< Jenesis 18 >

1 Onyenwe anyị gosiri Ebraham onwe ya nʼakụkụ osisi ukwu dị na Mamre, mgbe Ebraham nọdụrụ ala nʼihu ụlọ ikwu ya, nʼetiti ehihie.
The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent as the day became really hot.
2 O lelitere anya ya hụ ndị ikom atọ ka ha guzo ebe ọ nọ nso. Mgbe ọ hụrụ ha, o sitere nʼihu ụlọ ikwu ya gbakwuru ha izute ha, kpọọ isiala.
He looked up and all of a sudden he saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran over to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 Ọ sịrị, “Onyenwe m, ọ bụrụ na m natara amara nʼihu gị, agabigala ohu gị.
He said, “Sir, if you please, don't continue your journey without spending some time here with me, your servant.
4 Biko, ka ekutere unu mmiri ntakịrị, ka unu sachaa ụkwụ unu, zurukwa ike nʼokpuru osisi a.
Let me have some water brought so you can wash your feet and rest under the tree.
5 Ka m wetara unu nri ntakịrị unu ga-eri nke ga-agba unu ume tupu unu agawa nʼihu nʼije unu ugbu a unu bịara na nke ohu unu.” Ha zara sị ya, “Ọ dị mma. Mee dịka i kwuru.”
Also let me bring some food so you can get your strength back before you go on your way, now that you've come to visit me here.” “That would be fine,” they answered. “Please do as you've suggested.”
6 Ya mere, Ebraham mere ngwangwa banyekwuru Sera nʼụlọ ikwu ya sị ya, “Mee ngwa, mapụta ihe ọtụtụ sịa atọ site na ọka a kwọrọ nke ọma jiri meta achịcha.”
Abraham hurried back to the tent and told Sarah, “Quick! Make some bread using three large measures of the best flour. Knead the dough and bake the bread.”
7 Mgbe ahụ, Ebraham gbagara nʼigwe ehi ya, họpụta otu nwa ehi na-akaghị aka nke ahụ ya dị mma, nye ya otu ohu ya onye mere ngwangwa gbuo ya, dozie ya maka oriri.
Then Abraham ran to the cattle herd and chose a good, young calf and gave it to his servant who quickly killed and cooked it.
8 Emesịa, Ebraham buuru mmiri ara ehi nke rahụrụ arahụ, na mmiri ara ehi, na anụ ahụ a kwadoro dozie ha nʼihu ndị ọbịa ahụ. O guzokwara nso nso ebe ha nọ nʼokpuru osisi ahụ mgbe ha na-eri nri.
Then he took some yogurt, milk, and the cooked meat, and placed the food in front of them. He stood nearby under a tree while they ate.
9 Ha jụrụ ya sị, “Ebee ka Sera nwunye gị nọ?” Ọ zara sị, “Ọ nọ nʼime ụlọ ikwu.”
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.
10 Ọ sịrị ya, “Nʼezie, mụ onwe m ga-alọghachikwute gị nʼoge a nʼafọ ọzọ, Sera nwunye gị ga-amụta nwa nwoke.” Sera guzo nʼime ụlọ ikwu ahụ nke dị nʼazụ Ebraham na-ege ntị nʼihe ha na-ekwu.
Then one said, “I promise you that I will come back to visit you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening, hiding just inside the entrance to the tent behind him.
11 Nʼoge a, Ebraham na Sera emeela nnọọ agadi, gbaakwa isi awọ. Sera agafeela oge ịmụta nwa.
Abraham and Sarah were old, getting on in years. Sarah was well past the age of having children.
12 Ya mere, mgbe Sera nụrụ ihe Onyenwe anyị kwuru, ọ chịrị ọchị sị, “Agadi nwanyị dịka m o si aṅaa amụta nwa, ugbu a onyenwe m karala nka?”
Sarah was laughing inside, saying to herself, “Now that I'm old and worn out, how would I experience pleasure? My husband is old too!”
13 Onyenwe anyị jụrụ Ebraham ajụjụ sị, “Gịnị mere Sera ji achị ọchị? Gịnị mere o ji kwuo sị, ‘Olee otu agadi nwanyị dịka m ga-esi mụọ nwa?’
The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and ask, ‘How could it possibly be true that I'll have a child now I'm so old?’
14 Ọ dị ihe nyịrị Onyenwe anyị ime? Mụ onwe m ga-alọghachikwute gị nʼoge a kara aka, Sera nwunye gị ga-amụta nwa nwoke.”
Is anything too difficult for the Lord to do? I will come back next year when I said I would, in the spring, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Ma ụjọ tụrụ Sera. Nʼihi ya, ọ gọrọ agọ sị, “Achịghị m ọchị.” Ma Ọ zara sị, “Ọ bụ ezie, Sera, ị chịrị ọchị.”
Sarah denied it because she was afraid, claiming, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did laugh,” the Lord replied.
16 Mgbe ndị ikom atọ ahụ biliri ibidokwa ije ha, ha chere ihu ịga obodo Sọdọm, Ebraham dupụkwara ha.
Then the men left. They looked down on Sodom and headed in that direction. Abraham accompanied them part of the way.
17 Mgbe ha na-aga nʼụzọ, Onyenwe anyị tulere sị, “O kwesiri ka m zochiere Ebraham ihe m chọrọ ime?
Then the Lord said, “Should I keep from Abraham what I'm going to do?
18 Ebraham aghaghị ịbụ mba dị ukwuu dịkwa ike. A ga-agọzikwa agbụrụ niile nọ nʼụwa site na ya.
Abraham will definitely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed through him.
