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 from Egypt and went into the Negev, he, his wife, and all that he had. Lot also went with them.

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

Now Abram was very rich in animals, 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

He continued on his journey from the Negev to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been before, between Bethel and Ai.

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

He went to the place where the altar was that he had built previously. Here he called 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, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents.

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

The land was not able to support them both living close together, because their possessions were very many, so that they could not stay 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.

Also, there was a dispute between the herdsmen of Abram's animals and the herdsmen of Lot's animals. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.

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, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; after all, we are family.

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? Go ahead and separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right, 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 looked around, and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere all the way to Zoar, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt. This was before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

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 traveled east, and the relatives separated from each 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 lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived among the cities of the plain. He set up his tents as far away as Sodom.

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

Now the men of Sodom were very wicked sinners against Yahweh.

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

Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had departed from him, “Look from the place where you are standing to the north, south, east, and west.

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

All this land which you see, I will give to you and to your descendants 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 descendants as abundant as the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.

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

Arise, walk through the length and breadth of the land, 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 picked up his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there built an altar to Yahweh.