וירא וְאִתְגְלֵי עֲלוֹהִי יְקָרָא דַיְיָ בְּחֵיזְוֵי מַמְרֵא וְהוּא מְרַע מִכֵּיבָא דִמְהוּלְתָּא יָתִיב תְּרַע מַשְׁכְּנָא לְתוּקְפָא דְיוֹמָא AND the glory of the Lord was revealed to him in the valley of Mamre; and he, being ill from the pain of circumcision, sat at the door of the tabernacle in the fervour (or strength) of the day.
וּזְקַף עֵינוֹי וְחָמָא וְהָא תְלָתָא מַלְאָכִין בִּדְמוּת גוּבְרִין קַיְימִין קוֹמוֹי דְאִשְׁתַּלְחוּ לִצְרוֹךְ תְּלַת מִילַיָא אֲרוּם לֵית אַוְשַׁר לְמַלְאָכָא דְשֵׁירוּתָא דְמִשְׁתַּלֵיחָא לְיַתִּיר מִן מִילָא חַד חַד אָתָא לִמְבַשְרָא יָתֵיהּ דְהָא שָרָה יָלְדָה בַּר זָכָר וְחַד אָתָא לְמִישֵׁזְבָא יַת לוֹט וְחַד אָתָא לְמֵיהֲפַךְ יַת סְדוֹם וְיַת עֲמוֹרָה וְכַד חָמִינוּן רָהַט לִקְדָמוּתְהוֹן מִתְּרַע מַשְׁכְּנָא וּסְגִיד עַל אַרְעָא And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three angels in the resemblance of men were standing before him; (angels) who had been sent from the necessity of three things;--because it is not possible for a ministering angel to be sent for more than one purpose at a time;--one, then, had come to make known to him that Sarah should bear a man-child; one had come to deliver Lot; and one to overthrow Sedom and Amorah. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of the tent, and bowed himself on the earth.
וַאֲמַר בְּבָעוּ בְּרַחֲמִין מִן קֳדָמָךְ יְיָ אִין כְּדוֹן אַשְׁכָּחִית חִינָא קוּמָךְ לָא כְדוֹן תְּסַלֵק אִיקַר שְׁכִינְתָּךְ מֵעִילוֹי עַבְדָךְ עַד דְאֵיכְנוֹס עִיבּוּרַיָא And he said, I beseech, by the mercies (that are) before Thee, O Lord, if now I have found favour before Thee, that the glory of Thy Shekina may not now ascend from Thy servant, until I have set forth provisions
תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא {Abraham again said to these men, Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and recline} under the tree.
וְאִיסָב סְעִיד דִלְחֵם וּסְעִידוּ לִבְּכוֹן וְאוֹדוּ לְשׁוּם מֵימְרָא דַיְיָ וּבָתַר כְּדֵין תַּעֲבִירוּן אֲרוּם בְגִין כְּדֵין בְּאִישׁוֹן שֵׁירוּתָא אַזְדַמַנְתּוּן וְעַבַרְתּוּן עַל עַבְדְכוֹן בְּדִיל לְמִסְעוֹד וַאֲמָרוּ יָאוּת מַלֵילְתָּא עֲבִיד כְּפִתְגָמָךְ And I will bring food of bread, that you may strengthen your hearts, and give thanks in the Name of the Word of the Lord, and afterwards pass on. For therefore at the time of repast are you come, and have turned aside to your servant to take food. And they said, Thou hast spoken well; do according to thy word.
וְאוֹחִי אַבְרָהָם לְמַשְׁכְּנָא לְוַת שָרָה וַאֲמַר אוֹחָא תְּלַת סְאִין סְמִידָא דְסוּלְתָּא פִּתּוּכֵי וַעֲבִידִי גְרִיצָן And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said to her, Hasten three measures of flour-meal, mix and make cakes.
וּלְבַקְרוּתָא רְהַט אַבְרָהָם וּנְסַב בַּר תּוֹרֵי רַכִּיךְ וּשְׁמַן וִיהַב לְעוּלֵימָא וְאוֹחִי לְמֶעְבְדֵיהּ תַּבְשִׁילִין And unto the flock ran Abraham, and took a calf, tender and fat, and gave to a young man, and hastened to make prepared meats;
וּנְסֵיב לֵוָאֵי שָׁמִין וַחֲלַב וּבַר תּוֹרֵי דְעָבַד עוּלֵימָא תַּבְשִׁילִין וְסַדֵר קֳדָמֵיהוֹן כְּאוֹרַח הִילְכַת בִּרְיַית עַלְמָא וְהוּא מְשַׁמֵשׁ קֳדָמֵיהוֹן וְאִינוּן יַתְבִין תְּחוֹת אִילָנָא וְדָמֵי לֵיהּ כְּאִילוּ אָכְלִין and he took rich cream and milk and the calf which the young man had made into prepared meats, and set them before them, according to the way and conduct (hilkath) of the creatures of the world; and he served before them, and they sat under the tree; and he quieted himself (to see) whether they would eat.
