1 Kings 18
1 And it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth."
Kwasekusithi emva kwensuku ezinengi ilizwi leNkosi lafika kuElija ngomnyaka wesithathu lisithi: Hamba, uziveze kuAhabi, sengizanisa izulu ebusweni bomhlaba.
2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. And the famine was severe in Samaria.
UElija wasesiya ukuziveza kuAhabi. Njalo indlala yayilamandla eSamariya.
3 And Ahab summoned Obadiah, the steward of the house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly.
UAhabi wasebiza uObhadiya owayephezu kwendlu yakhe. UObhadiya wayeyesaba-ke kakhulu iNkosi.
4 And it came about, when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them, fifty by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
Ngoba kwathi lapho uJezebeli ebhubhisa abaprofethi beNkosi, uObhadiya wathatha abaprofethi abalikhulu, wabafihla ngamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu ebhalwini, wabondla ngesinkwa langamanzi.
5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the wadis. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals."
UAhabi wasesithi kuObhadiya: Hamba elizweni uye emithonjeni yonke yamanzi lezifuleni zonke; mhlawumbe singathola utshani, silondoloze amabhiza lezimbongolo kuphila, ukuze singabhubhisi okwezifuyo.
6 So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way alone, and Obadiah went another way alone.
Basebesehlukaniselana ilizwe ukuthi badabule phakathi kwalo; uAhabi wahamba ngenye indlela yedwa, uObhadiya laye wahamba ngenye indlela yedwa.
7 And as Obadiah was on the way, look, Elijah met him; and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?"
Kwasekusithi uObhadiya esendleleni, khangela-ke, uElija wamhlangabeza; wamnanzelela, wawa ngobuso bakhe wathi: Nguwe yini, nkosi yami, Elija?
8 He answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your lord, 'Look, Elijah is here.'"
Wasesithi kuye: Yimi. Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela, uElija ulapha.
9 And he said, "How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
Wasesithi: Ngoneni ukuthi unikele inceku yakho esandleni sikaAhabi ukuthi angibulale?
10 As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom, where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they did not find you.
Kuphila kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, kakulasizwe lombuso inkosi yami engathumelanga kukho ukukudinga. Lapho besithi: Kakho; yafungisa lowombuso lalesosizwe ukuthi kabakutholanga.
11 Now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Look, Elijah is here."'
Khathesi-ke uthi: Hamba utshele inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela, uElija ulapha.
12 It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the Spirit of the LORD will carry you I do not know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
Kuzakuthi-ke sengisukile kuwe, uMoya weNkosi akuthwale akuse lapho engingazi khona; lapho sengifike ngatshela uAhabi, angakutholi, uzangibulala; kodwa mina inceku yakho ngiyayesaba iNkosi kusukela ebutsheni bami.
13 Wasn't it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD's prophets, fifty by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
Kakutshelwanga inkosi yami yini engakwenzayo lapho uJezebeli ebulala abaprofethi beNkosi, ukuthi ngafihla amadoda alikhulu kubaprofethi beNkosi, ngamadoda angamatshumi amahlanu ebhalwini, ngabondla ngesinkwa langamanzi?
14 Now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Look, Elijah is here";' and he will kill me."
Khathesi-ke uthi: Hamba uyetshela inkosi yakho ukuthi: Khangela uElija ulapha. Abesengibulala.
15 Elijah said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today."
UElija wasesithi: Kuphila kukaJehova wamabandla engimi phambi kwakhe, oqotho lamuhla ngizaziveza kuye.
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
Ngakho uObhadiya wahamba ukuhlangabeza uAhabi, wamtshela; loAhabi wayahlangabeza uElija.
17 It happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"
Kwasekusithi uAhabi ebona uElija, uAhabi wathi kuye: Nguwe yini ongumhluphi kaIsrayeli?
18 He answered, "I have not troubled Israel; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and you have followed the Baals.
Wasesithi: Kangimhluphanga uIsrayeli, kodwa nguwe lendlu kayihlo, ngokuyitshiya kwenu imilayo yeNkosi, lalandela oBhali.
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
Ngakho-ke thuma, ubuthanisele kimi uIsrayeli wonke entabeni iKharmeli, labaprofethi bakaBhali abangamakhulu amane lamatshumi amahlanu labaprofethi bezixuku abangamakhulu amane abadla etafuleni likaJezebeli.
20 So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
Ngakho uAhabi wathuma phakathi kwabo bonke abantwana bakoIsrayeli, wabuthanisa abaprofethi entabeni iKharmeli.
21 Elijah came near to all the people, and said, "How long will you keep limping between two positions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.
UElija wasesondela ebantwini bonke wathi: Koze kube nini liqhula emicabangweni emibili? Uba iNkosi inguNkulunkulu, landelani yona; kodwa uba kunguBhali, mlandeleni. Kodwa abantu kabamphendulanga ngalizwi.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD; but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men, and the prophets of Asherah four hundred.
UElija wasesithi ebantwini: Mina ngedwa ngingumprofethi weNkosi oseleyo; kodwa abaprofethi bakaBhali ngamadoda angamakhulu amane lamatshumi amahlanu.
23 Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under. And I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.
Ngakho kabasinike amajongosi amabili, bazikhethele ijongosi elilodwa, baliqume iziqa, bazibeke phezu kwenkuni, bangafaki mlilo; lami ngizalungisa elinye ijongosi, ngilibeke phezu kwenkuni, ngingafaki mlilo.
24 You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the god who answers by fire, he is God." All the people answered, "It is well said."
Njalo bizani ibizo likankulunkulu wenu, lami ngizabiza ibizo leNkosi; uNkulunkulu ozaphendula ngomlilo nguye uNkulunkulu. Bonke abantu basebephendula bathi: Lelilizwi lilungile.
