1 Mafumu 17
1 Ndipo mneneri Eliya wa ku Tisibe ku Giliyadi, anati kwa Ahabu, “Pali Yehova wamoyo, Mulungu wa Israeli, amene ndimamutumikira, sipadzakhala mame kapena mvula zaka zikubwerazi, pokhapokha ine nditanena.”
U-Elija umThishibi owayevela ngaseThishibi eGiliyadi, wasesithi ku-Ahabi, “Njengoba uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, engimkhonzayo ephila, akuyikuba lamazolo njalo akuyikuba lezulu okweminyaka embalwa ezayo ngaphandle kokuba ngitsho.”
2 Pamenepo Yehova anayankhula ndi Eliya kuti,
Ngakho ilizwi likaThixo lafika ku-Elija lisithi:
3 “Choka kuno, upite kummawa, ukabisale mʼmbali mwa mtsinje wa Keriti, pafupi ndi Yorodani.
“Suka lapho, khangela empumalanga uyecatsha eDongeni lwaseKherithi, empumalanga kweJodani.
4 Uzikamwa mu mtsinjemo, ndipo ndalamula makwangwala kuti azikakudyetsa kumeneko.”
Uzanatha amanzi avela kulesosifula, njalo sengilayile amawabayi ukuthi azabe ekulethela ukudla khonapho.”
5 Choncho Eliya anachita zomwe Yehova anamuwuza. Anapita ku mtsinje wa Keriti, pafupi ndi Yorodani, nakakhala kumeneko.
Ngakho wenza lokho okwakutshiwo nguThixo. Waya eDongeni lwaseKherithi, empumalanga yeJodani, wafika wahlala khona.
6 Makwangwala ankabweretsera buledi ndi nyama mmawa ndi madzulo, ndipo ankamwa mu mtsinjemo.
Amawabayi amlethela ukudla, isinkwa lenyama ekuseni kwathi lantambama kwaba yisinkwa lenyama, amanzi wayenatha esifuleni.
7 Patapita masiku, mtsinjewo unaphwa chifukwa mvula sinagwe mʼdzikomo.
Ngemva kwesikhathi amanzi atsha esifuleni ngoba kwakungelazulu elizweni.
8 Yehova anayankhula naye kuti,
Ngakho kwabuye kwafika kuye ilizwi likaThixo lisithi:
9 “Nyamuka tsopano, pita ku Zarefati ku Sidoni ndipo ukakhale kumeneko. Ndalamula mkazi wamasiye wa kumeneko kuti azikakudyetsa.”
“Suka khathesi uye eZarefathi yeSidoni uyehlala khona. Sengilungisile khona ukuthi umfelokazi uzakulungisela abe ekupha ukudla.”
10 Choncho iye ananyamuka napita ku Zarefati. Atafika pa chipata cha mzindawo, taonani mkazi wamasiye amatola nkhuni. Anamuyitana ndi kumuwuza kuti, “Patseni madzi pangʼono mʼchikho kuti ndimwe.”
Wasesiya eZarefathi. Uthe efika esangweni ledolobho, kwakukhona umfelokazi edobha incwathi. Wazibika kuye njalo ecela wathi, “Ungangilethela amanzi ngenkezo kenginathe na?”
11 Mayi wamasiye uja ankapita kukatunga madzi, Eliya anamuyitananso namuwuza kuti, “Chonde munditengerekonso buledi.”
Uthe esayathatha amanzi, wambiza njalo wathi, “Ngicela ungiphathele locezu lwesinkwa.”
12 Iye anayankha kuti “Pali Yehova Mulungu wanu wamoyo, ine ndilibe chakudya china chilichonse, koma kaufa pangʼono mʼmbiya ndi mafuta pangʼono mʼbotolo. Ine ndikutola tinkhuni tochepa kuti ndipite nato ku nyumba ndi kukaphika chakudya changa ndi cha mwana wanga, kuti tikadye kenaka tife.”
Umfelokazi waphendula wathi, “Ngeqiniso lanjengoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ephila, angilaso isinkwa kodwa ngilengcosana nje yefulawa engcebethwini encane lamafutha angenganani ediweni. Ngidobha incwathi lezi nje ngiya lazo ngekhaya ukuze ngiyezigoqozela engingakudla mina lendodana yami, kube yikho esizakudla andubana sife.”
13 Eliya anati kwa iye, “Musachite mantha. Pitani mukachite monga mwaneneramo. Koma poyamba mundipangire kachakudya pangʼono kuchokera pa ufa umene muli nawo ndi kubwera nako kwa ine, ndipo kenaka mukaphike choti mudye inuyo ndi mwana wanuyo.
