UGenesisi 24
1 U-Abhrahama wayeseluphele kakhulu, njalo uThixo wayembusisile kukho konke.
Now Abraham was old, well advanced in days, and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 Wasesithi encekwini yakhe enkulu, leyo eyayilawula konke ayelakho, “Beka isandla sakho ngaphansi kwethangazi lami.
And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who was in charge over all that he had, "Please put your hand under my thigh,
3 Ngifuna ukuthi ufunge ngoThixo, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini loNkulunkulu wasemhlabeni, ukuthi kawuyikuzuzela indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhenani engihlala phakathi kwawo,
and I will make you swear by the God of heaven and earth, that you must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
4 kodwa uzakuya elizweni lakithi lasezihlotsheni zami uzuzele indodana yami u-Isaka umfazi.”
but you must go to my country and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son Isaac."
5 Inceku yambuza yathi, “Pho nxa lowo wesifazane engavumi ukuza lami kulelilizwe-ke? Ngizathatha indodana yakho ngiyise kulelolizwe lapho owavela khona na?”
And the servant asked him, "What if the woman isn't willing to follow me to this land? Must I then bring your son back to the land from which you came?"
6 U-Abhrahama wathi, “Ungaqali ukuhambisa indodana yami khonale.
Then Abraham told him, "Be careful that you do not take my son back there.
7 UThixo, uNkulunkulu wasezulwini, owangikhupha emzini kababa laselizweni lakithi njalo owakhuluma kimi, wangithembisa ngesifungo wathi, ‘Ilizwe leli ngizalinika inzalo yakho,’ uzathuma ingilosi yakhe ihambe phambi kwakho ukuze ukwazi ukutholela indodana yami umfazi khonale.
Now the God of heaven, who took me from my father's household and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'I will give this land to your offspring' -- he will send his angel before you, and you will get a wife for my son from there.
8 Nxa owesifazane lowo esala ukuza lapha lawe, uzabe usukhululwe kulesi isifungo sami. Kodwa ungaqali ukusa indodana yami khonale.”
But if the woman isn't willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath to me. Only you must not bring my son back there."
9 Ngakho inceku yasifaka isandla sayo ngaphansi kwethangazi lenkosi yayo u-Abhrahama yafunga isifungo kuye ngodaba lolu.
So the servant put his hand under the thigh of his master Abraham and gave his oath to him concerning this matter.
10 Inceku yasithatha amakamela enkosi yayo alitshumi yasuka, yathatha yonke imihlobo yezinto ezinhle zenkosi yayo. Yaqonda e-Aramu Naharayimu, yahamba yaze yayafika emzini waseNahori.
Then the servant took ten camels from his master's camels and departed, having a variety of good things from his master at his disposal, and he set out and went to Aram Naharaim, to the city of Nahor.
11 Amakamela yawaguqisa phansi eduzane lomthombo ngaphandle komuzi; kwasekuntambama, sekuyisikhathi sabesifazane ukuyakukha amanzi.
And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.
12 Yasikhuleka yathi, “Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, yenza ngiphumelele lamuhla, utshengise umusa enkosini yami u-Abhrahama.
Then he said, "God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show kindness to my master Abraham.
13 Khangela-ke, nanku ngimi lapha eceleni komthombo lo, njalo amadodakazi abantu balelidolobho asesiza ukuzakukha amanzi.
Look, I am standing by the spring of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water.
14 Kungasake kuthi ngingathi entombini, ‘Ake ungikhele amanzi ngenkezo yakho nginathe,’ yona ithi, ‘Natha, njalo ngizanathisa lamakamela akho,’ kube yiyo kanye oyikhethele inceku yakho u-Isaka. Ngalokho ngizakwazi ukuthi usutshengise umusa enkosini yami.”
Now may it happen that the young woman to whom I will say, 'Please lower your jug that I may drink,' and she answers, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink,'—her you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
15 Ingakaqedi ukukhuleka, uRabheka waphuma ethwele imbiza yakhe yamanzi ehlombe lakhe. Wayeyindodakazi kaBhethuweli indodana kaMilikha, owayengumfazi womfowabo ka-Abhrahama uNahori.
And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that look, Rebekah was coming out with her jug on her shoulder—who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother.
