Mwanzo 13

1 Hivyo Abramu akakwea kutoka Misri kwenda Negebu, yeye na mkewe na kila kitu alichokuwa nacho, pia Loti akaenda pamoja naye.

And Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

2 Wakati huo Abramu alikuwa tajiri sana wa mifugo, fedha na dhahabu.

And he was very rich in possession of gold and silver.

3 Kutoka Negebu, akapita mahali hadi mahali, hadi akafika Betheli, mahali hapo ambapo mwanzoni alipiga hema lake kati ya Betheli na Ai

And he returned by the way that he came, from the south to Bethel, to the place where before he had pitched his tent between Bethel and Hai:

4 hapo ambapo alikuwa amejenga madhabahu ya kwanza. Huko Abramu akaliitia jina la Bwana.

In the place of the altar which he had made before; and there he called upon the name of the Lord.

5 Basi Loti, ambaye alikuwa anafuatana na Abramu, alikuwa pia na makundi ya mbuzi, kondoo, ngʼombe na mahema.

But Lot also, who was with Abram, had flocks of sheep, and herds of beasts, and tents.

6 Lakini nchi haikuwatosha kukaa pamoja kwa ajili ya wingi wa mali zao.

Neither was the land able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, and they could not dwell together.

7 Ukazuka ugomvi kati ya wachunga mifugo wa Abramu na wale wa Loti. Wakati huo, Wakanaani na Waperizi ndio waliokuwa wenyeji wa nchi hiyo.

Whereupon also there arose a strife between the herdsmen of Abram and of Lot. And at that time the Chanaanite and the Pherezite dwelled in that country.

8 Hivyo Abramu akamwambia Loti, “Pasiwe na ugomvi wowote kati yangu na wewe, wala kati ya wachungaji wangu na wako, kwa kuwa sisi ni ndugu.

Abram therefore said to Lot: Let there be no quarrel, I beseech thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen: for we are brethren.

9 Je, nchi yote haiko mbele yako? Tutengane. Kama ukielekea kushoto, nitakwenda kulia; kama ukielekea kulia, mimi nitakwenda kushoto.”

Behold the whole land is before thee: depart from me I pray thee: if thou wilt go to the left hand, I will take the right: if thou choose the right hand, I will pass to the left.

10 Loti akatazama akaona lile bonde lote la Yordani kuwa lilikuwa na maji tele, kama bustani ya Bwana, kama nchi ya Misri, kuelekea Soari. (Hii ilikuwa kabla Bwana hajaharibu Sodoma na Gomora.)

And Lot, lifting up his eyes, saw all the country about the Jordan, which was watered throughout, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrha, as the paradise of the Lord, and like Egypt as one comes to Segor.

11 Hivyo Loti akajichagulia bonde lote la Yordani, akaelekea upande wa mashariki. Watu hao wawili wakatengana:

And Lot chose to himself the country about the Jordan, and he departed from the east: and they were separated one brother from the other.

12 Abramu akaishi katika nchi ya Kanaani, wakati Loti aliishi miongoni mwa miji ya lile bonde na kupiga mahema yake karibu na Sodoma.

Abram dwelt in the land of Chanaan; and Lot abode in the towns that were about the Jordan, and dwelt in Sodom.

13 Basi watu wa Sodoma walikuwa waovu, wakifanya sana dhambi dhidi ya Bwana.

And the men of Sodom were very wicked, and sinners before the face of the Lord, beyond measure.

14 Baada ya Loti kuondoka Bwana akamwambia Abramu, “Ukiwa hapo ulipo, inua macho yako utazame kaskazini na kusini, mashariki na magharibi.

And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him: Lift up thy eyes, and look from the place wherein thou now art, to the north and to the south, to the east and to the west.

15 Nchi yote unayoiona nitakupa wewe na uzao wako hata milele.

All the land which thou seest, I will give to thee, and to thy seed for ever.

16 Nitaufanya uzao wako uwe mwingi kama mavumbi ya nchi, hivyo kama kuna yeyote awezaye kuhesabu mavumbi, basi uzao wako utahesabika.

And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: if any man be able to number the dust of the earth, he shall be able to number thy seed also.

17 Ondoka, tembea katika marefu na mapana ya nchi, kwa maana ninakupa wewe.”

Arise and walk through the land in the length, and in the breadth thereof: for I will give it to thee.

18 Basi Abramu akaondoa mahema yake, akaenda kuishi karibu na mialoni ya Mamre huko Hebroni, huko akamjengea Bwana madhabahu.

So Abram removing his tent came and dwelt by the vale of Mambre, which is in Hebron: and he built there an altar to the Lord.