Mwanzo 12
1 Bwana akawa amemwambia Abramu, “Ondoka kutoka nchi yako, uache jamii yako na nyumba ya baba yako, uende hadi nchi nitakayokuonyesha.
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.
2 “Mimi nitakufanya taifa kubwa na nitakubariki, Nitalikuza jina lako, nawe utakuwa baraka.
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
3 Nitawabariki wale wanaokubariki, na yeyote akulaaniye nitamlaani; na kupitia kwako mataifa yote duniani yatabarikiwa.”
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
4 Hivyo Abramu akaondoka kama Bwana alivyokuwa amemwambia; naye Loti akaondoka pamoja naye. Wakati Abramu alipoitwa aondoke Harani, alikuwa na miaka sabini na mitano.
So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
5 Abramu akamchukua Sarai mkewe pamoja na Loti mwana wa ndugu yake, mali zote walizokuwa nazo pamoja na watu aliokuwa amewapata huko Harani, wakasafiri mpaka nchi ya Kanaani, wakafika huko.
And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, and set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
6 Abramu akasafiri katika nchi hiyo akafika huko Shekemu, mahali penye mti wa mwaloni ulioko More. Wakati huo Wakanaani walikuwa wanaishi katika nchi hiyo.
Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the Oak of Moreh at Shechem. And at that time the Canaanites were in the land.
7 Bwana akamtokea Abramu, akamwambia, “Nitawapa uzao wako nchi hii.” Hivyo hapa akamjengea madhabahu Bwana aliyekuwa amemtokea.
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
8 Kutoka huko Abramu akasafiri kuelekea kwenye vilima mashariki ya Betheli, naye akapiga hema huko, Betheli ikiwa upande wa magharibi na Ai upande wa mashariki. Huko alimjengea Bwana madhabahu na akaliitia jina la Bwana.
From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD.
9 Kisha Abramu akasafiri kuelekea upande wa Negebu.
And Abram journeyed on toward the Negev.
10 Basi kulikuwako na njaa katika nchi, naye Abramu akashuka kwenda Misri kukaa huko kwa muda, kwa maana njaa ilikuwa kali.
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe.
11 Alipokuwa karibu kuingia Misri, akamwambia Sarai mkewe, “Ninajua ya kwamba wewe ni mwanamke mzuri wa sura.
As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman,
12 Wakati Wamisri watakapokuona, watasema, ‘Huyu ni mke wake.’ Ndipo wataniua, lakini wewe watakuacha hai.
and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live.
13 Sema wewe ni dada yangu, ili nitendewe mema kwa ajili yako, na maisha yangu yatahifadhiwa kwa sababu yako.”
Please say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake, and on account of you my life will be spared.”
14 Abramu alipoingia Misri, Wamisri wakamwona Sarai kuwa ni mwanamke mzuri sana wa sura.
So when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
15 Maafisa wa Farao walipomwona, wakamsifia kwa Farao; ndipo Sarai akapelekwa kwa nyumba ya mfalme.
When Pharaoh’s officials saw Sarai, they commended her to him, and she was taken into the palace of Pharaoh.
16 Kwa ajili ya Sarai, Farao akamtendea Abramu mema, naye Abramu akapata kondoo, ngʼombe, punda, ngamia na watumishi wa kiume na wa kike.
He treated Abram well on her account, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
17 Lakini Bwana akamwadhibu Farao na nyumba yake kwa maradhi ya kufisha kwa sababu ya kumchukua Sarai, mke wa Abramu.
The LORD, however, afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Abram’s wife Sarai.
18 Ndipo Farao akamwita Abramu, akamuuliza, “Umenifanyia nini? Kwa nini hukuniambia ni mke wako?
So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
19 Kwa nini ulisema, ‘Yeye ni dada yangu,’ hata nikamchukua kuwa mke wangu? Sasa basi, mke wako huyu hapa. Mchukue uende zako!”
Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!”
20 Kisha Farao akawapa watu wake amri kuhusu Abramu, wakamsindikiza pamoja na mke wake na kila alichokuwa nacho.
Then Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram, and they sent him away with his wife and all his possessions.
