UGenesisi 18
1 INkosi yasibonakala kuye ema-okhini eMamre, wathi ehlezi emnyango wethente ekutshiseni kosuku,
Yahwe alimtokea Abraham katika Mialoni ya Mamre, alipokua ameketi mlangoni pa hema wakati wa jua.
2 wasephakamisa amehlo akhe wabona, khangela-ke amadoda amathathu emi phambi kwakhe; esewabonile wagijima ukuwahlangabeza esuka emnyango wethente, wakhothamela emhlabathini,
Akatazama juu na, tazama, akaona wanaume watatu wamesimama mbele yake. Alipo waona, alikimbia kupitia mlango wa hema kuwalaki na kuinama chini hadi ardhini.
3 wasesithi: Nkosi, uba-ke ngithole umusa emehlweni akho, ngicela ungadluli usuke encekwini yakho.
Akasema, “Bwana, kama nimepata upendelea machoni pako, nakuomba usinipite na kuniacha mtumishi wako.
4 Ake kulethwe amanzi amalutshwana, beseligeza inyawo zenu, liphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
Naomba maji kidogo yaletwe, mnawe miguu yenu, na mjipumzishe chini ya mti.
5 Ngizaletha-ke ucezu lwesinkwa, beseliqinisa inhliziyo yenu, beselisedlula, ngoba yikho ledlule encekwini yenu. Asesithi: Ngokunjalo yenza njengokutsho kwakho.
Nami acha nilete chakula kidogo, ili kwamba mjiburudishe wenyewe. Ndipo baadae mwaweza kwenda zenu, kwa kuwa mmekuja kwa mtumishi wenu.” Nao wakasema, “Fanya kama ulivyo sema.”
6 UAbrahama wasephangisa esiya ethenteni kuSara, wasesithi: Phangisa! Amaseya amathathu empuphu ecolekileyo! Xova, wenze amaqebelengwana.
Kisha Abraham akaenda upesi hemani kwa Sara, na akasema, “Harakisha, chukua vipimo vitatu vya unga safi, uukande, na fanya mkate.”
7 UAbrahama wasegijimela enkomeni, wathatha ithole elibuthakathaka njalo elihle, walinika ijaha; laphangisa ukulilungisa.
Kisha Abraham akakimbia kundini, akachukua ndama wa ng'ombe aliye laini na mzuri, na akampatia mtumishi na kwa haraka akamwandaa.
8 Wasethatha amasi lochago, lethole abelilungisile, wakubeka phambi kwawo; wema eduze lawo ngaphansi kwesihlahla, asesidla.
Akatwaa siagi na maziwa na ndama aliye kwisha andaliwa, na akaweka chakula mbele yao, naye akasimama karibu nao chini ya mti wakati wanakula.
9 Asesithi kuye: Ungaphi uSara umkakho? Wasesithi: Khangela, ethenteni.
Wakamwambia, “Mke wako Sara yuko wapi?” akajibu. “pale hemani.”
10 Yasisithi: Isibili ngizabuya kuwe ngalesisikhathi sempilo; khangela, uSara umkakho uzakuba lendodana. USara wakuzwa esemnyango wethente elalingemva kwayo.
akasema, “Hakika nitarejea kwako majira ya machipuko, na tazama Sara mkeo atakuwa na mtoto wa kiume.” Sara alikuwa akisikiliza mlangoni pa hema iliyokuwa nyuma yake.
11 UAbrahama loSara basebebadala sebelensuku ezinengi; kwasekuphelile kuSara okwendlela yabafazi.
Abraham na Sara walikuwa wazee, umri wao ulikuwa umeendelea sana, na Sara alikuwa amepita umri ambao mwanamke anaweza kuzaa watoto.
12 USara wasehlekela ngaphakathi, esithi: Sengigugile, ngingaba lenjabulo, lenkosi yami isindala yini?
Kwa hiyo Sara akajicheka mwenyewe, akijisemesha mwenyewe, “baada ya kuwa nimechakaa na bwana wangu ni mzee, je ni tapata furaha hii?”
13 INkosi yasisithi kuAbrahama: Kungani uSara ehleka, esithi: Isibili lami ngizazala mina sengimdala yini?
Yahwe akamwambia Abraham, “Kwa nini Sara amecheka na kusema, Je ni kweli nitazaa mtoto, nikiwa mzee'?
14 Kukhona into enzima kakhulu eNkosini yini? Ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngizabuya kuwe, ngalesisikhathi sempilo, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.
Je kuna jambo lolote gumu sana kwa Yahwe? Itakuwa katika wakati nilioweka mimi majira ya machipuko, nitarejea kwako. Majira haya mwakani Sara atakuwa na mtoto wa kiume.”
15 USara wasephika esithi: Kangihlekanga, ngoba wayesesaba. Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, ngoba uhlekile.
Kisha Sara akakataa na kusema, “sikucheka,” kwa kuwa aliogopa. Yahwe akasema, “hapana ulicheka.”
16 Amadoda asesukuma esuka lapho akhangela phansi eSodoma; uAbrahama wasehamba lawo ewaphelekezela.
Kisha wale wanaume walisimama kuondoka na wakatazama chini kuelekea Sodoma. Abraham akafuatana nao kuona njia yao.
