16. Yafisa ukuzisuthisa ngemidumba edliwa yizingulube; kepha kayiphiwanga muntu.
17. “Kuthe sekusile kuyo, yathi: ‘Bangaki abaqashwa bakababa abanokudla okuningi, kanti mina ngifa indlala lapha.
18. Ngiyakusuka, ngiye kubaba, ngithi: Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho;
19. angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho; ngenze ngibe njengomunye wabaqashwa bakho.’
20. Yayisisuka, yafika kuyise; kepha kuthe isekude, uyise wayibona, waba nesihe, wagijima, wayisingatha entanyeni, wayanga.
21. “Indodana yayisithi kuye: ‘Baba, ngonile kulo izulu naphambi kwakho; angisafanele ukuthiwa indodana yakho.’
22. “Kepha uyise wathi ezincekwini zakhe: ‘Sheshani nikhiphe ingubo enhle kunazo zonke, niyembathise, nifake indandatho esandleni sayo nezicathulo ezinyaweni,
23. nilethe ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, nilihlabe, sidle, sijabule;
24. ngokuba le ndodana yami ibifile, yabuye yaphila; ibilahlekile, seyatholakala;’ base beqala ukujabula.
25. “Kepha indodana yakhe enkulu yayisensimini; yathi iseza isondela endlini, yezwa ukuhlabelela nokusina.
26. Yabiza omunye wabafana, yabuza ukuthi kwenze njani lokho.
27. Wathi kuyo: ‘Kufike umfowenu; uyihlo wahlaba ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo, ngokuba ubuye wamthola ephilile.’
28. “Kepha yathukuthela, kayivumanga ukungena; uyise wayesephuma, wayincenga.
29. Kodwa yaphendula, yathi kuyise: ‘Bheka, iminyaka engaka ngikukhonzile; angizange ngeqe umyalo wakho, kepha mina awuzange ungiphe nazinyane lembuzi ukuba ngijabule nabahlobo bami,
30. kodwa kuthe ukuba ifike leyo ndodana yakho eqede imfuyo yakho nezifebe, wayihlabisa ithole elikhuluphalisiweyo.’