UGenesisi 18
1 INkosi yasibonakala kuye ema-okhini eMamre, wathi ehlezi emnyango wethente ekutshiseni kosuku,
The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 wasephakamisa amehlo akhe wabona, khangela-ke amadoda amathathu emi phambi kwakhe; esewabonile wagijima ukuwahlangabeza esuka emnyango wethente, wakhothamela emhlabathini,
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
3 wasesithi: Nkosi, uba-ke ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, ngicela ungadluli usuke encekwini yakho.
and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
4 Ake kulethwe amanzi amalutshwana, beseligeza inyawo zenu, liphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
Now let a little water be fetched, 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.
I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
6 UAbrahama wasephangisa esiya ethenteni kuSara, wasesithi: Phangisa! Amaseya amathathu empuphu ecolekileyo! Xova, wenze amaqebelengwana.
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
7 UAbrahama wasegijimela enkomeni, wathatha ithole elibuthakathaka njalo elihle, walinika ijaha; laphangisa ukulilungisa.
Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
8 Wasethatha amasi lochago, lethole abelilungisile, wakubeka phambi kwawo; wema eduze lawo ngaphansi kwesihlahla, asesidla.
He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 Asesithi kuye: Ungaphi uSara umkakho? Wasesithi: Khangela, ethenteni.
They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”
10 Yasisithi: Isibili ngizabuya kuwe ngalesisikhathi sempilo; khangela, uSara umkakho uzakuba lendodana. USara wakuzwa esemnyango wethente elalingemva kwayo.
He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 UAbrahama loSara basebebadala sebelensuku ezinengi; kwasekuphelile kuSara okwendlela yabafazi.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 USara wasehlekela ngaphakathi, esithi: Sengigugile, ngingaba lenjabulo, lenkosi yami isindala yini?
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 INkosi yasisithi kuAbrahama: Kungani uSara ehleka, esithi: Isibili lami ngizazala mina sengimdala yini?
The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will 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 hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 USara wasephika esithi: Kangihlekanga, ngoba wayesesaba. Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, ngoba uhlekile.
Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16 Amadoda asesukuma esuka lapho akhangela phansi eSodoma; uAbrahama wasehamba lawo ewaphelekezela.
The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 INkosi yasisithi: Mina ngingamfihlela uAbrahama yini engikwenzayo?
The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18 Ngoba isibili uAbrahama uzakuba yisizwe esikhulu esilamandla; lazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa kuye.
since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
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 known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
20 INkosi yasisithi: Ngoba isikhalo seSodoma leGomora sikhulu, langoba isono sabo sinzima kakhulu,
The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
21 ngizakwehla-ke besengibona ukuthi njengokwesikhalo sayo esesifike kimi, benzile ngokupheleleyo; kodwa uba kungenjalo ngizakwazi.
I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
22 Amadoda esefulathele lapho, asesiya eSodoma; kodwa uAbrahama wayelokhu emile phambi kweNkosi.
The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 UAbrahama wasesondela, wathi: Kambe uzambhubhisa lolungileyo kanye lomubi?
Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume 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 within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25 Kakube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo, ukubulala olungileyo kanye lomubi lokuthi olungileyo abe njengomubi; kakube khatshana lawe; umahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza ukulunga yini?
May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 INkosi yasisithi: Uba ngithola eSodoma abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi, ngizaxolela yonke indawo ngenxa yabo.
The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 UAbrahama wasephendula wathi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini, lanxa ngiluthuli lomlotha.
Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am 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.
What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29 Waseqhubeka elokhu ekhuluma kuyo wathi: Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amane. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane.
He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”
30 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli lapho ngikhuluma. Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amathathu. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amathathu.
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 Wasesithi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amabili. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili.
He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”
32 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli, ngizakhuluma khathesi kuphela; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abalitshumi. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabalitshumi.
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
33 INkosi yasihamba isiqedile ukukhuluma kuAbrahama; uAbrahama wasebuyela endaweni yakhe.
The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