17 INkosi yasisithi: Mina ngingamfihlela uAbrahama yini engikwenzayo?
Lakini Yahwe akasema, Je ni mfiche Abraham kile ninacho kusudia kufanya,
18 Ngoba isibili uAbrahama uzakuba yisizwe esikhulu esilamandla; lazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa kuye.
Ikiwa kwa hakika Abraham atakuwa mkuu na taifa lenye nguvu, na katika yeye mataifa yote ya dunia watabarikiwa?
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 kuwa nimemchagua ili awaelekeze wanawe na nyumba yake baada yake waishike njia ya Yahwe, watende utakatifu na haki, ili kwamba Yahwe ampatie Abraham yale aliyo yasema kwake.”
20 INkosi yasisithi: Ngoba isikhalo seSodoma leGomora sikhulu, langoba isono sabo sinzima kakhulu,
Kisha Yahwe akasema, “Kwa sababu kilio cha Sodoma na Gomora ni kikuu, na kwa kuwa dhambi yao ni kubwa,
21 ngizakwehla-ke besengibona ukuthi njengokwesikhalo sayo esesifike kimi, benzile ngokupheleleyo; kodwa uba kungenjalo ngizakwazi.
sasa nitashuka pale na kuona kilio kilicho nifikia dhidi yake, ikiwa kweli wamefanya au hawakufanya, nitajua.”
22 Amadoda esefulathele lapho, asesiya eSodoma; kodwa uAbrahama wayelokhu emile phambi kweNkosi.
Kwa hiyo wale wanaume wakageuka toka pale, na kuelekea Sodoma, lakini Abraham akabaki amesimama mbele ya Yahwe.
23 UAbrahama wasesondela, wathi: Kambe uzambhubhisa lolungileyo kanye lomubi?
Kisha Abraham alikaribia na kusema, “Je utawafutilia mbali watakatifu pamoja na waovu?
24 Mhlawumbe kukhona abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi; kambe uzabhubhisa ungaxoleli indawo ngenxa yabalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu abakuwo?
Huenda wakawepo wenye haki hamsini katika mji. Je utawakatilia mbali na usiuache mji kwa ajili ya hao watakatifu hamsini walioko hapo?
25 Kakube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo, ukubulala olungileyo kanye lomubi lokuthi olungileyo abe njengomubi; kakube khatshana lawe; umahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza ukulunga yini?
Hasha usifanye hivyo, kuwauwa watakatifu pamoja na waovu, ili kwamba watakatifu watendewe sawa na waovu. Hasha! Je muhukumu wa ulimwengu wote hatatenda haki?”
26 INkosi yasisithi: Uba ngithola eSodoma abalungileyo abangamatshumi amahlanu phakathi komuzi, ngizaxolela yonke indawo ngenxa yabo.
Yahwe akasema, “Katika Sodoma nikipata watakatifu hamsini kwenye mji, nita uacha mji wote kwa ajili ya hao.”
27 UAbrahama wasephendula wathi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini, lanxa ngiluthuli lomlotha.
Abraham akajibu na kusema, “Tazama, Nimeshika kusema na Bwana wangu, hata kama mimi 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.
Itakuwaje ikiwa kuna watano pungufu katika idadi ya hao watakatifu hamsini? Je utaangamiza mji wote kwa upungufu wa hao watano?” Akasema, “Sitaangamiza, ikiwa nitapata watu arobaini na watano pale.”
29 Waseqhubeka elokhu ekhuluma kuyo wathi: Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amane. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane.
Akaongea naye tena, na kusema, “Itakuwaje ikiwa arobaini watapatikana pale?” Akajibu, “Sitafanya kwa ajili ya hao arobaini.”
30 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli lapho ngikhuluma. Mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amathathu. Yasisithi: Kangiyikukwenza uba ngithola khona abangamatshumi amathathu.
Akasema, Tafadhali usikasirike, Bwana, nikiongea. Pengine thelathini watapatikana pale.” Akajibu, 'Sitafanya, ikiwa nitapata thelathini pale.”
31 Wasesithi: Khangela-ke, ngizimisele ukukhuluma eNkosini; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abangamatshumi amabili. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili.
Akasema, Tazama, Nimeshika kusema na Bwana wangu! Pengine ishirini watapatikana pale.” Akajibu, “Sitaharibu kwa ajili ya hao ishirini.”
32 Wasesithi: Ngicela iNkosi ingathukutheli, ngizakhuluma khathesi kuphela; mhlawumbe kuzatholwa khona abalitshumi. Yasisithi: Kangiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabalitshumi.
Akasema, “Tafadhali usikasirike, Bwana, na nitasema jambo hili kwa mara ya mwisho. Huenda kumi wakaonekana kule.” Na akasema, sitaangamiza kwa ajili ya hao kumi.”
33 INkosi yasihamba isiqedile ukukhuluma kuAbrahama; uAbrahama wasebuyela endaweni yakhe.
Yahwe akaendelea na njia yake mara tu baada ya kumaliza kuongea na Abraham, na Abraham akarudi nyumbani.
