Genesis 24
1 And Abraham was old, [and] advanced in age; and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things.
U-Abhrahama wayeseluphele kakhulu, njalo uThixo wayembusisile kukho konke.
2 And Abraham said to his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put thy hand, I pray thee, under my thigh,
Wasesithi encekwini yakhe enkulu, leyo eyayilawula konke ayelakho, “Beka isandla sakho ngaphansi kwethangazi lami.
3 and I will make thee swear by Jehovah, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, that thou take not a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am dwelling;
Ngifuna ukuthi ufunge ngoThixo, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini loNkulunkulu wasemhlabeni, ukuthi kawuyikuzuzela indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhenani engihlala phakathi kwawo,
4 but thou shalt go to my land and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.
kodwa uzakuya elizweni lakithi lasezihlotsheni zami uzuzele indodana yami u-Isaka umfazi.”
5 And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land: must I, then, bring thy son again in any case to the land from which thou hast removed?
Inceku yambuza yathi, “Pho nxa lowo wesifazane engavumi ukuza lami kulelilizwe-ke? Ngizathatha indodana yakho ngiyise kulelolizwe lapho owavela khona na?”
6 And Abraham said to him, Beware that thou bring not my son thither again.
U-Abhrahama wathi, “Ungaqali ukuhambisa indodana yami khonale.
7 Jehovah the God of the heavens, who took me out of my father's house, and out of the land of my nativity, and who has spoken to me, and who has sworn to me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land — he will send his angel before thee, that thou mayest take a wife for my son thence.
UThixo, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, owangikhupha emzini kababa laselizweni lakithi njalo owakhuluma kimi, wangithembisa ngesifungo wathi, ‘Ilizwe leli ngizalinika inzalo yakho,’ uzathuma ingilosi yakhe ihambe phambi kwakho ukuze ukwazi ukutholela indodana yami umfazi khonale.
8 And if the woman be not willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be quit of this my oath: only, bring not my son thither again.
Nxa owesifazane lowo esala ukuza lapha lawe, uzabe usukhululwe kulesi isifungo sami. Kodwa ungaqali ukusa indodana yami khonale.”
9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore unto him concerning that matter.
Ngakho inceku yasifaka isandla sayo ngaphansi kwethangazi lenkosi yayo u-Abhrahama yafunga isifungo kuye ngodaba lolu.
10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; now all the treasure of his master was under his hand; and he arose and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
Inceku yasithatha amakamela enkosi yayo alitshumi yasuka, yathatha yonke imihlobo yezinto ezinhle zenkosi yayo. Yaqonda e-Aramu Naharayimu, yahamba yaze yayafika emzini waseNahori.
11 And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water, at the time of the evening, when the women came out to draw [water].
Amakamela yawaguqisa phansi eduzane lomthombo ngaphandle komuzi; kwasekuntambama, sekuyisikhathi sabesifazane ukuyakukha amanzi.
12 And he said, Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, meet me, I pray thee, [with thy blessing] this day, and deal kindly with my master Abraham.
Yasikhuleka yathi, “Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, yenza ngiphumelele lamuhla, utshengise umusa enkosini yami u-Abhrahama.
13 Behold, I stand [here] by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.
Khangela-ke, nanku ngimi lapha eceleni komthombo lo, njalo amadodakazi abantu balelidolobho asesiza ukuzakukha amanzi.
14 And let it come to pass, [that] the maiden to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink, and who will say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also, be she whom thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and hereby I shall know that thou hast dealt kindly with my master.
Kungasake kuthi ngingathi entombini, ‘Ake ungikhele amanzi ngenkezo yakho nginathe,’ yona ithi, ‘Natha, njalo ngizanathisa lamakamela akho,’ kube yiyo kanye oyikhethele inceku yakho u-Isaka. Ngalokho ngizakwazi ukuthi usutshengise umusa enkosini yami.”
15 And it came to pass before he had ended speaking, that behold, Rebecca came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother; and [she had] her pitcher upon her shoulder.
Ingakaqedi ukukhuleka, uRabheka waphuma ethwele imbiza yakhe yamanzi ehlombe lakhe. Wayeyindodakazi kaBhethuweli indodana kaMilikha, owayengumfazi womfowabo ka-Abhrahama uNahori.
16 And the maiden was very fair in countenance; a virgin, and no man had known her. And she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
Intombi le yayinhle kakhulu, igcwele; ingakaze ilale lendoda. Yehlela emthonjeni, yagcwalisa imbiza yayo yasiqansa.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, sip a little water out of thy pitcher.
