UGenesisi 38
1 Kwasekusithi ngalesosikhathi uJuda wehla esuka kubafowabo, waphambukela endodeni yeAdulamu, obizo layo linguHira.
About the same time, Judah, descending from his brothers, turned toward an Adullamite man, named Hirah.
2 UJuda wasebona lapho indodakazi yendoda umKhanani, obizo lakhe linguShuwa; wayithatha wangena kuyo.
And he saw there the daughter of a man called Shua, of Canaan. And taking her as a wife, he entered to her.
3 Yasithatha isisu, yazala indodana; waseyitha ibizo layo uEri.
And she conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Er.
4 Yasiphinda ithatha isisu, yazala indodana; yayitha ibizo layo uOnani.
And conceiving offspring again, having given birth to a son, she called him Onan.
5 Yasisengezelela futhi yazala indodana, yayitha ibizo layo uShela; kodwa wayeseKezibi ekuyizaleni kwayo.
Likewise, she bore a third, whom she called Shelah, after whose birth, she ceased to bear any more.
6 UJuda wasemthathela uEri izibulo lakhe umfazi, njalo ibizo lakhe linguTamari.
Then Judah gave a wife to his first born Er, whose name was Tamar.
7 Kodwa uEri, izibulo likaJuda, wayemubi emehlweni eNkosi; iNkosi yasimbulala.
And it also happened that Er, the first born of Judah, was wicked in the sight of the Lord and was killed by him.
8 UJuda wasesithi kuOnani: Ngena kumkamfowenu, wenze kuye imfanelo yomfowabo wendoda, umvusele umfowenu inzalo.
Therefore, Judah said to his son Onan: “Enter to the wife of your brother, and associate with her, so that you may raise offspring to your brother.”
9 UOnani wayesazi-ke ukuthi inzalo kayiyikuba ngeyakhe. Kwasekusithi lapho engena kumkamfowabo, wayichithela emhlabathini, ukuze angamniki umfowabo inzalo.
He, knowing that the sons to be born would not be his, when he entered to the wife of his brother, he spilled his seed on the ground, lest children should be born in his brother’s name.
10 Kwasekusiba kubi emehlweni eNkosi lokho akwenzayo; ngakho yambulala laye.
And for this reason, the Lord struck him down, because he did a detestable thing.
11 UJuda wasesithi kuTamari umalokazana wakhe: Hlala ungumfelokazi endlini kayihlo, aze akhule uShela indodana yami; ngoba wathi: Hlezi laye afe njengabafowabo. UTamari wasehamba wahlala endlini kayise.
Because of this matter, Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, “Be a widow in your father’s house, until my son Shelah grows up.” For he was afraid, lest he also might die, just as his brothers did. She went away, and she lived in her father’s house.
12 Emva kwensuku ezinengi yafa indodakazi kaShuwa, umkaJuda. UJuda eseziduduzile, wenyukela kubagundi bezimvu zakhe eThiminathi, yena lomngane wakhe uHira umAdulamu.
Then, after many days had passed, the daughter of Shua, the wife of Judah, died. And when he accepted consolation after his mourning, he went up to the shearers of his sheep at Timnah, he and Hirah, the herdsman of the Adullamite flock.
13 Kwasekusaziswa kuTamari ukuthi: Khangela, uyihlozala wenyukela eThiminathi ukugunda izimvu zakhe.
And it was reported to Tamar that her father-in-law had gone up to Timnah to shear the sheep.
14 Wasekhulula izembatho zobufelokazi bakhe, wazimbomboza ngesimbombozo, wazigoqela, wahlala esangweni iEnayima, elisendleleni eya eThiminathi; ngoba wabona ukuthi uShela wayesekhulile, njalo wayengamnikwanga ukuba ngumkakhe.
And storing away the garments of her widowhood, she took up a veil. And changing her clothing, she sat at the crossroad that leads to Timnah, because Shelah had grown up, and she had not received him as a husband.
15 Lapho uJuda esembonile, wacabanga ukuthi uliwule, ngoba embomboze ubuso bakhe.
And when Judah saw her, he thought her to be a harlot. For she had covered her face, lest she be recognized.
16 Wasephambukela kuye endleleni wathi: Woza-ke, ngingene kuwe; ngoba wayengazi ukuthi ngumalokazana wakhe. Wasesithi: Uzanginikani ukuze ungene kimi?
And entering to her, he said, “Permit me to join with you.” For he did not know her to be his daughter-in-law. And she responded, “What will you give to me, to enjoy me as a concubine?”
