Mwanzo 12
1 Bwana akawa amemwambia Abramu, “Ondoka kutoka nchi yako, uache jamii yako na nyumba ya baba yako, uende hadi nchi nitakayokuonyesha.
Now Adonai said to Avram [Exalted father], “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.
2 “Mimi nitakufanya taifa kubwa na nitakubariki, Nitalikuza jina lako, nawe utakuwa baraka.
I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. 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 I will curse him who curses you. 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 Avram [Exalted father] went out, as Adonai had told him. Lot [Veil, Covering] went with him. Avram [Exalted father] was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran [Mountaineer].
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.
Avram [Exalted father] took Sarai [Mockery] his wife, Lot [Veil, Covering] his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran [Mountaineer], and they went to go into the land of Canaan [Humbled]. They entered into the land of Canaan [Humbled].
6 Abramu akasafiri katika nchi hiyo akafika huko Shekemu, mahali penye mti wa mwaloni ulioko More. Wakati huo Wakanaani walikuwa wanaishi katika nchi hiyo.
Avram [Exalted father] passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. The Canaanites [Descendants of Humbled] were in the land, then.
7 Bwana akamtokea Abramu, akamwambia, “Nitawapa uzao wako nchi hii.” Hivyo hapa akamjengea madhabahu Bwana aliyekuwa amemtokea.
Adonai appeared to Avram [Exalted father] and said, “I will give this land to your seed.” He built an altar there to Adonai, 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.
He left from there to go to the mountain on the east of Beth-el [House of God] and pitched his tent, having Beth-el [House of God] on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Adonai and called on Adonai’s name.
9 Kisha Abramu akasafiri kuelekea upande wa Negebu.
Avram [Exalted father] traveled, still going on toward the South.
10 Basi kulikuwako na njaa katika nchi, naye Abramu akashuka kwenda Misri kukaa huko kwa muda, kwa maana njaa ilikuwa kali.
There was a famine in the land. Avram [Exalted father] went down into Egypt [Abode of slavery] to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.
11 Alipokuwa karibu kuingia Misri, akamwambia Sarai mkewe, “Ninajua ya kwamba wewe ni mwanamke mzuri wa sura.
When he had come near to enter Egypt [Abode of slavery], he said to Sarai [Mockery] his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.
12 Wakati Wamisri watakapokuona, watasema, ‘Huyu ni mke wake.’ Ndipo wataniua, lakini wewe watakuacha hai.
It will happen, when the Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery] see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
13 Sema wewe ni dada yangu, ili nitendewe mema kwa ajili yako, na maisha yangu yatahifadhiwa kwa sababu yako.”
Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”
14 Abramu alipoingia Misri, Wamisri wakamwona Sarai kuwa ni mwanamke mzuri sana wa sura.
When Avram [Exalted father] had come into Egypt [Abode of slavery], Egyptians [people from Abode of slavery] saw that the woman was very beautiful.
15 Maafisa wa Farao walipomwona, wakamsifia kwa Farao; ndipo Sarai akapelekwa kwa nyumba ya mfalme.
The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
16 Kwa ajili ya Sarai, Farao akamtendea Abramu mema, naye Abramu akapata kondoo, ngʼombe, punda, ngamia na watumishi wa kiume na wa kike.
He dealt well with Avram [Exalted father] for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 Lakini Bwana akamwadhibu Farao na nyumba yake kwa maradhi ya kufisha kwa sababu ya kumchukua Sarai, mke wa Abramu.
Adonai afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai [Mockery], Avram [Exalted father]’s wife.
18 Ndipo Farao akamwita Abramu, akamuuliza, “Umenifanyia nini? Kwa nini hukuniambia ni mke wako?
Pharaoh called Avram [Exalted father] and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that 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 to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”
20 Kisha Farao akawapa watu wake amri kuhusu Abramu, wakamsindikiza pamoja na mke wake na kila alichokuwa nacho.
Pharaoh enjoined men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.
