1 Athamaki 18
1 Thuutha wa ihinda iraaya, mwaka-inĩ wa gatatũ, kiugo kĩa Jehova gĩgĩkinyĩra Elija, akĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Ũkĩra ũthiĩ ũkeyonanie harĩ Ahabu, na thuutha wa ũguo nĩnguuria mbura bũrũri-inĩ ũyũ.”
After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”
2 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Elija agĩthiĩ kwĩonania kũrĩ Ahabu. Na rĩrĩ, ngʼaragu yarĩ nene mũno kũu Samaria,
So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria,
3 nake Ahabu nĩatũmanĩire Obadia ũrĩa warĩ mũrũgamĩrĩri wa nyũmba yake ya ũthamaki. (Obadia aarĩ mwĩtĩkia weheanĩte mũno kũrĩ Jehova.
and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,
4 Rĩrĩa Jezebeli ooragithagia anabii a Jehova, Obadia nĩoete anabii igana rĩmwe akamahitha ngurunga-inĩ igĩrĩ, o ĩmwe andũ mĩrongo ĩtano, na akamaheaga irio na maaĩ.)
for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)
5 Ahabu akĩĩra Obadia atĩrĩ, “Thiũrũrũka bũrũri wothe ũthiĩ ithima-inĩ ciothe, na ituamba-inĩ. No gũkorwo tuona handũ harĩ nyeki ĩngĩtũũria mbarathi na nyũmbũ muoyo, nĩguo tũtikoorage nyamũ o na ĩmwe iitũ.”
Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”
6 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio makĩgayana bũrũri ũcio o eerĩ o mũndũ kũrĩa egũtuĩkanĩria, Ahabu agĩthiĩ mwena ũmwe na Obadia agĩthiĩ mwena ũrĩa ũngĩ.
So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
7 Rĩrĩa Obadia aathiiaga-rĩ, agĩtũngana na Elija. Obadia akĩmũmenya, akĩinamĩrĩra, agĩturumithia ũthiũ thĩ, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ nĩwe, mwathi wakwa Elija?”
Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8 Nake agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ĩĩ nĩ niĩ, thiĩ ũkeere Ahabu mwathi waku atĩrĩ, ‘Elija arĩ gũkũ.’”
“It is I,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’”
9 Obadia akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Kaĩ njĩkĩte ũũru ũrĩkũ, nĩguo ũũneane niĩ ndungata yaku moko-inĩ ma Ahabu njũragwo?
But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
10 Ti-itheru o ta ũrĩa Jehova Ngai waku atũũraga muoyo-rĩ, gũtirĩ rũrĩrĩ kana ũthamaki mwathi wakwa atarĩ aatũmana ũgacario. Na rũrĩrĩ kana ũthamaki o wothe woiga ndũrĩ kuo, nake akehĩtithia andũ akuo moige na ma atĩ matikuonete.
As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you.
11 Na rĩu ũranjĩĩra thiĩ kũrĩ mwathi wakwa ngamwĩre atĩrĩ, ‘Elija arĩ gũkũ.’
And now you say, ‘Go tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 Niĩ ndiũĩ kũrĩa Roho wa Jehova angĩgũtwara twatigana nawe. Ingĩthiĩ njĩĩre Ahabu ũguo na acooke akwage-rĩ, nĩekũnjũraga. No niĩ ndungata yaku ndũire hooyaga Jehova kuuma ndĩ o mũnini.
I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
13 Wee mwathi wakwa-rĩ, kaĩ ũtarĩ waigua ũrĩa ndeekire rĩrĩa Jezebeli ooragaga anabii a Jehova, ũrĩa ndaahithire anabii a Jehova igana rĩmwe ngurunga-inĩ igĩrĩ, o ĩmwe anabii mĩrongo ĩtano, na ngamaheaga irio na maaĩ?
Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the prophets of the LORD? I hid a hundred prophets of the LORD, fifty men per cave, and I provided them with food and water.
14 Na rĩu ũranjĩĩra thiĩ kũrĩ mwathi wakwa ngamwĩre atĩrĩ, ‘Elija arĩ gũkũ.’ Nĩekũnjũraga!”
And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord that Elijah is here!’ He will kill me!”
15 Elija akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “O ta ũrĩa Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe ũrĩa ndungatagĩra atũũraga muoyo-rĩ, ti-itherũ nĩngwĩonithania niĩ mwene kũrĩ Ahabu ũmũthĩ.”
Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”
16 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Obadia agĩthiĩ gũtũnga Ahabu akĩmwĩra ũhoro ũcio, nake Ahabu agĩthiĩ gũtũnga Elija.
So Obadiah went to inform Ahab, who went to meet Elijah.
