Mwanzo 23
1 Sara aliishi akawa na umri wa miaka mia na ishirini na saba.
And Sara lived a hundred and twenty-seven years.
2 Sara akafa huko Kiriath-Arba (yaani Hebroni) katika nchi ya Kanaani, Abrahamu akamwombolezea na kumlilia Sara.
And she died in the city of Arbee which is Hebron, in the land of Chanaan: and Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.
3 Ndipo Abrahamu akainuka kutoka pale penye maiti ya mke wake. Akazungumza na Wahiti, akasema,
And after he rose up from the funeral obsequies, he spoke to 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 sojourner among you: give me the right of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead.
5 Wahiti wakamjibu Abrahamu,
The children of Heth answered, saying:
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.”
My Lord, hear us, thou art a prince of God among us: bury thy dead in our principal sepulchres: and no man shall have power to hinder thee from burying thy dead in his sepulchre.
7 Abrahamu akainuka na akasujudu mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi, yaani Wahiti.
Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to wit the children of Heth:
8 Akawaambia, “Kama mnaniruhusu kumzika maiti wangu, basi nisikilizeni mkamsihi Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa niaba yangu
And said to them: If it please your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede for me to Ephron the son of Seor.
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 double cave, which he hath in the end of his field: for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me before 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 dwelt in the midst of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of all that went in at the gate of the city, saying:
11 “La hasha, bwana wangu, nisikilize, nakupa shamba, pia nakupa pango lililomo ndani yake. Nakupa mbele ya watu wangu. Uzike maiti wako.”
Let it not be so, my lord, but do thou rather hearken to what I say: The field I deliver to thee, and the cave that is therein, in the presence of the children of my people, bury thy dead.
12 Abrahamu akasujudu tena, mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi,
Abraham bowed 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 presence of the people: I beseech thee to hear me: I will give money for the field: take it, and so I will bury my dead in it.
14 Efroni akamjibu Abrahamu,
And Ephron answered:
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, hear me. The ground which thou desirest, is worth four hundred sicles of silver: this is the price between me and thee: but what is this? 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 when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had asked, in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred sicles of silver of common current money.
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,
And the field that before was Ephron’s, wherein was the double cave, looking towards Mambre, both it and the cave, and all the trees thereof in all its limits round about,
18 kwa Abrahamu kuwa mali yake mbele ya Wahiti wote waliokuwa wamekuja kwenye lango la mji.
Was made sure to Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of 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 so Abraham buried Sara his wife, in a double cave of the field, that looked towards Mambre, this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan.
20 Hivyo Wahiti wakamkabidhi Abrahamu shamba pamoja na pango lililokuwa humo kuwa mahali pa kuzikia.
And the field was made sure to Abraham, and the cave that was in it, for a possession to bury in, by the children of Heth.
