Genesis 18

vayyera elayw Adonai be'elone mamre vehu yoshev petakh-ha'ohel kekhom hayyom

GOD appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot.

vayyissa enayw vayyar vehinneh sheloshah anashim nitsavim alayw vayyar vayyarots liqratam mippetakh ha'ohel vayyishtakhu aretsah

Looking up, he saw three figures standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them and, bowing to the ground,

vayyomar adonay im-na matsati khen be'enekha al-na ta'avor me'al avdekha

he said, “My lords! If it please you, do not go on past your servant.

yuqqakh-na me'at-mayim verakhatsu raglekhem vehisha'anu takhat ha'ets

Let a little water be brought; bathe your feet and recline under the tree.

ve'eqkhah fat-lekhem vesa'adu libbekhem akhar ta'avoru ki-al-ken avartem al-avdekhem vayyomeru ken ta'aseh ka'asher dibbarta

And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may refresh yourselves; then go on—seeing that you have come your servant’s way.” They replied, “Do as you have said.”

vayemaher avraham ha'ohelah el-sarah vayyomer mahari shelosh se'im qemakh solet lushi va'asi ugot

Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quick, three seahs of choice flour! Knead and make cakes!”

ve'el-habbaqar rats avraham vayyiqqakh ben-baqar rakh vatov vayyitten el-hanna'ar vayemaher la'asot oto

Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a servant-boy, who hastened to prepare it.

vayyiqqakh khemah vekhalav uven-habbaqar asher asah vayyitten lifnehem vehu-omed alehem takhat ha'ets vayyokhelu

He took curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared and set these before them; and he waited on them under the tree as they ate.

vayyomeru eׄlayׄvׄ ayyeh sarah ishtekha vayyomer hinneh va'ohel

They said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he replied, “There, in the tent.”

vayyomer shov ashuv elekha ka'et khayyah vehinneh-ven lesarah ishtekha vesarah shoma'at petakh ha'ohel vehu akharayw

Then one said, “I will return to you next year, and your wife Sarah shall have a son!” Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.

ve'avraham vesarah zeqenim ba'im bayyamim khadal lihyot lesarah orakh kannashim

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years; Sarah had stopped having her periods.

vattitskhaq sarah beqirbah lemor akhare veloti hayetah-lli ednah vadoni zaqen

And Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “Now that I’ve lost the ability, am I to have enjoyment—with my husband so old?”

vayyomer Adonai el-avraham lammah zeh tsakhaqah sarah lemor ha'af umnam eled va'ani zaqanti

Then GOD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am?’

hayippale me-Adonai davar lammo'ed ashuv elekha ka'et khayyah ulesarah ven

Is anything too wondrous for GOD? I will return to you at the same season next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

vattekhakhesh sarah lemor lo tsakhaqti ki yare'ah vayyomer lo ki tsakhaqt

Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was frightened. Came the reply, “You did laugh.”

vayyaqumu misham ha'anashim vayyashqifu al-pene sedom ve'avraham holekh immam leshallekham

The agents set out from there and looked down toward Sodom, Abraham walking with them to see them off.

va-Adonai amar hamekhasseh ani me'avraham asher ani oseh

Now GOD had said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

ve'avraham hayo yihyeh legoy gadol ve'atsum venivrekhu-vo kol goye ha'arets

since Abraham is to become a great and populous nation and all the nations of the earth are to bless themselves by him?

ki yedativ lema'an asher yetsavveh et-banayw ve'et-beto akharayw veshameru derekh Adonai la'asot tsedaqah umishpat lema'an havi Adonai al-avraham et asher-dibber alayw

For I have singled him out, that he may instruct his children and his posterity to keep the way of GOD by doing what is just and right, in order that GOD may bring about for Abraham what has been promised him.”

vayyomer Adonai za'aqat sedom va'amorah ki-rabbah vekhattatam ki khavedah me'od

Then GOD said, “The outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave!

eredah-nna ve'ereh hakketsa'aqatah habba'ah elay asu kalah ve'im-lo eda'ah

I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether according to the outcry that has reached Me; if not, I will take note.”

vayyifnu misham ha'anashim vayyelekhu sedomah ve'avraham odennu omed lifne Adonai

The agents went on from there to Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before GOD.

vayyiggash avraham vayyomar ha'af tispeh tsaddiq im-rasha

Abraham came forward and said, “Will You sweep away the innocent along with the guilty?

ulay yesh khamishim tsaddiqim betokh ha'ir ha'af tispeh velo-tissa lammaqom lema'an khamishim hatsaddiqim asher beqirbah

What if there should be fifty innocent within the city; will You then wipe out the place and not forgive it for the sake of the innocent fifty who are in it?

khalilah lekha me'asot kaddavar hazzeh lehamit tsaddiq im-rasha vehayah khatsaddiq karasha khalilah lakh hashofet kol-ha'arets lo ya'aseh mishpat

Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty, so that innocent and guilty fare alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”

vayyomer Adonai im-emtsa visdom khamishim tsaddiqim betokh ha'ir venasati lekhol-hammaqom ba'avuram

And GOD answered, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty innocent ones, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.”

vayya'an avraham vayyomar hinneh-na ho'alti ledabber el-adonay ve'anokhi afar va'efer

Abraham spoke up, saying, “Here I venture to speak to my Sovereign, I who am but dust and ashes:

ulay yakhserun khamishim hatsaddiqim khamisha hatashkhit bakhamisha et-kol-ha'ir vayyomer lo ashkhit im-emtsa sham arba'im vakhamisha

What if the fifty innocent should lack five? Will You destroy the whole city for want of the five?” “I will not destroy if I find forty-five there,” came the reply.

vayyosef od ledabber elayw vayyomar ulay yimmatse'un sham arba'im vayyomer lo e'eseh ba'avur ha'arba'im

But he spoke up again, and said, “What if forty should be found there?” “I will not do it, for the sake of the forty,” came the reply.

vayyomer al-na yikhar ladonay va'adabberah ulay yimmatse'un sham sheloshim vayyomer lo e'eseh im-emtsa sham sheloshim

And he said, “Let not my Sovereign be angry if I go on: What if thirty should be found there?” “I will not do it if I find thirty there,” came the reply.

vayyomer hinneh-na ho'alti ledabber el-adonay ulay yimmatse'un sham esrim vayyomer lo ashkhit ba'avur ha'esrim

And he said, “I venture again to speak to my Sovereign: What if twenty should be found there?” “I will not destroy, for the sake of the twenty,” came the reply.

vayyomer al-na yikhar ladonay va'adabberah akh-happa'am ulay yimmatse'un sham asarah vayyomer lo ashkhit ba'avur ha'asarah

And he said, “Let not my Sovereign be angry if I speak but this last time: What if ten should be found there?” “I will not destroy, for the sake of the ten,” came the reply.

vayyelekh Adonai ka'asher killah ledabber el-avraham ve'avraham shav limqomo

Having finished speaking to Abraham, GOD departed; and Abraham returned to his place.