¹Zvino zvakaitika nemazuva iwayo, chiga chakabuda kubva kuna Kesari Agasto, kuti nyika yose inyorwe.

¹And it came to pass in those days, there went forth a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world be enrolled —

²Kunyorwa uku kwaiva kwekutanga kwakaitwa Kuriniosi ari mutungamiriri weSiria.

²this enrollment first came to pass when Cyrenius was governor of Syria —

³Vose ndokuenda kunonyorwa, umwe neumwe kuguta rekwake.

³and all were going to be enrolled, each to his proper city,

⁴NaJosefawo akakwira achibva Garirea muguta Nazareta, akaenda Judhiya kuguta raDhavhidhi, rinonzi Bhetirehemu, nekuti waiva weimba nedzinza raDhavhidhi,

⁴and Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, that is called Bethlehem, because of his being of the house and family of David,

⁵kunonyorwa naMaria mukadzi wakange atsidzira kuwanikwa naye, ava nemimba.

⁵to enroll himself with Mary his betrothed wife, being with child.

⁶Zvakaitika kuti vachipo, mazuva okusununguka kwake akazadzisika;

⁶And it came to pass, in their being there, the days were fulfilled for her bringing forth,

⁷ndokuzvara mwanakomana wake wedangwe, akamuputira nemicheka, akamuvanzarika muchidyiro, nekuti makange musina nzvimbo yavo muimba yevaeni.

⁷and she brought forth her son — the first-born, and wrapped him up, and laid him down in the manger, because there was not for them a place in the guest-chamber.

⁸Zvino kwakange kune vafudzi munyika iyoyo vaigara kuuragu vachichengetedza nguva dzekurinda mapoka avo usiku.

⁸And there were shepherds in the same region, lodging in the field, and keeping the night-watches over their flock,

⁹Zvino tarira, mutumwa waIshe akamira pedo navo, nekubwinya kwaIshe kukapenya kwakavakomba; vakatya nekutya kukuru.

⁹and lo, a messenger of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared a great fear.

¹⁰Zvino mutumwa akati kwavari: Musatya; nekuti tarirai, ndinokuparidzirai mashoko akanaka emufaro mukuru, uchava kuvanhu vose;

¹⁰And the messenger said to them, `Fear not, for lo, I bring you good news of great joy, that shall be to all the people —

¹¹nekuti mazvarirwa nhasi Muponesi, unova Kristu Ishe, muguta raDhavhidhi.

¹¹because there was born to you to-day a Saviour — who is Christ the Lord — in the city of David,

¹²Zvino ichi chiratidzo kwamuri: Muchandowana mucheche akaputirwa nemicheka, avete muchidyiro.

¹²and this [is] to you the sign: Ye shall find a babe wrapped up, lying in the manger.`

¹³Uye pakarepo kukavapo pamwe nemutumwa chaunga chehondo yekudenga vachirumbidza Mwari, vachiti:

¹³And suddenly there came with the messenger a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying,

¹⁴Rumbidzo kuna Mwari kumusoro-soro, norugare panyika; chishuwo chakanaka kuvanhu.

¹⁴`Glory in the highest to God, and upon earth peace, among men — good will.`

¹⁵Zvino kwakaitika kuti vatumwa vabva kwavari vaenda kudenga, vanhu vafudzi vakataurirana, vachiti: Ngatiende ikozvino Bhetirehemu, tinoona chinhu ichi chakaitika, Ishe chaatizivisa.

¹⁵And it came to pass, when the messengers were gone away from them to the heavens, that the men, the shepherds, said unto one another, `We may go over indeed unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that hath come to pass, that the Lord did make known to us.`

¹⁶Zvino vakakurumidza kusvika, vakawana vose Maria naJosefa, nemucheche avete muchidyiro.

¹⁶And they came, having hasted, and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger,

¹⁷Vakati vaona, vakazivisa kose shoko ravakange vaudzwa maererano neucheche uyu.

¹⁷and having seen, they made known abroad concerning the saying spoken to them concerning the child.

