< 1 Kings 21 >
1 Sometime later this happened: There was a man named Naboth from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel close to King Ahab's palace in Samaria.
Baada ya hayo, Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa na shamba la mizabibu jirani na jumba la kifalme la Ahabu mfalme wa Samaria.
2 Ahab went to Naboth and said, “Give me your vineyard so I can turn it into a vegetable garden, because it's close to my palace. In return I'll give you a better vineyard, or if you want I'll pay you for it in cash.”
Ahabu akamwambia Nabothi, “Nipe shamba lako la mizabibu nilitumie kwa bustani ya mboga, kwa kuwa liko karibu na jumba langu la kifalme. Badala yake, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu zuri zaidi au, kama utapenda, nitakulipa kiasi chochote unachoona ni thamani yake.”
3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord curse me if I should give you my forefathers' inheritance.”
Lakini Nabothi akamjibu, “Bwana na apishe mbali kukupa wewe urithi wa baba zangu.”
4 Ahab went home sulking and infuriated because Naboth from Jezreel had said, “I will not give you my forefathers' inheritance.” He went to bed, wouldn't look at anyone, and refused to eat.
Basi Ahabu akaenda nyumbani, mwenye huzuni na hasira kwa sababu ya yale ambayo Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa amesema, “Sitakupa urithi wa baba zangu.” Akajinyoosha juu ya kitanda akisononeka, na akakataa kula.
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so upset about? That you don't want to eat?”
Yezebeli mke wake akaingia na akamuuliza, “Kwa nini unahuzunika hivi? Kwa nini huli chakula?”
6 Ahab replied, “It's because I talked with Naboth from Jezreel and I asked him, ‘Give me your vineyard for cash, or if you want, I'll give you another vineyard instead.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
Akamjibu, “Kwa sababu nilimwambia Nabothi, Myezreeli, ‘Niuzie shamba lako la mizabibu, au kama ukipenda, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu badala yake.’ Lakini akasema, ‘Sitakupa shamba langu la mizabibu.’”
7 “Aren't you the king of Israel?” his wife Jezebel replied. “Get up, have something to eat, and cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel.”
Yezebeli mke wake akasema, “Hivi ndivyo unavyofanya, nawe ni mfalme katika Israeli yote? Inuka na ule! Changamka. Nitakupatia shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli.”
8 So she wrote some letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and leaders in the town where Naboth lived.
Kwa hiyo akaandika barua kwa jina la Ahabu akaweka muhuri wake juu ya hizo barua, akazipeleka kwa wazee na kwa watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji pamoja na Nabothi.
9 In the letters she wrote to tell them, “Announce a religious fast, and give Naboth a seat of honor.
Katika barua hizo aliandika: “Tangazeni siku ya watu kufunga na mkamketishe Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu.
10 But seat two bad men opposite him and have them accuse him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
Lakini waketisheni watu wawili wabaya kabisa mkabala naye, nao washuhudie kuwa yeye amemlaani Mungu na mfalme. Kisha mtoeni nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi afe.”
11 So the elders and leaders who lived in Naboth's town did as Jezebel had said in the letters she had written and sent to them.
Hivyo wazee na watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji wa Nabothi wakafanya kama Yezebeli alivyoelekeza katika barua aliyowaandikia.
12 They announced a religious fast, and gave Naboth a seat of honor.
Wakatangaza mfungo na kumketisha Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu.
13 Two bad men came and sat opposite him, and accused him in front of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the town and stoned him to death.
Kisha watu wawili wabaya kabisa wakaja wakaketi mkabala naye, nao wakaleta mashtaka dhidi ya Nabothi mbele ya watu, wakisema, “Nabothi amemlaani Mungu na mfalme.” Kwa hiyo wakamtoa nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi akafa.
14 Then they sent a message to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned. He's dead.”
Kisha wakatuma ujumbe kwa Yezebeli, kusema, “Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and he was dead, Jezebel told Ahab, “Get up, go and claim ownership of the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel, which he refused to sell you, for Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”
Mara tu Yezebeli aliposikia kwamba Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa, akamwambia Ahabu, “Amka na uchukue lile shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli, ambalo alikataa kukuuzia. Hayuko hai tena, bali amekufa.”
16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went to claim ownership of Naboth's vineyard.
Ahabu aliposikia Nabothi amekufa, akainuka na kushuka ili kulichukua shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi.
17 Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite:
Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, Mtishbi:
18 “Go and meet Ahab, king of Israel, in Samaria. He is right now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to claim ownership of it.
“Shuka ukakutane na Ahabu mfalme wa Israeli, anayetawala Samaria. Sasa yuko katika shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, ambapo amekwenda alimiliki.
19 Tell him: This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered a man and robbed him? Then tell him: This is what the Lord says: In the very spot where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your own blood.”
Umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: Je, hujamuua mtu na kuitwaa mali yake?’ Kisha umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: Mahali ambapo mbwa waliramba damu ya Nabothi, mbwa watairamba damu yako, naam, yako wewe!’”
20 “So have you come to find me, my enemy?” Ahab asked Elijah. “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the Lord sight,” Elijah replied.
Ahabu akamwambia Eliya, “Kwa hiyo umenipata, wewe adui yangu!” Akajibu, “Ndiyo, nimekupata. Kwa sababu umejiuza mwenyewe kufanya uovu mbele ya macho ya Bwana.
21 He says, “Watch out! I'm going to bring disaster on you and destroy your descendants. I will kill from every male of Ahab's line, both slave and free, in the whole of Israel.
‘Nitaleta maafa juu yako. Nitaangamiza uzao wako na kukatilia mbali kutoka kwa Ahabu kila mzaliwa wa mwisho wa kiume katika Israeli, wa mtumwa au wa mtu huru.
22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and made Israel sin.
Nitaifanya nyumba yako kama ile ya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati na ile ya Baasha mwana wa Ahiya, kwa sababu umenighadhibisha kwa kuwa umesababisha Israeli kutenda dhambi.’
23 And as far as Jezebel is concerned, the Lord says, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
“Pia kwa habari ya Yezebeli Bwana anasema, ‘Mbwa watamla Yezebeli karibu na ukuta wa Yezreeli.’
24 Those of Ahab's family who die in the town will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the countryside will be eaten by birds.”
“Mbwa watawala wale wa nyumba ya Ahabu watakaofia mjini, nao wale watakaofia mashambani wataliwa na ndege wa angani.”
25 (No one else was so bad as Ahab, who sold himself to do what is evil in the Lord's sight, because his wife Jezebel encouraged him.
(Hapajapata kamwe kuwa na mtu kama Ahabu, aliyejiuza mwenyewe kutenda uovu machoni mwa Bwana, akiwa anachochewa na Yezebeli mkewe.
26 He did the most despicable things, worshiping idols like the Amorites the Lord had driven out before Israel.)
Alitenda kwa uovu sana katika kuabudu sanamu, kama wale Waamori ambao Bwana aliowafukuza mbele ya Israeli.)
27 As soon as Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He even went to bed in sackcloth, and walked around repentantly.
Ahabu aliposikia maneno haya, akararua nguo zake, akavaa nguo za gunia na kufunga. Akalala na kujifunika nguo za gunia na kwenda kwa unyenyekevu.
28 Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite:
Ndipo neno la Bwana lilipomjia Eliya Mtishbi kusema,
29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime, but I will bring down disaster on his family in the lifetime of his son.”
“Umeona jinsi Ahabu alivyojinyenyekeza mbele zangu? Kwa kuwa amejishusha mwenyewe, sitaleta maafa haya wakati akiwa hai, lakini nitayaleta juu ya nyumba yake katika siku za mwanawe.”