16 Intombi le yayinhle kakhulu, igcwele; ingakaze ilale lendoda. Yehlela emthonjeni, yagcwalisa imbiza yayo yasiqansa.
Now the young woman was very beautiful in appearance, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. And she went down to the spring and filled her jug and came up.
17 Inceku yaphanga yamhlangabeza yathi, “Ngicela amanzi embizeni yakho.”
Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "Please give me a little water to drink from your jug."
18 Wathi, “Natha nkosi yami,” watsho esehlisa imbiza eyibamba ngezandla emnathisa.
So she said, "Drink, my lord." And she hurried and let down her jug to her hands, and gave him a drink.
19 Esemnathisile wathi, “Ngizakhelela lamakamela akho lawo ngiwanathise.”
Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will also draw for your camels, until they have finished drinking."
20 Wasethululela imbiza yakhe emkolweni, wagijimela emthonjeni njalo ukukha amanye, wawakhelela wonke amakamela akhe.
So she hurried and emptied her jug into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and drew for all his camels.
21 Indoda yabukela ithule ilokhu inanzelela idinga ukubona ukuthi ngeqiniso uThixo wayeluphumelelisile yini uhambo lwayo.
And the man watched her in silence so as to know whether God had made his journey successful or not.
22 Amakamela eseqedile ukunatha, indoda leyo yakhupha isongo lamakhala elenziwe ngegolide elilobunzima obungaba yingxenye yeshekeli, lezigqizo zegolide ezimbili ezilobunzima bamashekeli alitshumi.
And it happened, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a gold ring weighing a beka, which he put on her nose, and two bracelets for her hands weighing ten pieces of gold,
23 Yasibuza yathi, “Uyindodakazi kabani na? Ake ungitshele, kambe singazuza indawo yini emzini kayihlo kesicatshise amakhanda ubusuku balamuhla nje?”
and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?"
24 URabheka wamphendula wathi, “Ngiyindodakazi kaBhethuweli, indodana kaMilikha ayizalela uNahori.”
Then she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor."
25 Waphinda wengeza wathi, “Silotshani obunengi lamahlanga, kanye lendawo yokulala ikhona okwalamuhla ebusuku.”
And she also said to him, "We have plenty of straw and fodder, and room to lodge."
26 Indoda yakhothamela phansi yakhonza uThixo,
Then the man bowed his head and worshiped God,
27 isithi, “Udumo kalube kuThixo, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, ongadelanga umusa wakhe lokuthembeka kwakhe enkosini yami. Mina ngokwami uThixo ungikhokhele ohanjweni lwami ngazafika endlini yezinini zenkosi yami.”
and said, "Blessed be the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master. As for me, he has led me on the journey to the house of my master's relatives."
28 Intombi yagijima yayabikela abendlu kanina ngalezizinto.
Then the young woman ran, and told her mother's household about these words.
29 URabheka wayelomnewabo owayethiwa nguLabhani, yena waphanga waya kuleyondoda eyayisemthonjeni.
Now Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban, and he ran out to the man at the spring.
30 Wonela ukubona isongo lamakhala kanye lezigqizo engalweni kadadewabo, njalo esezwile uRabheka elandisa ngokwakhulunywa yindoda leyo kuye, wasuka waya kuyo wayifica imi eceleni kwamakamela eduze komthombo.
And it happened, when he saw the nose ring and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, "This is what the man said to me," that he went to the man. And look, he was standing by the camels at the spring.
31 Wathi, “Woza, wena obusisiweyo nguThixo. Umeleni phandle lapha? Sengilungisile indlu lendawo yamakamela.”
And he said, "Come in, you blessed of God. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and room for the camels."
32 Ngakho indoda yaya ngekhaya, lamakamela ethulwa imithwalo. Utshani lamahlanga kwalethwa emakameleni, yena lamadoda ayelawo balethelwa amanzi okugeza inyawo zabo.
So the man went into the house and he unloaded the camels. And he gave straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
33 Kwasekulethwa ukudla kwabekwa phambi kwakhe, kodwa wathi, “Kangizukudla ngize ngiqale ngilitshele lokho okumele ngikutsho.” ULabhani wathi, “Sitshele phela.”
And he set before him food to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told my message." And he said, "Say it."
34 Ngakho wasesithi, “Ngiyinceku ka-Abhrahama.
So he said, "I am Abraham's servant.
