UGenesisi 18
1 INkosi yasibonakala kuye ema-okhini eMamre, wathi ehlezi emnyango wethente ekutshiseni kosuku,
Bwana akamtokea Abrahamu karibu na mialoni ya Mamre wakati alipokuwa ameketi kwenye ingilio la hema lake wakati wa adhuhuri.
2 wasephakamisa amehlo akhe wabona, khangela-ke amadoda amathathu emi phambi kwakhe; esewabonile wagijima ukuwahlangabeza esuka emnyango wethente, wakhothamela emhlabathini,
Abrahamu akainua macho akaona watu watatu wamesimama karibu naye. Alipowaona, aliharakisha kutoka kwenye ingilio la hema lake kuwalaki na kuwasujudia hadi nchi.
3 wasesithi: Nkosi, uba-ke ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, ngicela ungadluli usuke encekwini yakho.
Akasema, “Kama nimepata kibali machoni penu, ee bwana wangu, usimpite mtumishi wako.
4 Ake kulethwe amanzi amalutshwana, beseligeza inyawo zenu, liphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
Acha yaletwe maji kidogo, kisha ninyi nyote mnawe miguu yenu na mpumzike chini ya mti huu.
5 Ngizaletha-ke ucezu lwesinkwa, beseliqinisa inhliziyo yenu, beselisedlula, ngoba yikho ledlule encekwini yenu. Asesithi: Ngokunjalo yenza njengokutsho kwakho.
Niruhusuni niwapatie chakula kidogo mle, ili mpate nguvu mwendelee na safari yenu, kwa kuwa mmekuja kwa mtumishi wenu.” Nao wakamjibu, “Vema sana, fanya kama unavyosema.”
6 UAbrahama wasephangisa esiya ethenteni kuSara, wasesithi: Phangisa! Amaseya amathathu empuphu ecolekileyo! Xova, wenze amaqebelengwana.
Hivyo Abrahamu akaharakisha akaingia hemani kwa Sara, akamwambia, “Chukua vipimo vitatu vya unga laini haraka, ukande na uoke mikate.”
7 UAbrahama wasegijimela enkomeni, wathatha ithole elibuthakathaka njalo elihle, walinika ijaha; laphangisa ukulilungisa.
Kisha Abrahamu akakimbia kwenda kwenye kundi, akachagua ndama mzuri, laini na akampa mtumishi, ambaye aliharakisha kumtayarisha.
8 Wasethatha amasi lochago, lethole abelilungisile, wakubeka phambi kwawo; wema eduze lawo ngaphansi kwesihlahla, asesidla.
Kisha akaleta jibini, maziwa na nyama ya yule ndama iliyoandaliwa, akaviweka mbele ya wageni. Walipokuwa wakila, alisimama karibu nao chini ya mti.
9 Asesithi kuye: Ungaphi uSara umkakho? Wasesithi: Khangela, ethenteni.
Wakamuuliza, “Yuko wapi Sara mkeo?” Akasema, “Yuko huko, ndani ya hema.”
10 Yasisithi: Isibili ngizabuya kuwe ngalesisikhathi sempilo; khangela, uSara umkakho uzakuba lendodana. USara wakuzwa esemnyango wethente elalingemva kwayo.
Kisha Bwana akasema, “Hakika nitakurudia tena majira kama haya mwakani na Sara mkeo atakuwa ana mwana.” Sara alikuwa akiwasikiliza kwenye ingilio la hema, lililokuwa nyuma yake.
11 UAbrahama loSara basebebadala sebelensuku ezinengi; kwasekuphelile kuSara okwendlela yabafazi.
Abrahamu na Sara walikuwa wazee tena waliosogea miaka, naye Sara alikuwa amekoma katika desturi ya wanawake.
12 USara wasehlekela ngaphakathi, esithi: Sengigugile, ngingaba lenjabulo, lenkosi yami isindala yini?
Hivyo Sara akacheka kimoyomoyo alipokuwa akiwaza, “Baada ya mimi kuwa mkongwe hivi na bwana wangu amezeeka, je, nitaweza kufurahia jambo hili?”
13 INkosi yasisithi kuAbrahama: Kungani uSara ehleka, esithi: Isibili lami ngizazala mina sengimdala yini?
Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Abrahamu, “Kwa nini Sara amecheka na kusema, ‘Kweli nitazaa mtoto nami sasa ni mzee?’
14 Kukhona into enzima kakhulu eNkosini yini? Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizabuya kuwe, ngalesisikhathi sempilo, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.
Je, kuna jambo lolote gumu lisilowezekana kwa Bwana? Nitakurudia mwakani majira kama haya, naye Sara atakuwa na mwana.”
15 USara wasephika esithi: Kangihlekanga, ngoba wayesesaba. Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, ngoba uhlekile.
Sara akaogopa kwa kuwa alidanganya na kusema, “Mimi sikucheka.” Lakini Bwana akasema, “Ndiyo, ulicheka!”
16 Amadoda asesukuma esuka lapho akhangela phansi eSodoma; uAbrahama wasehamba lawo ewaphelekezela.
Wakati watu hao waliposimama ili waondoke, walielekeza nyuso zao Sodoma, Abrahamu akawatoa kitambo kidogo ili awasindikize.
