UMATEWU 25:1-30

“Ngelo xesha ulawulo lukaThixo luya kufana nokweentombi ezilishumi, ezazithathayo izibane zazo, zaya kuhlangabeza umyeni. Ke ezintlanu kuzo zazizizidenge, ezintlanu zizizilumko. Ezizizidenge zazithatha izibane zazo, kodwa azayipatha ioyile yokongeza. Zona ezizizilumko zathi kunye nezibane zazo zahamba ziphethe ioyile ngezitya. Umyeni walibazisa ukufika, zaza iintombi ezi zonke zozela zalala. “Ezinzulwini zobusuku kwamenyezwa kusithiwa: ‘Nanko umyeni; phumani niye kumhlangabeza!’ Zavuka ke zonke iintombi ezo, zazilungisa izibane zazo. Zaza ezizizidenge zathi kwezizizilumko: ‘Sipheni kwioyile yenu leyo, kuba izibane zethu ziyacima.’ Kodwa zalandula ezizizilumko, zisithi: ‘Hleze inganeli kuthi nakuni, yiyani kwabayithengisayo, nizithengele.’ Kwathi ke, zisaya, wafika umyeni, zaza ezo ntombi bezisezilungile zangena kunye naye emsithweni, kwaza kwavalwa emnyango. “Kamva zafika nezinye iintombi ezo, zathi: ‘Nkosi, sivulele.’ Yaphendula yona yathi: ‘Ndithi kuni, inene, nina àndinazi.’ “Phaphani ke ngoko, ngokuba ningayazi imini kwanalo ilixa.” “Kuya kuba njengomntu owathi, eza kuhambela kwelinye ilizwe, wazibiza izicaka zakhe, wayigcinisa kuzo impahla yakhe. Esinye usinike imali ekumawaka amahlanu eerandi, esinye ekumawaka amabini, nesinye ekwiwaka elinye, ezinika ngokwamandla azo. Wahamba ke. Eso sanikwa ekumawaka amahlanu, sithe kwangoko sasebenza ngawo, sazuza amanye amahlanu. Ngokukwanjalo neso sanikwa ekumawaka amabini, sazuza amanye amabini. Ke sona eso sasinikwe ekwiwaka elinyé, semka saya kuyimbela siyifihla imali yenkosi yaso. “Emva kwexesha elide yabuya inkosi yezi zicaka, yafuna ingxelo kuzo. Seza eso sasinikwe ekumawaka amahlanu, siphethe kwanamanye amahlanu, sathi: ‘Nkosi, ubundigcinise imali ekumawaka amahlanu eerandi. Nantsi ke enye, mhlekazi, ekumawaka amahlanu endithe ndayizuza.’ Yaza yathi kuso inkosi yaso: ‘Ngxatsho ke, sicaka sam esilungileyo, esithembekileyo! Ubuthembekile kwizinto ezimbalwa; ndiya kukuphathisa izinto ezininzi. Ngena uchwayite kunye nenkosi yakho.’ “Seza neso sicaka sasinikwe ekumawaka amabini, sathi: ‘Nkosi, ubundigcinise imali ekumawaka amabini eerandi. Nantsi ke, mhlekazi, enye ekumawaka amabini endithe ndayizuza.’ Yaza yathi kuso inkosi yaso: ‘Ngxatsho ke, sicaka sam esilungileyo, esithembekileyo! Ubuthembekile kwizinto ezimbalwa; ndiya kukuphathisa izinto ezininzi. Ngena uchwayite kunye nenkosi yakho.’ “Seza ke neso sicaka sasinikwe ekwiwaka elinyé, sathi: ‘Nkosi, bendikwazi wena ukuba ungumntu ongqongqo, ovuna ongakuhlwayelanga, uqokelele ongakulimanga. Bendisoyika, ndaza ndaya kuyembela ndayifihla imali yakho. Nantsi ke imali yakho, mhlekazi.’ Yaphendula inkosi yaso, yathi kuso: ‘Sicakandini esikhohlakeleyo, esilivila, ubusazi nje ukuba ndingumntu ovuna apho angahlwayelanga khona, aqokelele apho angachithanga khona. Ubumelwe ke ngoko ukuyifaka ebhankini imali yam, ndize ndithi, ndakufika, ndiyifumane inenzala. Ke ngoko esi sicaka sihlutheni iwaka elo, nilinike eso siphethe ekumawaka alishumi. Wonke umntu onolutho uya kunikwa, abe nezinto ngakumbi; kodwa lowo ungenanto uya kuhluthwa naloo nto anayo. Ke sona esi sifede sesicaka siphoseni phandle lee ebumnyameni, apho kuya kubakho ukulila nokungcungcutheka.’ ”