Kĩambĩrĩria 18
1 Mũthenya ũmwe Jehova nĩ oimĩrĩire Iburahĩmu rĩrĩa aikarĩte mũromo-inĩ wa hema yake hakuhĩ na mĩtĩ ĩrĩa mĩnene ya mĩgandi ya Mamure, ihinda rĩa mĩaraho.
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 Na rĩrĩ, Iburahĩmu aatiira maitho-rĩ, akĩona andũ atatũ marũgamĩte o hakuhĩ nake. Rĩrĩa aamoonire, akĩhiũha akiuma mũromo-inĩ wa hema yake, agĩthiĩ kũmatũnga, na agĩturumithia ũthiũ wake thĩ.
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 Akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mwathi wakwa, angĩkorwo nĩndetĩkĩrĩka maitho-inĩ maku, ndũkahĩtũke ndungata yaku.
and said [to one of them], “Sir, if you are pleased with me, stay here for a little while [LIT].
4 Reke tũũĩ tũnini tũrehwo, na inyuĩ inyuothe mwĩthambe magũrũ na mũhurũke kĩĩruru-inĩ kĩa mũtĩ ũyũ.
Allow my servants to bring a little water and wash your feet, and rest under this tree.
5 Na niĩ thiĩ ndĩmũrehere kĩndũ gĩa kũrĩa, nĩgeetha mũcookwo nĩ hinya, kuona atĩ nĩmwagĩũka kwa ndungata yanyu, nĩguo mũcooke mwĩthiĩre.” Makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wega mũno, ĩka o ũguo woiga.”
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Iburahĩmu akĩhiũha agĩthiĩ hema-inĩ kũrĩ Sara, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Oya ibaba ithatũ cia mũtu ũrĩa mũhinyu wega, ũũkande na ũruge mĩgate naihenya.”
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 Ningĩ Iburahĩmu agĩtengʼera rũũru-inĩ, agĩthuura njaũ njega na njororo, akĩmĩnengera ndungata, nayo ĩkĩmĩthĩnja naihenya.
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 Ningĩ Iburahĩmu akĩmarehera iria imata na iria rĩa mwĩtha, na nyama cia njaũ ĩyo yathĩnjĩtwo, agĩciiga hau mbere yao. Nake akĩrũgama hakuhĩ nao mũtĩ-inĩ rĩrĩa maarĩĩaga.
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 Maarĩkia kũrĩa makĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Sara mũtumia waku-rĩ, arĩ kũ?” Iburahĩmu akĩmacookeria atĩrĩ, “Arĩ kũũrĩa hema thĩinĩ.”
[One of] them asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He replied, “She is in the tent.”
10 Nake Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ nĩngooka kũrĩ we rĩngĩ hĩndĩ o ta ĩno mwaka ũyũ ũroka, na Sara mũtumia waku nĩagaciara kaana ga kahĩĩ.” Nake Sara nĩathikagĩrĩria arĩ hau mũromo-inĩ wa hema ĩrĩa yarĩ thuutha wa Iburahĩmu.
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 Na rĩrĩ, Iburahĩmu na Sara maarĩ akũrũ na magatindĩka mĩaka yao ma, nake Sara akahĩtũkia mĩaka ya gũciara.
Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was far past the time of when she could bear children.
12 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, Sara agĩĩthekera, akĩĩyũria atĩrĩ, “Thuutha wa gũkũra ũũ-rĩ, na mwathi wakwa nĩ mũkũrũ-rĩ, no ngĩgĩe na gĩkeno kĩu?”
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 Nake Jehova akĩũria Iburahĩmu atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũma Sara atheke na eyũrie, ‘Ti-itherũ no ngĩe na mwana ndĩ mũkũrũ ũguo?’
Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why was she thinking, ‘I am too old, so how can I bear a child?’
14 Kaĩ kũrĩ ũndũ ũngĩrema Jehova? Mwaka ũyũ ũroka-rĩ, nĩngacooka ihinda rĩrĩa rĩamũre, nake Sara nĩagaciara kaana ga kahĩĩ.”
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 agĩĩtigĩra mũno, nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩheenania, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndinatheka.” Nowe Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩ ma nĩwatheka.”
Then Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But Yahweh said, “Don’t deny it! You did laugh.”
16 Rĩrĩa andũ acio mookĩrire mathiĩ-rĩ, makĩerekera na Sodomu, nake Iburahĩmu agĩtwarana nao amoimagarie.
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 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Jehova akĩĩyũria atĩrĩ, “No hithe Iburahĩmu ũrĩa ndĩrenda gwĩka?
Yahweh thought to himself, “It is not right for me to prevent Abraham from knowing what I plan to do [RHQ].
