Mwanzo 23
1 Sara aliishi akawa na umri wa miaka mia na ishirini na saba.
And the life of Sarah is one hundred and twenty-seven years—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 dies in Kirjath-Arba, which [is] Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham goes to mourn for Sarah, and to lament her.
3 Ndipo Abrahamu akainuka kutoka pale penye maiti ya mke wake. Akazungumza na Wahiti, akasema,
And Abraham rises up from the presence of his dead, and speaks to the sons of Heth, saying,
4 “Mimi ni mpitaji na mgeni miongoni mwenu. Niuzieni sehemu ya ardhi yenu ili niweze kumzika maiti wangu.”
“A sojourner and a settler I [am] with you; give to me a possession of a burying-place with you, and I bury my dead from before me.”
5 Wahiti wakamjibu Abrahamu,
And the sons of Heth answer 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; a prince of God [are] you in our midst; in the choice of our burying-places bury your dead: none of our burying-places do we withhold from you, from burying your dead.”
7 Abrahamu akainuka na akasujudu mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi, yaani Wahiti.
And Abraham rises and bows himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth,
8 Akawaambia, “Kama mnaniruhusu kumzika maiti wangu, basi nisikilizeni mkamsihi Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa niaba yangu
and he speaks with them, saying, “If it is your desire to bury my dead from before me, hear me, and meet for me with Ephron, son of Zoar;
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.”
and he gives to me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which [is] in the extremity of his field; for full money does he give it to me, in your midst, 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.
And Ephron is sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answers Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all those entering 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: the field I have given to you, and the cave that [is] in it, to you I have given it; before the eyes of the sons of my people I have given it to you—bury your dead.”
12 Abrahamu akasujudu tena, mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi,
And Abraham bows himself 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 speaks to Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, “Only—if you would hear me—I have given the money of the field—accept from me, and I bury my dead there.”
14 Efroni akamjibu Abrahamu,
And Ephron answers 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, hear me: the land—four hundred shekels of silver; between me and you, what [is] it? Bury your 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 listens to Ephron, and Abraham weighs to Ephron the silver which he has spoken of in the ears of the sons of Heth, four hundred silver shekels, passing 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,
And established are the field of Ephron, which [is] in Machpelah, which [is] before Mamre, the field and the cave which [is] in it, and all the trees which [are] in the field, which [are] around all its border,
18 kwa Abrahamu kuwa mali yake mbele ya Wahiti wote waliokuwa wamekuja kwenye lango la mji.
to Abraham by purchase, before the eyes of the sons of Heth, among all entering 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 has buried his wife Sarah at the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (which [is] Hebron), in the land of Canaan;
20 Hivyo Wahiti wakamkabidhi Abrahamu shamba pamoja na pango lililokuwa humo kuwa mahali pa kuzikia.
and established are the field, and the cave which [is] in it, to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, from the sons of Heth.
