UGenesisi 23
1 USara waphila waze waba leminyaka elikhulu lamatshumi amabili lesikhombisa obudala.
Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life.
2 Wafela eKhiriyathi Aribha (kutsho eHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani, u-Abhrahama wahamba ukuyamzilela lokumlilela khona.
Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 U-Abhrahama wasukuma eseceleni komkakhe ofileyo wakhuluma lamaHithi. Wathi,
Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
4 “Ngingowezizweni lesihambi phakathi kwenu. Ngithengiselani isiqinti sokuba yindawo yokungcwabela khona abakithi abafileyo.”
“I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
5 AmaHithi amphendula u-Abhrahama athi,
The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
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, my lord. You are a prince of God amongst us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”
7 Ngakho u-Abhrahama wasukuma wakhothamela phansi phambi kwamaHithi, abanikazi balelolizwe.
Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
8 Wathi kubo, “Nxa lithanda ukuthi ngimbele abafileyo bami, lalelani kimi, lingincengele ku-Efroni indodana kaZohari
He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9 ukuthi angithengisele ubhalu Lwakhe lwaseMakhaphela olusekucineni kwesiqinti. Mceleni ukuthi angithengisele sona ngentengo egcweleyo sibe yindawo yamangcwaba phakathi kwenu.”
that he may sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me amongst you as a possession for a burial place.”
10 U-Efroni umHithi owayehlezi khonapho phakathi kwabantu bakibo wamphendula u-Abhrahama wonke amaHithi ayefikile esangweni ledolobho lakhe ezizwela.
Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in 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.”
“No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
12 U-Abhrahama waphinda wakhothamela phansi phambi kwabantu balelolizwe
Abraham bowed himself down before 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.”
He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
14 U-Efroni waphendula u-Abhrahama wathi,
Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
15 “Lalela kimi, nkosi yami; isiqinti lesi sibiza amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, kodwa kungena njani lokho phakathi kwami lawe? Wena mbela abafileyo bakho.”
“My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
16 U-Abhrahama wayivuma intengo ka-Efroni wasemlinganisela ubunzima bentengo ayeyibizile amaHithi esizwa: amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu amane, mayelana lesisindo esasisetshenziswa ngabathengisi.
Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.
17 Ngakho isiqinti sika-Efroni eMakhaphela, eduze leMamure, isiqinti kanye lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso, lazozonke izihlahla ezaziphakathi kwaso, kwabhaliswa
So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded
18 ngo-Abhrahama ukuthi sekuyimpahla yakhe, kusenziwa phambi kwamaHithi wonke ayefikile esangweni ledolobho.
to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
19 Ngemva kwalokho u-Abhrahama wangcwaba umkakhe uSara ebhalwini olwalusesiqintini saseMakhaphela eduze leMamure (eseHebhroni) elizweni laseKhenani.
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
20 Kanjalo isiqinti lobhalu olwaluphakathi kwaso kwabhaliswa ngo-Abhrahama ngama-Hithi ukuba yindawo yamangcwaba.
The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.
