Mwanzo 13
1 Hivyo Abramu akakwea kutoka Misri kwenda Negebu, yeye na mkewe na kila kitu alichokuwa nacho, pia Loti akaenda pamoja naye.
Abram went up out of Egypt: he, his wife, and all his possessions, and Lot with him, into the Negev.
2 Wakati huo Abramu alikuwa tajiri sana wa mifugo, fedha na dhahabu.
Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
3 Kutoka Negebu, akapita mahali hadi mahali, hadi akafika Betheli, mahali hapo ambapo mwanzoni alipiga hema lake kati ya Betheli na Ai
He went on his journeys from the Negev even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
4 hapo ambapo alikuwa amejenga madhabahu ya kwanza. Huko Abramu akaliitia jina la Bwana.
to the place where he had first built the altar. And there Abram called on the name of God.
5 Basi Loti, ambaye alikuwa anafuatana na Abramu, alikuwa pia na makundi ya mbuzi, kondoo, ngʼombe na mahema.
Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
6 Lakini nchi haikuwatosha kukaa pamoja kwa ajili ya wingi wa mali zao.
The land was not able to support them while they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they were unable to remain 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.
There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. And the Canaanite and the Perizzite lived in the land at that time.
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 said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.
9 Je, nchi yote haiko mbele yako? Tutengane. Kama ukielekea kushoto, nitakwenda kulia; kama ukielekea kulia, mimi nitakwenda kushoto.”
Isn't the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go 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.)
Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, like the garden of God, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
11 Hivyo Loti akajichagulia bonde lote la Yordani, akaelekea upande wa mashariki. Watu hao wawili wakatengana:
So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated from each 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 lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.
13 Basi watu wa Sodoma walikuwa waovu, wakifanya sana dhambi dhidi ya Bwana.
Now the people of Sodom were evil, sinning greatly against God.
14 Baada ya Loti kuondoka Bwana akamwambia Abramu, “Ukiwa hapo ulipo, inua macho yako utazame kaskazini na kusini, mashariki na magharibi.
And God said to Abram after Lot had departed from him, "Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,
15 Nchi yote unayoiona nitakupa wewe na uzao wako hata milele.
for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.
16 Nitaufanya uzao wako uwe mwingi kama mavumbi ya nchi, hivyo kama kuna yeyote awezaye kuhesabu mavumbi, basi uzao wako utahesabika.
I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, then your offspring also could be counted.
17 Ondoka, tembea katika marefu na mapana ya nchi, kwa maana ninakupa wewe.”
Arise, walk through the land in its length and in its breadth; for I will give it to you."
18 Basi Abramu akaondoa mahema yake, akaenda kuishi karibu na mialoni ya Mamre huko Hebroni, huko akamjengea Bwana madhabahu.
Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to God.
