Isahluko 18
1
UJehova wabonakala kuye ngasema-okini aseMamre, ehlezi emnyango wetende ngesikhathi sokushisa kwemini.
2
Waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabuka; bheka, amadoda amathathu ayemi phambi kwakhe; wathi ukuba awabone, wasuka emnyango wetende, wagijima ukuwahlangabeza, wakhothama,
3
wathi: “Nkosi, uma ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho, mawungadluli encekwini yakho.
4
Makulethwe ingcosana yamanzi, nigeze izinyawo zenu, niphumule phansi komuthi.
5
Ngizakulanda ucezu lwesikwa, nithokozise izinhliziyo zenu, andukuba nidlule, njengokuba senifikile encekwini yenu.” Athi: “Yenza njengokusho kwakho.”
6
U-Abrahama waphuthuma etendeni kuSara, wathi: “Sheshisa, uthathe amaseya amathathu empuphu ecolekileyo, uyixove, wenze amaqebelengwane.”
7
U-Abrahama wagijima, waya ezinkomeni, walanda ithole elihle nelinonileyo, walinika encekwini; yashesha ukulilungisa.
8
Wathatha amangqanga, nobisi, nethole abelilungisile, wakubeka phambi kwawo; wema ngakuwo phansi komuthi; adla.
9
Athi kuye: “Uphi uSara umkakho na?” Wathi: “Nangu etendeni.”
10
Wayesethi: “Impela ngiyakubuyela kuwe emva komnyaka ngalesi sikhathi; bheka, khona umkakho uSara uyakuba nendodana.” USara wakuzwa lokhu esemnyango wetende ongasemva kwakhe.
11
Kepha o-Abrahama noSara base begugile, beneminyaka eminingi; kwase kuphelile kuSara okwabesifazane.
12
USara wahleka phakathi kwakhe, wathi: “Lapho sengimdala, nenkosi yami igugile, ngiyakuba nalenjabulo na?”
13
UJehova wathi ku-Abrahama: “Uhlekeleni uSara, ethi: ‘Imbala ngizakuzala ngimdala na?’
14
Kukhona into emahlula uJehova na? Ngalesi sikhathi emva komnyaka ngiyakubuyela kuwe, uSara abe nendodana.”
15
USara waphika wathi: “Angihlekanga,” ngokuba wesaba. Kepha wathi: “Qha, uhlekile.”
16
Amadoda asuka lapho, abheka ngaseSodoma; u-Abrahama wahamba nawo ewaphelekezela.
17
UJehova wathi: “Ngingamfihlela u-Abrahama lokho engizakukwenza na?
18
U-Abrahama uyakuba yisizwe esikhulu, esinamandla; ziyakubusiswa kuyena izizwe zonke zomhlaba.
19
Ngokuba ngimkhethele ukuba ayale abantwana bakhe nendlu yakhe emva kwakhe ukugcina indlela kaJehova nokusebenza ukulunga nokwahlulela, ukuze uJehova amenzele u-Abrahama lokho amthembise khona.”
20
UJehova wathi: “Isikhalo saseSodoma nesaseGomora sikhulu, nezono zabo zinzima impela.
21
Ngalokho ngiyakwehla, ngibone ukuba benzile impela konke njengokwesikhalo esesifikile kimi; uma kungenjalo, ngiyakukwazi.”
22
Ayesefulathela lapho amadoda, aya ngaseSodoma, kepha u-Abrahama wayesemi ebusweni bukaJehova.
23
U-Abrahama wasondela, wathi: “Uyakubhubhisa olungileyo kanye nomubi na?
24
Mhlawumbe kukhona abalungileyo abangamashumi ayisihlanu phakathi komuzi; imbala uyakuyibhubhisa, ungayiyeki indawo ngenxa yabalungileyo abangamashumi ayisihlanu abakuyo na?
25
Makube kude nawe ukwenza ngale ndlela, ukubulala olungileyo kanye nomubi, olungileyo abe njengomubi; lokhu makube kude nawe; umahluleli womhlaba wonke ubengayikwenza ukulunga na?”
26
UJehova wathi: “Uma ngifumana eSodoma abalungileyo abangamashumi ayisihlanu phakathi komuzi, ngiyakuyekela indawo yonke ngenxa yabo.”
27
Kepha u-Abrahama waphendula wathi: “Bheka, sengiqalile ukukhuluma eNkosini, mina engiluthuli nomlotha.
28
Mhlawumbe kuyakusweleka abayisihlanu kubo abalungileyo abangamashumi ayisihlanu; ubuyakubhubhisa wonke umuzi ngenxa yalabo abayisihlanu na?” Wathi: “Angiyikuwubhubhisa, uma ngifumana khona abangamashumi amane nanhlanu.”
29
Kepha wabuye wakhuluma kuye, wathi: “Mhlawumbe kungafunyaniswa khona abangamashumi amane.” Wathi: “Angiyikukwenza ngenxa yabangamashumi amane.”
30
Wayesethi: “Mayingathukutheli iNkosi ukuthi ngisakhuluma. Mhlawumbe kungafunyaniswa khona abangamashumi amathathu.” Wathi: “Angiyikukwenza, uma ngifumana abangamashumi amathathu lapho.”
31
Kepha wathi: “Bheka, ngiqalile ukukhuluma neNkosi. Mhlawumbe kungatholakala abangamashumi amabili khona.” Wathi: “Angiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yabangamashumi amabili.”
32
Wayesethi: “Mayingathukutheli iNkosi ukuthi ngisakhuluma kanye nje. Mhlawumbe kungafunyanwa abayishumi khona.” Wathi: “Angiyikuwubhubhisa ngenxa yalabo abayishumi.”
33
UJehova wasuka, nxa eseqedile ukukhuluma no-Abrahama; u-Abrahama wabuyela endaweni yakhe.