ULukha 15:1-32
15 Zonke izoni labo bonke abathelisi babelokhu bembuthanela ukuze bamuzwe,
2 njalo abaFarisi lababhali babelokhu bengunguna besithi: “Indoda le yamukela izoni njalo idla lazo.”
3 Ngakho wabalandisela umzekeliso wathi:
4 “Ngubani phakathi kwenu othi elezimvu ezingu-100 abeselahlekelwa ngeyodwa, ongeke atshiye ezingu-99 egangeni ayedinga elahlekileyo aze ayithole?
5 Uzathi eseyitholile, ayetshathe ehlombe esethabile.
6 Nxa efika ngekhaya, uyabuthanisa abangane bakhe labomakhelwane, athi kubo, ‘Thokozani lami ngoba sengiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’
7 Ngilitshela ukuthi lasezulwini kuzakuba lentokozo enkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulaleyo ebakhona ngenxa yabangu-99 abalungileyo okungadingakaliyo ukuthi baphenduke.
8 “Kumbe ukhona yini owesifazana ongathi elamadrakhima* alitshumi abeselahlekelwa ngelilodwa, ongeke alumathise isibane athanyele indlu yakhe, abhudule yonke indawo aze alithole?
9 Uzathi eselitholile abuthanise abangane bakhe* labomakhelwane athi, ‘Thokozani lami ngoba sengilitholile idrakhima* lami ebengililahlile.’
10 Ngilitshela ukuthi lezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ziyathokoza nxa isoni esisodwa singaphenduka.”
11 Wasesithi: “Kulomuntu owayelamadodana amabili.
12 Encane yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, ngicela ungabele impahla okumele ibe yilifa lami.’ Ngakho wawapha womabili impahla okwakumele ayithole.
13 Ngemva kwensukwana, indodana yakhe encane yabutha zonke izinto zayo yaya elizweni elikhatshana, yafika yachitha yonke impahla yayo ngokuphila impilo yokuxhwala.*
14 Ithe isithintithe konke eyayilakho, kwaba lendlala enzima kulo lonke ilizwe lelo, yaqalisa ukuswela,
15 yaze yasuka yayaqhatshwa ngesinye isakhamuzi sakulelolizwe esayithuma ukuthi iyekwelusa ingulube zayo egangeni.
16 Yayisize ifisa lokudla ukudla kwengulube lezo, kodwa kakho owayeyinika ulutho.
17 “Kuthe kusithi dlwe engqondweni yayo, yathi, ‘Kambe bangaki abantu abaqhatshwe ngubaba abadla isinkwa baze basitshiye, mina ngilokhu ngilapha ngibulawa yindlala?
18 Ngizasuka lapha ngiye kubaba, ngifike ngithi kuye: “Baba, ngonele izulu ngakonela lawe.
19 Akusangifanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho. Ngicela ukuthi lami ngibe yisisebenzi sakho.”’
20 Ngakho yasuka yaya kuyise. Ithe isesekhatshana, uyise wathi mehlo suka wayibona wayizwela, wasegijima wafika wayigona* njalo wayiqabuza.
21 Indodana yakhe yasisithi kuye, ‘Baba, ngonele izulu ngakonela lawe. Akusangifanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakho.’
22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe, ‘Phangisani! Lethani ijazi elihle kulawo wonke limgqokise, njalo lifake indandatho emunweni wakhe, limgqokise lamanyathela enyaweni.
23 Lethani lethole elinonileyo lilihlabe, senze idili sidle
24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile kodwa isiphila; ibilahlekile kodwa isitholakele.’ Basebeqalisa ukuzikholisela.
25 “Manje indodana yakhe endala yayisemasimini. Ithe isiphenduka, isizafika endlini, yezwa izingoma labantu ababegida.
26 Yasibiza enye yezinceku yayibuza ukuthi kwakusenzakalani.
27 Yathi kuyo, ‘Umfowenu ubuyile njalo uyihlo umhlabele ithole elinonileyo ngoba uphenduke kuye eziphilele.’
28 Kodwa indodana endala yazonda, yala ukungena. Uyise waseyilanda waqalisa ukuyincenga.
29 Yona yathi kuyise, ‘Yonke iminyaka le bengikusebenzela futhi ngikulalela sonke isikhathi, kodwa kawuzange langelanga elilodwa ungiphe izinyane lokuthi ngidle ngizikholisele labangane bami.
30 Kodwa indodana yakho le eyatshaphaza impahla yakho lezifebe ithe ifika nje wayihlabela ithole elinonileyo.’
31 Yena wathi kuyo, ‘Ndodana yami, ubulokhu ulami njalo konke okungokwami ngokwakho.
32 Lanxa kunjalo bekufanele silenze idili futhi sithokoze ngoba umfowenu ubefile kodwa usephila; ubelahlekile kodwa usetholakele.’”
Amabala angaphansi
^ Idrakhima yimali yesiliva eyayisetshenziswa ngamaGrikhi.
^ Kumbe, “abangane bakhe besifazana.”
^ Idrakhima yimali yesiliva eyayisetshenziswa ngamaGrikhi.
^ Kumbe, “yobutshapha.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “wawela entanyeni yayo.”
