Mwanzo 12
1 Kisha Yahwe akamwambia Abram, “Nenda utoke katika nchi yako, na toka kwa ndugu zako, na kwa jamaa za baba yako, uende katika nchi nitakayo kuonesha.
And Yahweh said unto Abram: Come thou on thy way, Out of thy land and out of the place of thy birth and out of the house of thy father, —Unto the land that I will show thee;
2 Nitakufanya uwe taifa kubwa, na nitakubariki na kulifanya jinalako kuwa kubwa, na utafanyika baraka.
That I may make thee into a great nation, And bless thee and make great thy name, And become thou a blessing;
3 Nitawabariki wakubarikio, lakini asiye kuheshimu nita mlaani. Kupitia kwako familia zote za nchi zitabarikiwa.
That I may bless them who bless thee, But him who maketh light of thee, will I curse, —So shall be, blessed in thee, all the families of the ground.
4 Kwa hiyo Abram akaondoka kama vile Yahwe alivyo mwambia kufanya, na Lutu akaenda pamoja naye. Abram alikuwa na miaka sabini na mitano wakati alipotoka Harani.
And Abram came on his way, according to that which Yahweh had spoken unto him, and Lot came with him, —now, Abram, was seventy-five years old, when he came forth out of Haran.
5 Abram akamchukua Sarai mkewe, Lutu, mtoto wa ndugu yake, na vyote walivyomiliki ambavyo wamevikusanya, na watu ambao wamewapata wakiwa huko Harani. Wakatoka kwenda katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakafika nchi ya Kanaani.
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, with all the goods that they had gathered and the souls that they had gained in Haran, —and they came forth to go towards the land of Canaan, and came in to the land of Canaan.
6 Abram akapitia katikati ya nchi hadi Shekemu, hadi mwaloni wa More. Wakati huo wakanaani waliishi katika nchi hiyo.
And Abram passed along throughout the land, as far as the place of Shechem as far as the Teacher’s Terebinth, the Canaanite being then in the land.
7 Yahwe akamtokea Abram, na kusema, “Nitawapa uzao wako nchi hii.” Kwa hiyo Abram akamjengea madhabahu, Yahwe ambaye alimtokea.
And Yahweh appeared unto Abram, and said: To thy seed, will I give this land, —And he built there an altar, unto Yahweh who appeared unto him.
8 Kutoka pale akaenda kwenye nchi ya mlima mashariki mwa Betheli, ambapo alipiga hema yake, magaribi kukiwa na Betheli na mashariki kukiwa na mji wa Ai. Akajenga madhabahu ya Yahwe pale na kuliitia jina la Yahwe.
And he moved on from thence towards the hill country, on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, —with Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east, and built there an altar to Yahweh, and called on the name of Yahweh.
9 Kisha Abram akaendelea kusafiri, akielekea upande wa Negebu.
Thus Abram brake up, again and again, towards the South.
10 Kulikuwa na njaa katika nchi, kwa hiyo Abram akaenda kukaa Misri, kwa kuwa njaa ilikua kali katika nchi.
And it came to pass that there was a famine, in the land, —so Abram went down towards Egypt, to sojourn there, because grievous, was the famine in the land.
11 Wakati alipokaribia kuingia Misri, akamwambia Sarai mkewe, “tazama, najua kuwa wewe ni mwanamke mzuri.
And it came to pass when he had come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: Behold! I beseech thee I know that a woman fair to look on, thou art:
12 Wamisri watakapokuona watasema, huyu ni mke wake, na wataniua mimi, lakini watakuacha wewe hai.
so will it come to pass when the Egyptians behold thee, that they will say, His wife, this! and will slay me while thee, they preserve alive.
13 Hivyo wewe sema kuwa ni dada yangu, ili kwamba niwe salama kwa sababu yako, na kumba maisha yangu yatasalimika kwa sababu yako.”
Say, I beseech thee that my sister, art thou, —to the end it may be well with me for thy sake, so shall my soul be preserved alive because of thee.
14 Ikawa kwamba Abram alipoingia Misri, Wamisri wakaona kwamba Sarai ni mzuri sana.
And so it was when Abram entered into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman, that fair, was she exceedingly.
15 Wakuu wa Farao wakamuona, na kumsifia kwa Farao, na huyu mwanamke akachukuliwa kupelekwa nyumbani mwa Farao.
And the princes of Pharaoh beheld her, and praised her unto Pharaoh, —so the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh;
16 Farao akamtendea kwa wema Abram kwa ajili yake, na akampatia kondoo, maksai, punda waume watumishi wa kiume, watumishi wa kike, punda wake, na ngamia.
and with Abram, dealt he well for her sake, —so that he came to have flocks and herds and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses and camels.
17 Kisha Yahwe akampiga Farao na nyumba yake kwa mapigo makuu kwa sababau ya Sarai, mke wa Abram.
And Yahweh plagued Pharaoh with great plagues, also his house, —for the matter of Sarai, wife of Abram.
18 Farao akamwita Abram na kusema, “Nini hiki ambacho umenifanyia? Kwa nini hukuniambia kuwa alikuwa mke wako?
And Pharaoh called out to Abram, and said, What is this thou hast done to me? Wherefore didst thou not tell me, that she was, thy wife?
19 Kwa nini ulisema, 'ni dada yangu; na mimi nikamchukua kuwa mke wangu? Sasa kwa sababu hiyo huyu hapa mke wako. Mchukue na uende zako.”
Wherefore saidst thou My sister, she; and so I was about to take her to me, to wife? But now, lo! thy wife take her and go thy way.
20 Kisha Farao akatoa amri kwa watu wake kuhusiana naye, na wakamuondoa, yeye pamoja na mke wake na vyote alivyokuwa navyo.
And Pharaoh gave command concerning him unto certain men, —and sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.
