Genesisi
18 Ngemva kwalokho, uJehova+ wabonakala kuye hlangana nemithi emikhulu yeMamre,+ ngesikhathi ahlezi ebungenweni betende. Ngesikhatheso nelanga belibaba! 2 Kwathi nakaqalako, wabona amadoda amathathu ajame kudanyana.+ Wathi nakawabonako, wagijima wafika kiwo waguqa. 3 Wathi: “Jehova, nangabe uyangamukela, ngibawa ungivakatjhele. 4 Ngibawa kulethwe amanzi, kuhlanjwe iinyawo zenu,+ ngemva kwalokho-ke nizigedle ngaphasi komuthi. 5 Ngombana nakhu nivakatjhele isisebenzi senu, akulethwe isiqetjhana soburotho nidle begodu nibe namandla. Ngemva kwalokho-ke ningakhamba.” Amphendula athi: “Kulungile, ungenza njengombana utjhwile.”
6 Nje-ke u-Abrahama wagijimela ngetendeni lapha kunoSara khona wafika wathi: “Rhaba! Uthathe iinlinganiso ezintathu zeseya* zeflowuru esezingeni eliphezulu, uyibhice bese wenza uburotho.” 7 Ngemva kwalokho u-Abrahama wagijimela emhlambini, wafika wakhetha ikunzana enonileko nehle. Wayinikela isisebenzi sakhe, sayihlinza ngokurhabako. 8 U-Abrahama wathatha ibhodoro, ibisi nenyama yekunzana ehlatjiweko wanikela amadoda la bona adle. Wawatenda+ ngaphasi komuthapho.
9 Athi kuye: “Uphi uSara+ umkakho?” Wawaphendula wathi: “Ungetendeni.” 10 Omunye wawo waraga wathi: “Ngokuqinisekileko umnyakozako ngesikhathesi ngizokubuya kuwe begodu uSara umkakho uzabe anendodana.”+ Ngesikhatheso uSara bekasebungenweni betende ebelingemva kwamadoda la alalele. 11 U-Abrahama noSara besele baluphele, iminyaka ikhambile tle!+ USara besele adlulile eminyakeni yokuba nabantwana.+ 12 Yeke wahlekela ngaphakathi wathi: “Nasengiluphele kangaka nekosami nayo iluphele nje, kghani kufuze ngithabe ngalokhu?”+ 13 Nje-ke uJehova wathi ku-Abrahama: “Kubayini uSara ahleka begodu athi, ‘Kghani kwamambala ngingabeletha umntwana ngitjho nanyana ngiluphele kangaka?’ 14 Kunento engabhalela uJehova na?+ Umnyakozako ngesikhathesi ngizokubuya kuwe begodu uSara umkakho uzabe anendodana.” 15 USara waphika ukuthi uhlekile wathi, “Awa akhenge ngihleke!” Bekabetjhwa livalo. UZimu wathi kuye: “Iye, uhlekile.”
16 Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi amadoda la akhamba. U-Abrahama wawaphekelela wawajikela endleleni, ngemva kwalokho abona iSodoma.+ 17 UJehova wathi: “Angeze ngifihlele u-Abrahama lokho engikwenzako.+ 18 Kwamambala u-Abrahama uzokuba sitjhaba esikhulu nesinamandla begodu zoke iintjhaba zephasini zizokubusiswa ngaye.+ 19 Ngombana ngamazi ukwenzela bona ayale amadodanakhe nabo boke bomzakhe ukuthi bakhambe endleleni kaJehova ngokwenza okulungileko begodu benze nobulungiswa.+ Bona uJehova akwenze lokho akuthembisa ngo-Abrahama.”
20 UJehova wathi: “Ngizizwile iinghonghoyilo ngeSodoma neGomora begodu isono sazo sikhulu kwamambala.+ 21 Nje-ke ngizokwehla ngiyokubona ukuthi iinghonghoyilo engizizwakwezi ziliqiniso namkha zimamala.”+
22 Nje-ke amadoda la asuka lapho atjhinga ngeSodoma kodwana uJehova+ wasolo ano-Abrahama. 23 U-Abrahama watjhidela kuZimu wathi: “Kghani uzokutjhabalalisa abantu abalungileko nabakhohlakeleko?+ 24 Akhesithi kunabantu abama-50 abalungileko ngedorobheni. Kghani uzobatjhabalalisa begodu ungalibaleli idorobho ngebanga labantu abama-50 abalungileko? 25 Yinto ongeze wayenza leyo, ukuthi utjhabalalise abantu abalungileko nabakhohlakeleko. Angeze waphatha abalungileko nabakhohlakeleko ngendlela efanako.+ Yinto ongeze wayenza leyo!+ Kghani umaHluleli wephasi loke angeze akwenza na okulungileko?”+ 26 UJehova wathi: “Nange ngingafumana abantu abalungileko abama-50 eSodoma, ngizoyilibalela indawo le ngebanga labo.” 27 Nje-ke u-Abrahama waphendula godu wathi: “Mina ngilithuli nomlotha kwaphela. Yeke ngiyabawa Jehova, ngivumela ngikhulume nawe godu. 28 Akhesithi abantu abalungileko bama-45. Uzokutjhabalalisa inarha le ngebanga lokutlhayela kwabantu abahlanu?” UZimu waphendula wathi: “Angeze ngiyitjhabalalise ngebanga lalabo abama-45.”+
29 Nokho waraga nokukhuluma noZimu wathi: “Akhesithi bama-40 kwaphela. Wamphendula wathi: “Angeze ngiyitjhabalalise ngebanga lalabo abama-40.” 30 Waraga wathi: “Jehova ngibawa ungangipheleli ihliziyo,+ akhengirage nokukhuluma: Akhesithi bama-30 kwaphela abakhona.” Wamphendula wathi: “Angeze ngiyitjhabalalise ngebanga lalabo abama-30.” 31 Wanaba wathi: “Jehova ngibawa ungivumele ngikhulume godu: Akhesithi bama-20 kwaphela.” Wamphendula wathi: “Angeze ngiyitjhabalalise ngebanga lalabo abama-20.” 32 Emaswapheleni wathi: “Jehova ngibawa ungangipheleli ihliziyo kodwana ngivumela ngikhulume kokugcina: Akhesithi balitjhumi kwaphela.” Wamphendula wathi: “Angeze ngiyitjhabalalise ngebanga lalabo abalitjhumi.” 33 Kwathi uJehova nakaqeda ukukhuluma no-Abrahama wakhamba,+ u-Abrahama naye wabuyela endawenakhe.