NgokukaMathewu 25:14-30

“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.’