ULUKASI 15

₁Nje-ke abathelisi nezoni boke bebabuthene kuJesu ukuzomuzwa. ₂Kodwana abaFarisi nabafundisi bomthetho baguguneka bathi: “Umrhali lo wamukela izoni, agome nazo!” ₃Yeke uJesu wabatjela umfanekiso lo: ₄“Akhe sithi omunye wenu unezimvu ezilikhulu bese ulahlekelwa ngeyodwa kizo. Akatjhiyi ezimatjhumi alithoba nethoba erhalawumbeni, akhambe ayokufuna elahlekileko abe ayifumane na? ₅Athi angayifumana, athabe khulu, ayitjathe emahlombakhe ₆aye nayo ekhaya. Abizele abangani nabomakhelwana bakhe ndawonye athi kibo, ‘Thabani kanye nami; ngiyifumene imvu yami ebeyilahlekile!’ ₇Nje-ke ngiyanitjela bona ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona ithabo elikhulu ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukako kunalabo abamatjhumi alithoba nethoba abalungileko nabangadingi ukuphenduka.”

₈“Namkha akhe sithi-ke umfazi oneempaparwana ezilitjhumi zesiliva, ulahlekelwa ngesisodwa. Akakhanyisi isibani, athanyele ikumba, afunisise kuhle abe asifunyane na? ₉Kuthi angasifumana, abizele abangani nabomakhelwana bakhe ndawonye athi kibo, ‘Thabani kanye nami; isipaparwana sami ebesilahlekile ngisifumene!’ ₁₀Ngokunjalo ngiyanitjela bona kunethabo elikhulu phambi kweengilozi zakaZimu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukako.”

₁₁UJesu waraga wathi: “Kwakhe kwaba khona umuntu onamadodana amabili. ₁₂Encani yathi kuyise, ‘Baba, nginikela isabelo sami selifa.’ Yeke wawahlukanisela ilifa. ₁₃Kwathi kungakabi malanga mangaki ngemva kwalapho, indodana encani yabutha koke enakho, yemuka yaya enarheni ekude. Nayifika lapho yathuthudlha loke ilifa layo ngokuphila umathanda. ₁₄Ngemva kobana isaphaze koke, kwaba khona indlala ekulu kiyo yoke inarha leyo. Nje-ke yathoma ukuswela. ₁₅Yeke yakhamba yayozithengisa kesinye sezakhamuzi zalapho. Sona sayithumela esiminaso kobana yeluse izavukazana zaso. ₁₆Yakhanukela ukuzisuthisa ngokudla kwezavukazana, kodwana akakho noyedwa owayipha okuthileko. ₁₇Kwathi nayiqaqulukako, yathi, ‘Bangaki abaqatjhwa bakababa abadla kusale na? Qala, mina indlala ingiphodlha kokufa lapha! ₁₈Yeke ngizakusuka ngiye kubaba, ngifike ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile phambi kwezulu naphambi kwakho. ₁₉Angisafaneli ukubizwa ngendodanakho; yewungithathe njengomunye wabaqatjhwa bakho.’ ₂₀Yasuka-ke yaya kuyise.

“Kodwana kuthe isesekude, uyise wayibona, wayirhawukela, wayigijimela wafese wayigona, wayincwanga emhlathini. ₂₁Indodana yathi kuye, ‘Baba, ngonile phambi kwezulu naphambi kwakho. Angisafanelanga ukubizwa ngendodanakho.’ ₂₂Kodwana uyise wabiza amakhobokakhe wathi kiwo, ‘Rhabani! Lethani isambatho sakanokutjho niyembathise. Ifakeni idzilamnwana emunwenayo namapatlagwana eenyaweni. ₂₃Lethani ithole elinonisiweko nilihlabe. Asibeni nomnyanya sigidinge ₂₄ngombana indodanami le beyifile nje-ke iyaphila, beyilahlekile nje-ke itholakele.’ Yeke bathoma ukugidinga.

₂₅“Ngesikhatheso indodana ekulu beyisemasimini. Kwathi nayitjhidela ekhaya, yezwa kuvunywa ingoma kugidwa. ₂₆Yeke yabiza elinye lamakhoboka yabuza bona kwenzekani. ₂₇Lona lathi, ‘Umfowenu ubuyile, nje-ke uyihlo umhlabele ithole elinonisiweko ngombana ubuye aphilile begodu aphephile.’

₂₈“Indodana ekulu yathukuthela khulu yabe yabhala ukungena ngendlini. Yeke uyise waphumela ngaphandle wayirabhela. ₂₉Kodwana yaphendula uyise yathi, ‘Qala! Yoke iminyaka le bengiseze ngikusebenzela njengekhoboka begodu azange khengiphule imiyalwakho. Khonapho azange khewungiphe ngitjho imbuzana yakombuzana bona nami ngizithabise nabangani bami. ₃₀Kodwana indodanakho le ethuthudlhe ipahlakho neengwadla, nayibuyela ekhaya uyihlabela ithole elinonisiweko!’ ₃₁Uyise waphendula wathi, ‘Ndodanami, uhlala unami soke isikhathi begodu koke enginakho ngekwakho. ₃₂Kodwana kufanele sigide sithabe ngombana umfowenu lo bekafile, kodwana gadesi uyaphila, bekalahlekile, kodwana ufunyenwe.’ ”