Genesise 18:1-33
18 Kamuva uJehova + wabonakala ku-Abrahama phakathi kwezihlahla ezinkulu zikaMamre, + lapho ehleli emnyango wetende ngesikhathi esishisa kakhulu sosuku.
2 Waphakamisa ikhanda, wabona amadoda amathathu emi buqamama naye. + Lapho ewabona, wagijima wawahlangabeza esuka emnyango wetende, waguqa wayesekhothama phansi emhlabathini.
3 Wabe esethi: “Jehova,* uma ngithole umusa kuwe, ngicela ungadluli encekwini yakho.
4 Ngiyacela, makulethwe amanzi amancane nigezwe izinyawo + bese nihlala phansi kwesihlahla.
5 Njengoba senifike lapha encekwini yenu, mangilethe ucezu lwesinkwa ukuze nibuyise amandla.* Ngemva kwalokho, ningaqhubeka nohambo lwenu.” Kulokho athi: “Kulungile. Ungenza njengoba ukhulumile.”
6 Ngakho u-Abrahama waphuthuma etendeni kuSara wathi: “Shesha! Thatha izilinganiso* ezintathu zikafulawa ocolekile, uxove inhlama wenze olofu bezinkwa.”
7 U-Abrahama wabe esegijima waya emhlanjini wezinkomo wakhetha ithole leduna elihle nelekhethelo. Walinika isikhonzi, sashesha salilungisa.
8 Wabe esethatha ibhotela nobisi nethole leduna ayelilungisile wakubeka phambi kwawo. Ngemva kwalokho wama ngakuwo phansi kwesihlahla njengoba edla. +
9 Athi kuye: “Uphi umkakho uSara?” + Waphendula: “Ulapha etendeni.”
10 Enye yawo yaqhubeka: “Nakanjani ngizobuyela kuwe ngonyaka ozayo ngalesi sikhathi, futhi lalela! umkakho uSara uzobe esenendodana.” + USara wayelalele esemnyango wetende elalingemva kwale ndoda.
11 U-Abrahama noSara base bebadala, sebekhulile impela. + USara wayesedlulile eminyakeni yokuthola abantwana. +
12 Ngakho uSara wahleka, ethi: “Ngemva kokuba sengigugile nenkosi yami isindala, ingabe ngempela ngizoba nayo le njabulo?” +
13 Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wathi ku-Abrahama: “Uhlekeleni uSara, ethi, ‘Ingabe ngempela ngizozala nakuba sengimdala?’
14 Ingabe kukhona okungaphezu kwamandla kaJehova? + Ngizobuyela kuwe ngonyaka ozayo ngalesi sikhathi esibekiwe, uSara uzobe esenendodana.”
15 Kodwa uSara waphika, ethi, “Angihlekanga!” ngoba wayesaba. Kulokhu uNkulunkulu wathi: “Yebo! Uhlekile.”
16 Lapho la madoda esukuma ukuze ahambe futhi ebheka ezansi ngaseSodoma, + u-Abrahama wahamba nawo ewaphelezela.
17 UJehova wathi: “Ingabe ngiyamfihlela u-Abrahama lokho engizokwenza? +
18 Phela, u-Abrahama ngokuqinisekile uzoba isizwe esikhulu nesinamandla futhi zonke izizwe zomhlaba ziyobusiswa* ngaye. +
19 Ngoba ngiye ngamazi ukuze ayale amadodana akhe nayo yonke inzalo yakhe ukuba bagcine indlela kaJehova ngokwenza okulungile nobulungisa, + ukuze uJehova akwenze lokho akuthembisile ngo-Abrahama.”
20 UJehova wabe esethi: “Isikhalo ngeSodoma neGomora sikhulu impela, + nesono sabo sikhulu kakhulu. +
21 Ngizokwehla ukuze ngibone ukuthi benza ngokwesikhalo esiye safika kimi yini. Uma kungenjalo, ngizokwazi.” +
22 Ngemva kwalokho la madoda asuka lapho aya ngaseSodoma, kodwa uJehova + wasala no-Abrahama.
23 U-Abrahama wabe esesondela wathi: “Ingabe ngempela uzobhubhisa olungile kanye nomubi? +
24 Ake sithi kukhona abantu abalungile abangu-50 edolobheni. Ingabe-ke ubuzobabhubhisa ungayixoleli indawo ngenxa yabalungile abangu-50 abakulo?
25 Kuyinto engacabangeki ukuthi ungenza ngale ndlela, ubulale umuntu olungile kanye nomubi ukuze isiphetho solungile nomubi sifane! + Kuyinto engacabangeki ngawe. + Ubengeke yini umaHluleli womhlaba wonke enze okulungile?” +
26 UJehova wabe esethi: “Uma ngingathola edolobheni laseSodoma abantu abalungile abangu-50, ngizoyixolela yonke indawo ngenxa yabo.”
27 Kodwa u-Abrahama waphinde waphendula: “Uxolo ngokugabadela ngikhulume nawe Jehova, ngibe ngiluthuli nomlotha.
28 Ake sithi kulabo abangu-50 abalungile kushoda abahlanu. Ingabe ubuzobhubhisa lonke idolobha ngenxa yabahlanu?” Waphendula wathi: “Ngeke ngilibhubhise uma ngithola kulo abangu-45.” +
29 Kodwa waphinda futhi wakhuluma naye wathi: “Ake sithi kutholakala abangu-40 kulo.” Yena waphendula: “Ngeke ngikwenze ngenxa yabangu-40.”
30 Kodwa waqhubeka wathi: “Ngiyacela Jehova, ungangithukutheleli kakhulu, + kodwa ngivumele ngiqhubeke ngikhulume: Ake sithi kutholakala abangu-30 kuphela kulo.” Yena waphendula: “Ngeke ngikwenze uma ngithola abangu-30 kulo.”
31 Kodwa waqhubeka wathi: “Ngiyacela, ngiye ngagabadela ngakhuluma noJehova: Ake sithi kutholakala abangu-20 kuphela kulo.” Yena waphendula: “Ngeke ngilibhubhise ngenxa yabangu-20.”
32 Ekugcineni wathi: “Jehova, ngiyacela, ungangithukutheleli kakhulu, kodwa ngivumele ngikhulume okokugcina nje kuphela: Ake sithi kutholakala abayishumi kuphela.” Yena waphendula: “Ngeke ngilibhubhise ngenxa yabayishumi.”
33 Lapho uJehova eseqedile ukukhuluma no-Abrahama, wahamba, + no-Abrahama wabuyela endaweni yakhe.
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Lapha u-Abrahama wabiza enye yezingelosi ngokuthi “Jehova” ngoba yayingummeleli wakhe.
^ NgesiHebheru, “niqinise izinhliziyo zenu.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “izilinganiso zamaseya.” Iseya lalilingana no-7,33 L. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
^ Noma, “ziyozitholela isibusiso.”