Inceku yaphanga yamhlangabeza yathi, “Ngicela amanzi embizeni yakho.”
18 And she said, Drink, my lord! And she hasted and let down her pitcher on her hand, and gave him to drink.
Wathi, “Natha nkosi yami,” watsho esehlisa imbiza eyibamba ngezandla emnathisa.
19 And when she had given him enough to drink, she said, I will draw [water] for thy camels also, until they have drunk enough.
Esemnathisile wathi, “Ngizakhelela lamakamela akho lawo ngiwanathise.”
20 And she hasted and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again to the well to draw [water]; and she drew for all his camels.
Wasethululela imbiza yakhe emkolweni, wagijimela emthonjeni njalo ukukha amanye, wawakhelela wonke amakamela akhe.
21 And the man was astonished at her, remaining silent, to know whether Jehovah had made his journey prosperous or not.
Indoda yabukela ithule ilokhu inanzelela idinga ukubona ukuthi ngeqiniso uThixo wayeluphumelelisile yini uhambo lwayo.
22 And it came to pass when the camels had drunk enough, that the man took a gold ring, of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands, ten [shekels] weight of gold,
Amakamela eseqedile ukunatha, indoda leyo yakhupha isongo lamakhala elenziwe ngegolide elilobunzima obungaba yingxenye yeshekeli, lezigqizo zegolide ezimbili ezilobunzima bamashekeli alitshumi.
23 and said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee. Is there room [in] thy father's house for us to lodge?
Yasibuza yathi, “Uyindodakazi kabani na? Ake ungitshele, kambe singazuza indawo yini emzini kayihlo kesicatshise amakhanda ubusuku balamuhla nje?”
24 And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.
URabheka wamphendula wathi, “Ngiyindodakazi kaBhethuweli, indodana kaMilikha ayizalela uNahori.”
25 And she said to him, There is straw, and also much provender with us; also room to lodge.
Waphinda wengeza wathi, “Silotshani obunengi lamahlanga, kanye lendawo yokulala ikhona okwalamuhla ebusuku.”
26 And the man stooped, and bowed down before Jehovah,
Indoda yakhothamela phansi yakhonza uThixo,
27 and said, Blessed be Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, who has not withdrawn his loving-kindness and his faithfulness from my master; I being in the way, Jehovah has led me to the house of my master's brethren.
isithi, “Udumo kalube kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, ongadelanga umusa wakhe lokuthembeka kwakhe enkosini yami. Mina ngokwami uThixo ungikhokhele ohanjweni lwami ngazafika endlini yezinini zenkosi yami.”
28 And the maiden ran and told these things to her mother's house.
Intombi yagijima yayabikela abendlu kanina ngalezizinto.
29 And Rebecca had a brother, named Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the well.
URabheka wayelomnewabo owayethiwa nguLabhani, yena waphanga waya kuleyondoda eyayisemthonjeni.
30 And it came to pass when he saw the ring and the bracelets on his sister's hand, and when he heard the words of Rebecca his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me — that he came to the man, and behold, he was standing by the camels, by the well.
Wonela ukubona isongo lamakhala kanye lezigqizo engalweni kadadewabo, njalo esezwile uRabheka elandisa ngokwakhulunywa yindoda leyo kuye, wasuka waya kuyo wayifica imi eceleni kwamakamela eduze komthombo.
31 And he said, Come in, blessed of Jehovah! why standest thou outside? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
Wathi, “Woza, wena obusisiweyo nguThixo. Umeleni phandle lapha? Sengilungisile indlu lendawo yamakamela.”
32 And the man came into the house; and he ungirded the camels, and gave the camels straw and provender, and water to wash his feet, and the feet of the men who were with him.
Ngakho indoda yaya ngekhaya, lamakamela ethulwa imithwalo. Utshani lamahlanga kwalethwa emakameleni, yena lamadoda ayelawo balethelwa amanzi okugeza inyawo zabo.
33 And there was set [meat] before him to eat; but he said, I will not eat until I have made known my business. And he said, Speak on.
Kwasekulethwa ukudla kwabekwa phambi kwakhe, kodwa wathi, “Kangizukudla ngize ngiqale ngilitshele lokho okumele ngikutsho.” ULabhani wathi, “Sitshele phela.”
