ULukha 15
1 Kwasekusondela kuye bonke abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwa.
Now all the tax-gatherers and sinners continued to draw near him, and to listen to him.
2 AbaFarisi lababhali basebesola besithi: Lo wemukela izoni, adle lazo.
And the Pharisees and Scribes began to complain, saying, "He is welcoming sinners and eating with them!"
3 Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi:
And he told them a parable.
4 Nguwuphi umuntu kini ongathi elezimvu ezilikhulu, abeselahlekelwa ngenye yazo, ongazitshiyi ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye egangeni, alandele elahlekileyo, aze ayithole?
"Which one of you men, if he has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?
5 Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokoza.
"And after he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing.
6 Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole imvu yami ebilahlekile.
"When he gets home he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’
7 Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli ukuphenduka.
"I say to you that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.
8 Loba nguwuphi umfazi othi elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi, uba elahlekelwa luhlamvu olulodwa lwesiliva, angalumathisi isibane, athanyele indlu, adingisise aze aluthole?
"Or, again, suppose a woman has ten coins. If she loses one, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and search anxiously until she finds it?
9 Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo.
"And when she has found it, she calls together her woman friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.’
10 Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.
"Even so I tell you there is joy in the presence of the angels for God over one sinner who repents."
11 Wasesithi: Umuntu othile wayelamadodana amabili;
And he said. "There was a man who had two sons.
12 encinyane yawo yasisithi kuyise: Baba, nginika isabelo sempahla esiqondene lami. Wasewehlukanisela impahla.
"The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of your property which is coming to me.’ So he divided his means among them.
13 Njalo kungelansuku ezinengi emva kwalokhu indodana encinyane yabutha konke yasuka yahamba yaya elizweni elikhatshana, njalo lapho yachitha khona impahla yayo, iphila okobuhlanya.
"Not many days after that the younger son gathered everything together and took his journey into a distant country; and there he wasted his money on living unsavingly.
14 Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela.
"After he had spent everything there came a terrible famine in the land, and he began to be in want.
15 Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube.
"So he went and hired to one of the citizens of that land, who sent him out into the fields to feed swine.
16 Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika ulutho.
"And he was longing to be filled with the husks which the swine were eating, but no one gave him any.
17 Kwathi ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathi: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala;
"When he came to himself he said. "‘How many of my father’s hired men have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing of hunger!
18 ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakho;
"‘I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight,
19 njalo kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo.
"‘"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."‘
20 Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelo, wagijima wawela entanyeni yayo, wayanga.
"So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 Indodana yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini laphambi kwakho, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.
"The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.’
22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Khuphani lilethe isembatho esihle kakhulu liyigqokise, lifake indandatho esandleni sayo, lamanyathela enyaweni zayo;
"‘Fetch the best robe, quick,’ said the father to his slaves, ‘and put it on him, and give him a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet.
23 lilethe ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe, njalo sidle sithokoze;
"‘Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry,
24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiwe; basebeqala ukuthokoza.
"‘for this son of mine was dead and is alive again - he was lost and is found.’
25 Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusina.
"So they began to make merry. But his elder son was in the field, and as he drew near to the house he heard music and dancing,
26 Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizinto.
"and he summoned one of the slaves, and began to inquire of him what all this meant.
27 Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephila.
"‘Your brother is come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has him safe and sound.’
28 Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga.
"But he was angry and would not go in; so his father came out, and attempted to plead with him; but he said to his father.
29 Kodwa yaphendula yathi kuyise: Khangela, iminyaka engaka ngikusebenzela, kangizange ngeqe umlayo wakho, kodwa kawuzange unginike lazinyane lembuzi, ukuze ngijabule kanye labangane bami.
"‘All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you never gave me even a kid so that I might make merry with my friends.
30 Kodwa kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabela ithole elinonisiweyo.
"‘But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with harlots, you have killed him the fatted calf.’
31 Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulami, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakho.
"‘My dear son,’ answered his father, ‘you are always with me and all that is mine is yours.
32 Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokoza; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwe.
"‘But it was fitting that we should make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found.’"
