Mwanzo 23
1 Sara akaishi mika mia moja na ishirini na saba. Hii ndiyo ilikuwa ni miaka ya maisha ya Sara.
Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old.
2 Sara akafa katika Kiriathi Arba, ambayo ni Hebroni, katika nchi ya Kanaani. Abraham akaomboleza na kumlilia Sara.
She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.
3 Kisha Abraham akainuka na kutoka kwa mkewe aliye kufa, akanena na watoto wa kiume wa Hethi, akisema,
Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and said to the Hittites,
4 “Mimi ni mgeni kati yenu. Tafadhari nipatieni mahali pa kuzikia miongoni mwenu, ili kwamba niweze kuzika wafu wangu.”
“I am a foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”
5 Wana wa Hethi wakamjibu Abraham, wakasema,
The Hittites replied to Abraham,
6 “Tusikilize, bwana wangu. Wewe ni mwana wa Mungu miongoni mwetu. Zika wafu wako katika makaburi yetu utakayochagua. Hakuna miongoni mwetu atakaye kuzuilia kaburi lake, kwa ajili ya kuzikia wafu wako.”
“Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”
7 Abraham akainuka na kusujudu chini kwa watu wa nchi ile, kwa wana wa Hethi.
Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
8 Akawaambia, akisema, “ikiwa mmekubali mimi kuzika wafu wangu, ndipo nisikilizeni, msihini Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa ajili yangu.
“If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
9 Mwambieni aniuzie pango la Makpela, ambalo analimiliki, ambalo liko mwishoni mwa shamba lake. Kwa bei kamili aniuzie waziwazi mbele ya watu kama miliki ya kuzikia.”
to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence for full price, so that I may have a burial site.”
10 Efroni alikuwa ameketi miongoni mwa wana wa Hethi, hivyo Efroni Mhiti akamjibu Abraham alipowasikia wana wa Hethi, wote ambao walikuwa wamekuja langoni mwa mji wake, akasema,
Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth. So in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham,
11 “Hapana, bwana wangu, nisikilize. Ninakupatia shamba na pango ambalo limo ndani yake. Ninakupatia mbele ya wana wa watu wangu. Ninakupatia uzike wafu wako.”
“No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”
12 Kisha Abraham akasujudu chini mbele ya watu wa nchi ile.
Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
13 Akamwambia Efroni watu wa nchi ile wakisikiliza, akasema, ikiwa uko radhi, tafadhari nisikilize. Nitalipia shamba. Chukua fedha kwangu, na nitazika wafu wangu pale.”
and said to Ephron in their presence, “If you will please listen to me, I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.”
14 Efroni akamjibu Abraham, akisema,
Ephron answered Abraham,
15 “Tafadhari bwana wangu, nisikilize. Kipande cha ardhi kinathamani ya shekeli mia nne za fedha, na hiyo ni kitu gani kati yangu mimi na wewe? wazike wafu wako.”
“Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”
16 Abraham akamsikiliza Efroni na akampimia Efroni kiwango cha fedha alizosema mbele ya wana wa Helthi wakisikiliza, shekeli mia nne za fedha, kwa mujibu wa viwango vya vipimo vya kibiashara.
Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard of the merchants.
17 Kwa hiyo shamba la Efroni, lililokuwa katika Makpela, mbele ya Mamre, shamba pamoja na pango lililokuwamo ndani yake na miti yote iliyokuwamo ndani ya shamba na iliyokuwa mpakani ikatolewa
So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre, the cave that was in it, and all the trees within the boundaries of the field were deeded over
18 kwa Abraham kwa njia ya manunuzi mbele ya wana wa Hethi, na mbele ya wote waliokuja malangoni pa mji wake.
to Abraham’s possession in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.
19 Baada ya haya, Abraham akamzika Sara mkewe katika pango la shamba la Makpela, lililo mbele ya Mamre, ambayo ni Hebroni, katika nchi ya Kanaani.
After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
20 Kwa hiyo shamba pamoja na pango likatolewa na wana wa Hethi kwa Abraham kama milki na eneo la kuzikia.
So the field and its cave were deeded by the Hittites to Abraham as a burial site.
