¹And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming nigh to him, to hear him,

¹Siku moja, watoza ushuru na wahalifu wengi walikwenda kumsikiliza Yesu.

²and the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring, saying — This one doth receive sinners, and doth eat with them.`

²Mafarisayo na walimu wa Sheria wakaanza kunung'unika: "Mtazameni mtu huyu! Anawakaribisha wenye dhambi, na tena anakula nao."

³And he spake unto them this simile, saying,

³Yesu akawajibu kwa mfano:

⁴`What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one out of them, doth not leave behind the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go on after the lost one, till he may find it?

⁴"Hivi, mtu akiwa na kondoo mia, akigundua kwamba mmoja wao amepotea, atafanya nini? Atawaacha wale tisini na tisa mbugani, na kwenda kumtafuta yule aliyepotea mpaka ampate.

⁵and having found, he doth lay [it] on his shoulders rejoicing,

⁵Akimpata, atambeba mabegani kwa furaha.

⁶and having come to the house, he doth call together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I found my sheep — the lost one.

⁶Anapofika nyumbani, atawaita rafiki zake akiwaambia, Furahini pamoja nami, kwa sababu nimempata yule kondoo wangu aliyepotea.

⁷`I say to you, that so joy shall be in the heaven over one sinner reforming, rather than over ninety-nine righteous men, who have no need of reformation.

⁷Kadhalika nawaambieni, ndivyo kutakavyokuwa na furaha mbinguni kwa ajili ya kutubu kwa mwenye dhambi mmoja, kuliko kwa ajili ya watu tisini na tisa wanaojiona kuwa wema, wasiohitaji kutubu.

⁸`Or what woman having ten drachms, if she may lose one drachm, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek carefully till that she may find?

⁸"Au mwaonaje? Tuseme mwanamke fulani ana sarafu kumi za fedha, akipoteza moja, atafanya nini? Atawasha taa, aifagie nyumba na kuitafuta kwa uangalifu mpaka aipate.

⁹and having found, she doth call together the female friends and the neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I found the drachm that I lost.

⁹Akiipata, atawaita rafiki na jirani zake akisema, Furahini pamoja nami, kwa sababu nimeipata ile sarafu yangu iliyopotea.

¹⁰`So I say to you, joy doth come before the messengers of God over one sinner reforming.`

¹⁰Kadhalika nawaambieni, ndivyo watakavyofurahi malaika wa Mungu kwa sababu ya mwenye dhambi mmoja anayetubu."

¹¹And he said, `A certain man had two sons,

¹¹Yesu akaendelea kusema, "Kulikuwa na mtu mmoja mwenye wana wawili.

¹²and the younger of them said to the father, Father, give me the portion of the substance falling to [me], and he divided to them the living.

¹²Yule mdogo, alimwambia baba yake: Baba, nipe urithi wangu. Naye akawagawia mali yake.

¹³`And not many days after, having gathered all together, the younger son went abroad to a far country, and there he scattered his substance, living riotously;

¹³Baada ya siku chache, yule mdogo aliuza urithi wake, akasafiri na fedha aliyopata, akaenda nchi ya mbali ambako aliitumia ovyo.

¹⁴and he having spent all, there came a mighty famine on that country, and himself began to be in want;

¹⁴Alipomaliza kutumia kila kitu, kukatokea njaa kali katika nchi ile, naye akaanza kuhangaika.

¹⁵and having gone on, he joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him to the fields to feed swine,

¹⁵Akaomba kazi kwa mwananchi mtu mmoja wa huko naye akampeleka shambani mwake kulisha nguruwe.

¹⁶and he was desirous to fill his belly from the husks that the swine were eating, and no one was giving to him.

¹⁶Alitamani kula maganda waliyokula wale nguruwe, ila hakuna mtu aliyempa kitu.

¹⁷`And having come to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my father have a superabundance of bread, and I here with hunger am perishing!

