Genesis 18
1 The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
INkosi yasibonakala kuye ema-okhini eMamre, wathi ehlezi emnyango wethente ekutshiseni kosuku,
2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
wasephakamisa amehlo akhe wabona, khangela-ke amadoda amathathu emi phambi kwakhe; esewabonile wagijima ukuwahlangabeza esuka emnyango wethente, wakhothamela emhlabathini,
3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found favour in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
wasesithi: Nkosi, uba-ke ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, ngicela ungadluli usuke encekwini yakho.
4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Ake kulethwe amanzi amalutshwana, beseligeza inyawo zenu, liphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
5 I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
Ngizaletha-ke ucezu lwesinkwa, beseliqinisa inhliziyo yenu, beselisedlula, ngoba yikho ledlule encekwini yenu. Asesithi: Ngokunjalo yenza njengokutsho kwakho.
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
UAbrahama wasephangisa esiya ethenteni kuSara, wasesithi: Phangisa! Amaseya amathathu empuphu ecolekileyo! Xova, wenze amaqebelengwana.
7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
UAbrahama wasegijimela enkomeni, wathatha ithole elibuthakathaka njalo elihle, walinika ijaha; laphangisa ukulilungisa.
8 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
Wasethatha amasi lochago, lethole abelilungisile, wakubeka phambi kwawo; wema eduze lawo ngaphansi kwesihlahla, asesidla.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”
Asesithi kuye: Ungaphi uSara umkakho? Wasesithi: Khangela, ethenteni.
10 He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
Yasisithi: Isibili ngizabuya kuwe ngalesisikhathi sempilo; khangela, uSara umkakho uzakuba lendodana. USara wakuzwa esemnyango wethente elalingemva kwayo.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
UAbrahama loSara basebebadala sebelensuku ezinengi; kwasekuphelile kuSara okwendlela yabafazi.
12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
USara wasehlekela ngaphakathi, esithi: Sengigugile, ngingaba lenjabulo, lenkosi yami isindala yini?
13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
INkosi yasisithi kuAbrahama: Kungani uSara ehleka, esithi: Isibili lami ngizazala mina sengimdala yini?
14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
Kukhona into enzima kakhulu eNkosini yini? Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizabuya kuwe, ngalesisikhathi sempilo, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.
15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
USara wasephika esithi: Kangihlekanga, ngoba wayesesaba. Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, ngoba uhlekile.
16 The men rose up from there, and looked towards Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
Amadoda asesukuma esuka lapho akhangela phansi eSodoma; uAbrahama wasehamba lawo ewaphelekezela.
17 The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
INkosi yasisithi: Mina ngingamfihlela uAbrahama yini engikwenzayo?
18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
Ngoba isibili uAbrahama uzakuba yisizwe esikhulu esilamandla; lazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa kuye.
19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
Ngoba ngimazile, ukuze alaye abantwana bakhe lendlu yakhe emva kwakhe, besebegcina indlela yeNkosi ukuze benze ukulunga lokwahlulela, ukuze iNkosi imehlisele uAbrahama lokho ekutshoyo ngaye.
20 The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
INkosi yasisithi: Ngoba isikhalo seSodoma leGomora sikhulu, langoba isono sabo sinzima kakhulu,
21 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
ngizakwehla-ke besengibona ukuthi njengokwesikhalo sayo esesifike kimi, benzile ngokupheleleyo; kodwa uba kungenjalo ngizakwazi.
22 The men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Amadoda esefulathele lapho, asesiya eSodoma; kodwa uAbrahama wayelokhu emile phambi kweNkosi.
23 Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
UAbrahama wasesondela, wathi: Kambe uzambhubhisa lolungileyo kanye lomubi?
24 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
Mhlawumbe kukhona abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi; kambe uzabhubhisa ungaxoleli indawo ngenxa yabalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu abakuwo?
25 May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Kakube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo, ukubulala olungileyo kanye lomubi lokuthi olungileyo abe njengomubi; kakube khatshana lawe; umahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza ukulunga yini?
26 The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
INkosi yasisithi: Uba ngithola eSodoma abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi, ngizaxolela yonke indawo ngenxa yabo.
27 Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
UAbrahama wasephendula wathi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini, lanxa ngiluthuli lomlotha.
28 What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
Mhlawumbe kuzasweleka abahlanu kubo abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu; uzabhubhisa umuzi wonke ngenxa yabahlanu yini? Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amane lanhlanu.
29 He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”
Waseqhubeka elokhu ekhuluma kuyo wathi: Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amane. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane.
30 He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli lapho ngikhuluma. Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amathathu. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amathathu.
31 He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”
Wasesithi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amabili. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili.
32 He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli, ngizakhuluma khathesi kuphela; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abalitshumi. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabalitshumi.
33 The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
INkosi yasihamba isiqedile ukukhuluma kuAbrahama; uAbrahama wasebuyela endaweni yakhe.
