¹Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him.

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

²The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

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

³He told them this parable.

³Yesu akawajibu kwa mfano:

⁴ “Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found 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.

⁵ When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

⁵Akimpata, atambeba mabegani kwa furaha.

⁶ When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

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

⁷ I tell you that even so there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no 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.

⁸ Or what woman, if she had ten drachma A drachma coin was worth about 2 days wages for an agricultural laborer. coins, if she lost one drachma coin, wouldn’t light a lamp, sweep the house, and seek diligently until she found 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.

⁹ When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, 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.

¹⁰ Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”

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

¹¹He said, “A certain man had two sons.

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

¹² The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them.

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

¹³ Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living.

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

¹⁴ When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need.

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

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

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

¹⁶ He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any.

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

¹⁷ But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger!

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

¹⁸ I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.

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

¹⁹ I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’

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

²⁰ “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on 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.

²¹ The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

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

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.

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

²³ Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate;

²³Mchinjeni ndama mnono; tule kusherehekea!

²⁴ for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate.

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

²⁵ “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near 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.

²⁶ He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on.

²⁶Akamwita mmoja wa watumishi, akamwuliza: Kuna nini?

²⁷ He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.’

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

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

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

²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate 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!

³⁰ But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’

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

³¹ “He said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.

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

³² But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’”

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