Mwanzo 23
1 Sara akaishi mika mia moja na ishirini na saba. Hii ndiyo ilikuwa ni miaka ya maisha ya Sara.
Sarah lived to be 127,
2 Sara akafa katika Kiriathi Arba, ambayo ni Hebroni, katika nchi ya Kanaani. Abraham akaomboleza na kumlilia Sara.
and then she died at Kiriath-arba (or Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went in to mourn her death and to weep over 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 wife's body and went to talk with the leaders of 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, a stranger living among you,” he said. “Please let me buy a burial site so I can bury my dead wife.”
5 Wana wa Hethi wakamjibu Abraham, wakasema,
The Hittites answered Abraham, telling him,
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, my lord, you are a highly-respected prince among us. Choose the very best of our burial sites to bury your dead. None of us will say no to you.”
7 Abraham akainuka na kusujudu chini kwa watu wa nchi ile, kwa wana wa Hethi.
Abraham got up and bowed low before the Hittites, the local people,
8 Akawaambia, akisema, “ikiwa mmekubali mimi kuzika wafu wangu, ndipo nisikilizeni, msihini Efroni mwana wa Sohari kwa ajili yangu.
and said to them, “If you agree to help me bury my dead, listen to my proposal. Could you please ask Ephron, 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.”
to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him, down at the end of his field. I'm willing to pay him the full price here in your presence so I can have my own 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,
Ephron the Hittite was sitting there among his people. He replied to Abraham in the presence of the Hittites who were there at the town gate.
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,” he said. “Please listen to me. I give you the field and the cave that is there. I give it to you and my people are my witnesses. Please go and bury your dead.”
12 Kisha Abraham akasujudu chini mbele ya watu wa nchi ile.
Abraham bowed low before the local people,
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 so everyone could hear, “Please listen to me. I will pay the price for the field. Take the money and let me go and bury my dead there.”
14 Efroni akamjibu Abraham, akisema,
Ephron replied to Abraham, telling him,
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.”
“My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth four hundred pieces of silver. But what's that between us? Go and 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 accepted Ephron's offer. Abraham weighed out and gave to Ephron the four hundred pieces of silver he'd mentioned, using the standard weights used by merchants, and with the Hittites acting as witnesses.
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 the property was legally transferred. It comprised Ephron's field in Machpelah near Mamre, both the field and the cave there, as well as all the trees in the field, and all the area up to the existing boundaries.
18 kwa Abraham kwa njia ya manunuzi mbele ya wana wa Hethi, na mbele ya wote waliokuja malangoni pa mji wake.
This all became Abraham's property, and the transaction was witnessed by the Hittites who were there at the town gate.
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.
Then Abraham went and buried Sarah his wife in the cave in the field at Machpelah near Mamre (or 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.
Ownership of the field and the cave there was transferred from the Hittites to Abraham to serve as his burial place.