17 Rĩrĩa Ahabu onire Elija, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee nĩwe, wee mũnyariiri wa Isiraeli?”
When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
18 Elija akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndinyariirĩte Isiraeli. No wee na nyũmba ya thoguo, nĩ inyuĩ mwĩkĩte ũguo. Nĩmwatiganĩirie maathani ma Jehova na mũkĩrũmĩrĩra Baali.
“I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.
19 Rĩu tũmana andũ moime Isiraeli guothe, moke tũcemanie nao Kĩrĩma-inĩ gĩa Karimeli. Na ũrehe anabii arĩa a Baali magana mana ma mĩrongo ĩtano na anabii a Ashera magana mana, arĩa marĩĩagĩra metha-inĩ ya Jezebeli.”
Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Ahabu agĩtũmana Isiraeli guothe na agĩcookanĩrĩria anabii Kĩrĩma-inĩ gĩa Karimeli.
So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.
21 Elija agĩthiĩ mbere ya andũ akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Nĩ nginya rĩ mũgũtũũra mũthanganagĩria njĩra igĩrĩ? Angĩkorwo Jehova nĩwe Ngai-rĩ, mũrũmĩrĩrei, no angĩkorwo Baali nĩwe Ngai-rĩ, mũkĩmũrũmĩrĩre we.” No andũ acio matiamũcookeirie ũndũ o na ũmwe.
Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word.
22 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Elija akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nyiki no niĩ ndigĩtwo ndĩ mũnabii wa Jehova, no Baali arĩ na anabii magana mana ma mĩrongo ĩtano.
Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.
23 Tũreherei ndegwa igĩrĩ. Reke methuurĩre ndegwa ĩmwe, na mamĩtinangie icunjĩ, macooke mamĩigĩrĩre ngũ igũrũ, no matigaakie mwaki. Na niĩ haarĩrie ndegwa ĩyo ĩngĩ, na ndĩmĩigĩrĩre ngũ igũrũ, na ndigwakia mwaki.
Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.
24 Ningĩ mũcooke mũkaĩre rĩĩtwa rĩa ngai wanyu, na niĩ ngaĩre rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova. Na ngai ũrĩa ũgũcookia mahooya na ũndũ wa kũrehe mwaki-rĩ, ũcio nĩwe Ngai.” Nao andũ othe makiuga atĩrĩ, “Ũguo woiga nĩ wega.”
Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.”
25 Elija akĩĩra anabii a Baali atĩrĩ, “Thuurai ndegwa ĩmwe, mwambĩrĩrie kũmĩhaarĩria, tondũ nĩ inyuĩ mũkĩrĩ aingĩ. Mũkaĩre rĩĩtwa rĩa ngai wanyu, na mũtigaakie mwaki.”
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”
26 Tondũ ũcio makĩoya ndegwa ĩrĩa maaheirwo makĩmĩhaarĩria. Magĩkaĩra rĩĩtwa rĩa Baali kuuma rũciinĩ nginya mĩaraho, makĩanĩrĩra makiugaga atĩrĩ, “Wee Baali tũigue!” No matiigana gũcookerio, tondũ gũtiarĩ mũndũ wa kũmacookeria. Nao makĩrũgarũga, makĩinaga, na magĩthiũrũrũkaga kĩgongona kĩu maathondekete.
And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.
27 Mĩaraho yakinya-rĩ, Elija akĩambĩrĩria kũmanyũrũria, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Anĩrĩrai mũno! Ti-itherũ we akĩrĩ ngai! No gũkorwo e na maũndũ areciiria, kana e na mĩhangʼo, kana agathiĩ rũgendo. No gũkorwo nĩakomete na no nginya okĩrio.”
At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”
28 Tondũ ũcio makĩanĩrĩra mũno, na magĩĩtemanga na hiũ cia njora na matimũ, nginya thakame ĩkĩambĩrĩria kũnyũrũrũka, tondũ ũcio nĩguo warĩ mũtugo wao.
So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.
29 Na rĩrĩ, mĩaraho yahĩtũka-rĩ, magĩthiĩ o na mbere na ũrathi wao wa matũhũhũ nginya ihinda rĩa igongona rĩa hwaĩ-inĩ. No gũtiarĩ na macookio, na gũtiarĩ o na ũmwe wa kũmacookeria, na gũtiarĩ o na ũmwe wa kũmarũmbũiya.
Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.
30 Ningĩ Elija akĩĩra andũ othe atĩrĩ, “Okokaai hakuhĩ na niĩ” Nao andũ acio magĩthiĩ hakuhĩ nake. Elija agĩcookereria kĩgongona kĩa Jehova tondũ nĩgĩathũkangĩtio.
Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.
31 Elija akĩoya mahiga ikũmi na meerĩ kũringana na mĩhĩrĩga ya njiarwa cia Jakubu, ũrĩa wakinyĩirwo nĩ kiugo kĩa Jehova akĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Ũrĩĩtagwo Isiraeli.”
