< 1 Kings 19 >
1 And Achab told Izebel all that Elijah had done, and withal that he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
Ahabu akamwambia Yezebeli kila kitu Eliya alichokuwa amefanya na jinsi alivyowaua manabii wote kwa upanga.
2 Then sent Izebel a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So may the gods do to me, and may they thus continue, if about this time tomorrow I do not render thy life as the life of any one of them.
Hivyo Yezebeli akamtuma mjumbe kwa Eliya, kusema, “Hao miungu initendee hivyo na kuzidi, kama kufikia kesho wakati kama huu sitaifanya roho yako kama mmojawapo wa hao manabii.”
3 And when he saw this, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba', which belongeth to Judah, and he left his young man there.
Eliya aliogopa, na akakimbia kuokoa maisha yake. Alipofika Beer-Sheba katika Yuda, akamwacha mtumishi wake huko,
4 But he himself went forward into the wilderness a day's journey, and he came and sat down under a certain broom-bush: and he requested for himself to die; and he said, It is enough, now, O Lord, take away my soul; for I am not better than my fathers.
lakini yeye mwenyewe akatembea mwendo wa kutwa nzima katika jangwa. Akafika kwenye mti wa mretemu, akakaa chini yake na kuomba ili afe. Akasema, “Yatosha sasa, Bwana, ondoa roho yangu, kwani mimi si bora kuliko baba zangu.”
5 And he laid himself down and slept under a certain broom-bush, and, behold then, an angel was touching him, and said unto him, Arise, eat.
Kisha akajinyoosha chini ya mti, akalala usingizi. Mara malaika akamgusa na akamwambia, “Inuka na ule.”
6 And he looked about, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baked on coals, and a cruise of water; and he ate and drank, and laid himself down again.
Akatazama pande zote, napo hapo karibu na kichwa chake palikuwepo mkate uliookwa kwenye makaa ya moto na gudulia la maji. Akala na kunywa, kisha akajinyoosha tena.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again, the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise, eat; because the journey is yet far for thee.
Yule malaika wa Bwana akaja tena mara ya pili, akamgusa akamwambia, “Inuka na ule, kwa kuwa safari ni ndefu kwako.”
8 And he arose, and ate and drank; and he went on the strength of that eating forty days and forty nights unto the mount of God, Horeb.
Kwa hiyo akainuka, akala na kunywa. Akiwa ametiwa nguvu na kile chakula, akasafiri siku arobaini usiku na mchana mpaka akafika Horebu, mlima wa Mungu.
9 And he came there unto a cave, and remained there over night: and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and said unto him, What dost thou here, Elijah?
Huko akaingia katika pango, akalala humo usiku ule. Nalo neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema, “Unafanya nini hapa, Eliya?”
10 And he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thy altars have they thrown down, and thy prophets have they slain with the sword: and I am left by myself alone, and they have sought my life, to take it away.
Akajibu, “Nimeona wivu mwingi kwa ajili ya Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Waisraeli wamelikataa Agano lako, wamevunja madhabahu zako na kuwaua manabii wako kwa upanga. Ni mimi, mimi peke yangu, niliyebaki, nao sasa wananitafuta ili waniangamize.”
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord: and, behold, the Lord passed by, and a wind, great and strong, rending the mountains, and breaking in pieces the rocks [went] before the Lord; but not in the wind was the Lord: and after the wind was an earthquake: but not in the earthquake was the Lord;
Bwana akasema, “Toka nje ukasimame juu ya mlima mbele za Bwana, kwa kuwa Bwana yu karibu kupita hapo.” Kisha upepo mwingi na wenye nguvu ukapasua milima ile na kuvunjavunja miamba mbele za Bwana, lakini Bwana hakuwamo katika ule upepo. Baada ya upepo palikuwa na tetemeko la nchi, lakini Bwana hakuwamo kwenye lile tetemeko.
12 And after the earthquake was a fire; but not in the fire was the Lord; and after the fire was the sound of a soft whisper.
Baada ya tetemeko la nchi ukaja moto, lakini Bwana hakuwamo katika ule moto. Baada ya moto ikaja sauti ya utulivu ya kunongʼona.
13 And it came to pass, when Elijah heard it, that he concealed his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave: and, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What dost thou here, Elijah?
Eliya alipoisikia, akafunika uso kwa vazi lake, akatoka na kusimama kwenye mdomo wa pango. Kisha ile sauti ikamwambia, “Eliya, unafanya nini hapa?”
14 And he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thy altars have they thrown down, and thy prophets have they slain with the sword: and I am left by myself alone, and they have sought my life, to take it away.
Akajibu, “Nimeona wivu mwingi kwa ajili ya Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Waisraeli wamelikataa Agano lako, wamevunja madhabahu zako na kuwaua manabii wako kwa upanga. Ni mimi, mimi peke yangu, niliyebaki, nao sasa wananitafuta ili waniangamize.”
15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; and go, anoint Chazael to be king over Syria;
Bwana akamwambia, “Rudi kwa njia uliyoijia, uende kwenye Jangwa la Dameski. Wakati utakapofika huko, mtie Hazaeli mafuta awe mfalme wa Aramu
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha' the son of Shaphat of Abel-mecholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead.
Pia mtie mafuta Yehu mwana wa Nimshi awe mfalme wa Israeli, na umtie Elisha mwana wa Shafati kutoka Abel-Mehola mafuta awe nabii badala yako.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Chazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth the sword of Jehu shall Elisha' slay.
Yehu atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Hazaeli, naye Elisha atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Yehu.
18 And I will leave in Israel seven thousand, all the knees which have not been bent unto Ba'al, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
Hata sasa nimeweka akiba watu elfu saba katika Israeli, wote ambao hawajampigia Baali magoti, na wote ambao midomo yao haijambusu.”
19 And he departed thence, and found Elisha' the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing; twelve yoke of oxen were before him, and he was with the twelfth: and Elijah passed up to him, and cast his mantle toward him.
Hivyo Eliya akaondoka kutoka huko na kumkuta Elisha mwana wa Shafati. Alikuwa akilima kwa jozi kumi na mbili za maksai, na yeye mwenyewe aliongoza ile jozi ya kumi na mbili. Eliya akapita karibu naye, akamrushia vazi lake.
20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss but my father and my mother, and I will [then] follow thee: and he said unto him, Go, return; for what have I done to thee?
Kisha Elisha akawaacha maksai wake, akamkimbilia Eliya, akamwambia, “Niruhusu nikawabusu baba yangu na mama yangu, halafu nitafuatana nawe.” Eliya akajibu, “Rudi zako, kwani nimekutendea nini?”
21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and with the instruments of the oxen he boiled the flesh for them, and he gave it unto the people, and they did eat; and then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
Basi Elisha akamwacha Eliya, naye akarudi. Akachukua ile jozi yake ya maksai na kuwachinja. Akaipika ile nyama kwa kutumia miti ya nira kama kuni na kuwapa watu, nao wakala. Kisha akaondoka, akamfuata Eliya, akamtumikia.