Genesis 15
1 And after these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram, I shield you, your reward shall be very great.
Ngemva kwalokho ilizwi likaThixo leza ku-Abhrama ngombono: “Ungesabi, Abhrama. Ngiyisihlangu sakho, umvuzo wakho omkhulu kakhulu.”
2 And Abram said, Master [and] Lord, what will you give me? whereas I am departing without a child, but the son of Masek my home-born female slave, this Eliezer of Damascus [is mine heir.]
Kodwa u-Abhrama wathi, “Oh Thixo Wobukhosi, ungangiphani njengoba ngilokhu ngingelamntwana, ilifa lami lizadliwa ngu-Eliyezari waseDamaseko na?”
3 And Abram said, [I am grieved] since you have given me no seed, but my home-born [servant] shall succeed me.
U-Abhrama wathi njalo, “Awungiphanga bantwana; ngakho inceku endlini yami izakuba yindlalifa yami.”
4 And immediately there was a voice of the Lord to him, saying, This shall not be your heir; but he that shall come out of you shall be your heir.
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lathi: “Umuntu lo kayikuba yindlalifa yakho, kodwa indodana ephuma kowakho umzimba izakuba yindlalifa yakho.”
5 And he brought him out and said to him, Look up now to heaven, and count the stars, if you shall be able to number them fully, and he said, Thus shall your seed be.
Wamkhuphela phandle wathi, “Khangela emkhathini ubale izinkanyezi, nxa usenelisa ukuzibala.” Wasesithi kuye, “Sizakuba njalo isizukulwane sakho.”
6 And Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.
U-Abhrama wamkholwa uThixo, lokho kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga.
7 And he said to him, I am God that brought you out of the land of the Chaldeans, so as to give you this land to inherit.
Waphinda wathi kuye, “NginguThixo owakususa e-Uri lamaKhaladiya ukuzakupha lelilizwe ukuthi libe ngelakho.”
8 And he said, Master [and] Lord, how shall I know that I shall inherit it?
Kodwa u-Abhrama wathi, “Oh Thixo Wobukhosi, ngingazi kanjani ukuthi lizakuba ngelami na?”
9 And he said to him, Take for me an heifer in her third year, and a she-goat in her third year, and a ram in his third year, and a dove and a pigeon.
UThixo wathi kuye, “Ngilethela ithokazi, imbuzi, lenqama, konke kuleminyaka emithathu yokuzalwa, kanye lejuba lenkwilimba esesencinyane.”
10 So he took to him all these, and divided them in the midst, and set them opposite to each other, but the birds he did not divide.
U-Abhrama wakuletha konke lokhu kuye, yilokho wakudabula phakathi ngakunye wakuhlela izingxenye zakho zakhangelana; kodwa izinyoni kazidabulanga phakathi.
11 And birds came down upon the bodies, [even] upon the divided parts of them, and Abram sat down by them.
Izinyoni ezidla inyama zehlela ezidunjini, kodwa u-Abhrama wazixotsha.
12 And about sunset a trance fell upon Abram, and behold! a great gloomy terror falls upon him.
Kwathi ilanga selitshona, u-Abhrama wathathwa yibuthongo obukhulu, wehlelwa yibumnyama obesabekayo.
13 And it was said to Abram, You shall surely know that your seed shall be a sojourner in a land not their won, and they shall enslave them, and afflict them, and humble them four hundred years.
UThixo wasesithi kuye, “Yazi ngempela ukuthi Izizukulwane zakho zizakuba ngabezizweni elizweni elingayisilo labo okweminyaka engamakhulu amane, njalo bazagqilazwa, bahlukuluzwe khonale.
14 And the nation whoever they shall serve I will judge; and after this, they shall come forth hither with much property.
Kodwa ngizasijezisa lesosizwe esibagqilazayo, kuthi emva kwesikhathi baphume belemfuyo enengi kakhulu.
15 But you shall depart to your fathers in peace, nourished in a good old age.
Kodwa wena, uzakuya kubokhokho bakho ngokuthula, ungcwatshwe usukhulile kakhulu.
16 And in the fourth generation they shall return hither, for the sins of the Amorites are not yet filled up, even until now.
Isizukulwane sakho sesine sizabuya lapha, ngoba isono sama-Amori kasikafiki ekucineni.”
17 And when the sun was about to set, there was a flame, and behold a smoking furnace and lamps of fire, which passed between these divided pieces.
Kwathi ilanga selitshonile, ubumnyama sebufikile, kwavela imbawula yomlilo, ithunqa intuthu, ilelangabi elibhebhayo, yadabula phakathi kweziqa zenyama.
18 In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your seed I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates.
Ngalelolanga uThixo wenza isivumelwano lo-Abhrama wathi, “Ilizwe leli ngilipha izizukulwane zakho, kusukela emfuleni waseGibhithe kusiyafika emfuleni omkhulu, iYufrathe,
19 The Kenites, and the Kenezites, and the Kedmoneans,
ilizwe lamaKheni, lamaKhenizi, lamaKhadimoni,
20 and the Chettites, and the Pherezites, and the Raphaim,
lamaHithi, lamaPherizi, lamaRefayi,
21 and the Amorites, and the Chananites, and the Evites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.
lama-Amori, lamaKhenani, lamaGigashi kanye lamaJebusi.”
