IVangeli Elabhalwa NguMathewu 25:1-46
25 “Kanti njalo uMbuso wezulu ungafaniswa lentombi ezilitshumi ezathatha izibane zazo+ zaphuma zisiyahlangabeza umyeni.+
2 Ezinhlanu zaziyizithutha, ezinhlanu zihlakaniphile.+
3 Eziyizithutha zathatha izibane zazo kodwa zatshiya amafutha,
4 ezihlakaniphileyo zona zathwala izibane zazo kanye lamafutha ezimbodleleni zazo.
5 Umyeni waphuza ukufika zaze zawozela zonke, zacina zilele.
6 Phakathi laphakathi kobusuku kwamenyezwa kwathiwa: ‘Nangu umyeni! Phumani liyemhlangabeza.’
7 Intombi zonke zavuka zalungisa izibane zazo.+
8 Eziyizithutha zathi kwezihlakaniphileyo, ‘Sichathekeleni amafutha enu ngoba izibane zethu sezizacitsha.’
9 Ezihlakaniphileyo zaphendula zathi: ‘Engxenye awasoze asenele nxa singalinika. Kungcono liye kwabawathengisayo liyezithengela awenu.’
10 Zithe zisayawathenga, umyeni wafika. Intombi ezazizilungiselele zangena laye edilini lomtshado,+ umnyango wasuvalwa.
11 Ngemva kwalokho intombi ezinhlanu ezaziyethenga amafutha zafika zathi: ‘Mnumzana, Mnumzana, sivulele!’+
12 Yena waphendula wathi, ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, angilazi.’
13 “Ngakho hlalani lilindile+ ngoba kalilazi ilanga kumbe ihora.+
14 “UMbuso wamazulu unjengendoda eyathi isizakuya phetsheya yabiza izinceku zayo yazigcinisa impahla yayo.+
15 Yanika inceku yokuqala amathalenta* amahlanu, enye yayinika amabili njalo enye yayinika elilodwa, kusiya ngalokho ngayinye eyayisenelisa ukukwenza, yasisuka yaya elizweni elikhatshana.
16 Inceku eyayiphiwe amathalenta amahlanu yahle yayakwenza ibhizinesi ngawo, yasizuza amanye amahlanu.
17 Eyayiphiwe amabili layo yazuza amanye amabili.
18 Kodwa inceku eyayiphiwe elilodwa yasuka yayagebha igodi, yafihla imali yenkosi* yayo.
19 “Ngemva kwesikhathi eside inkosi yaphenduka, yasihlola ukuthi izinceku zayo zazenzeni ngemali yayo.+
20 Ngakho eyayiphiwe amathalenta amahlanu yasondela yaletha amanye amahlanu yathi, ‘Nkosi, wangigcinisa amathalenta amahlanu. Khangela ngizuze amanye amahlanu.’+
21 Inkosi yayo yathi kuyo: ‘Wenze kuhle nceku enhle futhi ethembekileyo! Ube ngothembekileyo ezintweni ezilutshwana, yikho ngizakuphathisa izinto ezinengi.+ Thokoza lenkosi yakho.’+
22 Kwasekusondela inceku eyayiphiwe amathalenta amabili yathi, ‘Nkosi, wangigcinisa amathalenta amabili. Khangela ngizuze amanye amabili.’+
23 Inkosi yayo yathi kuyo: ‘Wenze kuhle nceku enhle futhi ethembekileyo! Ube ngothembekileyo ezintweni ezilutshwana, yikho ngizakuphathisa izinto ezinengi. Thokoza lenkosi yakho.’
24 “Ekucineni inceku eyayiphiwe ithalenta elilodwa yasondela yathi: ‘Nkosi, ngangikwazi ukuthi uyindoda ehluphayo, evuna lapho engahlanyelanga khona, lebutha amabele engawasebenzelanga.+
25 Yikho ngesaba ngasengisiyafihla ithalenta lakho emhlabathini. Nanti, thatha okungokwakho.’
26 Inkosi yayiphendula yathi: ‘Nceku embi elivilavoxo, angithi ubukwazi ukuthi ngivuna lapho engingahlanyelanga khona lokuthi ngibutha amabele engingawasebenzelanga?
27 Manje kungani ungafakanga imali yami* ebhanga ukuze ngithi ngifika ngiyithathe isizele?
28 “‘Mthatheleni ithalenta lelo lilinike olamathalenta alitshumi,+
29 ngoba wonke umuntu olakho uzaphiwa okunye futhi, abe lokunengi kakhulu. Kodwa ongelalutho uzathathelwa lalokho alakho.+
30 Yiphoseleni phandle emnyameni inceku le engelancedo. Yikho lapho ezakhalela khona itshayanise amazinyo.’
31 “Nxa iNdodana yomuntu+ isisiza enkazimulweni yayo ilezingilosi zonke,+ izahlala esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi esikhazimulayo.
32 Izizwe zonke zizabuthaniswa kuyo, ibisisehlukanisa abantu babe ngamaqembu amabili njengomelusi esehlukanisa izimvu lembuzi.
33 Izabeka izimvu+ esandleni sayo sokudla, imbuzi izibeke kwesenxele.+
34 “Ngemva kwalokho iNkosi izakuthi kulabo abasesandleni sayo sokudla: ‘Wozani lina elibusiswe nguBaba, lidle ilifa loMbuso elawulungiselwa kusukela ekusungulweni komhlaba
35 ngoba ngangilambile langinika ukudla, ngangomile langinathisa. Ngangiyisihambi langamukela ngezandla zombili,+
36 nganginqunu langigqokisa.+ Ngangigula langinakekela. Ngangisejele langivakatshela.’+
37 Abalungileyo bazaphendula bathi: ‘Nkosi, sakubona nini ulambile sakunika ukudla, kumbe womile sakunathisa?+
38 Sakubona nini uyisihambi sakwamukela ngezandla zombili, kumbe unqunu sakugqokisa?
39 Sakubona nini ugula kumbe usejele sakuvakatshela?’
40 INkosi izabaphendula ithi, ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, loba yini elayenzela omunye walaba abafowethu abancane, layenzela mina.’+
41 “Ngemva kwalokho izakuthi kwabasesandleni sayo senxele: ‘Sukani phansi kwami+ lina eliqalekisiweyo, liye emlilweni waphakade+ olungiselwe uDeveli lezingilosi zakhe+
42 ngoba ngangilambile kodwa alinginikanga ukudla, ngangomile kodwa alinginathisanga.
43 Ngangiyisihambi kodwa alingamukelanga ngezandla zombili, nganginqunu kodwa alingigqokisanga, ngangigula njalo ngisejele kodwa alizange linginakekele.’
44 Lalaba bazaphendula bathi: ‘Nkosi, sakubona nini ulambile kumbe womile kumbe uyisihambi kumbe unqunu kumbe ugula kumbe usejele sayekela ukukunceda?’
45 Yona izabaphendula ithi, ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, njengoba lingakwenzanga komunye walaba abafowethu abancane, alikwenzanga lakimi.’+
46 Laba bazakuya ekubhujisweni* kwaphakade,+ kodwa abalungileyo bazakuya ekuphileni okungapheliyo.”+
Amabala angaphansi
^ Ithalenta lamaGrikhi lalingamakhilogremu angu-20,4. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
^ NgesiGrikhi, “isiliva senkosi.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “isiliva sami.”
^ NgesiGrikhi, “ekuqunyweni,” njengogatsha oluqunywa esihlahleni.