¹⁸Zvino vose vakanzwa vakashamisika nezvinhu zvakange zvataurwa kwavari nevafudzi.

¹⁸And all who heard, did wonder concerning the things spoken by the shepherds unto them;

¹⁹Asi Maria wakachengeta zvinhu izvi zvose, achifungisisa mumoyo make.

¹⁹and Mary was preserving all these things, pondering in her heart;

²⁰Zvino vafudzi vakadzokera, vachikudza nekurumbidza Mwari pamusoro pezvinhu zvose zvavakange vanzwa nekuona, sezvakange zvataurwa kwavari.

²⁰and the shepherds turned back, glorifying and praising God, for all those things they heard and saw, as it was spoken unto them.

²¹Mazuva masere akati apera kuti mucheche adzingiswe, zita rake ndokunzi Jesu, raakange atumidzwa nemutumwa asati agamuchirwa mudumbu.

²¹And when eight days were fulfilled to circumcise the child, then was his name called Jesus, having been so called by the messenger before his being conceived in the womb.

²²Zvino mazuva ekunatswa kwake nemurairo waMozisi akati apera, vakauya naye kuJerusarema, kuti vamukumikidze kuna Ishe,

²²And when the days of their purification were fulfilled, according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present to the Lord,

²³(sezvazvakanyorwa pamurairo waIshe kuti: Chirume chose chinozarura chizvaro, chichanzi chitsvene kuna Ishe),

²³as it hath been written in the Law of the Lord, — `Every male opening a womb shall be called holy to the Lord,`

²⁴uye vabayire chibayiro sezvazvakarehwa pamurairo waIshe, hangaiwa mbiri, kana njiva mbiri duku.

²⁴and to give a sacrifice, according to that said in the Law of the Lord, `A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.`

²⁵Zvino tarira, kwakange kune munhu muJerusarema, zita rake raiva Simioni, ndiyewo munhu waiva akarurama akazvipira kushumira Mwari, akamirira kunyaradzwa kwaIsraeri, neMweya Mutsvene wakange uri pamusoro pake.

²⁵And lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name [is] Simeon, and this man is righteous and devout, looking for the comforting of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him,

²⁶Zvino zvakange zvaratidzwa kwaari neMweya Mutsvene, kuti haangaoni rufu asati aona Kristu waIshe.

²⁶and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spirit — not to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord.

²⁷Wakapinda mutembere neMweya; zvino vabereki vakati vachiuisa mucheche Jesu, kuti vaite pamusoro pake netsika yemurairo,

²⁷And he came in the Spirit to the temple, and in the parents bringing in the child Jesus, for their doing according to the custom of the law regarding him,

²⁸iye akamutora mumaoko ake, akavonga Mwari, achiti:

²⁸then he took him in his arms, and blessed God, and he said,

²⁹Tenzi, ikozvino regai muranda wenyu aende nerugare, seshoko renyu;

²⁹`Now Thou dost send away Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace,

³⁰nekuti meso angu aona ruponeso rwenyu,

³⁰because mine eyes did see Thy salvation,

³¹rwamakagadzirira pamberi pezviso zvevanhu vose;

³¹which Thou didst prepare before the face of all the peoples,

³²chiedza chekuzarurira vahedheni, nekubwinya kwerudzi rwenyu Israeri.

³²a light to the uncovering of nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel.`

³³Josefa namai vake vakashamisika nezvinhu zvakarehwa pamusoro pake.

³³And Joseph and his mother were wondering at the things spoken concerning him,

³⁴Zino Simioni akavaropafadza, akati kuna Maria mai vake: Tarira, uyu wakaisirwa kuwa nekumuka kwevazhinji kuna Israeri, nekuva chiratidzo chichapikiswa;

³⁴and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, `Lo, this [one] is set for the falling and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against —

³⁵uye newe, munondo uchapinda nemweya wako pachako; kuti ndangariro dzemoyo mizhinji dzifukurwe.

