< 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 came up out of Egypt he and his wife and all that he had and Lot with him, towards the South.
2 Wakati huo Abramu alikuwa tajiri sana wa mifugo, fedha na dhahabu.
Now, 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 his way, by his removals, from the South even as far as to Bethel, —as far as the place where his tent was at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai:
4 hapo ambapo alikuwa amejenga madhabahu ya kwanza. Huko Abramu akaliitia jina la Bwana.
unto the place of the altar, which he made there at first, —and Abram called there, on the name of Yahweh.
5 Basi Loti, ambaye alikuwa anafuatana na Abramu, alikuwa pia na makundi ya mbuzi, kondoo, ngʼombe na mahema.
Now, Lot also, who was going with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents.
6 Lakini nchi haikuwatosha kukaa pamoja kwa ajili ya wingi wa mali zao.
And the land suffered them not to dwell together, —because their substance had become, 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 arose a strife betwixt the herdmen of Abram, and the herdmen of Lot. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite, were then dwelling 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 then Abram said unto Lot Pray let not cause of strife arise betwixt me and thee, or betwixt my herdmen and thy herdmen; for brethren, are we.
9 Je, nchi yote haiko mbele yako? Tutengane. Kama ukielekea kushoto, nitakwenda kulia; kama ukielekea kulia, mimi nitakwenda kushoto.”
Is not, all the land, before thee? I pray thee, separate thyself from me, —if to the left hand, then I will go to the right, if to 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.)
So Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the circuit of the Jordan, that the whole of it, was well-watered, —before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the Garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as thou enterest into Zoar.
11 Hivyo Loti akajichagulia bonde lote la Yordani, akaelekea upande wa mashariki. Watu hao wawili wakatengana:
And Lot chose for himself all the circuit of the Jordan, so Lot brake up eastwards, —and they separated themselves, each man from his brother:
12 Abramu akaishi katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakati Loti aliishi miongoni mwa miji ya lile bonde na kupiga mahema yake karibu na Sodoma.
Abram, fixed his dwelling in the land of Canaan, —but, Lot, fixed his dwelling among the cities, of the circuit, 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 base and sinful, —against Yahweh, exceedingly.
14 Baada ya Loti kuondoka Bwana akamwambia Abramu, “Ukiwa hapo ulipo, inua macho yako utazame kaskazini na kusini, mashariki na magharibi.
And, Yahweh, said unto Abram after that Lot had separated himself from him, Lift up, I pray thee thine eyes and look, from the place where thou art, —northward and southward and eastward and westward;
15 Nchi yote unayoiona nitakupa wewe na uzao wako hata milele.
for all the land which thou art beholding—to thee, will I give it, and to thy seed unto times age-abiding;
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, thy seed also, may be numbered.
17 Ondoka, tembea katika marefu na mapana ya nchi, kwa maana ninakupa wewe.”
Rise! go up and down in the land, to the length thereof and to the breadth thereof, for to thee, will I give it.
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 came in and dwelt among the oaks of Mamre, which were in Hebron, —and built there an altar to Yahweh.