< UGenesisi 15 >
1 Ngemva kwalokho ilizwi likaThixo leza ku-Abhrama ngombono: “Ungesabi, Abhrama. Ngiyisihlangu sakho, umvuzo wakho omkhulu kakhulu.”
After these things the word of YHWH came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great."
2 Kodwa u-Abhrama wathi, “Oh Thixo Wobukhosi, ungangiphani njengoba ngilokhu ngingelamntwana, ilifa lami lizadliwa ngu-Eliyezari waseDamaseko na?”
Abram said, "Lord, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"
3 U-Abhrama wathi njalo, “Awungiphanga bantwana; ngakho inceku endlini yami izakuba yindlalifa yami.”
Then Abram said, "Look, to me you have given no offspring, and look, one born in my house is my heir."
4 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lathi: “Umuntu lo kayikuba yindlalifa yakho, kodwa indodana ephuma kowakho umzimba izakuba yindlalifa yakho.”
And look, the word of God came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir."
5 Wamkhuphela phandle wathi, “Khangela emkhathini ubale izinkanyezi, nxa usenelisa ukuzibala.” Wasesithi kuye, “Sizakuba njalo isizukulwane sakho.”
And he brought him outside, and said, "Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So will your descendants be."
6 U-Abhrama wamkholwa uThixo, lokho kwabalwa kuye njengokulunga.
And he believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
7 Waphinda wathi kuye, “NginguThixo owakususa e-Uri lamaKhaladiya ukuzakupha lelilizwe ukuthi libe ngelakho.”
And he said to him, "I am God, who brought you out of Ur Kasdim to give you this land to possess."
8 Kodwa u-Abhrama wathi, “Oh Thixo Wobukhosi, ngingazi kanjani ukuthi lizakuba ngelami na?”
But he said, "Lord, how can I know that I will possess it?"
9 UThixo wathi kuye, “Ngilethela ithokazi, imbuzi, lenqama, konke kuleminyaka emithathu yokuzalwa, kanye lejuba lenkwilimba esesencinyane.”
And he said to him, "Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
10 U-Abhrama wakuletha konke lokhu kuye, yilokho wakudabula phakathi ngakunye wakuhlela izingxenye zakho zakhangelana; kodwa izinyoni kazidabulanga phakathi.
He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle, and placed each half opposite the other; but he did not divide the birds.
11 Izinyoni ezidla inyama zehlela ezidunjini, kodwa u-Abhrama wazixotsha.
And the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 Kwathi ilanga selitshona, u-Abhrama wathathwa yibuthongo obukhulu, wehlelwa yibumnyama obesabekayo.
When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And look, a terror of great darkness fell on him.
13 UThixo wasesithi kuye, “Yazi ngempela ukuthi Izizukulwane zakho zizakuba ngabezizweni elizweni elingayisilo labo okweminyaka engamakhulu amane, njalo bazagqilazwa, bahlukuluzwe khonale.
And he said to Abram, "Know for certain that your descendants will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs; and they will be enslaved there. And they will oppress them four hundred years.
14 Kodwa ngizasijezisa lesosizwe esibagqilazayo, kuthi emva kwesikhathi baphume belemfuyo enengi kakhulu.
But I will also judge that nation whom they will serve. And afterward they will come out with many possessions.
15 Kodwa wena, uzakuya kubokhokho bakho ngokuthula, ungcwatshwe usukhulile kakhulu.
But you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried in a good old age.
16 Isizukulwane sakho sesine sizabuya lapha, ngoba isono sama-Amori kasikafiki ekucineni.”
In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."
17 Kwathi ilanga selitshonile, ubumnyama sebufikile, kwavela imbawula yomlilo, ithunqa intuthu, ilelangabi elibhebhayo, yadabula phakathi kweziqa zenyama.
It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, look, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
18 Ngalelolanga uThixo wenza isivumelwano lo-Abhrama wathi, “Ilizwe leli ngilipha izizukulwane zakho, kusukela emfuleni waseGibhithe kusiyafika emfuleni omkhulu, iYufrathe,
On that day God made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Perath:
19 ilizwe lamaKheni, lamaKhenizi, lamaKhadimoni,
the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,
20 lamaHithi, lamaPherizi, lamaRefayi,
the Hethites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim,
21 lama-Amori, lamaKhenani, lamaGigashi kanye lamaJebusi.”
the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."