¹And all the tax-gatherers and the sinners were coming near to him to hear him;

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

²and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This [man] receives sinners and eats with them.

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

³And he spoke to them this parable, saying,

³Yesu akawajibu kwa mfano:

⁴What man of you having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that which is lost, until he 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 it, he lays it upon his own shoulders, rejoicing;

⁵Akimpata, atambeba mabegani kwa furaha.

⁶and being come to the house, calls together the friends and the neighbours, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.

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

⁷I say unto you, that thus there shall be joy in heaven for one repenting sinner, [more] than for ninety and nine righteous who have no need of repentance.

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.

⁸Or, what woman having ten drachmas, if she lose one drachma, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek carefully till she find it?

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 it she calls together the friends and neighbours, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma which I had lost.

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

¹⁰Thus, I say unto you, there is joy before the angels of God for one repenting sinner.

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 his father, Father, give to me the share of the property that falls [to me]. And he divided to them what he was possessed of.

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

¹³And after not many days the younger son gathering all together went away into a country a long way off, and there dissipated his property, living in debauchery.

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

¹⁴But when he had spent all there arose a violent famine throughout that country, and he began to be in want.

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

¹⁵And he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

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

¹⁶And he longed to fill his belly with the husks which the swine were eating; and no one gave to him.

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

¹⁷And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and *I* perish here by famine.

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

¹⁸I will rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee;

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

¹⁹I am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

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

²⁰And he rose up and went to his own father. But while he was yet a long way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and covered him with kisses.

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 have sinned against heaven and before thee; I am no longer worthy to be called thy son.

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

²²But the father said to his bondmen, Bring out the best robe and clothe him in [it], and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;

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

²³and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:

²³Mchinjeni ndama mnono; tule kusherehekea!

²⁴for this my son was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found. And they began to make merry.

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

²⁵And his elder son was in the field; and as, coming [up], 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 one of the servants, he inquired what these things might be.

²⁶Akamwita mmoja wa watumishi, akamwuliza: Kuna nini?

²⁷And he said to him, Thy brother is come, and thy father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and well.

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

²⁸But he became angry and would not go in. And his father went out and besought him.

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

²⁹But he answering said to his father, Behold, so many years I serve thee, and never have I transgressed a commandment of thine; and to me hast thou never given a kid that I might make merry with my friends:

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 this thy son, who has devoured thy substance with harlots, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

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

³¹But he said to him, Child, *thou* art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.

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

³²But it was right to make merry and rejoice, because this thy brother was dead and has come to life again, and was lost and has been found.

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