וְאָמְרוּ לֵיהּ הָאן שָרָה אִנְתְּתָךְ וַאֲמַר הָא הִיא בְּמַשְׁכְּנָא And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, she is in the tent.
וַאֲמַר חַד מִנְהוֹן מֵיתַב אִתוּב לְוָתָךְ לְשַׁתָּא דְאַתְיָא וְאַתּוּן קַיָימִין וְהָא בַּר לְשָרָה אִנְתְּתָךְ וְשָרָה הֲוַת שָׁמְעָא בִּתְרַע מַשְׁכְּנָא וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל קָאִי בַּתְרֵיהּ וְצָיִית מַה דְאָמַר מַלְאָכָא And one of them said, Returning I will return to thee in the coming year; and you shall be revived, and, behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah was hearkening at the door of the tent, and Ishmael stood behind her, and marked what the Angel said.
וְאַבְרָהָם וְשָרָה סָבִין עָלוּ בְּיוֹמֵי פָּסַק מִלְמֶהֱוֵי לְשָרָה אוֹרַח סוּבְתָּא כִּנְשַׁיָא But Abraham and Sarah were old, they had mounted (alu) in days, and with Sarah the way of women had ceased.
וּתְמָהַת שָרָה בְּלִבָּה לְמֵימַר בָּתַר דִי סֵיבִית הֲוֵי לִי עִדוּיֵין וְרִבּוֹנִי אַבְרָהָם סִיב And Sarah wondered in her heart, saying After that I am old shall I have conceptions, and my lord Abraham is old?
וַאֲמַר יְיָ לְאַבְרָהָם לָמָה דְנַן גַחְכַת שָרָה לְמֵימַר הַבְּרַם בִּקְשׁוֹט אוֹלִיד וַאֲנָא סָבִית And the Lord said to Abraham, Why hath Sarah so laughed, saying, Can it be in truth that I shall bear, being old?
הַאֶפְשַׁר דְיִתְכַּסֵי מִן קֳדָם יְיָ מִדָעָם לִזְמַן חַגָא אֵיתוּב בְּעִידָנָא הָדֵין וְאַתּוּן קַיָימִין וּלְשָרָה בָּר Is it possible to hide anything from before the Lord? At the gracious time I will return to thee, in the time when you shall be revived, and Sarah shall have a son.
וְכַּפְרַת שָרָה לְמֵימַר לָא תָּמִהִית אֲרוּם דְחִילַת וְאָמַר מַלְאָכָא לָא תְדַחֲלוּן אֲרוּם בְּקוּשְׁטָא גָחַכְתְּ And Sarah denied and said, I wondered not; for she was afraid. And the Angel said, Fear not: yet in truth thou didst laugh.
וְקָמוּ מִתַּמָן מַלְאָכַיָא דַהֲווֹ מְדַמְיָין לְגַבְרַיָא דִין דְבִשַר יַת שָרָה סְלִיק לִשְמֵי מְרוֹמָא וּתְרֵין מִנְהוֹן אוֹדִיקוּ עַל אַנְפֵּי סְדוֹם וְאַבְרָהָם אָזִיל עִמְהוֹן לְאַלְוָואֵיהוֹן And the angels, who had the likeness of men, arose from thence, and the one who had made known the tidings to Sarah ascended to the high heavens; and two of them looked toward Sedom; and Abraham went with them.
וַיְיָ אָמַר בְּמֵימְרֵיהּ לֵית אַוְושַׁר לִי לִמְכַסְיָא מִן אַבְרָהָם מַה דַאֲנָא עָבֵיד וּמִן דִינָא הוּא דְלָא נַעֲבֵּיד עַד דְנוֹדַע יָתֵיהּ And the Lord said, with His Word, I cannot hide from Abraham that which I am about to do; and it is right that before I do it, I should make it known to him. For
וְאַבְרָהָם עָתִיד דִיהֵי לְעַם רַב וְתַקִיף וְיִתְבָּרְכוּן בְּדִילֵיהּ בִּזְכוּתֵיהּ כָּל עַמְמֵי אַרְעָא Abraham is to be a great and mighty people, and through him shall all the peoples of the earth be blessed.
