Mwanzo 20
1 Basi Abrahamu akaendelea mbele kutoka huko hadi nchi ya Negebu na akaishi kati ya Kadeshi na Shuri. Kwa muda mfupi alikaa Gerari kama mgeni,
Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
2 huko Abrahamu akasema kuhusu Sara mkewe, “Huyu ni dada yangu.” Kisha Abimeleki mfalme wa Gerari akatuma Sara aletwe, naye akamchukua.
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
3 Lakini Mungu akamjia Abimeleki katika ndoto wakati wa usiku na kumwambia, “Wewe ni kama mfu kwa sababu ya huyu mwanamke uliyemchukua; yeye ni mke wa mtu.”
One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
4 Wakati huo Abimeleki alikuwa bado hajamsogelea, kwa hiyo akasema, “Je, Bwana utaliharibu taifa lisilo na hatia?
Now Abimelech had not gone near her, so he replied, “Lord, would You destroy a nation even though it is innocent?
5 Hakusema kwangu, ‘Huyu ni dada yangu,’ naye Sara pia hakusema, ‘Huyu ni kaka yangu’? Nimefanya haya kwa dhamiri njema na mikono safi.”
Didn’t Abraham tell me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.”
6 Kisha Mungu akamwambia katika ndoto, “Ndiyo, najua ya kwamba umefanya haya kwa dhamiri safi, kwa hiyo nimekuzuia usinitende dhambi. Ndiyo sababu sikukuacha umguse.
Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
7 Sasa umrudishe huyo mke wa mtu, kwa maana ni nabii, naye atakuombea nawe utaishi. Lakini kama hutamrudisha, ujue kwa hakika kuwa wewe na watu wako wote mtakufa.”
Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet; he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, be aware that you will surely die—you and all who belong to you.”
8 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema Abimeleki akawaita maafisa wake wote, na baada ya kuwaambia yote yaliyotokea, waliogopa sana.
Early the next morning Abimelech got up and summoned all his servants; and when he described to them all that had happened, the men were terrified.
9 Kisha Abimeleki akamwita Abrahamu na kumwambia, “Wewe umetufanyia nini? Nimekukosea nini hata ukaleta hatia kubwa namna hii juu yangu na ufalme wangu? Umenifanyia mambo ambayo hayakupasa kufanyika.”
Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should not be done.”
10 Abimeleki akamuuliza Abrahamu, “Ulikuwa na kusudi gani kufanya hivi?”
Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What prompted you to do such a thing?”
11 Abrahamu akajibu, “Niliwaza kwamba, ‘Hakika hakuna hofu ya Mungu mahali hapa, nao wataniua kwa sababu ya mke wangu.’
Abraham replied, “I thought to myself, ‘Surely there is no fear of God in this place. They will kill me on account of my wife.’
12 Pamoja na hayo, ni kweli kwamba yeye ni dada yangu, binti wa baba yangu ingawa si mtoto wa mama yangu; basi akawa mke wangu.
Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father—though not the daughter of my mother—and she became my wife.
13 Wakati Bwana aliponifanya nisafiri mbali na nyumbani mwa baba yangu, nilimwambia, ‘Hivi ndivyo utakavyoonyesha pendo lako kwangu: Kila mahali tutakapokwenda, kuhusu mimi sema, “Huyu ni kaka yangu.”’”
So when God had me journey from my father’s house, I said to Sarah, ‘This is how you can show your loyalty to me: Wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”
14 Kisha Abimeleki akatwaa kondoo na ngʼombe, na watumwa wa kiume na wa kike akampa Abrahamu, akamrudisha Sara kwa mumewe.
So Abimelech brought sheep and cattle, menservants and maidservants, and he gave them to Abraham and restored his wife Sarah to him.
15 Abimeleki akasema, “Nchi yangu iko mbele yako, ishi popote unapotaka.”
And Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you. Settle wherever you please.”
16 Akamwambia Sara, “Ninampa kaka yako shekeli elfu moja za fedha. Hii ni kufidia kosa lililofanyika dhidi yako mbele ya wote walio pamoja nawe; haki yako imethibitishwa kabisa.”
And he said to Sarah, “See, I am giving your brother a thousand pieces of silver. It is your vindication before all who are with you; you are completely cleared.”
17 Kisha Abrahamu akamwomba Mungu, naye Mungu akamponya Abimeleki, mke wake, na watumwa wake wa kike kwamba waweze kupata watoto tena,
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maidservants, so that they could again bear children—
18 kwa kuwa Bwana alikuwa ameyafunga matumbo ya wote katika nyumba ya Abimeleki kwa sababu ya Sara, mke wa Abrahamu.
for on account of Abraham’s wife Sarah, the LORD had completely closed all the wombs in Abimelech’s household.
