ULukha 15
1 Kwasekusondela kuye bonke abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwa.
Then drew near unto Him all the publicans and other notorious sinners, to hear Him.
2 AbaFarisi lababhali basebesola besithi: Lo wemukela izoni, adle lazo.
And the pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man entertaineth wicked persons, and eateth with them.
3 Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi:
But He spake to them this parable,
4 Nguwuphi umuntu kini ongathi elezimvu ezilikhulu, abeselahlekelwa ngenye yazo, ongazitshiyi ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye egangeni, alandele elahlekileyo, aze ayithole?
saying, What man of you that hath an hundred sheep, and loseth one of them, doth not leave the ninety-nine in the field, and go after that which was lost, till he find it?
5 Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokoza.
And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing:
6 Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole imvu yami ebilahlekile.
and coming home, he calleth his friends and neighbors together and saith unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli ukuphenduka.
Thus, I tell you, there shall be joy in heaven over one repenting sinner, more than over ninety-nine righteous persons, that have no need of repentance.
8 Loba nguwuphi umfazi othi elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi, uba elahlekelwa luhlamvu olulodwa lwesiliva, angalumathisi isibane, athanyele indlu, adingisise aze aluthole?
Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and search carefully till she find it?
9 Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo.
and when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and neighbors together; saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.
10 Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo.
Thus, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one repenting sinner.
11 Wasesithi: Umuntu othile wayelamadodana amabili;
And He said, a certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father,
12 encinyane yawo yasisithi kuyise: Baba, nginika isabelo sempahla esiqondene lami. Wasewehlukanisela impahla.
Father, give me the portion that falleth to my share. And he divided his substance between them.
13 Njalo kungelansuku ezinengi emva kwalokhu indodana encinyane yabutha konke yasuka yahamba yaya elizweni elikhatshana, njalo lapho yachitha khona impahla yayo, iphila okobuhlanya.
And not many days after the younger son gathered all together and went abroad into a distant country, and there squandered away his substance by living luxuriously.
14 Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela.
And when he had spent all, there happen'd a grievous famine in that country, and he began to be in want.
15 Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube.
And he went and let himself to one of the people of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika ulutho.
And he would gladly have filled his belly with the husks which the swine did eat: and no man relieved him.
17 Kwathi ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathi: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala;
But coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough and to spare, and I am perishing with hunger?
18 ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakho;
I will rise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee,
19 njalo kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo.
and am no longer worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelo, wagijima wawela entanyeni yayo, wayanga.
And he rose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion; and he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
21 Indodana yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini laphambi kwakho, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.
And his son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no longer worthy to be called thy son.
22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Khuphani lilethe isembatho esihle kakhulu liyigqokise, lifake indandatho esandleni sayo, lamanyathela enyaweni zayo;
But the father said to his servants, bring out the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 lilethe ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe, njalo sidle sithokoze;
and bring hither the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and be merry:
24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiwe; basebeqala ukuthokoza.
for this my son was dead, and is alive again, and was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusina.
But his elder son was out in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing:
26 Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizinto.
and he called one of the servants to him, and asked what these things meant.
27 Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephila.
And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and well: but he was angry, and would not go in.
28 Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga.
Therefore his father came out and desired him.
29 Kodwa yaphendula yathi kuyise: Khangela, iminyaka engaka ngikusebenzela, kangizange ngeqe umlayo wakho, kodwa kawuzange unginike lazinyane lembuzi, ukuze ngijabule kanye labangane bami.
But he answered and said to his father, Behold so many years as I serve thee, nor have I ever transgressed thy command, and yet thou hast never given me a kid, to be merry with my friends:
30 Kodwa kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabela ithole elinonisiweyo.
but as soon as this thy son was come, who hath eaten up thy substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulami, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakho.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art always with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokoza; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwe.
But it was fit we should be merry and rejoice; for this thy brother was dead, and is come to life again, was lost and is found.
