4. UYohane wasola uHerode, wamxelela ukuba akuvumelekanga ukuba ahlalisane naye.
5. UHerode wafuna ukumbulala uYohane, kodwa wayesoyika abantu, kuba babesithi ungomnye *wabashumayeli bamandulo.
6. Ngomhla wesikhumbuzo sokuzalwa kukaHerode, intombi kaHerodiya yangqungqa phambi kwababekho kwelo theko, yamkholisa uHerode,
7. waza wayithembisa efunga okokuba woyinika nantoni na esukuba iyicela.
8. Ke yona, iqhutywe ngunina, yathi: “Ndinike ngoku ngesitya intloko kaYohane umbhaptizi.”
9. Waba buhlungu ukumkani, kodwa ngenxa yesifungo, nangenxa yâbo babesethekweni kunye naye, wathi mayiyinikwe;
10. wathumela okokuba uYohane anqunyulwe intloko entolongweni apho.
11. Yeziswa ke ngesitya intloko yakhe, yanikwa intombi leyo, eyathi yona yayisa kunina.
12. Beza ke abafundi bakaYohane, basithatha isidumbu sakhe, basingcwaba; baza baya kuxelela uYesu.
13. UYesu, evile ngokufa kukaYohane, wemka ngesikhitshana, waya kwindawo engenabantu eyedwa. Bekuvile oku abantu, baya kuye ngeenyawo, bevela ezidolophini.
14. Ehlile ke esikhitshaneni, uYesu wabona isihlwele sabantu, wavelana naso, wabaphilisa abagulayo ababekuso.
15. Kwakuhlwa abafundi bakaYesu beza kuye, bathi: “Le ndawo ayinamizi, nexesha selimkile; bandulule abantu bemke, baye ezidolophaneni, bazithengele ukutya.”