Luke 15
1 Kwase kusondela kuye bonke abathelisi nezoni ukumuzwa.
2 AbaFarisi nababhali bakhonona, bathi: “Lo wamukela izoni, adle nazo.
3 Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi.
4 Ngumuphi umuntu kini onezimvu eziyikhulu, kuthi uma elahlekelwa ngenye yazo, angazishiyi ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye ehlane, alandele elahlekileyo, aze ayithole, na?
5 Athi eseyitholile, ayibeke emahlombe akhe ethokoza.
6 Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangani bakhe nomakhelwane, athi kubo: “Thokozani nami; ngoba ngiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.
7 Ngithi kini: Kanjalo kuyakuba khona ukuthokoza ezulwini ngesoni sisinye esiphendukayo, kunabalungileyo abangamashumi ayisishiyagalolunye nesishiyagalolunye abangadingi kuphenduka.
8 Noma ngumuphi owesifazane onezinhlamvu zesiliva eziyishumi, kuthi uma elahlekelwa uhlamvu lunye, angalumeki isibani, ashanele indlu, adingisise, aze aluthole?
9 Athi eseyitholile, abizele ndawonye abangane bakhe nomakhelwane, athi: ‘Thokozani nami; ngokuba ngilutholile ucezu ebengingilahlekele.
10 Kanjalo, ngithi kini: Kukhona ukuthokoza phambi kwezingelosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni sisinye esiphendukayo.
11 Wathi: “Umuntu othile wayenamadodana amabili;
12 Encane yawo yathi kuyise: ‘Baba, nginike isabelo sempahla esiqondene nami.’ Futhi wabahlukanisela impahla yakhe.
13 Kwathi emva kwezinsuku ezingeziningi indodana encane yayisibutha konke, yamuka, yaya ezweni elikude;
14 Esechithe konke, kwaba khona indlala enkulu kulelo zwe; waqala ukuswela.
15 Wasehamba wazihlanganisa nesakhamuzi salelo zwe; Wayithumela emadlelweni akhe ukuba yaluse izingulube.
16 Wayesefisa ukugcwalisa isisu sakhe ngamakhoba adliwa yizingulube, kepha kwakungekho muntu owamnikayo.
17 Kwathi lapho isanguluka yathi: ‘Bangaki abaqashwa bakababa abanesinkwa esanele, kanti mina ngifa indlala.
18 Ngiyakusuka, ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho;
19 Angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho; ngenze ngibe njengomunye wabaqashwa bakho.
20 Yasuka, yaya kuyise. Kuthe isekude, uyise wayibona, waba nesihe, wagijima, wawa entanyeni yakhe, wayanga.
21 Indodana yathi kuye: ‘Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho, angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho.’
22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Khuphani nikhiphe ingubo enhle kunazo zonke, niyembathise; wafaka indandatho esandleni sakhe, nezicathulo ezinyaweni zakhe;
23 Nilethe ithole elikhuluphalisiwe, nilihlabe; futhi asidle, sijabule;
24 Ngokuba le ndodana yami ibifile, isiyaphila futhi; ubelahlekile, usetholakele. Basebeqala ukujabula.
25 Indodana yakhe enkulu yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela nokusina.
26 Yabiza enye yezinceku, yabuza ukuthi ziyini lezi zinto.
27 Wathi kuye: “Umfowenu ufikile; uyihlo uhlabile ithole elikhuluphalisiwe, ngokuba umamukele ephilile.
28 Wathukuthela, akavumanga ukungena; wayesephuma uyise, wamncenga.
29 Wasephendula wathi kuyise: Khangela, leminyaka eminengi ngikukhonza, kangizange ngeqe umlayo wakho;
30 Kodwa kuthe ifika le ndodana yakho, edle ukudla kwakho lezifebe, uyihlabele ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo.
31 Wathi kuye: “Mntanami, wena uhlezi unami, nakho konke enginakho kungokwakho.
32 Bekufanele ukuthi sijabule sithokoze, ngokuba umfowenu lo ubefile, wabuye waphila; yayilahlekile, yafunyanwa.