35 UThixo uyibusisile inkosi yami kakhulu, isinothile kakhulu. Uyiphile izimvu lenkomo, isiliva legolide, lezinceku zesilisa lezesifazane kanye lamakamela labobabhemi.
And the Lord has blessed my master greatly, so that he has become great, and he has given him sheep and cattle, and silver and gold, and male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.
36 Inkosikazi yenkosi yami, uSara, imzalele indodana ebudaleni bayo, inkosi yami yasiyinika leyondodana konke elakho.
And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old, and to him he has given all that he has.
37 Njalo inkosi yami yangifungisa isifungo yathi, ‘Ungazuzeli indodana yami umfazi emadodakazini amaKhenani, engihlala elizweni lawo,
Now my master put me under oath, saying, 'You must not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live,
38 kodwa yana ezininini zikababa, kwabosendo lwakithi, uzuzele indodana yami umfazi.’
but you must go to my father's house, and to my relatives, and get a wife for my son.'
39 Ngasengiyibuza inkosi yami ngathi, ‘Pho nxa owesifazane lowo esala ukuza lapha-ke?’
And I said to my master, 'What if the woman will not follow me?'
40 Yaphendula yathi, ‘UThixo, engihamba phambi kwakhe, uzathumela ingilosi yakhe ihambe lawe, iphumelelise uhambo lwakho ukuze uzuzele indodana yami umfazi kwabosendo lwakithi, lasezininini zikababa.
But he said to me, 'God, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you, and make your journey successful, and you will get a wife for my son from my relatives, and of my father's house.
41 Ngakho uzakuthi ungaya kwabosendo lwakithi, uzakhululwa esifungweni sami loba bangaze bale laye.’
Then will you be free from my oath, when you come to my relatives. And if they do not give her to you, then you will be free from my oath.'
42 Ngithe ukufika kwami emthonjeni lamuhla ngathi, ‘Oh Thixo, Nkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, nxa uthanda, ngicela uphumelelise uhambo lolu engingalo lapha.
So today I came to the spring, and said, 'God of my master Abraham, if now you will make my journey successful in which I go—
43 Akubone, ngimi eceleni kwalo umthombo; nxa kufika intombi izokukha amanzi, ngithi kuyo, “Akunginathise amanzi amalutshwana enkonxeni yakho,”
look, I am standing by this spring of water, and may it happen that the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, "Please give me a little water from your pitcher to drink,"
44 ingaze ithi kimi, “Natha, njalo ngizanathisa lamakamela akho lawo,” kabe nguye uThixo asemkhethele indodana yenkosi yami.’
and she will say to me, "Drink, and I will also draw for your camels,"—may she be the woman who has been chosen for my master's son.'
45 Ngingakaqedi ukukhuleka enhliziyweni yami, uRabheka waphuma, ethwele imbiza yakhe ehlombe. Wehlela emthonjeni wakha amanzi, ngathi kuye, ‘Akunginathise.’
Before I had finished praying in my heart, look, Rebekah came out with her jug on her shoulder, and she went down to the spring, and drew. And I said to her, 'Please give me a drink.'
46 Waphanga wethula imbiza yakhe ehlombe lakhe wathi, ‘Natha, ngizanathisa lamakamela akho njalo.’ Ngakho nganatha, waphinda wanathisa lamakamela njalo.
And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder, and said, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water.
47 Ngambuza ngathi, ‘Uyindodakazi kabani wena?’ Wathi, ‘Indodakazi kaBhethuweli indodana kaNahori, amzala kuMilikha.’ Ngasengimgqizisa isongo emakhaleni lezigqizo ezingalweni zakhe,
Then I asked her, and said, 'Whose daughter are you?' And she replied, 'The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
48 ngasengikhothamela phansi, ngamkhonza uThixo. Ngadumisa uThixo, uNkulunkulu wenkosi yami u-Abhrahama, ongikhokhele endleleni eqondileyo ngazathola intombi engumzukulu womfowabo wenkosi yami ngayizuzela indodana yayo inkosi yami.
Then I bowed my head and worshiped God, and blessed the God of my master Abraham, who had guided me on the right road to find the granddaughter of my master's brother for his son.
