Section XLIII.
(1) [2947] Simon Cephas said unto him, Our Lord, is it to us that thou hast spoken this (2) parable, or also to every man? [2948] Jesus said unto him, Who, thinkest thou, is the servant, the master of the house, [2949] trusted with control, [2950] whom his lord set over his (3) household, to give them their food in its season? [2951] Blessed is that servant, whom his (4) lord shall come and find having done so. [2952] Verily I say unto you, He will set him (5) over all that he hath. [2953] But if that evil servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his (6) coming; [2954] and shall begin to beat his servants and the maidservants of his lord, and (7) shall begin to eat and to drink with the drunken; [2955] the lord of that servant shall come (8) in the day that he thinketh not, and in the hour that he knoweth not, [2956] and shall [Arabic, p. 163] judge him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites, [2957] and with those that are not faithful: [2958] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(9) [2959] Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like unto ten virgins, those that took their (10) lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom and the bride. [2960] Five of them were (11) wise, and five foolish. [2961] And those foolish ones took their lamps, and took not with (12, 13) them oil: [2962] but those wise ones took oil in vessels along with their lamps. [2963] When then (14) the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. [2964] But in the middle of the night there occurred a cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh! Go forth therefore to (15, 16) meet him. [2965] Then all those virgins arose, and made ready their lamps. [2966] The foolish (17) said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. [2967] But those wise answered and said, Perhaps [2968] there will not be enough for us and you: but go ye to (18) the sellers, and buy for yourselves. [2969] And when they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and those that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and (19) the door was shut. [2970] And at last those other virgins also came and said, Our Lord, (20) our Lord, open unto us. [2971] He answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, (21) I know you not. [2972] Watch then, for ye know not that day nor that hour.
(22) [2973] It is as a man, who went on a journey, and called his servants, and delivered unto (23) them his possessions. [2974] And unto one he gave five talents, [2975] and another two, and another (24) one; every one according to his strength; and went on his journey forthwith. [2976] He [Arabic, p. 164] then that received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained (26) other five. [2977] And so also he of the two gained other two. [2978] But he that received (27) the one went and digged in the earth, and hid the money of his lord. [2979] And after a long time the lord of those servants came, and took from them the account. (28) [2980] And he that received five talents came near and brought other five, and said, My lord, thou gavest me five talents: lo, I have gained other five in addition to them. (29) [2981] His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: over a little hast (30) thou been faithful, over much will I set thee: enter into the joy of thy lord. [2982] And he that had the two came near and said, My lord, thou gavest me two talents: lo, (31) other two have I gained in addition to them. [2983] His lord said unto him, Good, [2984] thou faithful servant: over a little hast thou been faithful, over much will I set thee: enter (32) into the joy of thy lord. [2985] And he also that received the one talent came forward and said, My lord, I knew thee that thou art a severe man, who reapest where thou (33) sowest not, and gatherest where thou didst not scatter: [2986] and so I was afraid, and (34) went away and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast what is thine. [2987] His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest me (35) that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; [2988] it was incumbent on thee to put my money to the bank, [2989] and then I should come and seek it with its (36) gains. [2990] Take now from him the talent, and give it to him that hath ten talents. (37) [2991] Whosoever hath shall be given, and he shall have more: but he that hath not, even (38) [Arabic, p. 165] what he hath shall be taken from him. [2992] And the unprofitable servant, put him forth into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(39, 40) [2993] Your loins shall be girded, and your lamps lit; [2994] and ye shall be like the people that are looking for their lord, when he shall return from the feast; so that, when (41) he cometh and knocketh, they may at once open unto him. [2995] Blessed are those servants, whom their lord shall come and find attentive: verily I say unto you, that he will gird his waist, and make them sit down, and pass through [2996] them and serve (42) them. [2997] And if he come in the second watch, or the third, and find thus, blessed are those servants.
(43) [2998] But when the Son of man cometh in his glory, and all his pure angels with him, (44) then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: [2999] and he will gather before him all the nations, and separate them the one from the other, like the shepherd who separateth (45) the sheep from the goats; [3000] and will set [3001] the sheep on his right, and the goats on his (46) left. [3002] Then shall the King say to those that are at his right, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations [3003] of the world: (47) [3004] I hungered, and ye gave me to eat; and I thirsted, and ye gave me to drink; and I (48) was a stranger, and ye took me in; [3005] and I was naked, and ye clothed me; and I (49) was sick, and ye visited me; and I was in prison, and ye cared for me. [3006] Then shall those righteous say unto him, Our Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? (50) or thirsty, and gave thee to drink? [3007] And when saw we thee a stranger, and took (51) thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? [3008] And when saw we thee sick, or imprisoned, and (52) cared for thee? [3009] The King shall answer and say [3010] unto them, Verily I say unto you, What (53) [Arabic, p. 166] ye did to one of these my brethren, the little ones, ye did unto me. [3011] Then shall he say unto those that are on his left also, Depart from me, ye cursed, (54) into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his hosts: [3012] I hungered, and ye fed me (55) not; and I thirsted, and ye did not give me to drink; [3013] and I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; and I was naked, and ye clothed me not; and I was sick, and imprisoned, (56) and ye visited me not. [3014] Then shall those also answer and say, Our Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or naked, or a stranger, or sick, or imprisoned, (57) and did not minister unto thee? [3015] Then shall he answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, When ye did it not unto one of these little ones, ye did it not (58) unto me also. [3016] And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.