1 Ke kaloku into eninzi yabaqokeleli-rhafu *naboni yasondela kuYesu, yamngqonga ukuba imphulaphule.
2 *AbaFarasi nabachazi-mthetho babekhalaza, besithi: “Lo mfo uthene nca naboni; utya nabo.”
3 Waza ke uYesu wenza umzekeliso wathi:
4 “Nguwuphi na kuni onokuthi enekhulu leegusha, kuze kulahleke enye kuzo, angazishiyi endle ezo zimashumi alithoba anethoba, aye kufuna leyo ilahlekileyo, ade ayifumane?
5 Hayi ukuvuya kwakhe ke akuba eyifumene! Woyithwala emagxeni,
6 athi akufika ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abahlobo nabamelwane, esithi kubo: ‘Vuyisanani nam, kuba ndiyifumene igusha yam ebilahlekile.’
7 Ndiyanixelela ukuba ngokukwanjalo kuya kubakho uvuyo ezulwini nangomoni omnye oguqukayo kunamashumi alithoba anethoba lamalungisa angaswelanga nguquko.”
8 “Kananjalo nguwuphi na umfazi onokuthi eneenkozo zemali ezilishumi, kuze kulahleke lube lunye kuzo, angalumeki isibane, atshayele indlu, afunisise enyamekile, ade alufumane?
9 Akulufumana ke, ubabizela ndawonye abahlobo nabamelwane, athi: ‘Vuyisanani nam; ndilufumene ukhozo lwemali obelulahlekile.’
10 Ngokunjalo ndithi kuni kuya kubakho uvuyo kwizithunywa zikaThixo ngomoni omnye oguqukayo.”
11 Waqhuba uYesu wathi: “Umntu othile wayenoonyana ababini.
12 Yathi ke inci kuyise: ‘Bawo, ndinike isabelo sempahla elilungelo lam.’ Wababela ke impahla leyo.
13 Kwathi, kungekabi ntsuku zingaphi, inci yathatha konke okwayo, yemka kwelakowayo, yaya ezweni elikude, yaza yathi khona apho yayichitha impahla yayo ngokungakhathali.
14 Kwathi yakuba iyichithe yonke, kwabakho indlala enzima kwelo zwe, yaza yaswela nayo.
15 Ke yona yaya kusebenza komnye kubemi belo zwe, owathi yena wayithumela emasimini akhe ukuba iye kwalúsa iihagu.
16 Ke ibinqwenela ukutya amaxolo awayetyiwa ziihagu ezo, kodwa kwakungekho mntu uyiphayo.
17 Ke kaloku, yakubuyela ezingqondweni, yathi: ‘Kanene bangakanani na abaqeshwa bakabawo abahlutha sisonka, kanti ndim lo mna ndisifa yindlala!
18 Ndiya kusuka ndiye kubawo, ndithi kuye: Bawo, ndimonile uThixo, nawe ndikonile.
19 Andisafanelanga nokuba kuthiwe ndingunyana wakho, ndénze ndibe njengomnye wabaqeshwa bakho.’
20 Yesuka ke, yaya kuyise.“Ke kaloku kwathi, isekude lee, uyise wayibona, wavelana nayo, wayikhawulela, wayigona, wayanga.
21 Ke unyana wathi kuye: ‘Bawo, ndimonile uThixo, nawe ndikonile. Andisafanelanga nokuba kuthiwe ndingunyana wakho.’
22 Kodwa uyise wathi kwizicaka zakhe: ‘Khawulezisani, nize nesona sambatho sihle, nimambathise, nifake umsesane emnweni wakhe, nezihlangu ezinyaweni zakhe.
23 Ze ke nize nelaa thole lityetyisiweyo, nilixhele, sitye sichwayite;
24 kuba lo nyana wam ubefile, wabuya waphila; ubelahlekile, wafunyanwa.’ Baza ke bona bachwayita.
25 “Ke yona inkulu yayivela emasimini, kwathi yakusondela endlwini, yeva iingoma nokududa.
26 Yabizela kuyo esinye kwizicaka, yasibuza ukuba kwenzeka ntoni na.
27 Isicaka sathi kuyo: ‘Umninawe wakho ubuyile. Ke uyihlo uxhele elaa thole lityetyisiweyo, kuba ebuye wamzuza ephilile.’
28 Yaqumba inkulu, ayavuma nokungena oku, waza uyise waphuma wacengana nayo.
29 Kodwa yona imphendule uyise yathi: ‘Khangela, ndikukhonze le minyaka ingakanana, ndingazange ndagqitha namnye umthetho wakho, kanti akuzange undinike netakane eli, ukuze ndichwayite nezam izihlobo.
30 Kodwa akufika lo nyana wakho, lo wayidlayo wayigqiba impahla yakho namahenyukazi, usuke wamxhelela elaa thole lityetyisiweyo.’
31 Ke uyise wathi kuyo: ‘Nyana wam, wena uhleli unam, zaye zonke izinto zam zezakho.
32 Kufanelekile ukuba sichwayite sigcobe, kuba umninawa wakho lo ebefile wabuya waphila, ebelahlekile wafunyanwa.’ ”