1 T oţi vameşii şi păcătoşii se apropiau de Isus ca să -L asculte.

All the tax-gatherers and sinners were coming to hear Jesus.

2 Ş i Fariseii şi cărturarii cîrteau şi ziceau:,, Omul acesta primeşte pe păcătoşi, şi mănîncă cu ei.``

The proud religious law-keepers and the teachers of the Law began to speak against Him. They said, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 D ar El le -a spus pilda aceasta:

Then Jesus told them a picture-story, saying,

4 C are om dintre voi, dacă are o sută de oi, şi pierde pe una din ele, nu lasă pe celelalte nouăzeci şi nouă pe islaz, şi se duce după cea pierdută, pînă cînd o găseşte?

“What if one of you had one hundred sheep and you lost one of them? Would you not leave the ninety-nine in the country and go back and look for the one which was lost until you find it?

5 D upă ce a găsit -o, o pune cu bucurie pe umeri;

When you find it, you are happy as you carry it back on your shoulders.

6 ş i, cînd se întoarce acasă, cheamă pe prietenii şi vecinii săi, şi le zice:, Bucuraţi-vă împreună cu mine, căci mi-am găsit oaia care era pierdută.`

Then you would go to your house and call your friends and neighbors. You would say to them, ‘Be happy with me because I have found my sheep that was lost.’

7 T ot aşa, vă spun că va fi mai multă bucurie în cer pentru un singur păcătos care se pocăieşte, decît pentru nouă zeci şi nouă de oameni neprihăniţi cari n'au nevoie de pocăinţă.

I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven because of one sinner who is sorry for his sins and turns from them, than for ninety-nine people right with God who do not have sins to be sorry for. The Picture-Story of the Lost Piece of Money

8 S au care femeie, dacă are zece lei (Greceşte: drahme.) de argint, şi pierde unul din ei, nu aprinde o lumină, nu mătură casa, şi nu caută cu băgare de seamă pînă cînd îl găseşte?

“What if a woman has ten silver pieces of money and loses one of them? Does she not light a lamp and sweep the floor and look until she finds it?

9 D upă ce l -a găsit, cheamă pe prietenele şi vecinele ei, şi zice:, Bucuraţi-vă împreună cu mine, căci am găsit leul, pe care -l pierdusem.`

When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together. She says to them, ‘Be happy with me. I have found the piece of money I had lost.’

10 T ot aşa, vă spun că este bucurie înaintea îngerilor lui Dumnezeu pentru un singur păcătos care se pocăieşte.``

I tell you, it is the same way among the angels of God. If one sinner is sorry for his sins and turns from them, the angels are very happy.” The Picture-Story of the Foolish Son Who Spent All His Money

11 E l a mai zis:,, Un om avea doi fii.

And Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons.

12 C el mai tînăr din ei a zis tatălui său:, Tată, dă-mi partea de avere, ce mi se cuvine.` Şi tatăl le -a împărţit averea.

The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, let me have the part of the family riches that will be coming to me.’ Then the father divided all that he owned between his two sons.

13 N u după multe zile, fiul cel mai tînăr a strîns totul, şi a plecat într'o ţară depărtată, unde şi -a risipit averea, ducînd o viaţă destrăbălată.

Soon after that the younger son took all that had been given to him and went to another country far away. There he spent all he had on wild and foolish living.

14 D upă ce a cheltuit totul, a venit o foamete mare în ţara aceea, şi el a început să ducă lipsă.

When all his money was spent, he was hungry. There was no food in the land.

15 A tunci s'a dus şi s'a lipit de unul din locuitorii ţării aceleia, care l -a trimes pe ogoarele lui să -i păzească porcii.

He went to work for a man in this far away country. His work was to feed pigs.

16 M ult ar fi dorit el să se sature cu roşcovele, pe cari le mîncau porcii, dar nu i le da nimeni.

He was so hungry he was ready to eat the outside part of the ears of the corn the pigs ate because no one gave him anything.