17 Wasesithi: Mina ngizathumela izinyane lembuzi elivela emhlanjini. Wasesithi: Uzanginika isibambiso uze ulithumele yini?
He said, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And again, she said, “I will allow what you want, if you give me a pledge, until you may send what you promise.”
18 Wasesithi: Sibambiso bani engizakunika sona? Wasesithi: Indandatho elophawu lwakho, lentambo yakho, lodondolo lwakho olusesandleni sakho. Wasemupha, wangena kuye; wasethatha isisu sakhe.
Judah said, “What do you want to be given for a pledge?” She responded, “Your ring and bracelet, and the staff that you hold in your hand.” Thereupon, the woman, from one sexual encounter, conceived.
19 Wasesukuma wahamba, wakhulula isimbombozo sakhe, wafaka izembatho zobufelokazi bakhe.
And she arose and went away. And storing away the garments that she had taken up, she was clothed in the garments of her widowhood.
20 UJuda wasethumela izinyane lembuzi ngesandla somngane wakhe umAdulamu ukuze athathe isibambiso esandleni sowesifazana; kodwa kamtholanga.
Then Judah sent a young goat by his shepherd, the Adullamite, so that he might receive the pledge that he had given to the woman. But, when he had not found her,
21 Wasebuza amadoda endawo yakowesifazana esithi: Lingaphi iwule elaliseEnayima endleleni? Asesithi: Kakuzanga kube khona iwule lapha.
he questioned the men of that place: “Where is the woman who sat at the crossroad?” And they all responded, “There has been no harlot in this place.”
22 Wasebuyela kuJuda wathi: Kangilitholanga, futhi lamadoda endawo athi: Kakuzanga kube khona iwule lapha.
He returned to Judah, and he said to him: “I did not find her. Moreover, the men of that place told me that a prostitute had never sat there.”
23 UJuda wasesithi: Kalizithathele, hlezi sideleleke; khangela, ngithumele lelizinyane, kodwa wena kawumtholanga.
Judah said: “Let her hold herself to blame. Certainly, she is not able to accuse us of a lie. I sent the young goat that I had promised, and you did not find her.”
24 Kwasekusithi phose emva kwenyanga ezintathu kwaziswa kuJuda ukuthi: UTamari umalokazana wakhe ufebile, futhi khangela-ke, ulesisu sokufetshwa. UJuda wasesithi: Mkhupheni atshiswe.
And behold, after three months, they reported to Judah, saying, “Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has committed fornication and her abdomen appears to be enlarged.” And Judah said, “Produce her, so that she may be burned.”
25 Esekhutshiwe, yena wathumela kuyisezala, esithi: Ngoniwe yindoda engumnini walezizinto. Wathi futhi: Ake uhlolisise ukuthi ngezikabani lezizinto, indandatho elophawu lezintambo lodondolo.
But when she was led out to the punishment, she sent to her father-in-law, saying: “I conceived by the man to whom these things belong. Recognize whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”
26 UJuda wasezivuma wathi: Ulungile kulami, ngakho njengoba ngingamnikanga uShela indodana yami. Njalo kabanga esamazi futhi.
But he, acknowledging the gifts, said: “She is more just than I am. For I did not deliver her to my son Shelah.” However, he knew her no more.
27 Kwasekusithi esikhathini sokubeletha kwakhe, khangela-ke, amaphahla ayesesiswini sakhe.
Then, at the moment of birth, there appeared twins in the womb. And so, in the very delivery of the infants, one put forth a hand, on which the midwife tied a scarlet thread, saying,
28 Kwasekusithi ekubeletheni kwakhe, elinye lakhupha isandla; umbelethisi wasithatha, wabopha intambo ebomvu esandleni salo, esithi: Lo uzaphuma kuqala.
“This one will go out first.”
29 Kodwa kwathi lifinyeza isandla salo, khangela-ke umfowabo waphuma; wasesithi: Ufohle njani? Ukufohla kakube phezu kwakho. Wasemutha ibizo lakhe uPerezi.
But in truth, drawing back his hand, the other came out. And the woman said, “Why is the partition divided for you?” And for this reason, she called his name Perez.
30 Emva kwalokhu kwasekuphuma umfowabo owayelentambo ebomvu esandleni sakhe; wasemutha ibizo lakhe uZera.
After this, his brother came out, on whose hand was the scarlet thread. And she called him Zerah.
