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

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

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

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

³Yesu akawajibu kwa mfano:

³And he spake unto them this simile, saying,

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.

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?

⁵Akimpata, atambeba mabegani kwa furaha.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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;

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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;

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

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.

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

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;

²³Mchinjeni ndama mnono; tule kusherehekea!

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

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

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

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

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

²⁶Akamwita mmoja wa watumishi, akamwuliza: Kuna nini?

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

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

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.

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

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

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!

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;

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

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

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

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

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

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.`