UGenesisi 18
1 INkosi yasibonakala kuye ema-okhini eMamre, wathi ehlezi emnyango wethente ekutshiseni kosuku,
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
2 wasephakamisa amehlo akhe wabona, khangela-ke amadoda amathathu emi phambi kwakhe; esewabonile wagijima ukuwahlangabeza esuka emnyango wethente, wakhothamela emhlabathini,
And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 wasesithi: Nkosi, uba-ke ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, ngicela ungadluli usuke encekwini yakho.
“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
4 Ake kulethwe amanzi amalutshwana, beseligeza inyawo zenu, liphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 Ngizaletha-ke ucezu lwesinkwa, beseliqinisa inhliziyo yenu, beselisedlula, ngoba yikho ledlule encekwini yenu. Asesithi: Ngokunjalo yenza njengokutsho kwakho.
And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”
6 UAbrahama wasephangisa esiya ethenteni kuSara, wasesithi: Phangisa! Amaseya amathathu empuphu ecolekileyo! Xova, wenze amaqebelengwana.
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
7 UAbrahama wasegijimela enkomeni, wathatha ithole elibuthakathaka njalo elihle, walinika ijaha; laphangisa ukulilungisa.
Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
8 Wasethatha amasi lochago, lethole abelilungisile, wakubeka phambi kwawo; wema eduze lawo ngaphansi kwesihlahla, asesidla.
Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Asesithi kuye: Ungaphi uSara umkakho? Wasesithi: Khangela, ethenteni.
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
10 Yasisithi: Isibili ngizabuya kuwe ngalesisikhathi sempilo; khangela, uSara umkakho uzakuba lendodana. USara wakuzwa esemnyango wethente elalingemva kwayo.
Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
11 UAbrahama loSara basebebadala sebelensuku ezinengi; kwasekuphelile kuSara okwendlela yabafazi.
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 USara wasehlekela ngaphakathi, esithi: Sengigugile, ngingaba lenjabulo, lenkosi yami isindala yini?
So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 INkosi yasisithi kuAbrahama: Kungani uSara ehleka, esithi: Isibili lami ngizazala mina sengimdala yini?
And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’
14 Kukhona into enzima kakhulu eNkosini yini? Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizabuya kuwe, ngalesisikhathi sempilo, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
15 USara wasephika esithi: Kangihlekanga, ngoba wayesesaba. Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, ngoba uhlekile.
But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
16 Amadoda asesukuma esuka lapho akhangela phansi eSodoma; uAbrahama wasehamba lawo ewaphelekezela.
When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
17 INkosi yasisithi: Mina ngingamfihlela uAbrahama yini engikwenzayo?
And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 Ngoba isibili uAbrahama uzakuba yisizwe esikhulu esilamandla; lazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa kuye.
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
19 Ngoba ngimazile, ukuze alaye abantwana bakhe lendlu yakhe emva kwakhe, besebegcina indlela yeNkosi ukuze benze ukulunga lokwahlulela, ukuze iNkosi imehlisele uAbrahama lokho ekutshoyo ngaye.
For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
20 INkosi yasisithi: Ngoba isikhalo seSodoma leGomora sikhulu, langoba isono sabo sinzima kakhulu,
Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
21 ngizakwehla-ke besengibona ukuthi njengokwesikhalo sayo esesifike kimi, benzile ngokupheleleyo; kodwa uba kungenjalo ngizakwazi.
I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”
22 Amadoda esefulathele lapho, asesiya eSodoma; kodwa uAbrahama wayelokhu emile phambi kweNkosi.
And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23 UAbrahama wasesondela, wathi: Kambe uzambhubhisa lolungileyo kanye lomubi?
Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 Mhlawumbe kukhona abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi; kambe uzabhubhisa ungaxoleli indawo ngenxa yabalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu abakuwo?
What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?
25 Kakube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo, ukubulala olungileyo kanye lomubi lokuthi olungileyo abe njengomubi; kakube khatshana lawe; umahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza ukulunga yini?
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
26 INkosi yasisithi: Uba ngithola eSodoma abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi, ngizaxolela yonke indawo ngenxa yabo.
So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”
27 UAbrahama wasephendula wathi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini, lanxa ngiluthuli lomlotha.
Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
28 Mhlawumbe kuzasweleka abahlanu kubo abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu; uzabhubhisa umuzi wonke ngenxa yabahlanu yini? Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amane lanhlanu.
suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”
29 Waseqhubeka elokhu ekhuluma kuyo wathi: Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amane. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane.
Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”
30 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli lapho ngikhuluma. Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amathathu. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amathathu.
Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
31 Wasesithi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amabili. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili.
And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli, ngizakhuluma khathesi kuphela; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abalitshumi. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabalitshumi.
Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
33 INkosi yasihamba isiqedile ukukhuluma kuAbrahama; uAbrahama wasebuyela endaweni yakhe.
When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.
