23 “Inkosi yakhe yathi kuye: ‘Kuhle, nceku enhle nethembekileyo, uthembekile ezintweni eziyingcosana; ngizakukubeka phezu kokuningi; ngena ekuthokozeni kwenkosi yakho.’
24 “Kepha weza nobamukele italenta lalinye, wathi: ‘Nkosi, bengikwazi ukuthi ungumuntu olukhuni; uvuna lapho ungahlwanyelanga khona, ubutha lapho ungafazanga khona;
25 ngesaba, ngaya ngalithukusa emhlabathini italenta lakho; bheka, nakhu okwakho.’
26 “Kepha inkosi yakhe yaphendula, yathi kuye: ‘Nceku embi nevilaphayo, ubukwazi ukuthi ngivuna lapha ngingahlwanyelanga khona, ngibutha lapha ngingafazanga khona, na?
27 Ngakho wawumelwe ukubeka imali yami kwabebhange,* mina-ke ekufikeni kwami ngabe ngitholile okwami kanye nenzalo.
28 “ ‘Ngakho mamukeni italenta, nilinike onamatalenta ayishumi.
29 Ngokuba yilowo nalowo onakho uyakuphiwa, avame; kepha ongenakho uyakwamukwa nalokho anakho.