Genèse 18
1 Éternel se révéla à lui dans les plaines de Mamré, tandis qu’il était assis à l’entrée de sa tente, pendant la chaleur du jour.
One day during that year when it was hot, Yahweh appeared to Abraham again near the big trees that belonged to Mamre, while Abraham was sitting in the entrance to his tent.
2 Comme il levait les yeux et regardait, il vit trois personnages debout prés de lui. En les voyant, il courut à eux du seuil de la tente et se prosterna contre terre.
Abraham looked up [MTY] and was surprised to see three men standing near him. [Actually, one was Yahweh, and the other two were angels]. When he saw them, he ran to meet them. He prostrated himself with his face on the ground to show respect,
3 Et il dit: "Seigneur, si j’ai trouvé grâce à tes yeux, ne passe pas ainsi devant ton serviteur!
and said [to one of them], “Sir, if you are pleased with me, stay here for a little while [LIT].
4 Qu’on aille quérir un peu d’eau; lavez vos pieds et reposez-vous sous cet arbre.
Allow my servants to bring a little water and wash your feet, and rest under this tree.
5 Je vais apporter une tranche de pain, vous réparerez vos forces, puis vous poursuivrez votre chemin, puisque aussi bien vous avez passé près de votre serviteur." Ils répondirent: "Fais ainsi que tu as dit".
Since you have come here to me, allow me to bring you some food [SYN] so that you can feel refreshed before you leave.” Yahweh replied, “All right, do as you have said.”
6 Abraham rentra en hâte dans sa tente, vers Sara et dit: "Vite, prends trois mesures de farine de pur froment, pétris-la et fais-en des gâteaux."
So Abraham quickly went into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick, get some of our best flour and make some loaves of bread!”
7 Puis, Abraham courut au troupeau, choisit un veau tendre et gras et le donna au serviteur, qui se hâta de l’accommoder.
Then he ran to the herd of cattle and selected a calf whose meat would be tender and tasty. He gave it to one of his servants [and told him to] quickly kill it and cook it.
8 Il prit de la crème et du lait, puis le veau qu’on avait préparé et le leur servit: il se tenait devant eux, sous l’arbre, tandis qu’ils mangeaient.
When the meat was cooked, Abraham brought some curds and milk and the meat that had been prepared, and set them in front of his visitors. Then he stood near them, under a tree, while they ate.
9 Ils lui dirent: "Où est Sara, ta femme?" Il répondit: "Elle est dans la tente."
[One of] them asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He replied, “She is in the tent.”
10 L’Un d’eux reprit: "Certes, je reviendrai à toi à pareille époque et voici, un fils sera né à Sara, ton épouse." Or, Sara l’entendait à l’entrée de la tente qui se trouvait derrière lui.
Then the leader of the group said, “I will return to you (about this time/in the springtime) next year, and to your amazement, your wife Sarah will have an infant son.” It happened that Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind the one who was speaking.
11 Abraham et Sara étaient vieux, avancés dans la vie; le tribut périodique des femmes avait cessé pour Sara.
Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was far past the time of when she could bear children.
12 Sara rit en elle-même disant: "Flétrie par l’âge, ce bonheur me serait réservé! Et mon époux est un vieillard!"
So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “My body is worn out, and my husband is old. So how can I have the pleasure [of having a child]?” [RHQ]
13 Le Seigneur dit à Abraham: "Pourquoi Sara a-t-elle ri, disant: ‘Eh quoi! en vérité, j’enfanterais, âgée que je suis!’
Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why was she thinking, ‘I am too old, so how can I bear a child?’
14 Est-il rien d’impossible au Seigneur? Au temps fixé, à pareille époque, je te visiterai et Sara sera mère".
I am Yahweh! (Is there anything too difficult for me?/There is nothing too difficult for me!) [RHQ] I will return about this time next year in the springtime, and Sarah will have an infant son.”
15 Sara protesta, en disant: "Je n’ai point ri"; car elle avait peur. II répondit "Non pas, tu as ri."
Then Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But Yahweh said, “Don’t deny it! You did laugh.”
16 Les hommes se levèrent et fixèrent leurs regards dans la direction de Sodome; Abraham les accompagna pour les reconduire.
When the three men got up to leave, they looked down into the valley toward Sodom [city]. Abraham was walking with them to say “goodbye” to them.
17 Or, l’Éternel avait dit: "Tairai-je à Abraham ce que je veux faire?"
Yahweh thought to himself, “It is not right for me to prevent Abraham from knowing what I plan to do [RHQ].
18 Abraham ne doit-il pas devenir une nation grande et puissante et une cause de bonheur pour toutes les nations de la terre?
