17 omnye wabo wathi: “Mhlekazi, mna nalo mfazi sihlala ndlwini-nye. Ngoku ke mna ndiye ndabeleka ndafumana umntwana, ngoko silala sobabini.
18 Ngosuku lwesithathu ndibelekile nalo mfazi ubeleke owakhe umntwana. Ke kaloku ke besisobabini apho endlwini, kungekho mntu wumbi.
19 Ngabusuku buthile lo mfazi wamfuthanisela wafa unyana wakhe.
20 Kwakuba njalo ke uvukile wachwechwa ezinzulwini zobusuku, weza kûba unyana wam ecaleni lam, mna ke sicakazana sakho ndilele thwii. Suka ke wathatha lo nyana wakhe ungasekhoyo wambeka esifubeni sam, lo wam wamncancisa kuye.
21 Ndithe ke ndakuvuka ngentsasa elandelayo, ndizama ukuncancisa usana lwam, lwaye lungasekho! Kuthe ke kwakukhanya ndamqwalasela, ndafumanisa ukuba lo asinguye unyana wam endimzeleyo.”
22 Omnye lo ke umfazi wathi: “Hayi bo! Lo mntwana uphilayo ngowam; owakho ngulo ufileyo.”Lo wokuqala ke umfazi wathi: “Unotshe! Owakho ngulo ufileyo; ngowam lo uphilayo!” Yaba yiloo mpikiswano ke apho phambi kokumkani.
23 Ukumkani ke wathi: “Oo! Lo uthi: ‘Ngunyana wam lo uphilayo, ngunyana wakho lo ufileyo;’ abe omnye esithi: ‘Hayi khona, ngunyana wakho lo ufileyo, owam ngulo uphilayo!’ ”