UGenesisi 23
1 USara waphila waze waba leminyaka elikhulu lamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa obudala.
Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years.
2 Wafela eKhiriyathi Aribha (kutsho eHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani, u-Abhrahama wahamba ukuyamzilela lokumlilela khona.
And she died in the city of Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.
3 U-Abhrahama wasukuma eseceleni komkakhe ofileyo wakhuluma lamaHithi. Wathi,
And when he had risen up from the funeral duties, he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying:
4 “Ngingowezizweni lesihambi phakathi kwenu. Ngithengiselani isiqinti sokuba yindawo yokungcwabela khona abakithi abafileyo.”
“I am a newcomer and a sojourner among you. Give me the right of a sepulcher among you, so that I may bury my dead.”
5 AmaHithi amphendula u-Abhrahama athi,
The sons of Heth responded by saying:
6 “Silalele, nkosi yami. Uyinkosana elamandla phakathi kwethu. Ngcwaba abafileyo bakini loba kukuwaphi amangcwaba ethu athandeka kakhulu. Kakho owakithi ozakwalela ingcwaba lakhe ukuthi ungcwabe kulo ofileyo wakini.”
“Hear us, O lord, you are a leader of God among us. Bury your dead in our chosen sepulchers. And no man shall be able to prohibit you from burying your dead within his memorial.”
7 Ngakho u-Abhrahama wasukuma wakhothamela phansi phambi kwamaHithi, abanikazi balelolizwe.
Abraham arose, and he reverenced the people of the land, namely, the sons of Heth.
8 Wathi kubo, “Nxa lithanda ukuthi ngimbele abafileyo bami, lalelani kimi, lingincengele ku-Efroni indodana kaZohari
And he said to them: “If it pleases your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede on my behalf with Ephron, the son of Zohar,
9 ukuthi angithengisele ubhalu Lwakhe lwaseMakhaphela olusekucineni kwesiqinti. Mceleni ukuthi angithengisele sona ngentengo egcweleyo sibe yindawo yamangcwaba phakathi kwenu.”
so that he may give me the double cave, which he has at the far end of his field. He may transfer it to me for as much money as it is worth in your sight, for the possession of a sepulcher.”
10 U-Efroni umHithi owayehlezi khonapho phakathi kwabantu bakibo wamphendula u-Abhrahama wonke amaHithi ayefikile esangweni ledolobho lakhe ezizwela.
Now Ephron dwelt in the midst of the sons of Heth. And Ephron responded to Abraham in the hearing of everyone who was entering at the gate of his city, saying:
11 Wathi, “Hatshi, nkosi yami. Lalela kimi; ngiyakupha isiqinti, njalo ngiyakupha lobhalu oluphakathi kwaso. Ngikupha sona phambi kwabantu bakithi. Mbela abafileyo bakho.”
“Let it never be so, my lord, but you should pay greater heed to what I say. The field I will transfer to you, and the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people, bury your dead.”
12 U-Abhrahama waphinda wakhothamela phansi phambi kwabantu balelolizwe
Abraham reverenced in the sight of the people of the land.
13 wathi ku-Efroni bona besizwa, “Ake ulalelisise engikutshoyo. Mina ngizayikhupha intengo yesiqinti. Ngicela uyamukele kimi ukuze ngimbele khona abafileyo bami.”
And he spoke to Ephron, standing in the midst of the people: “I ask you to hear me. I will give you money for the field. Take it, and so I will bury my dead in it.”
14 U-Efroni waphendula u-Abhrahama wathi,
And Ephron responded: “My lord, hear me.
15 “Lalela kimi, nkosi yami; isiqinti lesi sibiza amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, kodwa kungena njani lokho phakathi kwami lawe? Wena mbela abafileyo bakho.”
The land that you request is worth four hundred shekels of silver. This is the price between me and you. But how much is this? Bury your dead.”
16 U-Abhrahama wayivuma intengo ka-Efroni wasemlinganisela ubunzima bentengo ayeyibizile amaHithi esizwa: amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, mayelana lesisindo esasisetshenziswa ngabathengisi.
And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had requested, in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, of the approved public currency.
17 Ngakho isiqinti sika-Efroni eMakhaphela, eduze leMamure, isiqinti kanye lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso, lazozonke izihlahla ezaziphakathi kwaso, kwabhaliswa
And having confirmed that the field, in which there was a double cave overlooking Mamre, formerly belonged to Ephron, both it and the sepulcher, and all its trees, with all its surrounding limits,
18 ngo-Abhrahama ukuthi sekuyimpahla yakhe, kusenziwa phambi kwamaHithi wonke ayefikile esangweni ledolobho.
Abraham took it as a possession, in the sight of the sons of Heth and of everyone who was entering at the gate of his city.
19 Ngemva kwalokho u-Abhrahama wangcwaba umkakhe uSara ebhalwini olwalusesiqintini saseMakhaphela eduze leMamure (eseHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani.
So then, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the double cave of the field that overlooked Mamre. This is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
20 Kanjalo isiqinti lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso kwabhaliswa ngo-Abhrahama ngama-Hithi ukuba yindawo yamangcwaba.
And the field was confirmed to Abraham, with the cave that was in it, as a memorial possession before the sons of Heth.