34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
Ngakho wasesithi, “Ngiyinceku ka-Abhrahama.
35 And Jehovah has blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and he has given him sheep and cattle, and silver and gold, and bondmen and bondwomen, and camels and asses.
UThixo uyibusisile inkosi yami kakhulu, isinothile kakhulu. Uyiphile izimvu lenkomo, isiliva legolide, lezinceku zesilisa lezesifazane kanye lamakamela labobabhemi.
36 And Sarah, my master's wife, bore a son to my master after she had grown old; and unto him has he given all that he has.
Inkosikazi yenkosi yami, uSara, imzalele indodana ebudaleni bayo, inkosi yami yasiyinika leyondodana konke elakho.
37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanite, in whose land I am dwelling;
Njalo inkosi yami yangifungisa isifungo yathi, ‘Ungazuzeli indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhenani, engihlala elizweni lawo,
38 but thou shalt by all means go to my father's house and to my family, and take a wife for my son.
kodwa yana ezininini zikababa, kwabosendo lwakithi, uzuzele indodana yami umfazi.’
39 And I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me?
Ngasengiyibuza inkosi yami ngathi, ‘Pho nxa owesifazane lowo esala ukuza lapha-ke?’
40 And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I have walked, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way, that thou mayest take a wife for my son of my family, and out of my father's house.
Yaphendula yathi, ‘UThixo, engihamba phambi kwakhe, uzathumela ingilosi yakhe ihambe lawe, iphumelelise uhambo lwakho ukuze uzuzele indodana yami umfazi kwabosendo lwakithi, lasezininini zikababa.
41 Then shalt thou be quit of my oath, when thou shalt have come to my family. And if they give thee not [one], thou shalt be quit of my oath.
Ngakho uzakuthi ungaya kwabosendo lwakithi, uzakhululwa esifungweni sami loba bangaze bale laye.’
42 And I came this day to the well, and said, Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, if now thou wilt prosper my way on which I go,
Ngithe ukufika kwami emthonjeni lamuhla ngathi, ‘Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, nxa uthanda, ngicela uphumelelise uhambo lolu engingalo lapha.
43 behold, I stand by the well of water, and let it come to pass that the damsel who cometh forth to draw [water], and to whom I shall say, Give me, I pray thee, a little water out of thy pitcher to drink,
Akubone, ngimi eceleni kwalo umthombo; nxa kufika intombi izokukha amanzi, ngithi kuyo, “Akunginathise amanzi amalutshwana enkonxeni yakho,”
44 and she shall say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels — that she should be the woman whom Jehovah hath appointed for my master's son.
ingaze ithi kimi, “Natha, njalo ngizanathisa lamakamela akho lawo,” kabe nguye uThixo asemkhethele indodana yenkosi yami.’
45 Before I ended speaking in my heart, behold, Rebecca came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder, and went down to the well, and drew [water]; and I said to her, Give me, I pray thee, to drink.
Ngingakaqedi ukukhuleka enhliziyweni yami, uRabheka waphuma, ethwele imbiza yakhe ehlombe. Wehlela emthonjeni wakha amanzi, ngathi kuye, ‘Akunginathise.’
46 And she hasted and let down her pitcher from her [shoulder], and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also. And I drank; and she gave the camels drink also.
Waphanga wethula imbiza yakhe ehlombe lakhe wathi, ‘Natha, ngizanathisa lamakamela akho njalo.’ Ngakho nganatha, waphinda wanathisa lamakamela njalo.
47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him. And I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her hands.
Ngambuza ngathi, ‘Uyindodakazi kabani wena?’ Wathi, ‘Indodakazi kaBhethuweli indodana kaNahori, amzala kuMilikha.’ Ngasengimgqizisa isongo emakhaleni lezigqizo ezingalweni zakhe,
48 And I stooped, and bowed down before Jehovah; and I blessed Jehovah, God of my master Abraham, who has led me the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son.
ngasengikhothamela phansi, ngamkhonza uThixo. Ngadumisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, ongikhokhele endleleni eqondileyo ngazathola intombi engumzukulu womfowabo wenkosi yami ngayizuzela indodana yayo inkosi yami.
49 And now, if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me; and I will turn to the right hand or to the left.
Manje-ke nxa lizatshengisa umusa lokwethembeka enkosini yami, ngitshelani; loba kungenjalo, ngitshelani ukuze ngazi ukuthi ngithini.”