18 Ti-itherũ Iburahĩmu nĩagatuĩka rũrĩrĩ rũnene na rwa hinya, na ndũrĩrĩ ciothe cia thĩ nĩikarathimwo nĩ ũndũ wake.
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 Nĩgũkorwo nĩndĩmũthuurĩte nĩgeetha onagĩrĩrie ciana ciake, na nyũmba yake, na arĩa magooka thuutha wake, kũrũmagia mĩthiĩre ya Jehova na ũndũ wa gwĩkaga ũrĩa kwagĩrĩire, na kĩhooto, nĩgeetha Jehova akaahingĩria Iburahĩmu ũrĩa aamwĩrĩire.”
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 Ningĩ Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mũkayo wĩgiĩ Sodomu na Gomora nĩ mũnene mũno, naguo wĩhia wao nĩ mũũru mũno.
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio niĩ nĩngũikũrũka thiĩ nyone kana ũũru ũrĩa mekĩte nĩũigana ikaya rĩrĩa rĩnginyĩire. Na aakorwo tiguo-rĩ, nĩngũmenya ũrĩa ngwĩka.”
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ acio makiuma hau magĩthiĩ merekeire Sodomu, no Iburahĩmu agĩtigwo arũgamĩte mbere ya Jehova.
Then the two men turned and started walking toward Sodom. But Yahweh remained, standing in front of Abraham.
23 Nake Iburahĩmu agĩkuhĩrĩria Jehova akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Andũ arĩa athingu ũkũmaniinanĩria hamwe na arĩa aaganu?
Abraham came closer to him and said, “Will you really destroy righteous people along with wicked ones?
24 Ĩ kũngĩkorwo kũrĩ na andũ mĩrongo ĩtano athingu itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene? Ti-itherũ no ũrĩniine na ndũrĩhonokie nĩ ũndũ wa andũ acio mĩrongo ĩtano athingu marĩ kuo?
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 Ũroaga gwĩka ũndũ ta ũcio, wa kũũraganĩria arĩa athingu hamwe na arĩa aaganu, arĩa athingu na arĩa aaganu ũmataranĩrie ũndũ ũmwe. Ũroaga gwĩka ũndũ ta ũcio! Mũtuanĩri ciira wa thĩ yothe-rĩ, githĩ ndagĩrĩirwo nĩ gwĩka ũrĩa kwagĩrĩire?”
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 Nake Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ingĩkora andũ mĩrongo ĩtano athingu kũu itũũra rĩu inene rĩa Sodomu-rĩ, nĩngũhonokia kũndũ kũu guothe nĩ ũndũ wao.”
Yahweh replied, “If I find 50 righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place/city for their sake.”
27 Ningĩ Iburahĩmu akĩaria rĩngĩ, akiuga atĩrĩ: “Rĩu tondũ nĩngĩĩũmĩrĩirie nginya ndaaria na Mwathani, o na gũtuĩka ndĩ o rũkũngũ na mũhu-rĩ, atĩrĩ,
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 ĩ hangĩaga andũ atano a acio mĩrongo ĩtano athingu? Nĩ ũngĩniina itũũra rĩu inene rĩothe nĩ ũndũ wa kwaga acio atano?” Jehova akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ingĩkora andũ mĩrongo ĩna na atano kuo, ndikũrĩniina.”
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 O rĩngĩ Iburahĩmu akĩmwarĩria akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ĩ ũngĩkora andũ mĩrongo ĩna tu kuo?” Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩ ũndũ wa acio mĩrongo ĩna-rĩ, ndikũrĩniina.”
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 Ningĩ Iburahĩmu akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mwathani aroaga kũrakara, no areke njarie. Ĩ ũngĩkora andũ mĩrongo ĩtatũ kuo?” Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ndikũrĩniina ingĩkora andũ mĩrongo ĩtatũ kuo.”
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 Iburahĩmu akiuga atĩrĩ, “Rĩu tondũ nĩngĩĩũmĩrĩirie nginya ndaaria na Mwathani-rĩ, ĩ kũngĩoneka o andũ mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ kuo?” Nake Jehova akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩ ũndũ wa acio mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ, ndikũrĩniina.”
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 Ningĩ akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mwathani aroaga kũrakara no areke njarie rĩngĩ rĩmwe. Ĩ kũngĩoneka o andũ ikũmi kuo?” Nake Jehova agĩcookia, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩ ũndũ wa acio ikũmi-rĩ, ndikũrĩniina.”
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 Rĩrĩa Jehova aarĩkirie kwaria na Iburahĩmu, agĩĩthiĩra, nake Iburahĩmu agĩcooka mũciĩ.
Abraham said no more, and as soon as Yahweh finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
