Mwanzo 13

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

So Abram went up out of Egypt into the Negev—he and his wife and all his possessions—and Lot was with him.

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

And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.

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

From the Negev he journeyed from place to place toward Bethel, until he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been pitched,

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

to the site where he had built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

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

Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents.

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

But the land was unable to support both of them while they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they were unable to coexist.

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 discord between the herdsmen of Abram and the herdsmen of Lot. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were also living 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.

So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, 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 you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, 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 looked out and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan, all the way to Zoar, was well watered like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

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

So Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself and set out toward the east. And Abram and Lot parted company.

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

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

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

But the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the LORD.

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

After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west,

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

for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.

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

I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.

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

Get up and walk around the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it to you.”

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

So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.