho!
And she cried out with a loud voice and said: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43 Kanti kuvela ngaphi lokhu kimi, ukuthi unina weNkosi yami eze kimi?
And how does this concern me, so that the mother of my Lord would come to me?
44 Ngoba khangela, kuthe ilizwi lokubingelela kwakho lifika endlebeni zami, umntwana weqa esiswini sami ngokuthokoza.
For behold, as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Futhi ubusisiwe okholiweyo, ngoba kuzagcwaliseka lezozinto ezakhulunywa kuye yiNkosi.
And blessed are you who believed, for the things that were spoken to you by the Lord shall be accomplished.”
46 UMariya wasesithi: Umphefumulo wami uyayikhulisa iNkosi,
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 lomoya wami uyathokoza kuNkulunkulu uMsindisi wami,
And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Savior.
48 ngoba ukhangele ubuphansi bencekukazi yakhe. Ngoba khangela, kusukela khathesi zonke izizukulwana zizakuthi ngibusisiwe.
For he has looked with favor on the humility of his handmaid. For behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed.
49 Ngoba yena olamandla ungenzele izinto ezinkulu, lingcwele lebizo lakhe,
For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 lesihawu sakhe sikusizukulwana ngesizukulwana kulabo abamesabayo.
And his mercy is from generation to generations for those who fear him.
51 Wenzile amandla ngengalo yakhe; uhlakazile abazigqajayo ekunakaneni kwenhliziyo zabo.
He has accomplished powerful deeds with his arm. He has scattered the arrogant in the intentions of their heart.
52 Wehlisile iziphathamandla ezihlalweni zobukhosi, kodwa uphakamisile abantukazana.
He has deposed the powerful from their seat, and he has exalted the humble.
53 Abalambileyo ubasuthise ngezinto ezinhle, kodwa abanothileyo wabamukisa beze.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 Umsizile uIsrayeli inceku yakhe, ngokukhumbula isihawu,
He has taken up his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy,
just as he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (aiōn g165)
56 UMariya wasehlala laye okungaba zinyanga ezintathu, wasebuyela endlini yakhe.
Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. And she returned to her own house.
57 Isikhathi sikaElizabethi sokuthi abelethe sesiphelele, wasebeletha indodana.
Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth arrived, and she brought forth a son.
58 Abakhelene laye lezinini zakhe basebesizwa ukuthi iNkosi yenze isihawu sayo saba sikhulu kuye, basebethokoza laye.
And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and so they congratulated her.
59 Kwasekusithi ngosuku lwesificaminwembili, beza ukuzasoka usane; balubiza ngebizo likayise ngokuthi nguZakariya.
And it happened that, on the eighth day, they arrived to circumcise the boy, and they called him by his father’s name, Zechariah.
60 Kodwa unina waphendula wathi: Hatshi bo, kodwa luzathiwa nguJohane.
And in response, his mother said: “Not so. Instead, he shall be called John.”
61 Basebesithi kuye: Kakho ezihlotsheni zakho obizwa ngalelibizo.
And they said to her, “But there is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”
62 Basebeqhweba uyise, ukuthi angathanda ukuthi lubizwe ngokuthini.
Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him to be called.
63 Wasecela into yokubhalela, wabhala, esithi: NguJohane ibizo lalo; basebemangala bonke.
And requesting a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
64 Njalo wahle wavulwa umlomo wakhe lolimi lwakhe lwatshwaphululwa, wasekhuluma edumisa uNkulunkulu.
Then, at once, his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 Lokwesaba kwehlela phezu kwabo bonke abakhelene labo; njalo kwakhulunywa ngazo zonke lezizinto kulo lonke elezintabeni zeJudiya,
And fear fell upon all of their neighbors. And all these words were made known throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 labo bonke abazizwayo bazilondoloza ezinhliziyweni zabo, besithi: Kambe lolusane luzakuba njani? Njalo isandla seNkosi sasilalo.
And all those who heard it stored it up in their heart, saying: “What do you think this boy will be?” And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 LoZakariya uyise wagcwaliswa ngoMoya oNgcwele, waprofetha, esithi:
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. And he prophesied, saying:
68 Ibusisiwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ngoba ihambele yasenzela inkululeko isizwe sayo,
“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel. For he has visited and has wrought the redemption of his people.
69 yasivusela uphondo losindiso endlini kaDavida inceku yayo,
And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant,
70 njengalokho yakhuluma ngomlomo wabaprofethi bayo abangcwele kusukela ekuqaleni komhlaba, (aiōn g165)
just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets, who are from ages past: (aiōn g165)
71 isikhulula ezitheni zethu, lesandleni sabo bonke abasizondayo;
salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us,
72 ukwenzela obaba bethu isihawu, lokukhumbula isivumelwano sayo esingcwele,
to accomplish mercy with our fathers, and to call to mind his holy testament,
73 isifungo eyasifunga kubaba wethu uAbrahama,
the oath, which he swore to Abraham, our father, that he would grant to us,
74 ukusinika, ukuthi sesikhululiwe esandleni sezitha zethu, siyikhonze singelakwesaba,
so that, having been freed from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear,
75 ngobungcwele langokulunga phambi kwayo zonke izinsuku zempilo yethu.
in holiness and in justice before him, throughout all our days.
76 Lawe-ke, sane, uzabizwa ngokuthi ungumprofethi woPhezukonke; ngoba uzahamba phambi kobuso beNkosi ukulungisa izindlela zayo;
And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the face of the Lord: to prepare his ways,
77 lokunika isizwe sayo ulwazi losindiso ngothethelelo lwezono zabo,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the remission of their sins,
78 ngesihelo sikaNkulunkulu wethu, okuthi ngaso ukusa kwaphezulu kusethekelele,
through the heart of the mercy of our God, by which, descending from on high, he has visited us,
79 ukubakhanyisela abahlezi emnyameni lethunzini lokufa, ukuqondisa inyawo zethu endleleni yokuthula.
to illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to direct our feet in the way of peace.”
80 Wakhula-ke umntwana omncane, waqina emoyeni, waba sezinkangala kwaze kwaba lusuku lokubonakala kwakhe kuIsrayeli.
And the child grew, and he was strengthened in spirit. And he was in the wilderness, until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