19 Nʼihi na ahọpụtala m ya, ka ọ tụziere ụmụ ya na ụlọ ya ndị ga-esote ya ịgbaso ụzọ Onyenwe anyị site nʼime ihe dị mma na ihe ziri ezi, ka Onyenwe anyị mezuoro Ebraham ihe niile o kwere ya na nkwa.”
I've chosen him so that he will teach his sons and their families to follow the way of the Lord by doing what is right and good, so that I, the Lord, can do for Abraham what I promised.”
20 Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị kwuru sị, “Mkpu akwa m na-anụ site na Sọdọm na Gọmọra dị ukwuu, otu a kwa, mmehie ha jọbigara njọ oke.
Then the Lord said, “There are many complaints made against Sodom and Gomorrah because they sin so blatantly.
21 Ugbu a, ana m aga ka m jiri anya m hụ ma ihe ha mere ọ dị njọ dịka mkpu akwa m na-anụ si dị. Ma o sighị otu ahụ dịrị, aga m amata.”
I ‘m going to see if these complaints that have reached me are completely true. I'll know if they're not.”
22 Mgbe ahụ, ndị ikom abụọ nʼime ha gawara Sọdọm. Ma Ebraham nọ na-eguzo nʼihu Onyenwe anyị.
The two men turned and went towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed there with Abraham.
23 Ebraham jeruru Onyenwe anyị nso jụọ ya sị, “Uche gị ọ bụ ikpochapụ ndị ezi omume na ndị ajọ omume?
Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?
24 Ọ bụrụ na ị chọta iri ndị ezi omume ise nʼime obodo ahụ, ị ga-ekpochapụ obodo ahụ? Ị gaghị agbaghara ya nʼihi iri ndị ezi omume ise nọ nʼime ya?
What if there are fifty good people in the town? Are you still going to wipe it out despite the fifty good people there?
25 Ọ bụghị ezi ihe na ị ga-ala ndị ezi omume na ndị ajọ omume nʼiyi. Nʼihi na ị gaghị emeso ndị ezi omume dịka i si mesoo ndị na-eme ajọ ihe. O kwesighị ka onye ga-ekpe ụwa niile ikpe, kpee ikpe ziri ezi?”
No, you can't do something like that! You can't kill the good with the wicked, otherwise you would be treating the good and the wicked in the same way. You can't do that! Isn't the Judge of all the earth going to do the right thing?”
26 Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị zara sị ya, “Ọ bụrụ na m achọta iri ndị ezi omume ise nʼobodo Sọdọm, aga m agbaghara obodo ahụ niile nʼihi ha.”
“If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I'll spare the whole town because of them,” the Lord replied.
27 Ebraham kwukwara ọzọ sị, “Ugbu a m nwere ike kwuwapụta okwu nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, mụ onye bụ naanị aja na ntụ.
“Since I've started, let me go on speaking to my Lord, even though I'm nothing but dust and ashes,” Abraham continued.
28 Eleghị anya ọ bụrụ na e nweta naanị iri ndị ezi omume anọ na ise, ị ga-emebi obodo ahụ?” Onyenwe anyị zara sị, “Agaghị m ebibi ya ma ọ bụrụ na m achọta iri mmadụ anọ na ise nʼime ya.”
“What if there are forty-five good people, just five less? Are you still going to wipe out the whole town just because there are five fewer people?” “I won't destroy it if I find forty-five,” the Lord replied.
29 Ọzọkwa, ọ sịrị ya, “Ọ bụrụkwanụ na a ga-achọta naanị iri mmadụ anọ?” Onyenwe anyị zara sị ya, “Nʼihi iri mmadụ anọ, agaghị m ebibi ya.”
Abraham spoke up again and he asked the Lord, “What if only forty can be found?” “I won't do it for the sake of the forty,” the Lord replied.
30 Mgbe ahụ ọ sịrị, “Biko, ka iwe hapụ iwe Onyenwe anyị ma m kwuo okwu. Eleghị anya, achọta naanị iri mmadụ atọ nʼebe ahụ?” Onyenwe anyị zaghachiri sị ya, “Agaghị m emebi ya, ma ọ bụrụ na m achọta iri mmadụ atọ nʼime ya.”
“My Lord, please don't get angry with me,” Abraham went on. “Let me ask this—what if only thirty were found?” “I won't do it if I find thirty,” the Lord replied.
31 O kwuru sị, “Ebe ọ bụ na m amalitela ịgwa gị, Onyenwe anyị okwu, biko kwere ka m gaa nʼihu. Ọ bụrụ na a ga-achọta naanị iri mmadụ abụọ?” Onyenwe anyị zara sị, “Nʼihi iri mmadụ abụọ ahụ agaghị m emebi ya.”
“I admit I've been very bold to speak to my Lord like this,” Abraham said. “What if only twenty are found there?” “I won't do it for the sake of the twenty,” the Lord replied.
32 Nʼikpeazụ, Ebraham kwuru sị, “Ka iwe hapụ iwe Onyenwe anyị. Ka m kwuo naanị otu ugboro a. Ọ bụrụkwanụ na a chọta naanị mmadụ iri nʼebe ahụ?” Onyenwe anyị zara sị, “Nʼihi mmadụ iri ahụ, agaghị m ebibi ya.”
“Please don't get angry with me, my Lord,” Abraham said. “Just let me ask one more thing. What if only ten are found there?” “I won't destroy it for the sake of the ten,” the Lord replied.
33 Mgbe Onyenwe anyị gwachara Ebraham okwu, ọ hapụrụ ya gawa ebe ọ na-aga. Ebraham laghachiri azụ nʼụlọ ya.
The Lord left once he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham went home.

< Jenesis 18 >