And he said, "A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said
to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of thy substance that
falleth to me.' And he divided unto them his living. And not many days
after, the younger son gathered all together and took his journey into
a far country; and there he wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that
country; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to
one of the citizens of that country; and he sent him into his fields
to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks
that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. But when he came to
himself he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread
enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! I will arise and
go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son:
make me as one of thy hired servants.' And he arose, and came to his
father. But while he was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was
moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
And the son said unto him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and
in thy sight: I am no more worthy to be called thy son.' But the
father said to his servants, 'Bring forth quickly the best robe, and
put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and
bring the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry:
for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is
found.' And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the
field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and
dancing. And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired what
these things might be. And he said unto him, 'Thy brother is come; and
thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him
safe and sound.' But he was angry, and would not go in: and his father
came out, and entreated him. But he answered and said to his father,
'Lo, these many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a
commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might
make merry with my friends; but when this thy son came, who hath
devoured thy living with harlots, thou killedst for him the fatted
calf.' And he said unto him, 'Son, thou art ever with me, and all that
is mine is thine. But it was meet to make merry and be glad: for this
thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is
found.'"