Mwanzo 23
1 Sara aliishi akawa na umri wa miaka mia na ishirini na saba.
And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty 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 spake unto the children 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 children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto 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 art a prince of God among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest 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 children of Heth.
8 Akawaambia, “Kama mnaniruhusu kumzika maiti wangu, basi nisikilizeni mkamsihi Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa niaba yangu
And he communed 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 hath, which is in the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me 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 children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that 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.”
Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the children of my people give I it thee: 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 spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 Efroni akamjibu Abrahamu,
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto 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 unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore 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 unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children 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 therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the border thereof round about, were made sure
18 kwa Abrahamu kuwa mali yake mbele ya Wahiti wote waliokuwa wamekuja kwenye lango la mji.
unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that 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 therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the children of Heth.
