< Genesis 18 >

1 One day during that year when it was hot, Yahweh appeared to Abraham again near the big trees that belonged to Mamre, while Abraham was sitting in the entrance to his tent.
Yehowa gaɖe eɖokui fia Abraham esime Abraham nɔ ati gãwo te le Mamre. Le dzomeŋɔli ƒe ɣetrɔ aɖe, esime xexea me xɔ dzo la, Abraham nɔ eƒe agbadɔ ƒe mɔnu.
2 Abraham looked up [MTY] and was surprised to see three men standing near him. [Actually, one was Yahweh, and the other two were angels]. When he saw them, he ran to meet them. He prostrated himself with his face on the ground to show respect,
Kasia ekpɔ ŋutsu etɔ̃ gbɔna egbɔ. Etsi tsitre enumake, ƒu du yi ɖakpe wo, eye wòdo dzaa na wo.
3 and said [to one of them], “Sir, if you are pleased with me, stay here for a little while [LIT].
Egblɔ be, “Ne miave nunye la, nye aƒetɔ, ekema migato miaƒe dɔla ŋu yi o.
4 Allow my servants to bring a little water and wash your feet, and rest under this tree.
Mina woaku tsi vi aɖe vɛ miaklɔ afɔe, eye miaɖi ɖe eme sẽe le ati sia te,
5 Since you have come here to me, allow me to bring you some food [SYN] so that you can feel refreshed before you leave.” Yahweh replied, “All right, do as you have said.”
eye madi nane na mi miaɖu be wòado ŋusẽ mi. Mitɔ vie hafi miagayi miaƒe mɔzɔzɔ dzi.” Amedzroawo ɖo eŋu be, “Enyo; wɔ abe ale si nègblɔ ene.”
6 So Abraham quickly went into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick, get some of our best flour and make some loaves of bread!”
Abraham ƒu du yi eƒe agbadɔ me, eye wògblɔ na Sara be, “Netsɔ! Tɔ tatalĩ! Kɔ wò wɔ nyuitɔ, eye nàtɔ tatalia wòasu na wo ame etɔ̃!”
7 Then he ran to the herd of cattle and selected a calf whose meat would be tender and tasty. He gave it to one of his servants [and told him to] quickly kill it and cook it.
Emegbe la, eƒu du yi nyihawo me, lé nyivi dami aɖe, eye wògblɔ na eƒe subɔla aɖe be wòawui enumake.
8 When the meat was cooked, Abraham brought some curds and milk and the meat that had been prepared, and set them in front of his visitors. Then he stood near them, under a tree, while they ate.
Eteƒe medidi o, etsɔ notsi babla kple notsi tsitɔ kple nyilã meme ɖo akɔme na wo. Enɔ atiawo te le amedzroawo gbɔ esime wonɔ nua ɖum.
9 [One of] them asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He replied, “She is in the tent.”
Wobiae be, “Afi ka srɔ̃wò, Sara le?” Abraham ɖo eŋu be, “Ele agbadɔ me.”
10 Then the leader of the group said, “I will return to you (about this time/in the springtime) next year, and to your amazement, your wife Sarah will have an infant son.” It happened that Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind the one who was speaking.
Wo dometɔ ɖeka gblɔ be, “Yehowa gblɔ be, ‘Le ƒe si gbɔna me la, srɔ̃wò Sara adzi ŋutsuvi’” Sara nɔ agbadɔ me le Abraham megbe nɔ nya siawo sem.
11 Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was far past the time of when she could bear children.
Azɔ la, Abraham kple Sara tsi ŋutɔ, eye Sara ƒe vidziɣi va yi xoxoxo.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “My body is worn out, and my husband is old. So how can I have the pleasure [of having a child]?” [RHQ]
Nu sia na Sara ko nu le ta me, eye wògblɔ na eɖokui be, “Nyɔnu tsitsi abe nye ene nagadzi vi kple srɔ̃nye tsitsi sia?”
13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why was she thinking, ‘I am too old, so how can I bear a child?’
Yehowa gblɔ na Abraham be, “Nu ka ta Sara ko nu ɖo? Nu ka ta wògblɔ be, ‘Ɖe nyɔnu tsitsi abe nye ene ate ŋu adzi via?’
14 I am Yahweh! (Is there anything too difficult for me?/There is nothing too difficult for me!) [RHQ] I will return about this time next year in the springtime, and Sarah will have an infant son.”
Ɖe nane sesẽ akpa na Yehowa? Le ƒe si gbɔna me, abe ale si megblɔ na wò xoxo ene la, Sara adzi ŋutsuvi.”
15 Then Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But Yahweh said, “Don’t deny it! You did laugh.”
Ke Sara da alakpa be, “Nyemeko nu o,” elabena evɔ̃. Ke egblɔ nɛ be, “O! Èko nu.”
16 When the three men got up to leave, they looked down into the valley toward Sodom [city]. Abraham was walking with them to say “goodbye” to them.
Le esia megbe la, ameawo dze mɔ ɖo ta Sodom, eye Abraham dze wo yome ɖaɖo wo ɖa.
17 Yahweh thought to himself, “It is not right for me to prevent Abraham from knowing what I plan to do [RHQ].
Yehowa gblɔ le eɖokui me be, “Ɖe maɣla nye ɖoɖowo ɖe Abraham mahã?
18 Abraham’s descendants [MTY] will become a great and powerful nation. And people of [MTY] all nations will be blessed because of what I do for him.
Eyae azu dukɔ gã aɖe, eye wòahe yayra vɛ na dukɔwo katã le anyigba dzi.
19 I have chosen him in order that he will teach his children and their families to obey me and do what is right and fair, and then I will do for Abraham what I promised.”
