Izazi zasempumalanga
1UJesu esezelwe eBetlehema laseJudiya emihleni kaHerode inkosi, bheka, kwafika izazi eJerusalema, zivela empumalanga, zithi: 2“Uphi lowo ozelwe eyinkosi yabaJuda na? Ngokuba sibonile inkanyezi yakhe kwelasempumalanga, size ukukhuleka kuye.”
3UHerode inkosi esekuzwile lokho wakhathazeka neJerusalema lonke kanye naye. 4Wabutha bonke abapristi abakhulu nababhali besizwe, wabuza kubo ukuthi uKristu uzakuzalelwaphi. 5Bathi kuye: “EBetlehema laseJudiya, ngokuba kulotshiwe kanjalo ngomprofethi ukuthi:
6“ ‘Nawe Betlehema,
lizwe lakwaJuda,
kawusiye omncane nakanye kubabusi bakwaJuda,
ngokuba kuyakuvela kuwe umbusi
oyakwalusa isizwe sami u-Israyeli.’ ”
7Khona uHerode, ezibizile izazi ngasese, wabuzisisa kuzo isikhathi inkanyezi ebonakele ngaso, 8wazithuma eBetlehema, wathi: “Hambani nibuzisise ngomntwana; kuyakuthi nxa nimfumene, ningitshele ukuba nami ngiye ngikhuleke kuye.”
9Seziyizwile inkosi, zamuka; bheka, inkanyezi ezayibona kwelasempumalanga yahamba phambi kwazo, yaze yafika yema phezu kwalapho umntwana ekhona. 10Zathi ukuyibona inkanyezi, zathokoza ngokuthokoza okukhulu kakhulu. 11Zase zingena endlini, zabona umntwana noMariya unina, zawa phansi, zakhuleka kuye, zavula amagugu azo, zamkhunga ngezipho: igolide namakha nenhlaka. 12Kwathi ziyaliwe nguNkulunkulu ngephupho ukuba zingabuyeli kuHerode, zabuyela ezweni lakubo ngenye indlela.