¹⁷Alipoanza kupata akili akafikiri: Mbona kuna wafanyakazi wengi wa baba yangu wanaokula na kusaza, nami ninakufa njaa?

¹⁸having risen, I will go on unto my father, and will say to him, Father, I did sin — to the heaven, and before thee,

¹⁸Nitarudi kwa baba yangu na kumwambia: Baba, nimemkosea Mungu, na nimekukosea wewe pia.

¹⁹and no more am I worthy to be called thy son; make me as one of thy hirelings.

¹⁹Sistahili hata kuitwa mwanao. Nifanye kama mmoja wa wafanyakazi wako.

²⁰`And having risen, he went unto his own father, and he being yet far distant, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and having ran he fell upon his neck and kissed him;

²⁰Basi, akaanza safari ya kurudi kwa baba yake. Alipokuwa bado yu mbali, baba yake alimwona, na kwa moyo wa huruma alimkimbilia, akamkumbatia na kumbusu.

²¹and the son said to him, Father, I did sin — to the heaven, and before thee, and no more am I worthy to be called thy son.

²¹"Mwanawe akamwambia: Baba, nimemkosea Mungu, na nimekukosea wewe pia. Sistahili hata kuitwa mwanao.

²²`And the father said unto his servants, Bring forth the first robe, and clothe him, and give a ring for his hand, and sandals for the feet;

²²Lakini baba yake akawaambia watumishi wake: Haraka! Leteni nguo nzuri mkamvike! Mvisheni pete na viatu!

²³and having brought the fatted calf, kill [it], and having eaten, we may be merry,

²³Mchinjeni ndama mnono; tule kusherehekea!

²⁴because this my son was dead, and did live again, and he was lost, and was found; and they began to be merry.

²⁴Kwa sababu huyu mwanangu alikuwa amekufa, kumbe yu mzima alikuwa amepotea, lakini sasa amepatikana. Wakaanza kufanya sherehe.

²⁵`And his elder son was in a field, and as, coming, he drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing,

²⁵"Wakati huo kaka yake alikuwa bado shambani. Alipokuwa akirudi na kukaribia nyumbani akasikia vifijo na ngoma.

²⁶and having called near one of the young men, he was inquiring what these things might be,

²⁶Akamwita mmoja wa watumishi, akamwuliza: Kuna nini?

²⁷and he said to him — Thy brother is arrived, and thy father did kill the fatted calf, because in health he did receive him back.

²⁷Huyo mtumishi akamwambia: Ndugu yako amerudi nyumbani, na baba yako amemchinjia ndama mnono kwa kuwa amempata akiwa salama salimini.

²⁸`And he was angry, and would not go in, therefore his father, having come forth, was entreating him;

²⁸Huyo kijana mkubwa akawaka hasira hata akakataa kuingia nyumbani. Baba yake akatoka nje na kumsihi aingie.

²⁹and he answering said to the father, Lo, so many years I do serve thee, and never thy command did I transgress, and to me thou didst never give a kid, that with my friends I might make merry;

²⁹Lakini yeye akamjibu: Kumbuka! Miaka yote nimekutumikia, sijavunja amri yako hata mara moja. Umenipa nini? Hujanipa hata mwana mbuzi mmoja nikafanye sherehe pamoja na rafiki zangu!

³⁰but when thy son — this one who did devour thy living with harlots — came, thou didst kill to him the fatted calf.

³⁰Lakini mtoto wako huyu aliyekula mali yako pamoja na makahaba, mara tu alipokuja umemchinjia yule ndama mnono.

³¹`And he said to him, Child, thou art always with me, and all my things are thine;

³¹Baba yake akamjibu: Mwanangu, wewe uko pamoja nami siku zote, na kila nilicho nacho ni chako.

³²but to be merry, and to be glad, it was needful, because this thy brother was dead, and did live again, he was lost, and was found.`

³²Ilitubidi kufanya sherehe na kufurahi, kwa sababu huyu ndugu yako alikuwa amekufa, kumbe yu mzima; alikuwa amepotea, lakini sasa amepatikana."