Mwanzo 15
1 Baada ya mabo haya neno la Yahwe likamjia Abram katika maono, likisema, “Usiogope, Abram! mimi ni ngao yako na thawabu yako kubwa sana.”
After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield and your very great reward.”
2 Abram akasema, “Bwana Yahwe, utanipatia nini, kwa kuwa naenda bila mtoto, na mrithi wa nyumba yangu ni Eliezeri wa Dameski?”
Abram said, “Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
3 Abram akasema, “Kwakuwa hujanipatia uzao, tazama, mwangalizi wa nyumba yangu ndiye mrithi wangu.”
Abram said, “Since you have given me no descendant, see, the steward of my house is my heir.”
4 Kisha, tazama, neno la Yahwe likaja kwake, kusema, “Mtu huyu hatakuwa mrithi wako; isipokuwa atakaye toka katika mwili wako ndiye atakuwa mrithi wako.”
Then, behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but rather the one who will come from your own body will be your heir.”
5 Kisha akamtoa nje, na akasema, Tazama mbinguni, na uzihesabu nyota, ikiwa unaweza kuzihesabu.” Kisha akamwambia, hivyo ndivyo uzao wako utakavyokuwa.
Then he brought him outside, and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”
6 Akamwamini Yahwe, na akamuhesabia jambo hili kuwa mwenye haki.
He believed Yahweh, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
7 Akamwambia, Mimi ni Yahwe, niliye kutoa katika Uru ya Wakaldayo, na kukupatia nchi hii kuirithi.”
He said to him, “I am Yahweh, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.”
8 Akasema, “Bwana Yahwe, nitajua je kuwa nitairithi?”
He said, “Lord Yahweh, how will I know that I will inherit it?”
9 Kisha akamwambia, “Nipatie ndama wa umri wa miaka mitatu, mbuzi mke wa umri wa miaka mitatu, na kondoo mume wa umri wa miaka mitatu, na njiwa na mwana njiwa.”
Then he said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a dove, and a young pigeon.”
10 Akamletea hivi vyote, akavipasua katika sehemu mbili, akaweka kila kipande kuelekea mwenzake, ila ndege hakuawapasua.
He brought him all these, and cut them in two, and placed each half opposite the other, but he did not divide the birds.
11 Wakati ndege walipokuja juu ya mizoga, Abram akawafukuza.
When the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 Kisha wakati jua lilipokuwa likizama, Abram akalala usingizi mzito na tazama, hofu ya giza kuu ikamfunika.
Then when the sun was going down, Abram fell sound asleep and, behold, a deep and terrifying darkness overwhelmed him.
13 Kisha Yahwe akamwambia Abram, “Ujuwe kwa hakika kwamba uzao wako watakuwa wageni katika nchi ambayo si ya kwao, na watatumikishwa na kuteswa kwa miaka mia nne.
Then Yahweh said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.
14 Nitahukumu taifa ambalo watalitumikia, na baadye watatoka wakiwa na mali nyingi.
I will judge that nation that they will serve, and afterward they will come out with abundant possessions.
15 Lakini utakwenda kwa baba zako kwa amani, na utazikwa katika uzee mwema.
But you will go to your fathers in peace, and you will be buried in a good old age.
16 Katika kizazi cha nne watakuja tena hapa, kwa sababu uovu wa Waamori haujafikia mwisho wake.”
In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.”
17 Jua lilipokuwa limezama na kuwa giza, tazama, chungu cha moshi wenye moto na miali ya mwanga ilipita kati ya vile vipande.
When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between the pieces.
18 Siku hiyo Yahwe akafanya agano na Abram, akisema, “Ninatoa nchi hii kwa uzao wako, kutoka mto wa Misri hadi kwenye mto mkuu, Frati -
On that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I hereby give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—
19 Mkeni, Mkenizi, na Mkadmoni,
the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,
20 Mhiti, Mperizi, Mrefai,
the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaites,
21 Mwamori, Mkanaani, Mgirgashi, na Myebusi.
the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