And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 Nake agĩaka kĩgongona na mahiga macio rĩĩtwa-inĩ rĩa Jehova, na akĩenja mũtaro mwariĩ ũngĩiganĩra ibaba igĩrĩ cia mbegũ, ũkĩrigiicĩria kĩgongona kĩu.
And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
33 Akĩara ngũ, agĩtinangia ndegwa ĩyo icunjĩ, na akĩmĩigĩrĩra ngũ igũrũ. Ningĩ akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Iyũriai mĩtũngi ĩna mĩnene maaĩ, mũmaitĩrĩrie igũrũ rĩa iruta na igũrũ rĩa ngũ.”
Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood,
34 Akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ĩkai ũguo rĩngĩ,” nao magĩĩka o ro ũguo. Akĩmaatha akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ĩkai ũguo riita rĩa gatatũ,” nao magĩĩka ũguo riita rĩa gatatũ.
and said, “Fill four waterpots and pour the water on the offering and on the wood.” “Do it a second time,” he said, and they did it a second time. “Do it a third time,” he said, and they did it a third time.
35 Namo maaĩ macio magĩtherera gũthiũrũrũka kĩgongona, o na makĩiyũra mũtaro.
So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
36 Ihinda rĩa kũruta igongona-rĩ, mũnabii Elija agĩokooka hau mbere na akĩhooya atĩrĩ: “Wee Jehova Ngai wa Iburahĩmu, na Isaaka, na Isiraeli, reke kũmenyeke ũmũthĩ atĩ Wee nĩwe Ngai thĩinĩ wa Isiraeli, na ningĩ atĩ niĩ ndĩ ndungata yaku na njĩkĩte maũndũ maya mothe o ta ũrĩa ũnjathĩte.
At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all these things at Your command.
37 Njigua, Wee Jehova, njigua, nĩgeetha andũ aya mamenye atĩ Wee Jehova nĩwe Ngai, na atĩ nĩũkũgarũra ngoro ciao igũcookerere.”
Answer me, O LORD! Answer me, so that this people will know that You, the LORD, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back again.”
38 Naguo mwaki wa Jehova ũgĩikũrũka ũgĩcina igongona, na ngũ icio, na mahiga, o na tĩĩri, ningĩ ũkĩngʼaria maaĩ marĩa maarĩ mũtaro.
Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.
39 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa andũ othe moonire ũndũ ũcio, makĩgũa, magĩturumithia mothiũ thĩ, makĩanĩrĩra makiuga atĩrĩ, “Jehova nĩwe Ngai! Jehova nĩwe Ngai!”
When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
40 Nake Elija agĩatha andũ acio akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Nyiitai anabii acio a Baali. Mũtikareke o na ũmwe wao oore!” Nao makĩmanyiita, nake Elija akiuga maikũrũkio gĩtuamba-inĩ gĩa Kishoni mooragĩrwo kuo.
Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let a single one escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered them there.
41 Nake Elija akĩĩra Ahabu atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ ũrĩe na ũnyue tondũ kũrĩ na mũhũyũko wa mbura nene.”
And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”
42 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Ahabu agĩthiĩ, akĩrĩa na akĩnyua, nowe Elija akĩambata Kĩrĩma igũrũ gĩa Karimeli, akĩinamĩrĩra nginya thĩ, agĩtoonyia mũtwe gatagatĩ ka maru make.
So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.
43 Nake akĩĩra ndungata yake atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ ũcũthĩrĩrie iria-inĩ,” nayo ĩkĩambata ĩgĩcũthĩrĩria. Ĩkiuga atĩrĩ, “Hatirĩ kĩndũ.” Nake Elija akĩmĩĩra ĩcooke ho rĩngĩ na rĩngĩ maita mũgwanja.
“Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 Riita rĩa mũgwanja ndungata ĩyo ĩkĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ harĩ na gatu kanini kaigana guoko kwa mũndũ karoimĩra kuuma iria-inĩ.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Elija akĩmĩĩra atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ ũkeere Ahabu atĩrĩ, ‘Ohania ngaari yaku ya ita, ũikũrũke ũtanahingĩrĩrio nĩ mbura.’”
On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
45 Hĩndĩ ĩyo igũrũ rĩgĩthimba nĩ ũndũ wa matu, na rũhuho rũkĩhurutana, gũkiura mbura nene, nake Ahabu akĩhaica ngaari yake agĩthiĩ Jezireeli.
Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
46 Naguo hinya wa Jehova ũgĩũka igũrũ rĩa Elija, akĩĩhotora akĩrũmia nguo yake na mũcibi, akĩhanyũka e mbere ya Ahabu, o nginya Jezireeli.
And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