17 Ş i -a venit în fire, şi a zis:, Cîţi argaţi ai tatălui meu au belşug de pîne, iar eu mor de foame aici!

“He began to think about what he had done. He said to himself, ‘My father pays many men who work for him. They have all the food they want and more than enough. I am about dead because I am so hungry.

18 M ă voi scula, mă voi duce la tatăl meu, şi -i voi zice: Tată, am păcătuit împotriva cerului şi împotriva ta,

I will get up and go to my father. I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

19 ş i nu mai sînt vrednic să mă chem fiul tău; fă-mă ca pe unul din argaţii tăi.`

I am not good enough to be called your son. But may I be as one of the workmen you pay to work?”’

20 Ş i s'a sculat, şi a plecat la tatăl său. Cînd era încă departe, tatăl său l -a văzut, şi i s'a făcut milă de el, a alergat de a căzut pe grumazul lui, şi l -a sărutat mult.

“The son got up and went to his father. While he was yet a long way off, his father saw him. The father was full of loving-pity for him. He ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 F iul i -a zis:, Tată, am păcătuit împotriva cerului şi împotriva ta, nu mai sînt vrednic să mă chem fiul tău.`

The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am not good enough to be called your son.’

22 D ar tatăl a zis robilor săi:, Aduceţi repede haina cea mai bună, şi îmbrăcaţi -l cu ea; puneţi -i un inel în deget, şi încălţăminte în picioare.

But the father said to the workmen he owned, ‘Hurry! Get the best coat and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet.

23 A duceţi viţelul cel îngrăşat, şi tăiaţi -l. Să mîncăm şi să ne veselim;

Bring the calf that is fat and kill it. Let us eat and be glad.

24 c ăci acest fiu al meu era mort, şi a înviat; era pierdut, şi a fost găsit.` Şi au început să se veselească.

For my son was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found. Let us eat and have a good time.’

25 F iul cel mai mare era la ogor. Cînd a venit şi s'a apropiat de casă, a auzit muzică şi jocuri.

“The older son was out in the field. As he was coming near the house, he heard music and dancing.

26 A chemat pe unul din robi, şi a început să -l întrebe ce este.

He called one of the servants and asked what was happening.

27 R obul acela i -a răspuns:, Fratele tău a venit înapoi, şi tatăl tău a tăiat viţelul cel îngrăşat, pentrucă l -a găsit iarăş sănătos şi bine.`

The servant answered, ‘Your brother has come back and your father has killed the fat calf. Your brother is in the house and is well.’

28 E l s'a întărîtat de mînie, şi nu voia să intre în casă. Tatăl său a ieşit afară, şi l -a rugat să intre.

The older brother was angry and would not go into the house. His father went outside and asked him to come in.

29 D ar el, drept răspuns, a zis tatălui său:, Iată, eu îţi slujesc ca un rob de atîţia ani, şi niciodată nu ţi-am călcat porunca; şi mie niciodată nu mi-ai dat măcar un ied să mă veselesc cu prietenii mei;

The older son said to his father, ‘All these many years I have served you. I have always obeyed what you said. But you never gave me a young goat so I could have a supper and a good time with my friends.

30 i ar cînd a venit acest fiu al tău, care ţi -a mîncat averea cu femeile desfrînate, i-ai tăiat viţelul cel îngrăşat.`

But as soon as this son of yours came back, you killed the fat calf. And yet he wasted your money with bad women.’

31 F iule`, i -a zis tatăl,, tu întotdeauna eşti cu mine, şi tot ce am eu este al tău.

“The father said to him, ‘My son, you are with me all the time. All that I have is yours.

32 D ar trebuia să ne veselim şi să ne bucurăm, pentrucă acest frate al tău era mort, şi a înviat, era pierdut şi a fost găsit.``

It is right and good that we should have a good time and be glad. Your brother was dead and now he is alive again. He was lost and now he is found.’”