Mwanzo 13

1 Hivyo Abramu akakwea kutoka Misri kwenda Negebu, yeye na mkewe na kila kitu alichokuwa nacho, pia Loti akaenda pamoja naye.

And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the South.

2 Wakati huo Abramu alikuwa tajiri sana wa mifugo, fedha na dhahabu.

And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

3 Kutoka Negebu, akapita mahali hadi mahali, hadi akafika Betheli, mahali hapo ambapo mwanzoni alipiga hema lake kati ya Betheli na Ai

And he went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,

4 hapo ambapo alikuwa amejenga madhabahu ya kwanza. Huko Abramu akaliitia jina la Bwana.

to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. And Abram called on the name of Jehovah there.

5 Basi Loti, ambaye alikuwa anafuatana na Abramu, alikuwa pia na makundi ya mbuzi, kondoo, ngʼombe na mahema.

And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

6 Lakini nchi haikuwatosha kukaa pamoja kwa ajili ya wingi wa mali zao.

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together. For their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

7 Ukazuka ugomvi kati ya wachunga mifugo wa Abramu na wale wa Loti. Wakati huo, Wakanaani na Waperizi ndio waliokuwa wenyeji wa nchi hiyo.

And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite then dwelt in the land.

8 Hivyo Abramu akamwambia Loti, “Pasiwe na ugomvi wowote kati yangu na wewe, wala kati ya wachungaji wangu na wako, kwa kuwa sisi ni ndugu.

And Abram said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen, for we are brothers.

9 Je, nchi yote haiko mbele yako? Tutengane. Kama ukielekea kushoto, nitakwenda kulia; kama ukielekea kulia, mimi nitakwenda kushoto.”

Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me. If the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if the right hand, then I will go to the left.

10 Loti akatazama akaona lile bonde lote la Yordani kuwa lilikuwa na maji tele, kama bustani ya Bwana, kama nchi ya Misri, kuelekea Soari. (Hii ilikuwa kabla Bwana hajaharibu Sodoma na Gomora.)

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as thou go to Zoar.

11 Hivyo Loti akajichagulia bonde lote la Yordani, akaelekea upande wa mashariki. Watu hao wawili wakatengana:

So Lot chose for himself all the Plain of the Jordan. And Lot journeyed east, and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12 Abramu akaishi katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakati Loti aliishi miongoni mwa miji ya lile bonde na kupiga mahema yake karibu na Sodoma.

Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan. And Lot dwelt in the cities of the Plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.

13 Basi watu wa Sodoma walikuwa waovu, wakifanya sana dhambi dhidi ya Bwana.

Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Jehovah.

14 Baada ya Loti kuondoka Bwana akamwambia Abramu, “Ukiwa hapo ulipo, inua macho yako utazame kaskazini na kusini, mashariki na magharibi.

And Jehovah said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou are, northward and southward and eastward and westward.

15 Nchi yote unayoiona nitakupa wewe na uzao wako hata milele.

For all the land which thou see, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed forever.

16 Nitaufanya uzao wako uwe mwingi kama mavumbi ya nchi, hivyo kama kuna yeyote awezaye kuhesabu mavumbi, basi uzao wako utahesabika.

And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth. So that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then may thy seed also be numbered.

17 Ondoka, tembea katika marefu na mapana ya nchi, kwa maana ninakupa wewe.”

Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it, for to thee I will give it.

18 Basi Abramu akaondoa mahema yake, akaenda kuishi karibu na mialoni ya Mamre huko Hebroni, huko akamjengea Bwana madhabahu.

And Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Jehovah.