¹Zvino kwakaswedera kwaari vateresi nevatadzi vose, kuzomunzwa.

¹Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him.

²VaFarisi nevanyori vakatsutsumwa vachiti: Uyu unogamuchira vatadzi, achidya navo.

²And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

³Zvino wakavaudza mufananidzo uyu, achiti:

³And he spake unto them this parable, saying,

⁴Ndeupi munhu kwamuri ungati ane makwai zana, kana arashikirwa nerimwe rawo, usingasii makumi mapfumbamwe nemapfumbamwe murenje, akatevera rakarashika kusvikira ariwana?

⁴What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

⁵Uye kana ariwana, unoriisa pamafudzi ake achifara.

⁵And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

⁶Zvino kana asvika kumusha, unodana pamwe shamwari nevavakidzani, achiti kwavari: Farai neni, nekuti ndawana gwai rangu rakange rarashika.

⁶And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.

⁷Ndinoti kwamuri: Saizvozvo mufaro uchava kudenga pamusoro pemutadzi umwe unotendeuka, kupfuura pamusoro pevakarurama makumi mapfumbamwe nevapfumbamwe, vasingatsvaki kutendeuka.

⁷I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, [more] than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance.

⁸Kana ndeupi mukadzi une makobiri gumi, kana arashikirwa nekobiri rimwe, usingatungidzi mwenje, akatsvaira imba, akatsvakisisa kusvikira ariwana?

⁸Or what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find it?

⁹Uye kana ariwana, unodana shamwari nevavakidzani pamwe, achiti: Farai neni, nekuti ndawana kobiri randanga ndarashikirwa naro.

⁹And when she hath found it, she calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.

¹⁰Saizvozvo, ndinokutaurirai, kuti mufaro uripo pamberi pevatumwa vaMwari pamusoro pemutadzi umwe unotendeuka.

¹⁰Even so, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

¹¹Zvino wakati: Umwe munhu waiva ane vanakomana vaviri;

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

¹²muduku wavo ndokuti kuna baba: Baba, ndipei mugove wenhumbi wakanangana neni. Akavagovera nhumbi dzake.

¹²and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of [thy] substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

¹³Pasina kupfuura mazuva mazhinji, mwanakomana muduku wakaunganidza zvose pamwe, akasimuka akaenda kunyika iri kure; uye akaparadza ikoko nhaka yake, achirarama neunzenza.

¹³And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.

¹⁴Zvino wakati aparadza zvose, kwakauya nzara huru panyika iyo, iye akatanga kushaiwa.

¹⁴And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.

¹⁵Zvino wakaenda, akanozvibatanidza neumwe wezvizvarwa zvenyika iyo; akamutumira kuminda yake kunofudza nguruve.

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

¹⁶Wakange achishuva kugutsa dumbu rake nemateko nguruve adzaidya; asi hakuna munhu waimupa.

¹⁶And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

¹⁷Zvino wakati apengenuka, akati: Varikichi vazhinji sei vababa vangu vane zvingwa zvakawandisisa, asi ini ndofa nenzara.

¹⁷But when he came to himself he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger!

¹⁸Ndichasimuka ndiende kuna baba vangu, ndigoti kwavari: Baba, ndakatadzira kudenga, nepamberi penyu;

¹⁸I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight:

¹⁹uye handichafaniri kunzi mwanakomana wenyu; ndiitei seumwe wevarikichi venyu.

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

²⁰Akasimuka akaenda kuna baba vake. Asi wakati achiri kure, baba vake vakamuona, vakanzwa tsitsi, vakamhanya ndokuwira pahuro pake, nekumutsvoda.

²⁰And he arose, and came to his father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

²¹Zvino mwanakomana akati kwavari: Baba, ndakatadzira kudenga nepamberi penyu, uye handichafaniri kunzi mwanakomana wenyu.

²¹And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son.

²²Asi baba vakati kuvaranda vavo: Budai nenguvo yakanakisisa mumupfekedze, muise mhete paruoko rwake, nemanyatera patsoka;

²²But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

²³muuye nemhuru yakakodzwa, mubaye, uye ngatidye tifare;

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

²⁴nekuti uyu mwanakomana wangu wakange afa, zvino wararamazve; wakange arashika, asi wawanikwa; zvino vakatanga kufara.

²⁴for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

²⁵Zvino mwanakomana wake mukuru wakange ari kumunda; zvino wakati achisvika, oswedera paimba, akanzwa mumhanzi nekutamba.

²⁵Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

²⁶Zvino wakadanira kwaari umwe wevaranda, akabvunza kuti izvi zvinorevei.

²⁶And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what these things might be.

²⁷Zvino akati kwaari: Munin'ina wako wasvika; zvino baba vako vabaya mhuru yakakodzwa, nekuti vamugamuchira akagwinya.

²⁷And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

²⁸Asi wakatsamwa, akasada kupinda; naizvozvo baba vake vakabuda, vakamukumbirisa.

²⁸But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father came out, and entreated him.

²⁹Asi iye wakapindura akati kuna baba: Tarirai, makore mazhinji ndakakubatirai, handina kutongodarika murairo wenyu, asi hamuna kutongondipa mbudzana, kuti ndifare neshamwari dzangu.

²⁹But he answered and said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a commandment of thine; and [yet] thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

³⁰Asi mangoti mwanakomana wenyu uyu wakaparadza nhumbi dzenyu nezvifeve achisvika, mamubaira mhuru yakakodzwa.

³⁰but when this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted calf.

³¹Vakati kwaari: Mwana, iwe uneni nguva dzose, uye zvose zvangu ndezvako.

³¹And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that is mine is thine.

³²Asi kwaifanira kuti kupemberwe nekufarwa, nekuti munin'ina wako uyu wakange afa, wararamazve; wakange arashika, wawanikwa.

³²But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive [again]; and [was] lost, and is found.