Abraham’s descendants [MTY] will become a great and powerful nation. And people of [MTY] all nations will be blessed because of what I do for him.
19 Si je l’ai distingué, c’est pour qu’il prescrive à ses fils et à sa maison après lui d’observer la voie de l’Éternel, en pratiquant la vertu et la justice; afin que l’Éternel accomplisse sur Abraham ce qu’il a déclaré à son égard."
I have chosen him in order that he will teach his children and their families to obey me and do what is right and fair, and then I will do for Abraham what I promised.”
20 L’Éternel dit: "Comme le décri de Sodome et de Gommorrhe est grand; comme leur perversité est excessive,
So Yahweh said to Abraham, “I have heard the terrible things that have been said about the people of [MTY] Sodom and Gomorrah. Their sins are very great.
21 je veux y descendre; je veux voir si, comme la plainte en est venue jusqu’à moi, ils se sont livrés aux derniers excès; si cela n’est pas, j’aviserai."
So I will go down now, and I will see if all the terrible things that I have heard are true or not true.”
22 Les hommes quittèrent ce lieu et s’acheminèrent vers Sodome; Abraham était encore en présence du Seigneur.
Then the two men turned and started walking toward Sodom. But Yahweh remained, standing in front of Abraham.
23 Abraham s’avança et dit: "Anéantirais-tu, d’un même coup, l’innocent avec le coupable?
Abraham came closer to him and said, “Will you really destroy righteous people along with wicked ones?
24 Peut-être y a-t-il cinquante justes dans cette ville: les feras-tu périr aussi et ne pardonneras-tu pas à la contrée en faveur des cinquante justes qui s’y trouvent?
What will you do if there are only 50 righteous people in the city? Will you really get rid of them all, and not spare the place/city for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in the city?
25 Loin de toi d’agir ainsi, de frapper l’innocent avec le coupable, les traitant tous deux de même façon! Loin de toi! Celui qui juge toute la terre serait-il un juge inique?"
It would certainly not be right for you to do such a thing, to kill righteous people along with wicked ones, and treat righteous people and wicked people the same way. You could not do that, because you, who are the judge of everyone on the earth, will certainly do what is right [regarding the people of Sodom]!” [RHQ]
26 Le Seigneur répondit: "Si je trouve à Sodome au sein de la ville, cinquante justes, je pardonnerai à toute la contrée à cause d’eux"
Yahweh replied, “If I find 50 righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place/city for their sake.”
27 Abraham reprit en disant: "De grâce! j’ai entrepris de parler à mon souverain, moi poussière et cendre!
Abraham replied, “I should not be bold like this and speak to you, God, because I am as worthless as dust and ashes [MET].
28 Peut-être à ces cinquante justes, en manquera-t-il cinq: détruirais-tu, pour cinq, une ville entière?" Il répondit: "Je ne sévirai point, si j’en trouve quarante-cinq"
But what will you do if there are only 45 righteous people? Will you destroy everyone in the whole city because there are only 45 and not 50 righteous people?” Yahweh replied, “I will not destroy it if I find that there are 45 righteous people.”
29 Il insista encore, en lui disant: "Peut-être s’y en trouvera-t-il quarante?" II répondit: "Je m’abstiendrai à cause de ces quarante."
Abraham continued to speak to him [like this], saying, “What will you do if you find that there are only 40 righteous people there?” Yahweh replied, “I will not destroy them all, for the sake of the 40.”
30 Il dit: "De grâce, que mon Souverain ne s’irrite point de mes paroles! Peut-être s’en trouvera-t-il trente?" II répondit: "Je m’abstiendrai, si j’en trouve trente"
Abraham said, “God, please don’t be angry now. Let me speak again. What will you do if there are only 30 righteous people?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find that there are 30 there.”
31 II reprit: "De grâce, puisque j’ai osé parler à mon Souverain, peut-être s’en trouvera-t-il vingt?" II répondit: "Je renoncerai à détruire, en faveur de ces vingt." II dit:
Abraham said, “I should not be bold and speak to you like this, God. But what will you do if you find that there are only 20 righteous people there?” He replied, “I will not destroy the whole city, for the sake of those 20.”
32 "De grâce, que mon Souverain ne s’irrite pas, je ne parlerai plus que cette fois. Peut-être s’en trouvera-t-il dix?" II répondit: "Je renoncerai à détruire, en faveur de ces dix."
Abraham said, “God, don’t be angry now. Just let me speak one time more. What will you do if you find that there are only ten righteous people there?” Yahweh answered, “I will not destroy the city for the sake of those ten.”
33 Le Seigneur disparut, lorsqu’il eut achevé de parler à Abraham; et Abraham retourna à sa demeure.
Abraham said no more, and as soon as Yahweh finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
