Genesi 18
1 L’Eterno apparve ad Abrahamo alle querce di Mamre, mentre questi sedeva all’ingresso della sua tenda durante il caldo del giorno.
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 Abrahamo alzò gli occhi, ed ecco che scòrse tre uomini, i quali stavano dinanzi a lui; e come li ebbe veduti, corse loro incontro dall’ingresso della tenda, si prostrò fino a terra e disse:
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 “Deh, Signor mio, se ho trovato grazia davanti a te, non passare senza fermarti dal tuo servo!
and said [to one of them], “Sir, if you are pleased with me, stay here for a little while [LIT].
4 Deh, lasciate che si porti un po’ d’acqua; e lavatevi i piedi; e riposatevi sotto quest’albero.
Allow my servants to bring a little water and wash your feet, and rest under this tree.
5 lo andrò a prendere un pezzo di pane, e vi fortificherete il cuore; poi, continuerete il vostro cammino; poiché per questo siete passati presso al vostro servo”. E quelli dissero: “Fa’ come hai detto”.
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 Allora Abrahamo andò in fretta nella tenda da Sara, e le disse: “Prendi subito tre misure di fior di farina, impastala, e fa’ delle schiacciate”.
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 Poi Abrahamo corse all’armento, ne tolse un vitello tenero e buono, e lo diede a un servo, il quale s’affrettò a prepararlo.
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 E prese del burro, del latte e il vitello ch’era stato preparato, e li pose davanti a loro; ed egli se ne stette in piè presso di loro sotto l’albero. E quelli mangiarono.
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 Poi essi gli dissero: “Dov’è Sara tua moglie?” Ed egli rispose: “E’ là nella tenda”.
[One of] them asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He replied, “She is in the tent.”
10 E l’altro: “Tornerò certamente da te fra un anno; ed ecco, Sara tua moglie avrà un figliuolo”. E Sara ascoltava all’ingresso della tenda, ch’era dietro a 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 Or Abrahamo e Sara eran vecchi, bene avanti negli anni, e Sara non aveva più i corsi ordinari delle donne.
Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was far past the time of when she could bear children.
12 E Sara rise dentro di sé, dicendo: “Vecchia come sono, avrei io tali piaceri? e anche il mio signore è vecchio!”
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 E l’Eterno disse ad Abrahamo: “Perché mai ha riso Sara, dicendo: Partorirei io per davvero, vecchia come sono?
Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why was she thinking, ‘I am too old, so how can I bear a child?’
14 V’ha egli cosa che sia troppo difficile per l’Eterno? Al tempo fissato, fra un anno, tornerò, e Sara avrà un figliuolo”.
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 Allora Sara negò, dicendo: “Non ho riso”; perch’ebbe paura. Ma egli disse: “Invece, hai riso!”
Then Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But Yahweh said, “Don’t deny it! You did laugh.”
16 Poi quegli uomini s’alzarono e volsero gli sguardi verso Sodoma; e Abrahamo andava con loro per accomiatarli.
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 E l’Eterno disse: “Celerò io ad Abrahamo quello che sto per fare,
Yahweh thought to himself, “It is not right for me to prevent Abraham from knowing what I plan to do [RHQ].
18 giacché Abrahamo deve diventare una nazione grande e potente e in lui saran benedette tutte le nazioni della terra?
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 Poiché io l’ho prescelto affinché ordini ai suoi figliuoli, e dopo di sé alla sua casa, che s’attengano alla via dell’Eterno per praticare la giustizia e l’equità, onde l’Eterno ponga ad effetto a pro d’Abrahamo quello che gli ha promesso”.
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 E l’Eterno disse: “Siccome il grido che sale da Sodoma e Gomorra è grande e siccome il loro peccato è molto grave,
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 io scenderò e vedrò se hanno interamente agito secondo il grido che n’è pervenuto a me; e, se così non è, lo saprò”.
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 E quegli uomini, partitisi di là, s’avviarono verso Sodoma; ma Abrahamo rimase ancora davanti all’Eterno.
Then the two men turned and started walking toward Sodom. But Yahweh remained, standing in front of Abraham.
23 E Abrahamo s’accostò e disse: “Farai tu perire il giusto insieme con l’empio?
Abraham came closer to him and said, “Will you really destroy righteous people along with wicked ones?
24 Forse ci son cinquanta giusti nella città; farai tu perire anche quelli? o non perdonerai tu a quel luogo per amore de’ cinquanta giusti che vi sono?
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 Lungi da te il fare tal cosa! il far morire il giusto con l’empio, in guisa che il giusto sia trattato come l’empio! lungi da te! Il giudice di tutta la terra non farà egli giustizia?”
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 E l’Eterno disse: “Se trovo nella città di Sodoma cinquanta giusti, perdonerò a tutto il luogo per amor d’essi”.
Yahweh replied, “If I find 50 righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place/city for their sake.”
27 E Abrahamo riprese e disse: “Ecco, prendo l’ardire di parlare al Signore, benché io non sia che polvere e cenere;
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 forse, a que’ cinquanta giusti ne mancheranno cinque; distruggerai tu tutta la città per cinque di meno?” E l’Eterno: “Se ve ne trovo quarantacinque, non la distruggerò”.
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 Abrahamo continuò a parlargli e disse: “Forse, vi se ne troveranno quaranta”. E l’Eterno: “Non io farò, per amor dei quaranta”.
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 E Abrahamo disse: “Deh, non si adiri il Signore, ed io parlerò. Forse, vi se ne troveranno trenta”. E l’Eterno: “Non lo farò, se ve ne trovo trenta”.
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 E Abrahamo disse: “Ecco, prendo l’ardire di parlare al Signore; forse, vi se ne troveranno venti”. E l’Eterno: “Non la distruggerò per amore dei venti”.
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 E Abrahamo disse: “Deh, non si adiri il Signore, e io parlerò ancora questa volta soltanto. Forse, vi se ne troveranno dieci”. E l’Eterno: “Non la distruggerò per amore de’ dieci”.
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 E come l’Eterno ebbe finito di parlare ad Abrahamo, se ne andò. E Abrahamo tornò alla sua dimora.
Abraham said no more, and as soon as Yahweh finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
