< Senesi 18 >

1 Pea naʻe hā mai ʻa Sihova kiate ia ʻi he fonua ʻo Mamili, ʻi heʻene nofo ʻi he matapā ʻoe fale fehikitaki ʻi he pupuha ʻoe ʻaho.
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
2 Pea hanga hake ʻe ia hono mata ʻo sio, pea vakai, ʻoku tutuʻu mai ʻae tangata ʻe toko tolu kiate ia: pea ʻi heʻene mamata ki ai, naʻa ne lele mei he matapā ʻoe fale fehikitaki, ke fakafetaulaki kiate kinautolu, pea naʻe punou hifo ia ki he kelekele,
And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 ‌ʻO ne pehē, “Ko hoku ʻEiki, ko eni, kapau kuo u maʻu ʻae lelei ʻi ho ʻao, ʻofa ke ʻoua naʻa ke ʻalu mei hoʻo tamaioʻeiki.
“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
4 Tuku ke ʻomi ha vai siʻi, pea fufulu homou vaʻe, pea mou mālōlō ʻi he lolo ʻakau.
Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 Pea te u ʻomi ha konga mā, pea fakafiemālie homou loto; pea hili ia te mou ʻalu; he ko ia kuo mou haʻu ai ki hoʻomou tamaioʻeiki.” Pea naʻa nau pehē, “Ke ke fai ʻo hangē ko hoʻo lea.”
And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”
6 Pea ʻalu fakatoʻotoʻo ʻa ʻEpalahame ki he fale, kia Sela ʻo ne pehē, “Teuteu fakavave ʻae fua ʻe tolu ʻoe mahoaʻa lelei ʻo natu ia, ʻo ngaohi ʻaki ʻae ngaahi foʻi mā, pea taʻo ia ʻi he ngotoʻumu.
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
7 Pea lele ʻa ʻEpalahame ki he fanga manu, ʻo ne toʻo mei ai ʻae ʻuhiki pulu molu mo lelei, ʻo ne ʻatu ia ki ha talavou pea naʻa ne fakatoʻotoʻo ʻa hono ngaohi.
Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
8 Pea ne toʻo mai ʻae pota, mo e huʻahuhu, pea mo e ʻuhiki pulu naʻa ne ngaohi, ʻo ne tuku ia ʻi honau ʻao; pea tuʻu ia ʻo ofi kiate kinautolu ʻi he lolo ʻakau, pea naʻa nau kai.”
Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Pea nau pehē kiate ia, “Ko e fē ʻa Sela, ko ho uaifi?” Pea pehēange ʻe ia, “Vakai, ʻoku ʻi he fale fehikitaki ia.”
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
10 Pea ne pehē, “Ko e moʻoni te u toe haʻu kiate koe, ʻi he kuonga totonu; pea vakai, ʻe maʻu ʻe ho uaifi ko Sela, ha tama.” Pea naʻe ongoʻi ʻe Sela ʻi he matapā ʻoe fale fehikitaki, ʻaia naʻe ʻi hono tuʻa.
Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
11 Pea naʻe motuʻa ʻa ʻEpalahame mo Sela, pea naʻe lahi hona taʻu: naʻe ʻikai kei ia Sela ʻae anga ʻoe fefine.
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 Ko ia naʻe katakata loto ai ʻa Sela, ʻo pehē, “He ko e moʻoni, te u nekeneka au, ka kuo u motuʻa, pea kuo motuʻa mo ʻeku ʻeiki foki?”
So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 Pea folofola ʻa Sihova kia ʻEpalahame, ʻo pehē, “Ko e hā naʻe kata ai ʻa Sela, ʻo pehē, ‘Ko e moʻoni koā te u fanauʻi ha tama ʻeau ka kuo u motuʻa?’
And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’
14 He ʻoku ai ha meʻa ʻe taha ʻoku faingataʻa kia Sihova? ʻI he kuonga kuo kotofa te u toe haʻu kiate koe, pea ʻe maʻu ʻe ho uaifi ko Sela ʻae tama.”
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Pea fakafisi ʻa Sela ʻo pehē, “Naʻe ʻikai te u kata;” he naʻa ne manavahē. Pea ne pehē, “ʻIkai, ka naʻa ke kata pe.”
But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
16 Pea tuʻu hake ʻae kau tangata mei ai, pea hanga atu ki Sotoma, pea ʻalu ʻa ʻEpalahame mo kinautolu, ke moimoiʻi ʻakinautolu ʻi he hala.
When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
17 Pea pehē ʻe Sihova, “He te u fufū mei ʻa ʻEpalahame ʻae meʻa te u fai?
And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 He ko e moʻoni ʻe hoko ʻa ʻEpalahame ko e puleʻanga lahi mo mālohi ʻaupito, pea ʻe monūʻia ʻiate ia ʻae ngaahi puleʻanga kotoa pē ʻo māmani.
