< Genesis 15 >
1 Now when these things were done, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: Fear not, Abram, I am thy protector, and thy reward exceeding great.
Baada ya jambo hili, neno la Bwana likamjia Abramu katika maono: “Usiogope, Abramu. Mimi ni ngao yako, na thawabu yako kubwa sana.”
2 And Abram said: Lord God, what wilt thou give me? I shall go without children: and the son of the steward of my house is this Damascus Eliezer.
Lakini Abramu akasema, “Ee Bwana Mwenyezi, utanipa nini na mimi sina hata mtoto na atakayerithi nyumba yangu ni huyu Eliezeri Mdameski?”
3 And Abram added: But to me thou hast not given seed: and lo my servant, born in my house, shall be my heir.
Abramu akasema, “Hukunipa watoto, hivyo mtumishi katika nyumba yangu ndiye atakuwa mrithi wangu.”
4 And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: He shall not be thy heir: but he that shall come out of thy bowels, him shalt thou have for thy heir.
Ndipo neno la Bwana lilipomjia: “Mtu huyu hatakuwa mrithi wako, bali mwana atakayetoka katika viuno vyako mwenyewe ndiye atakayekuwa mrithi wako.”
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said to him: Look up to heaven and number the stars, if thou canst. And he said to him: So shall thy seed be.
Akamtoa nje na kusema, “Tazama juu kuelekea mbinguni na uhesabu nyota, kama hakika utaweza kuzihesabu.” Ndipo akamwambia, “Hivyo ndivyo uzao wako utakavyokuwa.”
6 Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.
Abramu akamwamini Bwana, naye kwake hili likahesabiwa kuwa haki.
7 And he said to him: I am the Lord who brought thee out from Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land, and that thou mightest possess it.
Pia akamwambia, “Mimi ndimi Bwana, niliyekutoa toka Uru ya Wakaldayo nikupe nchi hii uimiliki.”
8 But he said: Lord God, whereby may I know that I shall possess it?
Lakini Abramu akasema, “Ee Bwana Mwenyezi, nitawezaje kujua kwamba nitapata kuimiliki?”
9 And the Lord answered, and said: Take me a cow of three years old, and a she goat of three years, and a ram of three years, a turtle also, and a pigeon.
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia, “Niletee mtamba wa ngʼombe, mbuzi na kondoo dume, kila mmoja wa miaka mitatu, pamoja na hua na kinda la njiwa.”
10 And he took all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid the two pieces of each one against the other; but the birds he divided not.
Abramu akamletea hivi vyote, akampasua kila mnyama vipande viwili, akavipanga kila kimoja kuelekea mwenzake, lakini hata hivyo ndege, hakuwapasua vipande viwili.
11 And the fowls came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.
Kisha ndege walao nyama wakatua juu ya mizoga, lakini Abramu akawafukuza.
12 And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a great and darksome horror seized upon him.
Wakati jua lilipokuwa linatua, Abramu akashikwa na usingizi mzito, giza nene na la kutisha likaja juu yake.
13 And it was said unto him: Know thou beforehand that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not their own, and they shall bring them under bondage, and afflict them four hundred years.
Kisha Bwana akamwambia, “Ujue hakika kwamba wazao wako watakuwa wageni kwenye nchi ambayo si yao, nao watafanywa watumwa na kuteswa kwa miaka mia nne.
14 But I will judge the nation which they shall serve, and after this they shall come out with great substance.
Lakini nitaliadhibu taifa lile watakalolitumikia kama watumwa, na baadaye watatoka huko na mali nyingi.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and be buried in a good old age.
Wewe, hata hivyo utakwenda kwa baba zako kwa amani na kuzikwa katika uzee mwema.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall return hither: for as yet the iniquities of the Amorrhites are not at the full until this present time.
Katika kizazi cha nne wazao wako watarudi hapa, kwa maana dhambi ya Waamori bado haijafikia kipimo kilichojaa.”
17 And when the sun was set, there arose a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.
Wakati jua lilipokuwa limezama na giza limeingia, tanuru la moshi na mwali wa moto unaowaka vikatokea na kupita kati ya vile vipande vya nyama.
18 That day God made a covenant with Abram, saying: To thy seed will I give this land, from the river of Egypt even to the great river Euphrates.
Siku hiyo Bwana akafanya Agano na Abramu, na kumwambia, “Nitawapa wazao wako nchi hii, kuanzia Kijito cha Misri hadi mto ule mkubwa, Frati,
19 The Cineans and Cenezites, the Cedmonites,
yaani nchi ya Wakeni, Wakenizi, Wakadmoni,
20 And the Hethites, and the Pherezites, the Raphaim also,
Wahiti, Waperizi, Warefai,
21 And the Amorrhites, and the Chanaanites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites.
Waamori, Wakanaani, Wagirgashi na Wayebusi.”