NgokukaMathewu 25:1-46

“Khona umbuso wezulu uzakufaniswa nezintombi eziyishumi ezathatha izibani zazo, zaphuma ukuyohlangabeza umyeni. Kepha eziyisihlanu kuzo zaziyiziwula, neziyisihlanu zazihlakaniphile. Ngokuba eziyiziwula zithatha izibani kaziwaphathanga amafutha. Kodwa ezihlakaniphileyo zaphatha amafutha ezitsheni kanye nezibani zazo. Umyeni esalibele, zozela zonke, zalala. “Kepha phakathi kobusuku kwamenyezwa ukuthi: ‘Nangu umyeni; phumani niye kumhlangabeza!’ “Khona zavuka lezo zintombi zonke, zalungisa izibani zazo. Eziyiziwula zase zithi kwezihlakaniphileyo: ‘Sipheni amafutha kwawenu, ngokuba izibani zethu ziyacima.’ “Kepha ezihlakaniphileyo zaphendula zathi: ‘Qha, funa angasaneli thina nani. Okungcono hambani niye kwabathengisayo, nizithengele.’ “Zisaya kuthenga, wafika umyeni. Ezazilungele zangena naye emshadweni; kwavalwa emnyango. “Ngasemuva zafika nezinye izintombi, zathi: ‘Nkosi, nkosi, sivulele.’ “Kepha waphendula wathi: ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Anginazi.’ “Ngakho lindani, ngokuba anilwazi usuku nehora. “Ngokuba kunjengomuntu owathi eyakuhambela kwelinye izwe wabiza izinceku zakhe, wazinika impahla yakhe; enye wayinika amatalenta* ayisihlanu, enye aba mabili, enye laba linye, kwaba yileyo naleyo njengamandla ayo; wamuka-ke. Lowo obamukele amatalenta ayisihlanu wahamba masinyane, wasebenza ngawo, wazuza amanye ayisihlanu. Kanjalo obamukele amabili wazuza amanye amabili. Kepha obamukele lalinye waya wemba emhlabathini, wayifihla imali yenkosi yakhe. “Kepha emva kwesikhathi eside yafika inkosi yalezo zinceku, yalandisana nazo. Weza obamukele amatalenta ayisihlanu, waletha amanye amatalenta ayisihlanu, wathi: ‘Nkosi, wanginika amatalenta ayisihlanu; bheka, ngizuze amanye amatalenta ayisihlanu.’ “Inkosi yakhe yathi kuye: ‘Kuhle, nceku enhle nethembekileyo, uthembekile ezintweni eziyingcosana; ngizakukubeka phezu kokuningi; ngena ekuthokozeni kwenkosi yakho.’ “Weza nobamukele amatalenta amabili, wathi: ‘Nkosi, wanginika amatalenta amabili; bheka, ngizuze amanye amatalenta amabili.’ “Inkosi yakhe yathi kuye: ‘Kuhle, nceku enhle nethembekileyo, uthembekile ezintweni eziyingcosana; ngizakukubeka phezu kokuningi; ngena ekuthokozeni kwenkosi yakho.’ “Kepha weza nobamukele italenta lalinye, wathi: ‘Nkosi, bengikwazi ukuthi ungumuntu olukhuni; uvuna lapho ungahlwanyelanga khona, ubutha lapho ungafazanga khona; ngesaba, ngaya ngalithukusa emhlabathini italenta lakho; bheka, nakhu okwakho.’ “Kepha inkosi yakhe yaphendula, yathi kuye: ‘Nceku embi nevilaphayo, ubukwazi ukuthi ngivuna lapha ngingahlwanyelanga khona, ngibutha lapha ngingafazanga khona, na? Ngakho wawumelwe ukubeka imali yami kwabebhange,* mina-ke ekufikeni kwami ngabe ngitholile okwami kanye nenzalo. “ ‘Ngakho mamukeni italenta, nilinike onamatalenta ayishumi. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo onakho uyakuphiwa, avame; kepha ongenakho uyakwamukwa nalokho anakho. Leyo nceku engasiziyo yiphonseni ebumnyameni obungaphandle; lapho kuyakuba khona ukukhala ngokugedla amazinyo.’ “Kepha nxa iNdodana yomuntu iza ngenkazimulo yayo nezingelosi zonke ezingcwele kanye nayo, khona izakuhlala esihlalweni sayo senkazimulo; kuzakubuthelwa phambi kwayo izizwe zonke, ibahlukanise abanye kwabanye, njengomalusi ahlukanisa izimvu nezimbuzi, imise izimvu ngakwesokunene sayo kepha izimbuzi ngakwesokhohlo. “Khona iNkosi izakuthi kwabangakwesokunene sayo: ‘Zanini nina enibusisiwe nguBaba, nidle ifa lombuso eniwulungiselweyo selokhu kwasekelwa umhlaba. Ngokuba ngangilambile, nangipha ukudla; ngangomile, nangiphuzisa; ngangingumfokazi, nangingenisa; ngihamba ze nangembathisa; ngangigula, nangihamba; ngangisetilongweni, neza kimi.’ “Khona bayakuyiphendula abalungileyo ngokuthi: ‘Nkosi, sakubona nini ulambile sakupha ukudla, noma womile sakuphuzisa, na? Sakubona nini ungumfokazi sakungenisa, noma uhamba ze sakwembathisa, na? Sakubona nini ugula, noma usetilongweni, seza kuwe, na?’ “Isiyakuphendula iNkosi, ithi kubo: ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, njengokuba nikwenzile komunye walaba bafowethu abancane, nikwenzile kimi.’ “Khona iyakuthi kwabangakwesokhohlo: ‘Dedani kimi nina baqalekisiweyo, niye emlilweni ophakade olungiselwe uSathane nezingelosi zakhe. Ngokuba ngangilambile, aningiphanga ukudla; ngangomile, aningiphuzisanga; ngangingumfokazi, aningingenisanga; ngihamba ze aningembathisanga; ngigula, ngisetilongweni, aningihambanga.’ “Khona bayakuphendula nabo, bathi: ‘Nkosi, sakubona nini ulambile, noma womile, noma ungumfokazi, noma uhamba ze, noma ugula, noma usetilongweni, singakukhonzanga, na?’ “Khona iyakubaphendula ithi: ‘Ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Lokho eningakwenzanga komunye walaba abancinyane anikwenzanga nakimi.’ “Laba bayakumuka, baye ekujezisweni okuphakade, kodwa abalungileyo baye ekuphileni okuphakade.”