UGenesisi 16

1 USarayi umkaAbrama wayengamzaleli-ke abantwana; wayelencekukazi umGibhithekazi, lebizo layo linguHagari.

Now Sarai the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children; but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,

2 USarayi wasesithi kuAbrama: Khangela-ke, iNkosi ingivalile ukuze ngingazali; ake ungene encekukazini yami, mhlawumbe ngingakhiwa ngayo. UAbrama waselalela ilizwi likaSarayi.

She said to her husband: Behold, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: go in unto my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request,

3 Ngakho uSarayi umkaAbrama wamthatha uHagari umGibhithe, incekukazi yakhe, ekupheleni kweminyaka elitshumi uAbrama esehlale elizweni leKhanani, wasemnika uAbrama indoda yakhe ukuthi abe ngumkakhe.

She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.

4 Wasengena kuHagari, wasethatha isisu. Esebonile ukuthi uzithwele, inkosikazi yakhe yasideleleka emehlweni akhe.

And he went in to her. But she, perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress.

5 USarayi wasesithi kuAbrama: Ububi bami buphezu kwakho. Mina nginike incekukazi yami esifubeni sakho, ithe isibonile ukuthi izithwele, ngiyadeleleka emehlweni ayo. INkosi kayahlulele phakathi kwami lawe.

And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child, despiseth me. The Lord judge between me and thee.

6 UAbrama wasesithi kuSarayi: Khangela, incekukazi yakho isesandleni sakho. Yenza kuyo lokho okuhle emehlweni akho. USarayi waseyiphatha kubi, yasibaleka ebusweni bakhe.

And Abram made answer, and said to her: Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, use her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away.

7 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasiyifica emthonjeni wamanzi enkangala, emthonjeni endleleni eya eShuri.

And the angel of the Lord having found her, by a fountain of water in the wilderness, which is in the way to Sur in the desert,

8 Yasisithi: Hagari, ncekukazi kaSarayi, uvela ngaphi, uya ngaphi? Yasisithi: Ngibalekela ubuso bukaSarayi inkosikazi yami.

He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.

9 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuyo: Buyela enkosikazini yakho, ubusuzehlisela ngaphansi kwezandla zayo.

And the angel of the Lord said to her: Return to thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hand.

10 Ingilosi yeNkosi yathi kuyo futhi: Ngizakwandisa kakhulu inzalo yakho ukuze ingabalwa ngenxa yobunengi.

And again he said: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuyo: Khangela, uzithwele, futhi uzazala indodana, njalo uzayitha ibizo layo uthi nguIshmayeli, ngoba iNkosi izwile ukuhlupheka kwakho.

And again: Behold, said he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

12 Yona-ke izakuba ngumuntu ongubabhemi ongathambanga, isandla sayo simelane labo bonke, lesandla sabo bonke simelane layo; izahlala phambi kobuso babafowabo bonke.

He shall be a wild man: his hand will be against all men, and all men’s hands against him: and he shall pitch his tents over against all his brethren.

13 Waseyitha iNkosi eyakhuluma laye ibizo lokuthi: Wena Nkulunkulu wokubona. Ngoba wathi: Lapha lami ngimkhangele yini ongibonayo?

And she called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her: Thou the God who hast seen me. For she said: Verily here have I seen the hinder parts of him that seeth me.

14 Ngakho umthombo wabizwa ngokuthi iBeri-Lahayi-Royi; khangela, uphakathi kweKadeshi leBeredi.

Therefore she called that well, The well of him that liveth and seeth me. The same is between Cades and Barad.

15 UHagari wasemzalela uAbrama indodana; uAbrama wasesitha ibizo lendodana yakhe, uHagari ayizalayo, wathi nguIshmayeli.

And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: who called his name Ismael.

16 Njalo uAbrama wayeleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili lesithupha mhla uHagari emzalela uAbrama uIshmayeli.

Abram was four score and six years old when Agar brought him forth Ismael.