50 And Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from Jehovah: we cannot speak to thee bad or good.
ULabhani loBhethuweli baphendula bathi, “Lokhu kuvela kuThixo; kakukho esingakutsho kuwe, loba yini.
51 Behold, Rebecca is before thee: take [her], and go away; and let her be wife of thy master's son, as Jehovah has said.
Nangu uRabheka; mthathe uhambe laye ayekuba ngumfazi wendodana yenkosi yakho, njengalokhu okuqondiswe nguThixo.”
52 And it came to pass, when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed down to the earth before Jehovah.
Kwathi inceku ka-Abhrahama ikuzwa lokhu abakutshoyo yakhothama phansi emhlabathini phambi kukaThixo.
53 And the servant brought forth silver articles, and gold articles, and clothing, and he gave [them] to Rebecca; and he gave to her brother, and to her mother, precious things.
Ngakho inceku yasikhupha igolide lesiliva kanye lempahla zokugqoka yakupha uRabheka; yapha njalo umnewabo lonina izipho ezidulayo.
54 And they ate and drank, he and the men that were with him, and lodged. And they rose up in the morning; and he said, Send me away to my master.
Yena lamadoda ayehamba lawo basebesidla njalo banatha, balala khona. Bathi bevuka ekuseni wathi, “Sivumeleni sibuyele enkosini yami.”
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us [some] days, or [say] ten; after that she shall go.
Kodwa umnewabo lonina baphendula bathi, “Ake ume kesihlale lentombazana okwensukwana ezingaba litshumi; lapho selingahamba-ke.”
56 And he said to them, Do not hinder me, seeing Jehovah has prospered my way: send me away, and I will go to my master.
Kodwa wathi kubo, “Lingangibambeleli, njengoba uThixo eseluphumelelisile uhambo lwami. Wothini ngihambe ukuze ngiyefika enkosini yami.”
57 And they said, Let us call the maiden and inquire at her mouth.
Basebesithi, “Wothi sibize intombazana kesiyibuze ngakho.”
58 And they called Rebecca and said to her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
Ngakho bambiza uRabheka bambuza bathi, “Uyafuna ukuhamba layo indoda le na?” Wathi, “Ngizahamba layo.”
59 And they sent away Rebecca their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
Ngakho basebemkhulula udadewabo uRabheka ukuba ahambe kanye lomlizane wakhe, bahamba lenceku ka-Abhrahama lamadoda ayelayo.
60 And they blessed Rebecca, and said to her, Thou art our sister; mayest thou become thousands of tens of thousands; and may thy seed possess the gate of their enemies!
Njalo bambusisa uRabheka bathi kuye, “Dadewethu, sengathi ungandisa izinkulungwane zezinkulungwane; sengathi inzalo yakho ingathumba amadolobho ezitha zayo.”
61 And Rebecca arose, and her maids, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man. And the servant took Rebecca, and went away.
URabheka lamantombazana akhe bazilungiselela, basebekhwela amakamela abo bahamba lendoda leyo. Ngakho inceku yamthatha uRabheka yahamba.
62 And Isaac had just returned from Beer-lahai-roi; for he was dwelling in the south country.
Ngalesosikhathi u-Isaka wayesefikile evela eBheri-Lahayi-Royi, ngoba wayehlala eNegebi.
63 And Isaac had gone out to meditate in the fields toward the beginning of evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were coming.
Ngenye intambama waya ensimini ehambahamba ukuthi ake ahluze ingqondo, wasesithi uyakhangela wabona amakamela esiza.
64 And Rebecca lifted up her eyes and saw Isaac, and she sprang off the camel.
URabheka laye wakhangela wambona u-Isaka. Wehla ekameleni lakhe
65 And she had said to the servant, Who is the man that is walking in the fields to meet us? And the servant said, That is my master! Then she took the veil, and covered herself.
wabuza inceku wathi, “Indoda leyana esensimini ngubani, leyana esihlangabezayo?” Inceku yaphendula yathi, “Uyinkosi yami.” Yikho uRabheka wasethatha ilembu elilula wazemboza ngalo.
66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
Inceku yasimtshela u-Isaka konke lokho eyayikwenzile.
67 And Isaac led her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebecca, and she became his wife, and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after [the death of] his mother.
U-Isaka wamngenisa ethenteni likanina uSara, wahle wamthatha uRabheka. Ngakho wasesiba ngumkakhe, wamthanda; u-Isaka waduduzeka ngemva kokufa kukanina.
