Mwanzo 23
1 Sara aliishi akawa na umri wa miaka mia na ishirini na saba.
And the life of Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years. These were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 Sara akafa huko Kiriath-Arba (yaani Hebroni) katika nchi ya Kanaani, Abrahamu akamwombolezea na kumlilia Sara.
And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 Ndipo Abrahamu akainuka kutoka pale penye maiti ya mke wake. Akazungumza na Wahiti, akasema,
And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
4 “Mimi ni mpitaji na mgeni miongoni mwenu. Niuzieni sehemu ya ardhi yenu ili niweze kumzika maiti wangu.”
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5 Wahiti wakamjibu Abrahamu,
And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
6 “Bwana, tusikilize. Wewe ni mtawala mkuu sana miongoni mwetu. Zika maiti wako katika kaburi unalolipenda kati ya makaburi yetu. Hakuna mtu wa kwetu atakayekuzuia kaburi lake ili kuzika maiti wako.”
Hear us, my lord. Thou are a prince of God among us. Bury thy dead in our choice sepulchers. None of us shall withhold from thee his sepulcher, but that thou may bury thy dead.
7 Abrahamu akainuka na akasujudu mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi, yaani Wahiti.
And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the sons of Heth.
8 Akawaambia, “Kama mnaniruhusu kumzika maiti wangu, basi nisikilizeni mkamsihi Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa niaba yangu
And he conversed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9 ili aniuzie pango la Makpela, lililo mali yake, nalo liko mwisho wa shamba lake. Mwambieni aniuzie kwa bei kamili atakayosema ili liwe mahali pangu pa kuzikia miongoni mwenu.”
that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. Let him give it to me for the full price in the midst of you for a possession of a burying place.
10 Efroni Mhiti alikuwa ameketi miongoni mwa watu wake, akamjibu Abrahamu mbele ya Wahiti wote waliokuwepo katika lango la mji.
Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the sons of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11 “La hasha, bwana wangu, nisikilize, nakupa shamba, pia nakupa pango lililomo ndani yake. Nakupa mbele ya watu wangu. Uzike maiti wako.”
No, my lord, hear me. I give thee the field. And the cave that is in it, I give it to thee. I give it to thee in the presence of the sons of my people. Bury thy dead.
12 Abrahamu akasujudu tena, mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi,
And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
13 akamwambia Efroni wale watu wakiwa wanasikia, “Tafadhali nisikilize. Nitakulipa fedha za hilo shamba. Kubali kuzipokea ili niweze kumzika maiti wangu.”
And he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou will, I pray thee, hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 Efroni akamjibu Abrahamu,
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
15 “Nisikilize, bwana wangu, thamani ya ardhi hiyo ni shekeli 400 za fedha, lakini hiyo ni nini kati yako na mimi? Mzike maiti wako.”
My lord, hearken to me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and thee? Therefore bury thy dead.
16 Abrahamu akakubali masharti ya Efroni, akampimia ile fedha aliyotaja masikioni mwa Wahiti: Shekeli 400 za fedha kulingana na viwango vya uzito vilivyokuwa vikitumika wakati huo na wafanyabiashara.
And Abraham hearkened to Ephron. And Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver that he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
17 Hivyo shamba la Efroni huko Makpela karibu na Mamre, yaani shamba pamoja na pango lililokuwamo, nayo miti yote iliyokuwamo ndani ya mipaka ya shamba hilo, vilikabidhiwa,
So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the border of it round about, were made sure
18 kwa Abrahamu kuwa mali yake mbele ya Wahiti wote waliokuwa wamekuja kwenye lango la mji.
to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
19 Baada ya hayo Abrahamu akamzika Sara mkewe kwenye pango ndani ya shamba la Makpela karibu na Mamre (huko Hebroni) katika nchi ya Kanaani.
And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
20 Hivyo Wahiti wakamkabidhi Abrahamu shamba pamoja na pango lililokuwa humo kuwa mahali pa kuzikia.
And the field, and the cave that is in it, were made sure to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the sons of Heth.