³⁵(and also thine own soul shall a sword pass through) — that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed.`

³⁶Zvino kwakange kuna Ana muporofitakadzi, mukunda waFanueri, wedzinza raAsheri; wakange akwegura kwazvo, wakararama nemurume makore manomwe kubvira paumhandara hwake.

³⁶And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, she was much advanced in days, having lived with an husband seven years from her virginity,

³⁷Uye ari chirikadzi yemakore angava makumi masere nemana, wakange asingabvi mutembere, achishumira nemitsanyo neminyengetero usiku nemasikati.

³⁷and she [is] a widow of about eighty-four years, who did depart not from the temple, with fasts and supplications serving, night and day,

³⁸Naiye wakati achisvika nenguva iyoyo akatenda Mwari, akataura pamusoro pake kuna vose vakange vachitarisira kusunungurwa muJerusarema.

³⁸and she, at that hour, having come in, was confessing, likewise, to the Lord, and was speaking concerning him, to all those looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

³⁹Zvino vakati vapedza zvinhu zvose zvaienderana nemurairo waIshe, vakadzokera Garirea kuguta ravo Nazareta.

³⁹And when they finished all things, according to the Law of the Lord, they turned back to Galilee, to their city Nazareth;

⁴⁰Mucheche akakura, akasimba mumweya, akazara nenjere; nenyasha dzaMwari dzakange dziri pamusoro pake.

⁴⁰and the child grew and was strengthened in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

⁴¹Zvino vabereki vake vaienda kuJerusarema makore ose pamutambo wepasika.

⁴¹And his parents were going yearly to Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover,

⁴²Zvino wakati ava nemakore gumi nemaviri, vakakwira kuJerusarema zvichienderana netsika yemutambo,

⁴²and when he became twelve years old, they having gone up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast,

⁴³vakati mazuva apera, pakudzoka kwavo, mwana Jesu akasara kuJerusarema, asi Josefa namai vake vasingazvizivi,

⁴³and having finished the days, in their returning the child Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother did not know,

⁴⁴asi vaimufungira kuva mune vamwe vevakange vachifamba navo, vakafamba mufambo wezuva, vakazomutsvaka pakati pehama nekuvazikanwi.

⁴⁴and, having supposed him to be in the company, they went a day`s journey, and were seeking him among the kindred and among the acquaintances,

⁴⁵Asi vakati vasingamuwani, vakadzokera kuJerusarema vachimutsvaka.

⁴⁵and not having found him, they turned back to Jerusalem seeking him.

⁴⁶Zvino zvakaitika shure kwemazuva matatu, vakamuwana mutembere, agere pakati pavadzidzisi, achivateerera, achivabvunza.

⁴⁶And it came to pass, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and questioning them,

⁴⁷Vose vakange vachimunzwa vakavhiringidzika nekuziva nemhinduro dzake.

⁴⁷and all those hearing him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

⁴⁸Zvino vakati vamuona vakakatyamara; mai vake vakati kwaari: Mwana, waitirei zvakadai kwatiri? Tarira, baba vako neni tanga tichikutsvaka tichishungurudzika.

⁴⁸And, having seen him, they were amazed, and his mother said unto him, `Child, why didst thou thus to us? lo, thy father and I, sorrowing, were seeking thee.`

⁴⁹Akati kwavari: Munonditsvaka sei? Manga musingazivi kuti ndinofanira kuva pazvinhu zvaBaba vangu here?

⁴⁹And he said unto them, `Why [is it] that ye were seeking me? did ye not know that in the things of my Father it behoveth me to be?`

⁵⁰Asi ivo havana kunzwisisa shoko raakataura kwavari.

⁵⁰and they did not understand the saying that he spake to them,

⁵¹Zvino akaburuka navo, akasvika Nazareta; akazviisa pasi pavo. Asi mai vake vakachengeta mashoko iwayo ose mumoyo mavo.

⁵¹and he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them, and his mother was keeping all these sayings in her heart,

⁵²Jesu akawedzera panjere nekukura, nepakudiwa naMwari nevanhu.

⁵²and Jesus was advancing in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour with God and men.