49 Manje-ke nxa lizatshengisa umusa lokwethembeka enkosini yami, ngitshelani; loba kungenjalo, ngitshelani ukuze ngazi ukuthi ngithini.”
Now if you will show kindness and truth to my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left."
50 ULabhani loBhethuweli baphendula bathi, “Lokhu kuvela kuThixo; kakukho esingakutsho kuwe, loba yini.
Then Laban and Bethuel answered, "The matter comes from God. We can't speak to you bad or good.
51 Nangu uRabheka; mthathe uhambe laye ayekuba ngumfazi wendodana yenkosi yakho, njengalokhu okuqondiswe nguThixo.”
Look, Rebekah is before you. Take, and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as God has spoken."
52 Kwathi inceku ka-Abhrahama ikuzwa lokhu abakutshoyo yakhothama phansi emhlabathini phambi kukaThixo.
And it happened when Abraham's servant heard their words, that he bowed himself down to the ground.
53 Ngakho inceku yasikhupha igolide lesiliva kanye lempahla zokugqoka yakupha uRabheka; yapha njalo umnewabo lonina izipho ezidulayo.
Then the servant brought out articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing, and gave them to Rebekah. And he also gave valuable gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54 Yena lamadoda ayehamba lawo basebesidla njalo banatha, balala khona. Bathi bevuka ekuseni wathi, “Sivumeleni sibuyele enkosini yami.”
Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and spent the night. Then they got up in the morning, and he said, "Send me away to my master."
55 Kodwa umnewabo lonina baphendula bathi, “Ake ume kesihlale lentombazana okwensukwana ezingaba litshumi; lapho selingahamba-ke.”
But her brother and her mother said, "Let the young woman stay with us ten days or so. After that she may go."
56 Kodwa wathi kubo, “Lingangibambeleli, njengoba uThixo eseluphumelelisile uhambo lwami. Wothini ngihambe ukuze ngiyefika enkosini yami.”
But he said to them, "Do not delay me, seeing that he has made my journey successful. Send me away that I may go to my master."
57 Basebesithi, “Wothi sibize intombazana kesiyibuze ngakho.”
Then they said, "We will call the young woman and ask her."
58 Ngakho bambiza uRabheka bambuza bathi, “Uyafuna ukuhamba layo indoda le na?” Wathi, “Ngizahamba layo.”
So they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" And she replied, "I will go."
59 Ngakho basebemkhulula udadewabo uRabheka ukuba ahambe kanye lomlizane wakhe, bahamba lenceku ka-Abhrahama lamadoda ayelayo.
So they sent away their sister Rebekah, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
60 Njalo bambusisa uRabheka bathi kuye, “Dadewethu, sengathi ungandisa izinkulungwane zezinkulungwane; sengathi inzalo yakho ingathumba amadolobho ezitha zayo.”
And they blessed Rebekah, and said to her, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and may your descendants possess the gate of those who hate them."
61 URabheka lamantombazana akhe bazilungiselela, basebekhwela amakamela abo bahamba lendoda leyo. Ngakho inceku yamthatha uRabheka yahamba.
And Rebekah and her female servants got ready, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and went on his way.
62 Ngalesosikhathi u-Isaka wayesefikile evela eBheri-Lahayi-Royi, ngoba wayehlala eNegebi.
Now Isaac had come from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the land of the Negev.
63 Ngenye intambama waya ensimini ehambahamba ukuthi ake ahluze ingqondo, wasesithi uyakhangela wabona amakamela esiza.
And Isaac went out in the field to think in the early evening. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and look, he saw camels approaching.
64 URabheka laye wakhangela wambona u-Isaka. Wehla ekameleni lakhe
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel.
65 wabuza inceku wathi, “Indoda leyana esensimini ngubani, leyana esihlangabezayo?” Inceku yaphendula yathi, “Uyinkosi yami.” Yikho uRabheka wasethatha ilembu elilula wazemboza ngalo.
And she asked the servant, "Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?" And the servant said, "It is my master." Then she took her veil and covered herself.
66 Inceku yasimtshela u-Isaka konke lokho eyayikwenzile.
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.
67 U-Isaka wamngenisa ethenteni likanina uSara, wahle wamthatha uRabheka. Ngakho wasesiba ngumkakhe, wamthanda; u-Isaka waduduzeka ngemva kokufa kukanina.
Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
