UGenesisi 18
1 UThixo wabonakala ku-Abhrahama eduzane lezihlahla ezinkulu zikaMamure, ehlezi emnyango wethente lakhe, ilanga litshisa kakhulu.
And the LORD appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 U-Abhrahama waphosa amehlo wabona amadoda amathathu emi eduze. Wonela ukuwabona wasuka ngokuphangisa emnyango wethente lakhe wawahlangabeza wafika wakhothama phansi.
and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed down to the earth,
3 Wathi, “Nxa ngifumene umusa kuwe, nkosi yami, ungedluli eceleni kwenceku yakho.
and said: 'My lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
4 Akulethwe amanzi amalutshwana nje, ukuze lonke ligeze inyawo zenu, keliphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla lesi.
Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree.
5 Wothini ngilidingele ukudla ukuze lizuze amandla andubana liqhubeke ngohambo lwenu njengoba nje selizile encekwini yenu.” Baphendula bathi, “Kulungile, yenza lokho okutshoyo.”
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on; forasmuch as ye are come to your servant.' And they said: 'So do, as thou hast said.'
6 Ngakho u-Abhrahama waphanga waya ethenteni kuSara. Wathi, “Phangisa, thatha izilinganiso ezintathu zefulawa ecolekileyo, uvube inhlama wenze isinkwa.”
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: 'Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.'
7 Waphanga waya emhlambini wakhetha iguqana elihle, elibuthakathaka walipha isisebenzi ukuba silihlinze.
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hastened to dress it.
8 Waseletha izankefu zamasi, lochago kanye leguqa elaselilungisiwe, konke wakubeka phambi kwabo. Bathi besidla yena wema eduzane labo ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
And he took curd, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
9 Bambuza bathi, “Ungaphi umkakho uSara na?” Wathi, “Ulaphayana, ethenteni.”
And they said unto him: 'Where is Sarah thy wife?' And he said: 'Behold, in the tent.'
10 UThixo wasesithi, “Ngizabuya ngempela kuwe ngalesisikhathi ngomnyaka ozayo, njalo umkakho uSara uzakuba lendodana.” USara wayelokhu elalele esemnyango wethente elalingemuva kwakhe.
And He said: 'I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.' And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. —
11 U-Abhrahama loSara basebevele sebebadala kakhulu, uSara esedlule isikhathi sokuba labantwana.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. —
12 Ngakho uSara wahleka yedwa, wakhumbula wathi, “Kambe sengigugile kanje lenkosi yami isindala, ngingakhona ngizuza intokozo le?”
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: 'After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?'
13 UThixo wasesithi ku-Abhrahama, “Kungani uSara ehlekile njalo wathi, ‘Kambe sibili ngizakuba lomntwana mina sengiluphele?’
And the LORD said unto Abraham: 'Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?
14 Kambe kulolutho olwehlula uThixo na? Ngizabuya kuwe ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngomnyaka ozayo, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.”
Is any thing too hard for the LORD. At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.'
15 USara wesaba, yikho waqamba amanga wathi, “Kangizange ngihleke mina.” Kodwa wathi, “Ye, uhlekile.”
Then Sarah denied, saying: 'I laughed not'; for she was afraid. And He said: 'Nay; but thou didst laugh.'
16 Amadoda asuka ahamba aqonda eSodoma, u-Abhrahama wawaphelekezela ukuwakhupha.
And the men rose up from thence, and looked out toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 UThixo wasesithi, “Ngimfihlele yini u-Abhrahama lokho esengizakwenza na?
And the LORD said: 'Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing;
18 Ngempela u-Abhrahama uzakuba yisizwe esikhulu esilamandla, njalo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa ngaye.
seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 Ngoba sengimkhethile, ukuze aqondise abantwabakhe lomuzi wakhe, yena esedlule, ukugcina indlela kaThixo ngokwenza okulungileyo lokuqondileyo, ukuze uThixo amenzele u-Abhrahama lokho amthembise khona.”
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.'
20 UThixo wasesithi kuye, “Insolo ngeSodoma leGomora inkulu kakhulu njalo isono sakhona siyesabeka
And the LORD said: 'Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous.
21 okokuthi sengizakuya khona ngiyebona ingabe lokho abakwenzileyo kubi okulingana lensolo le esifikile kimi. Nxa kungenjalo, ngizakwazi.”
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.'
22 Amadoda akhangela phambili aqonda eSodoma, kodwa u-Abhrahama wasala emi phambi kukaThixo.
And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 Ngakho u-Abhrahama waya kuye wathi: “Uzabhubhisa abalungileyo kanye lababi na?
And Abraham drew near, and said: 'Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 Pho nxa kukhona abangamatshumi amahlanu kulelodolobho ke? Ngempela uzalikhucula na ungalixoleli ngenxa yabangamatshumi amahlanu abalungileyo abakulo na?
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 Akube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo, ukubulala abalungileyo lababi. Kakube khatshana lawe lokho! Kambe uMahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza okufaneleyo na?”
That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?'
26 UThixo wathi, “Nxa ngifumana abangamatshumi amahlanu abalungileyo edolobheni laseSodoma, ngizalixolela lonke idolobho ngenxa yabo.”
And the LORD said: 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sake.'
27 U-Abhrahama waphinda wakhuluma njalo wathi: “Njengoba sengibe lesibindi esingaka sokukhuluma loThixo, loba ngingasulutho mina, ngiluthuli nje lomlotha,
And Abraham answered and said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
28 pho nxa inani labalungileyo lingaphansi ngabahlanu ematshumini amahlanu? Uzalibhubhisa idolobho lonke ngenxa yabantu abahlanu na?” Wathi, “Ngingafumana abangamatshumi amane lanhlanu kangiyikulibhubhisa.”
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five?' And He said: 'I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.'
29 Waphinda njalo wakhuluma laye wathi, “Nxa kufunyanwa amatshumi amane kuphela-ke?” Yena wathi, “Ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane kangizukukwenza.”
And he spoke unto Him yet again, and said: 'Peradventure there shall be forty found there.' And He said: 'I will not do it for the forty's sake.'
30 Ngakho wasesithi, “UThixo makangathukutheli, kodwa ake ngikhulume. Kungafunyanwa khona amatshumi amathathu ke?” Waphendula wathi, “Kangizukukwenza ngingafumana khona amatshumi amathathu.”
And he said: 'Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.' And He said: 'I will not do it, if I find thirty there.'
31 U-Abhrahama wathi, “Kambe njengoba ngibe lesibindi esingaka ngaze ngakhuluma loThixo, pho nxa kufunyanwa abangamatshumi amabili khona kuphela-ke?” Wathi, “Ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili kangiyikulibhubhisa.”
And he said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord. Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.'
32 Waphinda wathi, “UThixo angathukutheli, kodwa ake ngikhulume kanye kuphela njalo. Kambe nxa kungafunyanwa itshumi lodwa-ke?” Waphendula wathi, “Ngenxa yabalitshumi kangiyikulibhubhisa.”
And he said: 'Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once. Peradventure ten shall be found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.'
33 Kwathi uThixo eseqedile ukukhuluma lo-Abhrahama wasuka, lo-Abhrahama wabuyela ngekhaya.
And the LORD went His way, as soon as He had left off speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