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
19 He ʻoku ou ʻiloʻi ia, te ne fekau ʻene fānau mo hono kau nofoʻanga kotoa pē tuku fakaholo, pea te nau ʻalu ʻi he hala ʻo Sihova, ke fai ʻae angatonu, mo e fakamaau: koeʻuhi ke fakahoko ʻe Sihova kia ʻEpalahame, ʻaia kotoa pē kuo ne lea ʻaki kiate ia.”
For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
20 Pea pehē ʻe Sihova, “Koeʻuhi kuo lahi ʻae tangi ʻa Sotoma mo Komola, pea kuo hoko ʻo kovi ʻaupito ʻenau angahala;
Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
21 Ko ia te u ʻalu hifo ni, ʻo mamata, pe kuo nau fai kotoa pē, ʻo hangē ko e tangi ʻo ia, ʻaia kuo aʻu mai kiate au: pea kapau ʻe ʻikai, pea te u ʻilo.”
I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”
22 Pea naʻe hanga atu mei ai ʻae mata ʻoe ongo tangata ke na ʻalu atu ki Sotoma: ka naʻe kei tuʻu pe ʻa ʻEpalahame ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova.
And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23 Pea ʻunuʻunu atu ke ofi ʻa ʻEpalahame, ʻo ne pehē, “Pea te ke fakaʻauha fakataha ʻae angatonu mo e angahala?
Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 Naʻa ʻoku ʻi he kolo ʻae angatonu ʻe toko nimangofulu: pea te ke fakaʻauha foki, ka ʻe ʻikai fakamoʻui ʻae potu, koeʻuhi ko e angatonu ʻe toko nimangofulu ʻoku ʻi ai?
What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?
25 Ke mamaʻo ʻiate koe ha fai pehē, ke tāmateʻi ʻae angatonu fakataha mo e angahala, pea ke fakatatau ʻae angatonu ki he angahala, ke mamaʻo ia ʻiate koe: ʻikai ʻe fai totonu ʻae Fakamaau ʻo māmani kotoa pē?”
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
26 Pea pehē ʻe Sihova, “Kapau te u ʻilo ʻi Sotoma ʻae angatonu ʻe toko nimangofulu, te u fakamoʻui ʻae potu kotoa pē koeʻuhi ko kinautolu.”
So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”
27 Pea lea ʻa ʻEpalahame ʻo ne pehē, “Vakai, ko eni kuo u lea au kia Sihova, ka ko e efu, mo e efuefu pe au:
Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
28 Pea kapau ʻe ʻikai ʻi ai ʻae toko nima ʻi he toko nimangofulu ʻoku angatonu: pea te ke fakaʻauha ʻae kolo kotoa pē, koeʻuhi ko e toko nima? Pea pehē ʻe ia, kapau te u ʻilo ʻi ai ʻae toko fāngofulu ma toko nima, ʻe ʻikai te u fakaʻauha ia.”
suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”
29 Pea ne toe lea kiate ia, ʻo pehē, “Pea kapau ʻe ʻilo ʻi ai ʻae toko fāngofulu.” Pea pehē ʻe ia, “E ʻikai te u fai ia, koeʻuhi koe toko fāngofulu ko ia.”
Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”
30 Pea pehē ʻe ia kiate ia, “ʻOfa ke ʻoua naʻa houhau ʻa Sihova, pea te u lea: Kapau ʻe ʻilo ʻi ai ʻae toko tolungofulu.” Pea pehēange ʻe ia, “E ʻikai te u fai ia, ʻo kapau te u ʻilo ʻi ai ʻae toko tolungofulu.”
Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
31 Pea pehē ʻe ia, “Vakai, kuo u lea ni kia Sihova: Kapau ʻe ʻilo ʻi ai ʻae toko uofulu.” Pea pehē ʻe ia, “E ʻikai te u fakaʻauha ia koeʻuhi ko e toko uofulu ko ia.”
And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32 Pea pehē ʻe ia, “ʻOfa ke ʻoua naʻa houhau ʻa Sihova, pea te u lea ni ʻo tā tuʻo taha pe; Kapau ʻe ʻilo ʻi ai ʻae toko hongofulu.” Pea pehē ʻe ia, “E ʻikai te u fakaʻauha ia, koeʻuhi ko e toko hongofulu ko ia.”
Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
33 Pea hāʻele atu ai ʻa Sihova ʻi hono hala, hili ʻena alea mo ʻEpalahame; pea liu mai ʻa ʻEpalahame ki hono potu.
When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.

< Senesi 18 >