Genesis 18
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent as the day became really hot.
UThixo wabonakala ku-Abhrahama eduzane lezihlahla ezinkulu zikaMamure, ehlezi emnyango wethente lakhe, ilanga litshisa kakhulu.
2 He looked up and all of a sudden he saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran over to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
U-Abhrahama waphosa amehlo wabona amadoda amathathu emi eduze. Wonela ukuwabona wasuka ngokuphangisa emnyango wethente lakhe wawahlangabeza wafika wakhothama phansi.
3 He said, “Sir, if you please, don't continue your journey without spending some time here with me, your servant.
Wathi, “Nxa ngifumene umusa kuwe, nkosi yami, ungedluli eceleni kwenceku yakho.
4 Let me have some water brought so you can wash your feet and rest under the tree.
Akulethwe amanzi amalutshwana nje, ukuze lonke ligeze inyawo zenu, keliphumule ngaphansi kwesihlahla lesi.
5 Also let me bring some food so you can get your strength back before you go on your way, now that you've come to visit me here.” “That would be fine,” they answered. “Please do as you've suggested.”
Wothini ngilidingele ukudla ukuze lizuze amandla andubana liqhubeke ngohambo lwenu njengoba nje selizile encekwini yenu.” Baphendula bathi, “Kulungile, yenza lokho okutshoyo.”
6 Abraham hurried back to the tent and told Sarah, “Quick! Make some bread using three large measures of the best flour. Knead the dough and bake the bread.”
Ngakho u-Abhrahama waphanga waya ethenteni kuSara. Wathi, “Phangisa, thatha izilinganiso ezintathu zefulawa ecolekileyo, uvube inhlama wenze isinkwa.”
7 Then Abraham ran to the cattle herd and chose a good, young calf and gave it to his servant who quickly killed and cooked it.
Waphanga waya emhlambini wakhetha iguqana elihle, elibuthakathaka walipha isisebenzi ukuba silihlinze.
8 Then he took some yogurt, milk, and the cooked meat, and placed the food in front of them. He stood nearby under a tree while they ate.
Waseletha izankefu zamasi, lochago kanye leguqa elaselilungisiwe, konke wakubeka phambi kwabo. Bathi besidla yena wema eduzane labo ngaphansi kwesihlahla.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.
Bambuza bathi, “Ungaphi umkakho uSara na?” Wathi, “Ulaphayana, ethenteni.”
10 Then one said, “I promise you that I will come back to visit you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening, hiding just inside the entrance to the tent behind him.
UThixo wasesithi, “Ngizabuya ngempela kuwe ngalesisikhathi ngomnyaka ozayo, njalo umkakho uSara uzakuba lendodana.” USara wayelokhu elalele esemnyango wethente elalingemuva kwakhe.
11 Abraham and Sarah were old, getting on in years. Sarah was well past the age of having children.
U-Abhrahama loSara basebevele sebebadala kakhulu, uSara esedlule isikhathi sokuba labantwana.
12 Sarah was laughing inside, saying to herself, “Now that I'm old and worn out, how would I experience pleasure? My husband is old too!”
Ngakho uSara wahleka yedwa, wakhumbula wathi, “Kambe sengigugile kanje lenkosi yami isindala, ngingakhona ngizuza intokozo le?”
13 The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and ask, ‘How could it possibly be true that I'll have a child now I'm so old?’
UThixo wasesithi ku-Abhrahama, “Kungani uSara ehlekile njalo wathi, ‘Kambe sibili ngizakuba lomntwana mina sengiluphele?’
14 Is anything too difficult for the Lord to do? I will come back next year when I said I would, in the spring, and Sarah will have a son.”
Kambe kulolutho olwehlula uThixo na? Ngizabuya kuwe ngesikhathi esimisiweyo ngomnyaka ozayo, njalo uSara uzakuba lendodana.”
15 Sarah denied it because she was afraid, claiming, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did laugh,” the Lord replied.
USara wesaba, yikho waqamba amanga wathi, “Kangizange ngihleke mina.” Kodwa wathi, “Ye, uhlekile.”
16 Then the men left. They looked down on Sodom and headed in that direction. Abraham accompanied them part of the way.
Amadoda asuka ahamba aqonda eSodoma, u-Abhrahama wawaphelekezela ukuwakhupha.
17 Then the Lord said, “Should I keep from Abraham what I'm going to do?
UThixo wasesithi, “Ngimfihlele yini u-Abhrahama lokho esengizakwenza na?
18 Abraham will definitely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed through him.
Ngempela u-Abhrahama uzakuba yisizwe esikhulu esilamandla, njalo zonke izizwe zomhlaba zizabusiswa ngaye.
19 I've chosen him so that he will teach his sons and their families to follow the way of the Lord by doing what is right and good, so that I, the Lord, can do for Abraham what I promised.”
