Section XLIII.

[1] 2873Simon Cephas said unto him, Our Lord, is it to us that thou hast spoken this [2] parable, or also to every man?  2874Jesus said unto him, Who, thinkest thou, is the servant, the master of the house,2875 trusted with control,2876 whom his lord set over his [3] household, to give them their food in its season?  2877Blessed is that servant, whom his [4] lord shall come and find having done so.  2878Verily I say unto you, He will set him [5] over all that he hath.  2879But if that evil servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his [6] coming; 2880and shall begin to beat his servants and the maidservants of his lord, and [7] shall begin to eat and to drink with the drunken; 2881the lord of that servant shall come [8] in the day that he thinketh not, and in the hour that he knoweth not, 2882and shall [Arabic, p. 163] judge him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites, 2883and with those that are not faithful:  2884there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[9] 2885Then 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.  2886Five of them were [11] wise, and five foolish.  2887And those foolish ones took their lamps, and took not with [12, 13] them oil:  2888but those wise ones took oil in vessels along with their lamps.  2889When then [14] the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  2890But in the middle of the night there occurred a cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh!  Go forth therefore to [15, 16] meet him.  2891Then all those virgins arose, and made ready their lamps.  2892The foolish [17] said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.  2893But those wise answered and said, Perhaps2894 there will not be enough for us and you:  but go ye to [18] the sellers, and buy for yourselves.  2895And 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.  2896And at last those other virgins also came and said, Our Lord, [20] our Lord, open unto us.  2897He answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, [21] I know you not.  2898Watch then, for ye know not that day nor that hour.

[22] 2899It is as a man, who went on a journey, and called his servants, and delivered unto [23] them his possessions.  2900And unto one he gave five talents,2901 and another two, and another [24] one; every one according to his strength; and went on his journey forthwith.  2902He [Arabic, p. 164] then that received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained [26] other five.  2903And so also he of the two gained other two.  2904But he that received [27] the one went and digged in the earth, and hid the money of his lord.  2905And after a long time the lord of those servants came, and took from them the account.  [28] 2906And 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] 2907His 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.  2908And 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.  2909His lord said unto him, Good,2910 thou faithful servant:  over a little hast thou been faithful, over much will I set thee:  enter [32] into the joy of thy lord.  2911And 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:  2912and so I was afraid, and [34] went away and hid thy talent in the earth:  lo, thou hast what is thine.  2913His 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; 2914it was incumbent on thee to put my money to the bank,2915 and then I should come and seek it with its [36] gains.  2916Take now from him the talent, and give it to him that hath ten talents.  [37] 2917Whosoever 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.  2918And the unprofitable servant, put him forth into the outer darkness:  there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[39, 40] 2919Your loins shall be girded, and your lamps lit; 2920and 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.  2921Blessed 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 through2922them and serve [42] them.  2923And if he come in the second watch, or the third, and find thus, blessed are those servants.

[43] 2924But 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:  2925and 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; 2926and will set2927 the sheep on his right, and the goats on his [46] left.  2928Then sha