אֲרוּם גְלֵי קֳדָמַי חֲסִידוּתֵיהּ בְּגִין דְיַפְקֵד יַת בְּנוֹי וְיַת אֱנַשׁ בֵּיתֵיהּ בַּתְרֵיהּ וְיִטְרוּן אָרְחָן דְתַקְנָן קֳדָם יְיָ לְמֶעֱבַד צְדַקְתָּא וְדִינָא בְּגִין דְיֵיתֵי יְיָ עִילוֹי דְאַבְרָהָם יַת דְמַלֵיל עִלוֹי Because his holiness (piety, chasidutha) is manifest before Me, (and) that he will instruct his sons, and the men of his house after him, to keep the ways that are right before the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.
וַאֲמַר יְיָ לְמַלְאֲכֵי שֵׁירוּתָא קְבֵילַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה דְאַנִיסִין מִסְכְּנִין וְגַזְרִין דְכָל דְיָהִיב פִּתָּא לְעַנְיָא יֵיקַד בְּנוּרָא אֲרוּם סַגִיאַת וְחוֹבַתְהוֹן אֲרוּם תַּקִיפַת לַחֲדָא And the Lord said to the ministering angels, The cry of Sedom and Amorah, because they oppress the poor, and decree that whosoever giveth a morsel to the needy shall be burned with fire, is therefore great, and their guilt exceedingly weighty.
אִתְגְלֵי כְּדוּן וְאֶחְמֵי הָא כְּקִיבַלְתָּא דְרִיבָה פְּלֵיטִית דְעָלַת קוֹמוֹי עָבָדוּ גְמִירָא הִינוּן חַיָבִין וְאִם עַבְדִין תְּתוּבָא הֲלָא הִינוּן קֳדָמָי זַכָּאִין כְּמָא דְלָא יַדְעֵיהּ וְלָא אִתְפְּרַע I will now appear, and see whether, as the cry of a damsel torn away, which ascendeth before Me, they have made completion of their sins; (or, whether they have made an end of their sins;) and if they have wrought repentance, shall they not be as (if) innocent before Me? and as if not knowing, I will not punish.
וְאִתְפְּנֵי מִתַּמָן מַלְאָכַיָא דְדַמְיַן לְגוּבְרַיָא וַאֲזָלוּ לִסְדוֹם וְאַבְרָהָם עַד כְּדוּן בָּעֵי רַחֲמִין עַל לוֹט וּמְשַׁמֵשׁ בִּצְלוֹ קֳדָם יְיָ And the angels who had the likeness of men, turned thence and went towards Sedom. And Abraham now supplicated mercy for Lot, and ministered in prayer before the Lord.
וְצַלִי אַבְרָהָם וַאֲמַר הֲרוּגְזָךְ שֵׁצְיָא זַכְּאַי עִם חַיָיב And Abraham prayed and said, Wilt Thou destroy in Thy displeasure the innocent with the guilty?
מָאִים אִית חַמְשִׁין זַכָּאִין בְּגוֹ קַרְתָּא דְיֵיצְלוּן קֳדָמָךְ עֲשָרָה לְכָל קִרְוָוא כָּל קְבֵיל חַמְשָׁא קוּרְיַין סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה אַדְמָה וּצְבוֹיִם וְזוֹעַר הֲרוּגְזָךְ שֵׁצְיָא וְלָא תִשְׁבּוֹק לְאַתְרָא בְּגִין זַכְוַות חַמְשִׁין זַכָּאִין דִבְגַוָוהּ Perhaps there are fifty innocent persons within the city, who pray before Thee,--ten for every city, of all the five cities of Sedom, Amorah, Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar. Wilt Thou in Thy displeasure destroy and not forgive the country, on account of the fifty innocent ones who are in it? Unholy would it be before Thee to do according to this word, to slay the innocent with the guilty, and to make the innocent to be as the guilty!
חוּלִין הוּא לָךְ לְמֶעֱבַד כְּפִתְגָמָא הָדֵין לְמִקְטַל זַכְּאַי עִם חַיָיב וִיהֵא זַכְּאַי הֵיךְ חַיָיב חוּלִין הוּא לָךְ הֲאֶפְשָׁר מַאן דְדָאִין כָּל אַרְעָא לָא יַעֲבֵיד דִינָא That be unholy with Thee. It cannot be that One who is the Judge of all the earth should not do justice.
וַאֲמַר יְיָ אִין אַשְׁכַּח בִּסְדוֹם חַמְשִׁין זַכָּאִין בְּגוֹ קַרְתָּא דְיֵצְלוּן קֳדָמַי וְאֶשְׁבּוֹק לְכָל אַרְעָא בְּגִינְהוֹם And the Lord said, If I find in Sedom fifty innocent in the midst of the city who pray before Me, I will forgive all the land on their account.