Ngoba sengimkhethile, ukuze aqondise abantwabakhe lomuzi wakhe, yena esedlule, ukugcina indlela kaThixo ngokwenza okulungileyo lokuqondileyo, ukuze uThixo amenzele u-Abhrahama lokho amthembise khona.”
20 Then the Lord said, “There are many complaints made against Sodom and Gomorrah because they sin so blatantly.
UThixo wasesithi kuye, “Insolo ngeSodoma leGomora inkulu kakhulu njalo isono sakhona siyesabeka
21 I ‘m going to see if these complaints that have reached me are completely true. I'll know if they're not.”
okokuthi sengizakuya khona ngiyebona ingabe lokho abakwenzileyo kubi okulingana lensolo le esifikile kimi. Nxa kungenjalo, ngizakwazi.”
22 The two men turned and went towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed there with Abraham.
Amadoda akhangela phambili aqonda eSodoma, kodwa u-Abhrahama wasala emi phambi kukaThixo.
23 Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?
Ngakho u-Abhrahama waya kuye wathi: “Uzabhubhisa abalungileyo kanye lababi na?
24 What if there are fifty good people in the town? Are you still going to wipe it out despite the fifty good people there?
Pho nxa kukhona abangamatshumi amahlanu kulelodolobho ke? Ngempela uzalikhucula na ungalixoleli ngenxa yabangamatshumi amahlanu abalungileyo abakulo na?
25 No, you can't do something like that! You can't kill the good with the wicked, otherwise you would be treating the good and the wicked in the same way. You can't do that! Isn't the Judge of all the earth going to do the right thing?”
Akube khatshana lawe ukwenza into enjalo, ukubulala abalungileyo lababi. Kakube khatshana lawe lokho! Kambe uMahluleli womhlaba wonke kayikwenza okufaneleyo na?”
26 “If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I'll spare the whole town because of them,” the Lord replied.
UThixo wathi, “Nxa ngifumana abangamatshumi amahlanu abalungileyo edolobheni laseSodoma, ngizalixolela lonke idolobho ngenxa yabo.”
27 “Since I've started, let me go on speaking to my Lord, even though I'm nothing but dust and ashes,” Abraham continued.
U-Abhrahama waphinda wakhuluma njalo wathi: “Njengoba sengibe lesibindi esingaka sokukhuluma loThixo, loba ngingasulutho mina, ngiluthuli nje lomlotha,
28 “What if there are forty-five good people, just five less? Are you still going to wipe out the whole town just because there are five fewer people?” “I won't destroy it if I find forty-five,” the Lord replied.
pho nxa inani labalungileyo lingaphansi ngabahlanu ematshumini amahlanu? Uzalibhubhisa idolobho lonke ngenxa yabantu abahlanu na?” Wathi, “Ngingafumana abangamatshumi amane lanhlanu kangiyikulibhubhisa.”
29 Abraham spoke up again and he asked the Lord, “What if only forty can be found?” “I won't do it for the sake of the forty,” the Lord replied.
Waphinda njalo wakhuluma laye wathi, “Nxa kufunyanwa amatshumi amane kuphela-ke?” Yena wathi, “Ngenxa yabangamatshumi amane kangizukukwenza.”
30 “My Lord, please don't get angry with me,” Abraham went on. “Let me ask this—what if only thirty were found?” “I won't do it if I find thirty,” the Lord replied.
Ngakho wasesithi, “UThixo makangathukutheli, kodwa ake ngikhulume. Kungafunyanwa khona amatshumi amathathu ke?” Waphendula wathi, “Kangizukukwenza ngingafumana khona amatshumi amathathu.”
31 “I admit I've been very bold to speak to my Lord like this,” Abraham said. “What if only twenty are found there?” “I won't do it for the sake of the twenty,” the Lord replied.
U-Abhrahama wathi, “Kambe njengoba ngibe lesibindi esingaka ngaze ngakhuluma loThixo, pho nxa kufunyanwa abangamatshumi amabili khona kuphela-ke?” Wathi, “Ngenxa yabangamatshumi amabili kangiyikulibhubhisa.”
32 “Please don't get angry with me, my Lord,” Abraham said. “Just let me ask one more thing. What if only ten are found there?” “I won't destroy it for the sake of the ten,” the Lord replied.
Waphinda wathi, “UThixo angathukutheli, kodwa ake ngikhulume kanye kuphela njalo. Kambe nxa kungafunyanwa itshumi lodwa-ke?” Waphendula wathi, “Ngenxa yabalitshumi kangiyikulibhubhisa.”
33 The Lord left once he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham went home.
Kwathi uThixo eseqedile ukukhuluma lo-Abhrahama wasuka, lo-Abhrahama wabuyela ngekhaya.
