< Mwanzo 12 >
1 Bwana akawa amemwambia Abramu, “Ondoka kutoka nchi yako, uache jamii yako na nyumba ya baba yako, uende hadi nchi nitakayokuonyesha.
Now the LORD had said to Abram, Depart from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, to a land that I will show thee:
2 “Mimi nitakufanya taifa kubwa na nitakubariki, Nitalikuza jina lako, nawe utakuwa baraka.
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 Nitawabariki wale wanaokubariki, na yeyote akulaaniye nitamlaani; na kupitia kwako mataifa yote duniani yatabarikiwa.”
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
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 spoken to him, and Lot went with him: and Abram [was] seventy and five years old when he departed from 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 Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went to go forth into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
6 Abramu akasafiri katika nchi hiyo akafika huko Shekemu, mahali penye mti wa mwaloni ulioko More. Wakati huo Wakanaani walikuwa wanaishi katika nchi hiyo.
And Abram passed through the land to the place of Sichem, to the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite [was] then in the land.
7 Bwana akamtokea Abramu, akamwambia, “Nitawapa uzao wako nchi hii.” Hivyo hapa akamjengea madhabahu Bwana aliyekuwa amemtokea.
And the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, To thy seed will I give this land: and there he erected an altar to the LORD, who 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.
And he removed from thence to a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, [having] Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he erected an altar to the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
9 Kisha Abramu akasafiri kuelekea upande wa Negebu.
And Abram journeyed, going on still towards the south.
10 Basi kulikuwako na njaa katika nchi, naye Abramu akashuka kwenda Misri kukaa huko kwa muda, kwa maana njaa ilikuwa kali.
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to dwell there; for the famine [was] grievous in the land.
11 Alipokuwa karibu kuingia Misri, akamwambia Sarai mkewe, “Ninajua ya kwamba wewe ni mwanamke mzuri wa sura.
And it came to pass, when he had come near to enter into Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou [art] a fair woman to look upon:
12 Wakati Wamisri watakapokuona, watasema, ‘Huyu ni mke wake.’ Ndipo wataniua, lakini wewe watakuacha hai.
Therefore it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say, This [is] his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
13 Sema wewe ni dada yangu, ili nitendewe mema kwa ajili yako, na maisha yangu yatahifadhiwa kwa sababu yako.”
Say, I pray thee, thou [art] my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
14 Abramu alipoingia Misri, Wamisri wakamwona Sarai kuwa ni mwanamke mzuri sana wa sura.
And it came to pass, that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she [was] very fair.
15 Maafisa wa Farao walipomwona, wakamsifia kwa Farao; ndipo Sarai akapelekwa kwa nyumba ya mfalme.
The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before 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.
And he treated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels.
17 Lakini Bwana akamwadhibu Farao na nyumba yake kwa maradhi ya kufisha kwa sababu ya kumchukua Sarai, mke wa Abramu.
And the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
18 Ndipo Farao akamwita Abramu, akamuuliza, “Umenifanyia nini? Kwa nini hukuniambia ni mke wako?
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What [is] this [that] thou hast done to me? why didst thou not tell me that she [is] thy wife?
19 Kwa nini ulisema, ‘Yeye ni dada yangu,’ hata nikamchukua kuwa mke wangu? Sasa basi, mke wako huyu hapa. Mchukue uende zako!”
Why saidst thou, She [is] my sister? so I might have taken her to me for a wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take [her], and go thy way.
20 Kisha Farao akawapa watu wake amri kuhusu Abramu, wakamsindikiza pamoja na mke wake na kila alichokuwa nacho.
And Pharaoh commanded [his] men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.