17 INkosi yasisithi: Mina ngingamfihlela uAbrahama yini engikwenzayo?
Ndipo Bwana akasema, “Je, nimfiche Abrahamu jambo ninalokusudia kufanya?
18 Ngoba isibili uAbrahama uzakuba yisizwe esikhulu esilamandla; lazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa kuye.
Hakika Abrahamu atakuwa taifa kubwa na lenye nguvu, kupitia kwake mataifa yote ya dunia yatabarikiwa.
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.
Kwa maana nimemchagua yeye, ili awaongoze watoto wake na jamaa yake kufuata njia ya Bwana, kwa kuwa waadilifu na kutenda haki, ili Bwana atimize ahadi yake kwa Abrahamu.”
20 INkosi yasisithi: Ngoba isikhalo seSodoma leGomora sikhulu, langoba isono sabo sinzima kakhulu,
Basi Bwana akasema, “Kilio dhidi ya Sodoma na Gomora ni kikubwa sana na dhambi yao inasikitisha sana,
21 ngizakwehla-ke besengibona ukuthi njengokwesikhalo sayo esesifike kimi, benzile ngokupheleleyo; kodwa uba kungenjalo ngizakwazi.
kwamba nitashuka nione kama waliyoyatenda ni mabaya kiasi cha kilio kilichonifikia. Kama sivyo, nitajua.”
22 Amadoda esefulathele lapho, asesiya eSodoma; kodwa uAbrahama wayelokhu emile phambi kweNkosi.
Basi wale watu wakageuka wakaenda kuelekea Sodoma, lakini Abrahamu akabaki amesimama mbele za Bwana.
23 UAbrahama wasesondela, wathi: Kambe uzambhubhisa lolungileyo kanye lomubi?
Ndipo Abrahamu akamsogelea akasema: “Je, utawaangamiza wenye haki na waovu?
24 Mhlawumbe kukhona abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi; kambe uzabhubhisa ungaxoleli indawo ngenxa yabalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu abakuwo?
Je, ikiwa watakuwepo watu wenye haki hamsini katika mji huo, hivi kweli utauangamiza na wala hutauacha kwa ajili ya hao watu hamsini wenye haki waliomo ndani yake?
25 Kakube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo, ukubulala olungileyo kanye lomubi lokuthi olungileyo abe njengomubi; kakube khatshana lawe; umahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza ukulunga yini?
Hilo na liwe mbali nawe, kufanya jambo kama hilo, kuwaua wenye haki pamoja na waovu, kuwatendea wenye haki sawasawa na waovu. Iwe mbali nawe! Je, Mwamuzi wa dunia yote hatafanya lililo sawa?”
26 INkosi yasisithi: Uba ngithola eSodoma abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi, ngizaxolela yonke indawo ngenxa yabo.
Bwana akasema, “Kama nikipata watu hamsini wenye haki katika mji wa Sodoma, nitausamehe huo mji wote kwa ajili yao.”
27 UAbrahama wasephendula wathi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini, lanxa ngiluthuli lomlotha.
Kisha Abrahamu akasema tena: “Sasa kwa kuwa nimekuwa na ujasiri wa kuzungumza na Bwana, ingawa mimi si kitu bali ni mavumbi na majivu;
28 Mhlawumbe kuzasweleka abahlanu kubo abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu; uzabhubhisa umuzi wonke ngenxa yabahlanu yini? Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amane lanhlanu.
je, kama hesabu ya wenye haki imepungua watano katika hamsini, utauangamiza huo mji wote kwa ajili ya hao watano waliopungua?” Bwana akamwambia, “Kama nikiwakuta huko watu arobaini na watano, sitauangamiza.”
29 Waseqhubeka elokhu ekhuluma kuyo wathi: Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amane. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane.
Abrahamu akazungumza naye kwa mara nyingine, “Je, kama huko watapatikana watu arobaini tu?” Akamjibu, “Kwa ajili ya hao arobaini, sitauangamiza.”
30 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli lapho ngikhuluma. Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amathathu. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amathathu.
Ndipo akasema, “Bwana na asikasirike, lakini niruhusu nizungumze. Je, kama huko watakuwepo thelathini tu?” Akajibu, “Sitapaangamiza ikiwa nitawakuta huko watu thelathini.”
31 Wasesithi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amabili. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili.
Abrahamu akasema, “Sasa kwa kuwa nimekuwa na ujasiri sana kuzungumza na Bwana, je, kama wakipatikana huko watu ishirini tu?” Bwana akajibu, “Kwa ajili ya hao ishirini, sitauangamiza.”
32 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli, ngizakhuluma khathesi kuphela; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abalitshumi. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabalitshumi.
Abrahamu akasema, “Bwana na asikasirike, lakini niruhusu nizungumze tena mara moja tu. Itakuwaje kama watapatikana huko watu kumi tu?” Bwana akajibu, “Kwa ajili ya hao kumi, sitauangamiza.”
33 INkosi yasihamba isiqedile ukukhuluma kuAbrahama; uAbrahama wasebuyela endaweni yakhe.
Bwana alipomaliza kuzungumza na Abrahamu, akaondoka, naye Abrahamu akarudi nyumbani kwake.
