Mwanzo 23
1 Sara akaishi mika mia moja na ishirini na saba. Hii ndiyo ilikuwa ni miaka ya maisha ya Sara.
Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years.
2 Sara akafa katika Kiriathi Arba, ambayo ni Hebroni, katika nchi ya Kanaani. Abraham akaomboleza na kumlilia Sara.
And she died in the city of Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.
3 Kisha Abraham akainuka na kutoka kwa mkewe aliye kufa, akanena na watoto wa kiume wa Hethi, akisema,
And when he had risen up from the funeral duties, he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying:
4 “Mimi ni mgeni kati yenu. Tafadhari nipatieni mahali pa kuzikia miongoni mwenu, ili kwamba niweze kuzika wafu wangu.”
“I am a newcomer and a sojourner among you. Give me the right of a sepulcher among you, so that I may bury my dead.”
5 Wana wa Hethi wakamjibu Abraham, wakasema,
The sons of Heth responded by saying:
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.”
“Hear us, O lord, you are a leader of God among us. Bury your dead in our chosen sepulchers. And no man shall be able to prohibit you from burying your dead within his memorial.”
7 Abraham akainuka na kusujudu chini kwa watu wa nchi ile, kwa wana wa Hethi.
Abraham arose, and he reverenced the people of the land, namely, the sons of Heth.
8 Akawaambia, akisema, “ikiwa mmekubali mimi kuzika wafu wangu, ndipo nisikilizeni, msihini Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa ajili yangu.
And he said to them: “If it pleases your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede on my behalf with Ephron, the son of Zohar,
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.”
so that he may give me the double cave, which he has at the far end of his field. He may transfer it to me for as much money as it is worth in your sight, for the possession of a sepulcher.”
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 dwelt in the midst of the sons of Heth. And Ephron responded to Abraham in the hearing of everyone who was entering at the gate of his city, saying:
11 “Hapana, bwana wangu, nisikilize. Ninakupatia shamba na pango ambalo limo ndani yake. Ninakupatia mbele ya wana wa watu wangu. Ninakupatia uzike wafu wako.”
“Let it never be so, my lord, but you should pay greater heed to what I say. The field I will transfer to you, and the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people, bury your dead.”
12 Kisha Abraham akasujudu chini mbele ya watu wa nchi ile.
Abraham reverenced in the sight of 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 he spoke to Ephron, standing in the midst of the people: “I ask you to hear me. I will give you money for the field. Take it, and so I will bury my dead in it.”
14 Efroni akamjibu Abraham, akisema,
And Ephron responded: “My lord, hear me.
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.”
The land that you request is worth four hundred shekels of silver. This is the price between me and you. But how much is this? 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.
And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had requested, in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, of the approved public currency.
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
And having confirmed that the field, in which there was a double cave overlooking Mamre, formerly belonged to Ephron, both it and the sepulcher, and all its trees, with all its surrounding limits,
18 kwa Abraham kwa njia ya manunuzi mbele ya wana wa Hethi, na mbele ya wote waliokuja malangoni pa mji wake.
Abraham took it as a possession, in the sight of the sons of Heth and of everyone who was entering at 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.
So then, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the double cave of the field that overlooked Mamre. This 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.
And the field was confirmed to Abraham, with the cave that was in it, as a memorial possession before the sons of Heth.