וְאָתֵיב אַבְרָהָם וַאֲמַר בְּבָעוּ בְּרַחֲמִין הָא כְּדוֹן שָׁרִיתִי לְמַלְלָא קֳדָם יְיָ וַאֲנָא מְתִיל לְעָפָר וּקְטָם And Abraham responded, and said, I pray for mercy. Behold, now, I have begun to speak before the Lord; I, who am as dust and ashes.
מָאִים חַסְרִין מִן חַמְשִׁין זַכָּאִין חַמְשָׁא הֲתַחֲבֵּל בְּגִין חַמְשָׁא דְחַסְרִין לְזוֹעֵר יַת כָּל קַרְתָּא וַאֲמַר לָא אֵיחַבֵּל אִין אַשְׁכַּח תַּמָן אַרְבְּעִין וְחַמְשָׁא Perhaps of the fifty innocent persons, five may be wanting. On account of the five who may be wanting to Zoar, wilt Thou destroy the whole city? And He said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.
וְאוֹסִיף תּוּב לְמַלָלָא קֳדָמוֹי וְאָמַר מָאִים יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן תַּמָן אַרְבְּעִין עֲשָרָה עֲשָרָה לְכָל קַרְתָּא לְאַרְבַּעַת קוּרְיַין וְזוֹעֵר דְחוֹבָהָא קַלִילִין שְׁבוֹק לָהּ בְּגִין רַחֲמָךְ וַאֲמַר לָא אַעֲבֵיד גְמִירָא בְּגִין זַכְוַת אַרְבְּעִין And he added yet to speak before Him, and said, Perhaps there may be forty found there; ten for each city of the four cities, and Zoar, whose guilt is lighter, forgive thou for Thy mercy's sake. And he said, I will not make an end for the sake of the forty innocent ones.
וַאֲמַר לָא כְּדוּן יִתְקוֹף רוּגְזָא דְרִיבּוֹן כָּל עָלְמַיָא יְיָ וַאֲמַלֵיל מָאִים יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן תַּמָן תְּלָתִין דְיֵצְלוּן עֲשָרָה עֲשָרָה לְכָל קַרְתָּא לִתְלַת קוּרְיַין וּצְבוֹיִם וְזוֹעַר שְׁבוֹק לָהֶם בְגִין רַחֲמָךְ וְאָמַר לָא אַעֲבֵיד גְמִירָא אִין אַשְׁכַּח תַּמָן תְּלָתִין And he said, Let not the displeasure of the Lord, the Lord of all the world, wax strong against me, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty who pray may be found there, ten for each of the three cities, and Zeboim and Zoar forgive them for Thy mercy's sake. And He said, I will not make an end if I find thirty there.
וַאֲמַר בְּבָעוּ בְּרַחֲמִין הָא כְדוּן שָׁרִיתִי לְמַלָלָא קֳדָם רִבּוֹן כָּל עָלְמַיָא יְיָ מָאִים יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן עֶשְרִין דְיֵצְלוּן עֲשָרָה עֲשָרָה לְתַרְתֵּין קוּרְיַין וְלִתְלַת שְׁבוֹק לְהוֹם בְּגִין רַחֲמָךְ וַאֲמַר לָא אֵיחַבֵּל בְּגִין זַכְוַות עֶשְרִין And he said, Imploring mercy, I have now begun to speak before the Lord, the Lord of all the world. Perhaps twenty who pray may be found; ten in each of the two cities, and the three forgive Thou for Thy mercy's sake! And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty innocent.
וַאֲמַר בְּבָעוּ בְּרַחֲמִין מִן קֳדָמָךְ לָא כְּדוֹן יִתְקוֹף רוּגְזָא דְרִבּוֹן כָּל עָלְמַיָא יְיָ וַאֲמַלֵיל בְּרַם זִמְנָא הָדָא מָאִים יִשְׁתַּכְּחוּן תַּמָן עֲשָרָה וַנְהִי אֲנָא וְאִינוּן וְנִבְעֵי רַחֲמִין עַל כָּל אַתְרָא וְתִשְׁבּוֹק לְהוֹם וַאֲמַר לָא אֲחַבֵּל בְּגִין זַכְוַות עֲשָרָה And he said, I implore mercy before Thee! Let not the anger of the Lord,the Lord of all the world, grow strong, and I will speak only this time. Perhaps ten may be found there; and I and they will pray for mercy upon all the land, and Thou wilt forgive them. And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the ten who may be innocent.
וְאִסְתַּלֵק יְקָרָא דַיְיָ כַּד פָּסַק לְמַלָלָא עִם אַבְרָהָם וְאַבְרָהָם תַּב לְאַתְרֵיהּ And the majesty of the {Shekinah of the} Lord went up when He had ceased to speak with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.