< Genesis 12 >

1 Now Yahweh said to Abram, “Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you.
UThixo wathi ku-Abhrama, “Suka elizweni lakini, lebantwini bakini lasendlini kayihlo uye elizweni engizakutshengisa lona.
2 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
Ngizakwenza ube yisizwe esikhulu njalo ngizakubusisa; ngizakwenza ibizo lakho libe likhulu, njalo uzakuba yisibusiso.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
Ngizababusisa labo abakubusisayo, lalowo okuqalekisayo ngizamqalekisa; njalo bonke abantu emhlabeni bazakubusiswa ngawe.”
4 So Abram went, as Yahweh had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
Ngakho u-Abhrama wasuka, njengokutshelwa kwakhe nguThixo; njalo uLothi wahamba laye. U-Abhrama wayeleminyaka engamatshumi ayisikhombisa lanhlanu ekusukeni kwakhe eHarani.
5 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother’s son, all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. They entered into the land of Canaan.
Wathatha umkakhe uSarayi, lomntanomfowabo uLothi, lempahla yabo yonke ababeyizuzile kanye labantu ababebatholile eHarani, baqonda elizweni laseKhenani, bayafika khona.
6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time, Canaanites were in the land.
U-Abhrama wahamba walidabula ilizwe waze wafika endaweni yesihlahla esikhulu saseMore eShekhemu. Ngalesosikhathi amaKhenani ayephakathi kwelizwe.
7 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” He built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.
UThixo wabonakala ku-Abhrama wathi, “Lelilizwe ngizalinika inzalo yakho.” Ngakho wasesakha i-alithari khonapho elakhela uThixo owayebonakele kuye.
8 He left from there to go to the mountain on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on Yahweh’s name.
Esuka lapho waqonda ezintabeni empumalanga kweBhetheli wamisa ithente lakhe, iBhetheli isentshonalanga le-Ayi isempumalanga. Khonapho wakhela uThixo i-alithari walidumisa ibizo likaThixo.
9 Abram traveled, still going on toward the South.
U-Abhrama wasuka waqhubeka eqonda eNegebi.
10 There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.
Kwasekusiba lendlala elizweni, okwenza u-Abhrama waya eGibhithe ukuyahlala khona okwesikhathi esithile ngoba indlala yayinkulu kakhulu.
11 When he had come near to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.
Kwathi esebanga ukungena eGibhithe wathi kumkakhe uSarayi, “Ngiyazi ukuthi ungumfazi omuhle kakhulu.
12 It will happen that when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ They will kill me, but they will save you alive.
AmaGibhithe azakuthi ekubona athi, ‘Lo ngumkakhe.’ Lapho-ke bazangibulala wena bakuyekele uphile.
13 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.”
Ubokuthi ungudadewethu, ukuze ngiphathwe kuhle ngenxa yakho njalo lempilo yami isinde ngenxa yakho.”
14 When Abram had come into Egypt, Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
Kwathi u-Abhrama efika eGibhithe, amaGibhithe abona umkakhe ukuthi wayengumfazi omuhle kakhulu.
15 The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.
Izikhulu zikaFaro sezimbonile zamncoma kakhulu kuFaro, uSarayi wasengeniswa esigodlweni sakhe.
16 He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
Wamphatha kuhle u-Abhrama ngenxa kaSarayi, ngakho u-Abhrama wazuza izimvu lenkomo, obabhemi abaduna labasikazi, izinceku zesilisa lezesifazane lamakamela.
17 Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
Kodwa uThixo wehlisela uFaro lendlu yakhe izifo ezimbi ngenxa kaSarayi umka-Abhrama.
18 Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this that you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?
Ngakho uFaro wabiza u-Abhrama wathi, “Wenzeni kimi? Kungani ungangitshelanga ukuthi ungumkakho na?
19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.”
Watsholoni ukuthi ungudadewenu, ngacina sengizithathele mina waba ngowami? Manje, nangu umkakho. Mthathe uhambe!”
20 Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they escorted him away with his wife and all that he had.
UFaro waselaya ukuthi u-Abhrama lamadoda ayelawo basuswe elizweni, kanye lomkakhe lakho konke ayelakho.

< Genesis 12 >