Kpe ɖe esia ŋu la, metiae be eƒe dzidzimeviwo nanye mawuvɔ̃lawo, ame siwo anye ame dzɔdzɔewo kple nuteƒewɔlawo, ale be mate ŋu awɔ nu siwo katã ŋugbe medo nɛ la.”
20 So Yahweh said to Abraham, “I have heard the terrible things that have been said about the people of [MTY] Sodom and Gomorrah. Their sins are very great.
Ale Yehowa gblɔ na Abraham be, “Mese be Sodomtɔwo kple Gomoratɔwo nye nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo, eye nu sia nu si woawɔ la nye nu vɔ̃ɖi.
21 So I will go down now, and I will see if all the terrible things that I have heard are true or not true.”
Mele teƒe mawo yim be manya ne nya siawo nye nyateƒe alo aʋatso. Ekema manya nu si mawɔ.”
22 Then the two men turned and started walking toward Sodom. But Yahweh remained, standing in front of Abraham.
Ameawo trɔ ɖo ta Sodom, ke Abraham ya tɔ ɖe Yehowa ŋkume.
23 Abraham came closer to him and said, “Will you really destroy righteous people along with wicked ones?
Tete Abraham te ɖe eŋu hebiae be, “Ɖe nàtsrɔ̃ ame dzɔdzɔewo kpe ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖiwo ŋua?
24 What will you do if there are only 50 righteous people in the city? Will you really get rid of them all, and not spare the place/city for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in the city?
Ne àkpɔ ame dzɔdzɔe blaatɔ̃ le dua me ɖe, ɖe nàtsrɔ̃ du blibo la, eye màkpɔ nublanui le ame dzɔdzɔe blaatɔ̃awo ta oa?
25 It would certainly not be right for you to do such a thing, to kill righteous people along with wicked ones, and treat righteous people and wicked people the same way. You could not do that, because you, who are the judge of everyone on the earth, will certainly do what is right [regarding the people of Sodom]!” [RHQ]
Esia masɔ o! Meka ɖe edzi be màwɔ nu ma tɔgbi, awu ame dzɔdzɔewo kple ame vɔ̃ɖiwo siaa o! Nu ka ta nàhe to na ame dzɔdzɔewo kple ame vɔ̃ɖiwo siaa ɖekae ɖo? Eme kɔ ƒãa be màwɔ nenema o! Ɖe xexea me blibo la ƒe Ʋɔnudrɔ̃la mawɔ nu dzɔdzɔe oa?”
26 Yahweh replied, “If I find 50 righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place/city for their sake.”
Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ne makpɔ ame dzɔdzɔe blaatɔ̃ le Sodom dua me la, ekema mave du blibo la nu ɖe ame dzɔdzɔeawo ta.”
27 Abraham replied, “I should not be bold like this and speak to you, God, because I am as worthless as dust and ashes [MET].
Abraham gagblɔ be, “Togbɔ be menye ʋuʋudedi kple afi ko hã la, esi medze nuƒoƒo kple wò Aƒetɔ la gɔme xoxo ta la, ɖe mɔ nam mayi edzi ko.
28 But what will you do if there are only 45 righteous people? Will you destroy everyone in the whole city because there are only 45 and not 50 righteous people?” Yahweh replied, “I will not destroy it if I find that there are 45 righteous people.”
Ne àkpɔ ame blaene-vɔ-atɔ̃ ko ɖe, ɖe nàtsrɔ̃ du la ɖe ame atɔ̃ makpɔmakpɔ ta?” Yehowa gblɔ be, “Ne makpɔ ame dzɔdzɔe blaene-vɔ-atɔ̃ la, nyematsrɔ̃ du la o.”
29 Abraham continued to speak to him [like this], saying, “What will you do if you find that there are only 40 righteous people there?” Yahweh replied, “I will not destroy them all, for the sake of the 40.”
Tete Abraham gayi edzi be, “Ne ame dzɔdzɔe blaene koe li ɖe?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ne makpɔ ame dzɔdzɔe blaene la, nyematsrɔ̃ du la o.”
30 Abraham said, “God, please don’t be angry now. Let me speak again. What will you do if there are only 30 righteous people?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find that there are 30 there.”
Abraham gblɔ be, “Meɖe kuku, mègana dzi naku wò o; ɖe mɔ nam maƒo nu. Nenye ame blaetɔ̃ koe nàkpɔ le afi ma ɖe?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ne makpɔ ame dzɔdzɔe blaetɔ̃ pɛ ko la, nyematsrɔ̃ du la o.”
31 Abraham said, “I should not be bold and speak to you like this, God. But what will you do if you find that there are only 20 righteous people there?” He replied, “I will not destroy the whole city, for the sake of those 20.”
Abraham yi edzi be, “Zi ale si medo dzi ƒo nu kple Yehowa ko la, na mayi edzi ko. Nenye ame blaeve koe ɖe?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ekema nyematsrɔ̃ du la o, ɖe ame blaeve mawo ta.”
32 Abraham said, “God, don’t be angry now. Just let me speak one time more. What will you do if you find that there are only ten righteous people there?” Yahweh answered, “I will not destroy the city for the sake of those ten.”
Mlɔeba la, Abraham gblɔ be, “O, Yehowa, mègado dɔmedzoe o; nya ɖeka sia pɛ koe gale asinye, nenye be ame dzɔdzɔe ewo pɛ ko nàkpɔ ɖe?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ekema le ame ewo mawo ta la, nyematsrɔ̃ du la o.”
33 Abraham said no more, and as soon as Yahweh finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
Esi Yehowa wu nya siawo gbɔgblɔ kple Abraham nu la, edzo, eye Abraham trɔ yi eƒe agbadɔ me.

< Genesis 18 >