Okulahlekileyo: Imvu, uhlamvu lwesiliva, lendodana

15Kwasekusondela kuye bonkea abathelisi lezoni, ukumuzwab. 2 AbaFarisi lababhali basebesola besithi: Lo wemukela izoni, adle lazoc.

3 Wasebatshela lumfanekiso, esithi: 4 Nguwuphi umuntu kini ongathi elezimvu ezilikhulud, abeselahlekelwa ngenye yazo, ongazitshiyi ezingamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunyee egangenif, alandele elahlekileyo, aze ayitholeg? 5 Njalo athi eseyitholile ayetshate ethokozah. 6 Esefikile ekhaya, abizele ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, esithi kubo: Thokozani lami, ngoba ngithole imvu yami ebilahlekilei. 7 Ngithi kini: Ngokunjalo kuzakuba khona intokozo ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo, kulabalungileyo abangamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye lasificamunwemunye, abangasweli ukuphendukaj.

8 Loba nguwuphi umfazi othi elenhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi, uba elahlekelwa luhlamvu olulodwa lwesiliva, angalumathisi isibane, athanyele indlu, adingisise aze aluthole? 9 Njalo nxa eselutholile ubizela ndawonye abangane labomakhelwane, athi: Thokozani lami, ngoba sengilutholile uhlamvu lwesiliva ebengilahlekelwe yilo. 10 Ngokunjalo, ngithi kini, ikhona intokozo phambi kwezingilosi zikaNkulunkulu ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayok.

11 Wasesithi: Umuntu othile wayelamadodana amabili; 12 encinyane yawo yasisithi kuyise: Baba, nginika isabelo sempahlal esiqondene lami. Wasewehlukanisela impahlam. 13 Njalo kungelansuku ezinengi emva kwalokhu indodana encinyane yabutha konke yasuka yahamba yaya elizweni elikhatshanan, njalo lapho yachitha khona impahla yayo, iphila okobuhlanya. 14 Yathi isichithile konke, kwavela indlala enkulu kulelolizwe, yona yasiqala ukuswela. 15 Yasisuka yazihlanganisa lesinye sezakhamizi zalelolizwe; njalo sayithuma emasimini aso ukuze yeluse izingulube. 16 Yasifisa ukugcwalisa isisu sayo ngamakhasi ingulube eziwadlayo; njalo kwakungelamuntu oyinika uluthoo. 17 Kwathi ingqondo yayo isibuyile yathip: Zingaki izisebenzi zikababa eziqhatshiweyo ezilezinkwa ezinengi kakhulu, kanti mina ngiyafa yindlala; 18 ngizasukuma ngiye kubaba, ngithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwini, laphambi kwakhoq; 19 njalor kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngithiwe ngiyindodana yakhos; ngenza ngibe njengomunye wezisebenzi zakho eziqhatshiweyo. 20 Yasisukuma yaya kuyise. Kodwa kuthe isesekhatshana, uyise wayibona, waba lesihelot, wagijimau wawela entanyeni yayov, wayangaw. 21 Indodana yasisithi kuye: Baba, ngonile ezulwinix laphambi kwakhoy, futhi kangisafanelanga ukubizwa ngokuthi ngiyindodana yakhoz. 22 Kodwa uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: Khuphani lilethe isembatho esihle kakhulu liyigqokisea, lifake indandatho esandleni sayob, lamanyathela enyaweni zayoc; 23 lilethe ithole elinonisiweyod lilihlabe, njalo sidlee sithokozef; 24 ngoba indodana yami le ibifile, isibuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, itholiweg; basebeqala ukuthokozah. 25 Kodwa indodana yakhe endala yayisensimini; yathi isiza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela lokusinai. 26 Yasibizela kuyo omunye wezinceku, yabuza ukuthi zitshoni lezizintoj. 27 Yasisithi kuyo: Umfowenu ufikile; loyihlo uhlabile ithole elinonisiweyo, ngoba ememukele ephilak. 28 Kodwa yathukuthela, ayizange ifune ukungena; ngakho uyise waphuma wayincenga. 29 Kodwa yaphendula yathi kuyise: Khangela, iminyaka engaka ngikusebenzela, kangizange ngeqe umlayo wakho, kodwa kawuzange unginike lazinyane lembuzil, ukuze ngijabule kanye labangane bamim. 30 Kodwa kuthe isifikile lindodana yakho eyachitha impahla yakho lezifebe, wayihlabelan ithole elinonisiweyoo. 31 Wasesithi kuyo: Ndodana, wena uhlezi ulamip, futhi konke okungokwami kungokwakhoq. 32 Kodwa bekufanele ukujabula lokuthokozar; ngoba umfowenu lo owayefile, usebuye waphila; wayelahlekile, utholiwes.