U-Elija wathi kumfelokazi, “Ungesabi. Hamba uye ekhaya uyekwenza khonokho okutshoyo. Kodwa uqale ungiphekele iqebelengwane eliyisinkwa ngalokho olakho ube usuliletha lapha kimi, andubana uziphekele okwakho lendodana yakho.
14 Pakuti Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli akuti, ‘Ufa umene uli mʼmbiyamo sudzatha ndipo mafuta amene ali mʼbotolomo sadzathanso mpaka tsiku limene Yehova adzagwetse mvula pa dziko lapansi.’”
Ngoba lokhu yikho uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli akutshiloyo: ‘Impuphu esengcebethwini kayiyikuphela, lamafutha asediweni kawayikuphela, kuze kufike usuku uThixo azanisa ngalo izulu elizweni?’”
15 Mayi wamasiyeyo anapita nakachita zimene Eliya anamuwuza. Choncho panali chakudya cha Eliya, mayiyo pamodzi ndi banja lake lonse chimene anadya masiku ambiri.
Wasuka lapho wayakwenza njengalokho ayekutshilo u-Elija. Ngakho kwahlala kulokudla kuka-Elija lomfelokazi labendlu yakhe okwensuku zonke.
16 Pakuti ufa umene unali mʼmbiya sunathe ndiponso mafuta amene anali mʼbotolo sanathe, monga momwe ananenera Yehova kudzera mwa Eliya.
Ngoba ifulawa eyayisengcebethwini ayiphelanga, kanti njalo lamafutha agobhoza kokuphela kazaphela njengokutsho kukaThixo ku-Elija.
17 Tsiku lina mwana wake wa mkazi wamasiye uja, mwini nyumbayo, anadwala. Matenda ananka nakulirakulirabe, ndipo kenaka analeka kupuma.
Ngemva kwesikhatshana indodana yomfelokazi owayengumninindlu yagula. Wakhula umkhuhlane ngamandla, yaze yema ukuphefumula.
18 Mayiyo anati kwa Eliya, “Kodi ndakulakwirani chiyani, inu munthu wa Mulungu? Kodi munabwera kuno kudzandikumbutsa tchimo langa ndi kudzandiphera mwana wanga?”
Umfelokazi wathi ku-Elija, “Kanti kuyini ongizondela khona, wena muntu kaNkulunkulu? Kambe ungabe ulande ukuzangikhumbuza ngesono sami ukuze ubulale indodana yami na?”
19 Eliya anayankha kuti, “Patseni mwana wanuyo.” Iye anatenga mwanayo mʼmanja mwa mayiyo napita naye mʼchipinda chapamwamba, kumene Eliyayo amagona, namugoneka pa bedi lake.
U-Elija waphendula wathi, “Nginika indodana yakho.” Wayiphatha ngezandla indodana, wakhwela layo waya endlini ephezulu ayehlala kuyo, wayilalisa embhedeni wakhe.
20 Kenaka Eliya anafuwula kwa Yehova nati, “Inu Yehova Mulungu wanga, kodi mwabweretsanso choyipa chotere pa mkazi wamasiye amene ine ndikukhala naye, pakuchititsa kuti mwana wake afe?”
Wasecela ngamandla kuThixo esithi. “Yebo Thixo Nkulunkulu wami, wehlisele umonakalo lakulo umfelokazi engihlezi kuye na, ngokubangela ukufa kwendodana yakhe na?”
21 Pamenepo Eliya anakumbatira mwanayo katatu ndi kufuwula kwa Yehova kuti, “Inu Yehova Mulungu wanga, mubwezereni mwanayu moyo wake!”
Wasezelula ecambalala phezu komfana kathathu ecela kuThixo, esithi, “Wena Thixo Nkulunkulu wami, ake ubuyisele impilo yalumntwana!”
22 Yehova anamva kufuwula kwa Eliya, ndipo moyo wa mwanayo unabwerera mwa iye ndipo anatsitsimuka.
UThixo wakuzwa ukukhala kuka-Elija lakanye impilo yomfana yabuyela, wavuka waphila.
23 Eliya ananyamula mwanayo natsika naye kuchoka mʼchipinda chapamwamba chija nalowa naye mʼnyumba. Anamupereka kwa amayi ake ndipo anati, “Taonani, mwana wanu ali ndi moyo!”
U-Elija wamphakamisa umntwana wamthwalela endlini ephansi. Wamqhubela unina wasesithi kunina, “Khangela ubone, indodana yakho iyaphila!”
24 Pamenepo mayiyo anati kwa Eliya, “Tsopano ndadziwa kuti ndinu munthu wa Mulungu ndipo mawu a Yehova amene mumayankhula ndi owona.”
Umfelokazi wasesithi ku-Elija, “Khathesi sengisazi ukuthi ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu lokuthi ilizwi likaThixo elivela emlonyeni wakho liliqiniso.”
