< 2 Kings 6 >
1 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.
Wana wa manabii wakamwambia Elisha, “Sehemu ambayo tunayoishi na wewe ni ndogo sana kwa ajili ya wote.
2 Please let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let’s make us a place there, where we may live.” He answered, “Go!”
Tafadhali, tuache tuende Yordani, na umwache kila mtu akate mti hapo ambako tunaweza kuishi.” Elisha akajibu, “unaweza kwenda mbele.”
3 One said, “Please be pleased to go with your servants.” He answered, “I will go.”
Mmoja wao akasema, “Nenda na watumishi wako tafadhali.” Elisha akajibu, “Nitaenda.”
4 So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
Kwa hiyo akaenda pamoja nao, na wakati walipokuja Yordani, wakaanza kukata miti.
5 But as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. Then he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.”
Lakini mmoja wao alipokuwa akikata, kichwa cha shoka kikaangukia kwenye maji; akalia kwa sauti na kusema, “la hasha, bwana wangu, kilikuwa kimeazimwa!”
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” He showed him the place. He cut down a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron float.
Basi mtu wa Mungu akasema, “kiliangukia wapi?” Yule mtu akamwonyesha Elisha ile sehemu. akakata fimbo, akarusha kwenye maji, na kufanya chuma kuelea.
7 He said, “Take it.” So he put out his hand and took it.
Elisha akasema, “Kichukue.” Basi yule mtu akafikisha mkono wake na kukinyakua.
8 Now the king of Syria was at war against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”
Basi mfalme wa Shamu alikuwa akipigana vita dhidi ya Israel. Akafanya shauri na watumishi wake, akisema, “kambi yangu itakuwa sehemu flani na flani.”
9 The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”
Basi huyo mtu wa Mungu akamtuma kwa mfalme wa Israeli, akisema, “Kuwa makini usipite ile sehemu, kwa kuwa ndipo Washamu wanakoshukia hapo.”
10 The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once or twice.
Mfalme wa Israeli akatuma mjumbe kwenda pale sehemu ambayo mtu wa Mungu alipaongelea na kumtahadharisha. Zaidi ya mara moja au mbili, wakati mfalme alipoenda pale, alikuwa kwenye ulinzi wake.
11 The king of Syria’s heart was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, “Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
Huyo mfalme wa Shamu alikasirishwa kuhusu haya maonyo, na akawaita watumishi wake na kuwaambia, “Je hamtaniambia ni nani miongoni mwetu aliye upande wa Israeli?”
12 One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
Hivyo mmoja wa watumishi wake akasema, “Hapana, bwana wangu, mfalme, kwa ajili ya Elisha yule nabii katika Israeli humwambia yule mfalme wa Israeli maneno ambayo uyaongeayo kwenye kitanda chako cha kulala!”
13 He said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” He was told, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”
Yule mfalme akajibu, “Nenda na uone Elisha alipo hivyo naweza kutuma watu na kumkamata.” Akaambiwa, “Tazama yuko Dothani.”
14 Therefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night and surrounded the city.
Kwa hiyo yule mfalme akatuma farasi kwenda Donathi, magari ya farasi, na jeshi kubwa. Wakaja usiku na kuzunguka ule mji.
15 When the servant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
Wakati yule mtumishi wa mtu wa Mungu alipoamka mapema na kutoka nje, kumbe, jeshi kubwa pamoja na farasi na magari ya farasi yameuzunguka mji. Mtumishi wake akamwabia, “Kumbe, bwana wangu! Tutafanya nini?”
16 He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Elisha akajibu, “usiogope, wale walio na sisi ni zaidi kuliko wale walio nao.”
17 Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, please open his eyes, that he may see.” the LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
Elisha akajibu na kusema, “Yahwe, nakuomba kwamba utamfungua macho yake ili kwamba aweze kuona.” Ndipo Yahwe alipofungua macho ya mtumishi, na akaona. Kumbe, ule mlima ulikuwa umejaa farasi na magari ya farasi ya moto yamemzunguka Elisha!
18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” He struck them with blindness according to Elisha’s word.
Wakati hao Washami walipomshukia chini, Elisha aliomba kwa Yahwe na kusema, “Uwapige hawa watu kwa upofu, nakuomba.” Hivyo Yahwe akawafanya vipofu, kama Elisha alivyoomba.
