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 wilderness.
2 Wakati huo Abramu alikuwa tajiri sana wa mifugo, fedha na dhahabu.
And Abram was very rich in cattle, 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
And he went [to the place] whence he came, into the wilderness as far as Baethel, as far as the place where his tent was before, between Baethel and Aggai,
4 hapo ambapo alikuwa amejenga madhabahu ya kwanza. Huko Abramu akaliitia jina la Bwana.
to the place of the altar, which he built there at first, and Abram there 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.
And Lot who went out with Abram had sheep, and oxen, and tents.
6 Lakini nchi haikuwatosha kukaa pamoja kwa ajili ya wingi wa mali zao.
And the land was not large enough for them to live together, because their possessions were great; and the land was not large enough for them to live 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 herdmen of Abram's cattle, and the herdmen of Lot's cattle, and the Chananites and the Pherezites then inhabited 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 not be a strife between me and you, and between my herdmen and your herdmen, for we are brethren.
9 Je, nchi yote haiko mbele yako? Tutengane. Kama ukielekea kushoto, nitakwenda kulia; kama ukielekea kulia, mimi nitakwenda kushoto.”
Behold! is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me; if you [go] to the left, I will go to the right, and 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 having lifted up his eyes, observed all the country round about Jordan, that it was all watered, before God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha, as the garden of the Lord, and as the land of Egypt, until you come to Zogora.
11 Hivyo Loti akajichagulia bonde lote la Yordani, akaelekea upande wa mashariki. Watu hao wawili wakatengana:
And Lot chose for himself all the country round Jordan, and Lot went from the east, and they were separated each from his brother. And Abram lived in the land of Chanaan.
12 Abramu akaishi katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakati Loti aliishi miongoni mwa miji ya lile bonde na kupiga mahema yake karibu na Sodoma.
And Lot lived in a city of the neighbouring people, and pitched his tent in Sodom.
13 Basi watu wa Sodoma walikuwa waovu, wakifanya sana dhambi dhidi ya Bwana.
But the men of Sodom were evil, and exceedingly sinful before God.
14 Baada ya Loti kuondoka Bwana akamwambia Abramu, “Ukiwa hapo ulipo, inua macho yako utazame kaskazini na kusini, mashariki na magharibi.
And God said to Abram after Lot was separated from him, Look up with your eyes, and behold from the place where you now are northward and southward, and eastward and seaward;
15 Nchi yote unayoiona nitakupa wewe na uzao wako hata milele.
for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your seed for ever.
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 your seed like the dust of the earth; if any one is able to number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed be numbered.
17 Ondoka, tembea katika marefu na mapana ya nchi, kwa maana ninakupa wewe.”
Arise and traverse the land, both in the length of it and in the breadth; for to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever.
18 Basi Abramu akaondoa mahema yake, akaenda kuishi karibu na mialoni ya Mamre huko Hebroni, huko akamjengea Bwana madhabahu.
And Abram having removed his tent, came and lived by the oak of Mambre, which was in Chebrom, and he there built an altar to the Lord.
