Mwanzo 18
1 Yahwe alimtokea Abraham katika Mialoni ya Mamre, alipokua ameketi mlangoni pa hema wakati wa jua.
And God appeared to him by the oak of Mambre, as he sat by the door of his tent at noon.
2 Akatazama juu na, tazama, akaona wanaume watatu wamesimama mbele yake. Alipo waona, alikimbia kupitia mlango wa hema kuwalaki na kuinama chini hadi ardhini.
And he lifted up his eyes and beheld, and lo! three men stood before him; and having seen them he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and did obeisance to the ground.
3 Akasema, “Bwana, kama nimepata upendelea machoni pako, nakuomba usinipite na kuniacha mtumishi wako.
And he said, Lord, if indeed I have found grace in thy sight, pass not by thy servant.
4 Naomba maji kidogo yaletwe, mnawe miguu yenu, na mjipumzishe chini ya mti.
Let water now be brought, and let them wash your feet, and do ye refresh [yourselves] under the tree.
5 Nami acha nilete chakula kidogo, ili kwamba mjiburudishe wenyewe. Ndipo baadae mwaweza kwenda zenu, kwa kuwa mmekuja kwa mtumishi wenu.” Nao wakasema, “Fanya kama ulivyo sema.”
And I will bring bread, and ye shall eat, and after this ye shall depart on your journey, on account of which [refreshment] ye have turned aside to your servant. And he said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 Kisha Abraham akaenda upesi hemani kwa Sara, na akasema, “Harakisha, chukua vipimo vitatu vya unga safi, uukande, na fanya mkate.”
And Abraam hasted to the tent to Sarrha, and said to her, Hasten, and knead three measures of fine flour, and make cakes.
7 Kisha Abraham akakimbia kundini, akachukua ndama wa ng'ombe aliye laini na mzuri, na akampatia mtumishi na kwa haraka akamwandaa.
And Abraam ran to the kine, and took a young calf, tender and good, and gave it to his servant, and he hasted to dress it.
8 Akatwaa siagi na maziwa na ndama aliye kwisha andaliwa, na akaweka chakula mbele yao, naye akasimama karibu nao chini ya mti wakati wanakula.
And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed; and he set them before them, and they did eat, and he stood by them under the tree.
9 Wakamwambia, “Mke wako Sara yuko wapi?” akajibu. “pale hemani.”
And he said to him, Where is Sarrha thy wife? And he answered and said, Behold! in the tent.
10 akasema, “Hakika nitarejea kwako majira ya machipuko, na tazama Sara mkeo atakuwa na mtoto wa kiume.” Sara alikuwa akisikiliza mlangoni pa hema iliyokuwa nyuma yake.
And he said, I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him.
11 Abraham na Sara walikuwa wazee, umri wao ulikuwa umeendelea sana, na Sara alikuwa amepita umri ambao mwanamke anaweza kuzaa watoto.
And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha.
12 Kwa hiyo Sara akajicheka mwenyewe, akijisemesha mwenyewe, “baada ya kuwa nimechakaa na bwana wangu ni mzee, je ni tapata furaha hii?”
And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old.
13 Yahwe akamwambia Abraham, “Kwa nini Sara amecheka na kusema, Je ni kweli nitazaa mtoto, nikiwa mzee'?
And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old.
14 Je kuna jambo lolote gumu sana kwa Yahwe? Itakuwa katika wakati nilioweka mimi majira ya machipuko, nitarejea kwako. Majira haya mwakani Sara atakuwa na mtoto wa kiume.”
Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son.
15 Kisha Sara akakataa na kusema, “sikucheka,” kwa kuwa aliogopa. Yahwe akasema, “hapana ulicheka.”
But Sarrha denied, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid. And he said to her, Nay, but thou didst laugh.
16 Kisha wale wanaume walisimama kuondoka na wakatazama chini kuelekea Sodoma. Abraham akafuatana nao kuona njia yao.
And the men having risen up from thence looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey.
17 Lakini Yahwe akasema, Je ni mfiche Abraham kile ninacho kusudia kufanya,
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraam my servant what things I intend to do?
