1 Ngalesosikhathi kwasekubuthana kuye abathelisi lezoni ukuzokuzwa imfundiso yakhe. 2 Kodwa abaFarisi labafundisi bomthetho bakhonona bathi, “Umuntu lo wemukela izoni adle lazo.”

3 UJesu wasebatshela umzekeliso lo, wathi: 4  “Ake kuthiwe omunye wenu ulezimvu ezilikhulu besekulahleka eyodwa kuzo. Kazukuzitshiya yini lezo ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye khonale egangeni ayidinge leyo elahlekileyo aze ayithole na? 5  Kuthi lapho eseyitholile ayithwale emahlombe ngokuthokoza 6  aye layo ekhaya. Abesebiza abangane bakhe labomakhelwane athi, ‘Thokozani lami; sengiyitholile imvu yami ebilahlekile.’ 7  Ngilitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kuzakuba lokuthokoza ezulwini ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa okudlula labobantu abalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye abangakudingiyo ukuphenduka.”

8  “Kumbe kuthi owesifazane elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi kulahleke uhlamvu olulodwa. Kalumathisi yini isibane, athanyele endlini, adingisise kuhle aze aluthole na? 9  Kuthi eselutholile abize abangane bakhe labomakhelwane, athi kubo, ‘Thokozani lami; sengilutholile uhlamvu lwami lwesiliva obelulahlekile.’ 10  Ngiyalitshela ukuthi ngaleyondlela kulokuthokoza phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngokuphenduka kwesoni esisodwa.”

11 UJesu waqhubeka wathi: “Kwakukhona indoda eyayilamadodana amabili. 12  Encinyane yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, ngipha esami isabelo selifa.’ Ngakho uyise wabehlukanisela impahla yakhe bobabili.

13  Ngemva kwesikhatshana indodana encane yabutha konke okungokwayo yasuka yaya elizweni elikhatshana, yafika khonale yayichitha inotho yayo ngempilo yokuxhwala. 14  Isitshaye yachitha konke, kwaba lendlala enkulu kulolonke ilizwe, yasiswela kakhulu. 15  Yasisiyadinga umsebenzi komunye umuntu wakulelolizwe owayisa esiqintini sakhe ukuyagcina ingulube. 16  Yabona kungcono kuyo ukuthi ixotshe iphango ngokudla okwakudliwa zingulube, kodwa kayizange iphiwe lutho langubani.

17  Kwathi lapho ingqondo yayo isicabanga kuhle, yathi, ‘Kambe zingaki izinceku zikababa ezidla zizezitshiye kodwa nanku mina ngifa ngendlala! 18  Ngizasuka ngibuyele kubaba ngifike ngithi kuye: Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe. 19  Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezinceku zakho.’ 20  Ngakho yaphakama yaya kuyise.

Kodwa yathi isesebucwala uyise wayibona wayizwela isihawu; wagijimela kuyo indodana yakhe, wayigona, wayanga.

21  Indodana yathi kuye, ‘Baba, ngenze isono phambi kwezulu lakuwe. Kangisafanelanga ukuthiwa ngiyindodana yakho.’

22  Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe, ‘Phangisani! Lethani isembatho esihle ukwedlula ezinye limgqokise. Lifake indandatho emunweni wakhe, limgqokise lamanyathela ezinyaweni zakhe. 23  Beseliletha ithole elinonisiweyo lilihlabe. Asenzeni idili sithokoze. 24  Ngoba indodana yami le yayisifile, kodwa isiphila njalo; yayilahlekile manje isifunyenwe.’ Waqalisa manje umkhosi wokujabula.

25  Sonke lesisikhathi indodana endala yayisensimini. Yathi isibanga endlini yezwa kuhlatshelelwa njalo kugidwa. 26  Yasibiza omunye wezinceku yambuza ukuthi kwakusenzakalani. 27  Waphendula wathi, ‘Umfowenu usebuyile, ngakho uyihlo usemhlabele ithole elinonisiweyo ngoba ubuye ephilile, ephelele.’

28  Umnewabo wazonda kakhulu, wala ukungena ngekhaya. Uyise wasephuma esiya kuye ukuyamncenga. 29  Kodwa waphendula uyise wathi, ‘Khangela! Iminyaka yonke le bengikusebenzela kanzima njalo kangizange ngeqe imilayo yakho. Kodwa kawuzange ungiphe lokulizinyane kodwa lokhu ukuthi lami kengithokoze labangane bami. 30  Kodwa lokhu kuthi nxa indodana yakho le esitshaye yathintitha inotho yakho lezifebe, isibuyile ekhaya uyihlabele ithole elinonisiweyo!’

31  Uyise wathi, ‘Ndodana yami, uhlezi ulami sonke isikhathi njalo konke engilakho ngokwakho. 32  Kodwa bekufanele sithokoze sijabule ngoba umfowenu lo wayesefile, manje usephila njalo; ubelahlekile, usefunyenwe.’ ”