¹ Bonkhe batselisi nyalo naletinye toni bebeta ku Jesu kutomlalela. ² BaFarisi kanye netati temtsetfo bahhingatela bondvwana, batsi, ''Lendvodza lena yemukela toni, futsi abuye adle nato.'' ³ Jesu wakhuluma lomfanekiso lona kubo, atsi, ⁴ ''Ngubani kini uma kungatsiwa unetimvu letilikhulu bese kulahleka yinye yato, ngeke sekashiye leti letimashumi layimfica nemfica ehlane, bese uyahamba ayofuna lelelahlekile ate ayitfole yini? ⁵ Uma asayitfolile, ayetjase emahlombe akhe bese uyatfokota. ⁶ Uma eta ekhaya, ubita bangani bakhe nabomakhelwane kanyekanye, atsi kubo, 'Tfokotani kanye nami, ngoba ngiyitfolile imvu yami lebeyilahlekile.' ⁷ Ngitsi kini ngalokufanako, kutawuba nenjabulo ezulwini etikwesoni sinye lesiphendvukako, ngetulu kwebantfu labangemashumi layimfica nemfica labalungile labangadzingi kuphendvuka. ⁸ Nome umfati lonetinhlavu telisiliva letilishumi, uma angalahlekelwa luhlavu lunye, angeke alayide sibane, atsanyele indlu, bese uyafunisisa aze ayitfole yini? ⁹ Uma asayitfolile, ubita bangani bakhe nabomakhewane kanyekanye, atsi ,' Tfokotani kanye nami, ngoba ngilutfolile luhlavu lobelungilahlekele.' ¹⁰ Ngalokufanako, ngitsi kini, kune ntfokoto ebukhoneni tetingelosi taNkulunkulu ngekuphendvuka kwesoni sinye.'' ¹¹ Jesu wabese utsi, ''Bekunalenye indvodza lebeyinemadvodzana lamabili, ¹² lolomncane kubo watsi kubabe wakhe, 'Babe, nginike sabelo selifa lami longihlele sona.' Ngako wawehlukanisela tintfo takhe emkhatsini wabo. ¹³ Kungakefiki emalanga lamanyenti, lendvodzana lencane yahlanganisa kanyekanye konkhe lobekukwakhe wahamba waya eveni lelikhashane, bese lapho wadlabhatisa yonkhe imali ngekuphila ngekonakala. ¹⁴ Nyalo uma sekasebentise konkhe, kwefika indlala lenkhulu kulelo live, bese wacala waba sesidzingweni. ¹⁵ Wahamba wayosebenta ngaphandle kulomunye umuntfu wakulelo live, lowamtfumela emasimini akhe kuyowupha tingulube. ¹⁶ Abengadzimate afise kudla imidvumba lebeyidliwa tingulube ngoba kute bekamnika lutfo. ¹⁷ Kepha uma lendvodzana lencane ibuya kuyo, watsi, 'Tingakhi tisebenti tababe wami letacshwa letinekudla lokwanele, futsi ngikhona, ngibulawa yindlala! ¹⁸ Ngitawuhamba lana ngiye kubabe wami, futsi ngitawutsi kuye, ''Babe, ngonile emazulu nawe. ¹⁹ Angisafanelwa kubitwa ngendvodzana yakho; ngente lomunye wetisebenti takho loticashile.'' ²⁰ Ngako lendvodzana lencane yahamba yaya kubabe wayo. Asesekhashane nje, babe wakhe wambona inhlitiyo yakhe yagcwala sihawu, wagijima wamugaca wamanga. ²¹ Lendvodzana yatsi kuye, 'Babe, Ngonile ezulwini nakuwe. Angisafanelwa kubitwa ngendvodzana yakho.' ²² ''Lobabe watsi etisebentini takhe, 'Phangisani niletse ingubo lenhle, nimgcokise, bese nimfake indandatho esandleni sakhe, netimbatata etinyaweni takhe. ²³ Bese niletsa litfole lelikhuluphele bese niyalibulala. Asijabuleni ngekudla! ²⁴ Ngoba indvodzana yami beyifile, nyalo uyaphila. Abelahlekile, nyalo sewutfolakele.' Bese bacala kujabula. ²⁵ ''Indvodzana lendzala beyiphumile isensimini. Nakaseta sekayofika endlini, weva umsindvo wekuhlabelela nekujayiva. ²⁶ Wabita kulomunye wetisebenti wambuta kutsi kungabe kuyini letintfo leti. ²⁷ Lesisebenti satsi kuye, 'Umnakenu ubuyile ekhaya babe wakho ubulale litfokati lelikhuluphele ngoba ubuye aphephile.' ²⁸ ''Lendvodzana lendzala yatfukutsela yangangeni ngekhatsi, bese babe wakhe waphumela ngaphandle wamucela. ²⁹ Kepha lendvodzana lendzala yamphendvula yatsi kubabe wayo, 'Buka, leminyaka leminyenti lena bengisebentela wena, futsi angikaze ngephule umtsetfo wakho, kodvwa awuzange sewunginike ngisho imbuti lencane kutsi ngitfokote nebangani bami, ³⁰ kepha uma lendvodzana yakho ibuya, lobekayodlabhatisa imali yakho netingwadla, umbulalele litfole lelikhuluphele.' ³¹ ''Lobabe watsi kuye, 'Ndvodzana, wahlale unami, futsi konkhe lokungekwami kwakho. ³² Kepha bekufanele kutsi tsine sidle sitfokote, ngoba lomnakenu lona bekafile, manje sowuyaphila; bekalahlekile, manje sewutfolakele.''