18 Ikiwa kwa hakika Abraham atakuwa mkuu na taifa lenye nguvu, na katika yeye mataifa yote ya dunia watabarikiwa?
But Abraam shall become a great and populous nation, and in him shall all the nations of the earth be blest.
19 Kwa kuwa nimemchagua ili awaelekeze wanawe na nyumba yake baada yake waishike njia ya Yahwe, watende utakatifu na haki, ili kwamba Yahwe ampatie Abraham yale aliyo yasema kwake.”
For I know that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraam all things whatsoever he has spoken to him.
20 Kisha Yahwe akasema, “Kwa sababu kilio cha Sodoma na Gomora ni kikuu, na kwa kuwa dhambi yao ni kubwa,
And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.
21 sasa nitashuka pale na kuona kilio kilicho nifikia dhidi yake, ikiwa kweli wamefanya au hawakufanya, nitajua.”
I will therefore go down and see, if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know.
22 Kwa hiyo wale wanaume wakageuka toka pale, na kuelekea Sodoma, lakini Abraham akabaki amesimama mbele ya Yahwe.
And the men having departed thence, came to Sodom; and Abraam was still standing before the Lord.
23 Kisha Abraham alikaribia na kusema, “Je utawafutilia mbali watakatifu pamoja na waovu?
And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?
24 Huenda wakawepo wenye haki hamsini katika mji. Je utawakatilia mbali na usiuache mji kwa ajili ya hao watakatifu hamsini walioko hapo?
Should there be fifty righteous in the city, wilt thou destroy them? wilt thou not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it?
25 Hasha usifanye hivyo, kuwauwa watakatifu pamoja na waovu, ili kwamba watakatifu watendewe sawa na waovu. Hasha! Je muhukumu wa ulimwengu wote hatatenda haki?”
By no means shalt thou do as this thing [is] so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right?
26 Yahwe akasema, “Katika Sodoma nikipata watakatifu hamsini kwenye mji, nita uacha mji wote kwa ajili ya hao.”
And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes.
27 Abraham akajibu na kusema, “Tazama, Nimeshika kusema na Bwana wangu, hata kama mimi ni mavumbi na majivu!
And Abraam answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am earth and ashes.
28 Itakuwaje ikiwa kuna watano pungufu katika idadi ya hao watakatifu hamsini? Je utaangamiza mji wote kwa upungufu wa hao watano?” Akasema, “Sitaangamiza, ikiwa nitapata watu arobaini na watano pale.”
But if the fifty righteous should be diminished to forty-five, wilt thou destroy the whole city because of the five [wanting]? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there forty-five.
29 Akaongea naye tena, na kusema, “Itakuwaje ikiwa arobaini watapatikana pale?” Akajibu, “Sitafanya kwa ajili ya hao arobaini.”
And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the forty's sake.
30 Akasema, Tafadhali usikasirike, Bwana, nikiongea. Pengine thelathini watapatikana pale.” Akajibu, 'Sitafanya, ikiwa nitapata thelathini pale.”
And he said, Will there be anything [against me], Lord, if I shall speak? but if there be found there thirty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the thirty's sake.
31 Akasema, Tazama, Nimeshika kusema na Bwana wangu! Pengine ishirini watapatikana pale.” Akajibu, “Sitaharibu kwa ajili ya hao ishirini.”
And he said, Since I am able to speak to the Lord, what if there should be found there twenty? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there twenty.
32 Akasema, “Tafadhali usikasirike, Bwana, na nitasema jambo hili kwa mara ya mwisho. Huenda kumi wakaonekana kule.” Na akasema, sitaangamiza kwa ajili ya hao kumi.”
And he said, Will there be anything [against me], Lord, if I speak yet once? but if there should be found there ten? And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.
33 Yahwe akaendelea na njia yake mara tu baada ya kumaliza kuongea na Abraham, na Abraham akarudi nyumbani.
And the Lord departed, when he left off speaking to Abraam, and Abraam returned to his place.
