Iingcali zeenkwenkwezi ezavela empumalanga
1Kwathi akuba uYesu ezelwe eBhetelehem kwaJuda, ngemihla kakumkani uHerode, kwabonakala kufika iingcali zeenkwenkwezi eJerusalem, zivela empumalanga, 2zisithi: “Uphi na lo kumkani wamaJuda uzelweyo? Sibone inkwenkwezi yakhe empumalanga; ke size kumnqula.”
3Akukuva oku ukumkani uHerode, wakhathazeka, nayo yonke iJerusalem. 4Ebahlanganisile ke bonke ababingeleli abaziintloko nabachazi-mthetho balapho, wabuza kubo ukuba uKrestu ubeya kuzalelwa phi na. 5Bathi kuye: “EBhetelehem kwaJuda, kuba kubhaliwe *ngumshumayeli kwathiwa:
6“ ‘Wena Bhetelehem, sithili sakwaJuda,
akunguye oyena udelekileyo kubalawuli bakwaJuda,
kuba kuwe kuya kuphuma uMlawuli
oya kuba nguMalusi wabantu bam amaSirayeli.’”
7UHerode ke uzibizele ngasese iingcali ezo, waqondisisa kakuhle kuzo ixesha lokubonakala kwenkwenkwezi leyo. 8Wazithumela eBhetelehem, esithi: “Hambani niye kubuzisa kakuhle ngomntwana lowo. Ze nithi ke, nakumfumana, nindixelele, ukuze nam ndiye kumnqula.”
9Zakuba zimvile ukumkani, iingcali zahamba; nantso inkwenkwezi leyo zayibonayo empumalanga, izikhokela, de yaya kuma phezu kwendawo abekuyo umntwana lowo. 10Zathi ke, zakuyibona inkwenkwezi, zavuya gqitha. 11Zingenile endlwini, zambona umntwana enoMariya unina, zaqubuda, zamnqula; zaza zathi, zivule iingxowa zazo, zanikela kuye ngezipho: igolide, intlaka yokuqhumisa, nentlaka yokuqhola.
12Zathi ke, ziyalelwe nguThixo ephupheni ukuba zingabuyi ziye kuHerode, zemka ngandlela yimbi ukuya kwelakowazo.
UYesu usiwa eJiputa
13Zakuba zimkile iingcali, kwabonakala isithunywa seNkosi kuJosefu ephupheni, sisithi: “Vuka, uthathe umntwana nonina, ubalekele eJiputa, uhlale apho de ndikuxelele, kuba uHerode uzimisele ukumbulala umntwana.” 14Wavuka ke uJosefu, wamthatha umntwana nonina ebusuku, wabalekela eJiputa, 15wahlala khona de wabhubha uHerode.
Oku kwênzeka ukuze lizaliseke ilizwi leNkosi elathethwa *ngumshumayeli, lisithi: “Ndambiza unyana wam waphuma eJiputa.”
UHerode ubulala abantwana baseBhetelehem
16Ke kaloku uHerode, akubona ukuba iingcali zeenkwenkwezi zimkhohlisile, waba nomsindo kakhulu, wayalela ukuba kubulawe bonke abantwana abangamakhwenkwe abaseBhetelehem nakuwo wonke loo mmandla, abaminyaka mibini bezelwe nangaphantsi, elungelelanisa nexesha abeliqondisise kakuhle kwiingcali.
17Kwazaliseka ke ngoko okwathethwayo *ngumshumayeli uJeremiya esithi:
18“ERama kwavakala isililo nesijwili esikhulu,
uRakeli elilela abantwana bakhe,
engavumi ukuthuthuzeleka,
kuba babengasekho.”
UYesu ubuyiswa eJiputa
19Akuba ebhubhile uHerode, nâko kubonakala isithunywa seNkosi kuJosefu ephupheni eseJiputa, 20sisithi: “Vuka, uthathe umntwana nonina, uye kwelakwaSirayeli, kuba bafile abo babefuna ukumbulala umntwana.” 21Wavuka, wamthatha umntwana nonina, waya kwelakwaSirayeli.
22UJosefu akuva ukuba uArkelawo ungukumkani kwelakwaJuda esikhundleni sikayise uHerode, woyika ukuya khona; wathi, eyalelwe nguThixo ephupheni, wemka waya kwiphondo laseGalili, 23waya kuhlala kwidolophu ekuthiwa yiNazarete. Oku kwênzeka ukuze kuzaliseke okwathethwayo *ngabashumayeli, besithi wobizwa ngokuba ngumNazarete.