19 Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” He led them to Samaria.
Kisha Elisha akawaambia Washami, “Hii njia sio, pia mji huu sio. Nifuateni mimi, na nitawaleta kwa yule mtu ambaye mnayemtafuta.” Ndipo akawaongoza kweda Samaria.
20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “LORD, open these men’s eyes, that they may see.” The LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the middle of Samaria.
Hata walipokwisha kufika Samaria, Elisha akasema, “Yahwe, fungua macho ya hawa watu ili waweze kuona.” Yahwe akawafungua macho yao na wakaona, na kumbe, walikuwa katikati ya mji wa Samaria.
21 The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?”
Yule mfalme wa Israeli akamwambia Elisha, wakati alipowaona, “Baba yangu, niwaue? Niwaue?”
22 He answered, “You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, then go to their master.”
Elisha akajibu, “Usiwaue. Ungeweza kuwaua wale ambao uliokuwa umewachukua mateka kwa upanga na upinde wako? Weka mkate na maji mbele yao, ili kwamba waweze kula na kunywa, na kwenda kwa bwana wao.”
23 He prepared a great feast for them. After they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.
Ndipo mfalme akaandaa chakula kingi kwa ajili yao, na wakati walipokula na kunywa, akawapeleka mbali, na walirudi kwa bwana wao. Lile kundi la jeshi la Wasahami halikurudi kwa mda mrefu katika nchi ya Israeli.
24 After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
Baadaye baada ya huyu Ben Hadadi mfalme wa Shamu kukusanya majeshi yake yote na kuiteka Samaria na kuizingira.
25 There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
Hivyo kulikuwa na njaa kubwa katika Samaria. Kumbe, wakauzingira hadi kichwa cha punda kilipouzwa kwa vipande themanini vya fedha, na sehemu ya nne ya sehemu ya kibaba cha kinyesi cha njiwa kwa vipande vitano vya fedha.
26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”
Wakati mfalme wa Israeli alipokuwa akipita karibu na ukuta, mwanamke mmoka akamlilia akisema, “Nisaidie, bwana wangu, mfalme.”
27 He said, “If the LORD doesn’t help you, where could I get help for you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”
Akasema, “Kama Yahwe hawezi kukusaidia, je nitakusaidiaje? je kuna kitu chochote kinakuja kutoka sehemu ya kupuria nafaka au shinikizoni?”
28 Then the king asked her, “What is your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’
Mfalme akaendelea, “Nini kinakusumbua?” Akajibu, “Huyu mwanamke ameniambia, 'Mtoe mtoto wako ili tuweze kumla leo, na tutamla wakwangu kesho.”
29 So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him;’ and she has hidden her son.”
Hivyo tulimchemsha mtoto wangu na kumla, na siku ya pili yake nikamwambia, “Mtoe mtoto wako ili tuweze kumla, lakini alikuwa amemficha mtoto wake.”
30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.
Basi mfalme aliposikia yale maneno ya yule mwanamke, akayachana mavazi yake (sasa alikuwa akitembelea kwenye ukuta), na watu wakatazama na kuona kwamba alikuwa amevaa nguo ya gunia chini, dhidi ya ngozi yake.
31 Then he said, “God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.”
Kisha akasema, “Mungu afanye hivyo kwangu, na zaidi pia, kama kichwa cha Elisha mwana wa Shafati kitabaki juu yake leo.”
32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”
Basi Elisha alikuwa ameketi kwenye nyumba yake, na wazee walikuwa wamekaa pamoja naye. Yule mfalme akamtuma mtu wa mbele yake, lakini wakati mjumbe alipokuja kwa Elisha, akawaambia wazee, “Ona jinsi huyu mwana wa muuaji alivytumwa kuchukua kichwa changu? Tazama, wakati yule mjumbe atakapokuja, funga mlango, na uushikilie huo mlango funga dhidi yake asiingie. Je sio sauti ya bwana wake nyuma mguuni pake?”
33 While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, “Behold, this evil is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”
Wakati alipokuwa bado akiongea pamoja nao, kumbe, yule mjumbe alishuka kwake. Mfalme akasema, “Kumbe, masumbuko haya yatoka kwa Yahwe. Kwa nini nimsubiri Yahwe tena?”