Mwanzo 15
1 Baada ya jambo hili, neno la Bwana likamjia Abramu katika maono: “Usiogope, Abramu. Mimi ni ngao yako, na thawabu yako kubwa sana.”
And so, these things having been transacted, the word of the Lord came to Abram by a vision, saying: “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your protector, and your reward is exceedingly great.”
2 Lakini Abramu akasema, “Ee Bwana Mwenyezi, utanipa nini na mimi sina hata mtoto na atakayerithi nyumba yangu ni huyu Eliezeri Mdameski?”
And Abram said: “Lord God, what will you give to me? I may go without children. And the son of the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus.”
3 Abramu akasema, “Hukunipa watoto, hivyo mtumishi katika nyumba yangu ndiye atakuwa mrithi wangu.”
And Abram added: “Yet to me you have not given offspring. And behold, my servant born in my house will be my heir.”
4 Ndipo neno la Bwana lilipomjia: “Mtu huyu hatakuwa mrithi wako, bali mwana atakayetoka katika viuno vyako mwenyewe ndiye atakayekuwa mrithi wako.”
And immediately the word of the Lord came to him, saying: “This one will not be your heir. But he who will come from your loins, the same will you have for your heir.”
5 Akamtoa nje na kusema, “Tazama juu kuelekea mbinguni na uhesabu nyota, kama hakika utaweza kuzihesabu.” Ndipo akamwambia, “Hivyo ndivyo uzao wako utakavyokuwa.”
And he brought him outside, and he said to him, “Take in the heavens, and number the stars, if you can.” And he said to him, “So also will your offspring be.”
6 Abramu akamwamini Bwana, naye kwake hili likahesabiwa kuwa haki.
Abram believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.
7 Pia akamwambia, “Mimi ndimi Bwana, niliyekutoa toka Uru ya Wakaldayo nikupe nchi hii uimiliki.”
And he said to him, “I am the Lord who led you away from Ur of the Chaldeans, so as to give you this land, and so that you would possess it.”
8 Lakini Abramu akasema, “Ee Bwana Mwenyezi, nitawezaje kujua kwamba nitapata kuimiliki?”
But he said, “Lord God, in what way may I be able to know that I will possess it?”
9 Ndipo Bwana akamwambia, “Niletee mtamba wa ngʼombe, mbuzi na kondoo dume, kila mmoja wa miaka mitatu, pamoja na hua na kinda la njiwa.”
And the Lord responded by saying: “Take for me a cow of three years, and a she-goat of three years, and a ram of three years, also a turtle-dove and a pigeon.”
10 Abramu akamletea hivi vyote, akampasua kila mnyama vipande viwili, akavipanga kila kimoja kuelekea mwenzake, lakini hata hivyo ndege, hakuwapasua vipande viwili.
Taking all these, he divided them through the middle, and placed both parts opposite one another. But the birds he did not divide.
11 Kisha ndege walao nyama wakatua juu ya mizoga, lakini Abramu akawafukuza.
And birds descended upon the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.
12 Wakati jua lilipokuwa linatua, Abramu akashikwa na usingizi mzito, giza nene na la kutisha likaja juu yake.
And when the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a dread, great and dark, invaded him.
13 Kisha Bwana akamwambia, “Ujue hakika kwamba wazao wako watakuwa wageni kwenye nchi ambayo si yao, nao watafanywa watumwa na kuteswa kwa miaka mia nne.
And it was said to him: “Know beforehand that your future offspring will be sojourners in a land not their own, and they will subjugate them in servitude and afflict them for four hundred years.
14 Lakini nitaliadhibu taifa lile watakalolitumikia kama watumwa, na baadaye watatoka huko na mali nyingi.
Yet truly, I will judge the nation that they will serve, and after this they will depart with great substance.
15 Wewe, hata hivyo utakwenda kwa baba zako kwa amani na kuzikwa katika uzee mwema.
But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age.
16 Katika kizazi cha nne wazao wako watarudi hapa, kwa maana dhambi ya Waamori bado haijafikia kipimo kilichojaa.”
But in the fourth generation, they will return here. For the iniquities of the Amorites are not yet completed, even to this present time.”
17 Wakati jua lilipokuwa limezama na giza limeingia, tanuru la moshi na mwali wa moto unaowaka vikatokea na kupita kati ya vile vipande vya nyama.
Then, when the sun had set, there came a dark mist, and there appeared a smoking furnace and a lamp of fire passing between those divisions.
18 Siku hiyo Bwana akafanya Agano na Abramu, na kumwambia, “Nitawapa wazao wako nchi hii, kuanzia Kijito cha Misri hadi mto ule mkubwa, Frati,
On that day, God formed a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt, even to the great river Euphrates:
19 yaani nchi ya Wakeni, Wakenizi, Wakadmoni,
the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites
20 Wahiti, Waperizi, Warefai,
and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, likewise the Rephaim,
21 Waamori, Wakanaani, Wagirgashi na Wayebusi.”
and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