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, for you are the majority, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it."
UElija wasesithi kubaprofethi bakaBhali: Zikhetheleni ijongosi elilodwa, lililungise kuqala, ngoba libanengi, libize ibizo likankulunkulu wenu, kodwa lingafaki mlilo.
26 And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us." But there was no voice, nor any who answered. And they limped about the altar they had made.
Basebethatha ijongosi ababelinikiwe, balilungisa, babiza ibizo likaBhali kusukela ekuseni kwaze kwaba semini, besithi: Bhali, siphendule! Kodwa kakubanga lalizwi, kakubanga lophendulayo. Basebeseqa phezu kwelathi elalenziwe.
27 And it came about, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Maybe he is thinking about it, or he is busy, or he is on a trip, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."
Kwasekusithi emini uElija wadlala ngabo wathi: Memezani ngelizwi elikhulu, ngoba ungunkulunkulu; ngoba uyanakana, loba umonyukile, kumbe usekuhambeni, mhlawumbe ulele, njalo kudingeka ukuthi avuswe.
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with swords and spears, until the blood gushed out on them.
Basebememeza ngelizwi elikhulu, bazisika njengokomkhuba wabo ngezinkemba langemikhonto, kwaze kwantshaza igazi kubo.
29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the offering up of the offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.
Kwasekusithi sekwedlulile imini, baprofetha kwaze kwaba sekunikelweni komnikelo, kakubanga lelizwi, njalo kakubanga lophendulayo, njalo kakubanga lonakekelayo.
30 Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
UElija wasesithi ebantwini bonke: Sondelani kimi. Bonke abantu basebesondela kuye. Waselungisa ilathi leNkosi elaselidilikile.
31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
UElija wasethatha amatshe alitshumi lambili, ngokwenani lezizwe zamadodana kaJakobe, okwafika kuye ilizwi leNkosi lisithi: Ibizo lakho lizakuba nguIsrayeli.
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two seahs of seed.
Ngalawomatshe wasesakha ilathi ebizweni leNkosi, wenza umgelo ozingelezela ilathi, ngokwesilinganiso samaseya amabili enhlanyelo.
33 And he arranged the wood, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood.
Waselungisa inkuni, waliquma iziqa ijongosi, walibeka phezu kwenkuni, wasesithi: Gcwalisani izimbiza ezine ngamanzi, liwathele phezu komnikelo wokutshiswa laphezu kwenkuni.
34 And he said, "Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood." And they did so. And he said, "Do it a second time"; and they did it the second time. And he said, "Do it a third time"; and they did it the third time.
Wasesithi: Kwenzeni okwesibili. Bakwenza okwesibili. Wathi: Kwenzeni okwesithathu. Basebekwenza okwesithathu.
35 And the water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
Amanzi asehamba azingelezela ilathi, lomgelo lawo wawugcwalisa ngamanzi.
36 It happened at the time of the offering up of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
Kwasekusithi ekunikelweni komnikelo uElija umprofethi wasondela wathi: Nkosi, Nkulunkulu kaAbrahama, uIsaka, loIsrayeli, kakwaziwe lamuhla ukuthi unguNkulunkulu koIsrayeli, lami ngiyinceku yakho, lokuthi ngizenzile zonke lezizinto njengokwelizwi lakho.
37 Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again."
Ngiphendule, Nkosi, ungiphendule, ukuze lababantu bazi ukuthi wena uyiNkosi uNkulunkulu, lokuthi uyiphendulile futhi inhliziyo yabo.
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
Wasusehla umlilo weNkosi, waqothula umnikelo wokutshiswa lenkuni lamatshe lothuli, wakhotha lamanzi asemgelweni.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, he is God. The LORD, he is God."
Kwathi abantu bonke bekubona bathi mbo ngobuso babo, bathi: UJehova nguye onguNkulunkulu; uJehova nguye onguNkulunkulu.
40 And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon, and killed them there.
UElija wasesithi kibo: Babambeni abaprofethi bakaBhali, kungaphunyuki lamunye wabo. Basebebabamba. UElija wasebehlisela esifuleni iKishoni, wababulalela khona.
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of a heavy rain."
UElija wasesithi kuAhabi: Yenyuka, udle unathe, ngoba kulomsindo wobunengi bezulu.
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down toward the ground, and put his face between his knees.
UAhabi wasesenyuka ukuyakudla lokunatha. UElija wasesenyukela engqongeni yeKharmeli; wakhothamela phansi emhlabathini, wafaka ubuso bakhe phakathi kwamadolo akhe.
43 And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up, and looked, and said, "There is nothing." Then he said, "Go again" seven times. And the servant went again seven times.
Wasesithi encekwini yakhe: Yenyuka khathesi, ukhangele ngaselwandle. Yasisenyuka, yakhangela, yathi: Kakulalutho. Wasesithi: Buyela, kasikhombisa.
44 It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Look, a small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea." He said, "Go up, tell Ahab, 'Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn't stop you.'"
Kwasekusithi ngesikhathi sesikhombisa yathi: Khangela, iyezana elingangesandla somuntu lisenyuka olwandle. Wasesithi: Yenyuka uyetshela uAhabi: Bophela inqola, wehle, hlezi izulu likuvalele.
45 It happened in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
Kwasekusithi kungakafiki lesosikhathi isibhakabhaka sasesisiba mnyama ngamayezi langomoya, kwaba lezulu elikhulu. UAhabi wasegada, waya eJizereyeli.
46 The hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Lesandla seNkosi sasiphezu kukaElija; wabopha ukhalo lwakhe, wagijima phambi kukaAhabi, uze ufike eJizereyeli.
