Mwanzo 23
1 Sara aliishi akawa na umri wa miaka mia na ishirini na saba.
Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life.
2 Sara akafa huko Kiriath-Arba (yaani Hebroni) katika nchi ya Kanaani, Abrahamu akamwombolezea na kumlilia Sara.
Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. 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,
Abraham rose up from before his dead and 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 a foreigner living 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,
The children 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. You are a prince of God amongst us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”
7 Abrahamu akainuka na akasujudu mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi, yaani Wahiti.
Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
8 Akawaambia, “Kama mnaniruhusu kumzika maiti wangu, basi nisikilizeni mkamsihi Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa niaba yangu
He talked with them, saying, “If you agree 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 sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me amongst you as a possession for a burial 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 middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children 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 you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
12 Abrahamu akasujudu tena, mbele ya wenyeji wa nchi,
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.”
He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please 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,
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, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore 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.
Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.
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, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded
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 children 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.
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
20 Hivyo Wahiti wakamkabidhi Abrahamu shamba pamoja na pango lililokuwa humo kuwa mahali pa kuzikia.
The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.
