NSB(i)
1 »The kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2 »He made an agreement with the workmen for a penny a day. Then he sent them into his vineyard.
3 »He went out the third hour and saw others in the marketplace doing nothing.«
4 »He said to them: ‘Go to the vineyard with the others. I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went to work.
5 »He went out the sixth and the ninth hour, and did the same.
6 »The eleventh hour, he saw others doing nothing. He asked: ‘Why are you here all the day doing nothing?’
7 »They said: ‘No man has given us work.’ He told them to go work with the rest in the vineyard.
8 »When evening came, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager: ‘Let the workers come and pay them from the last to the first.’
9 »Those men who went to work at the eleventh hour were each given a penny.
10 »Those who worked longer, expected to be paid more. They were also given a penny.
11 »When they got it, they protested against the master of the house.
12 »They said: ‘The last ones have done only one hour’s work. You have made them equal to us. We have undergone the hard work of the day and the burning heat.’
13 »He told them: ‘I do you no wrong. You made an agreement with me for a penny.
14 »‘Take what is yours and leave. I wish to give to the last workers the same as to you.
15 »‘Is it lawful for me to do what I wish with what is mine? Or is your eye jealous because I am generous?’