< 1 Ndị Eze 18 >

1 Mgbe ọtụtụ oge gasịrị, nʼafọ nke atọ, okwu Onyenwe anyị rutere Ịlaịja ntị, “Bilie, gaa gosi Ehab onwe gị. Aga m emekwa ka mmiri zookwa nʼala a.”
Now after a long time, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go and let Ahab see you, so that I may send rain on the earth.
2 Ya mere, Ịlaịja pụrụ gaa igosi Ehab onwe ya. Ma ụnwụ dị na Sameria nʼoge a siri nnọọ ike.
So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. Now there was no food to be had in Samaria.
3 O nwere otu nwoke na-elekọta ihe dị nʼezinaụlọ Ehab. Aha ya bụ Ọbadaya. (Ọ bụ nwoke ji obi ya niile kwere na Onyenwe anyị.
And Ahab sent for Obadiah, the controller of the king's house. (Now Obadiah had the fear of the Lord before him greatly;
4 Mgbe eze nwanyị bụ Jezebel na-egbu ndị amụma Onyenwe anyị chọọ igbuchapụ ha, ọ bụ Ọbadaya zoro narị ndị amụma nʼime ha nʼime ọgba nkume. O zoro iri ndị amụma ise nʼotu ọgba nkume, zookwa iri ndị amụma ise fọdụrụ nʼime ọgba nkume ọzọ. Emesịa, ọ na-ewegara ha nri na mmiri nʼebe ahụ.)
For when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred of them, and kept them secretly in a hole in the rock, fifty at a time, and gave them bread and water.)
5 Ehab kpọrọ Ọbadaya sị ya, “Jegharịa nʼala a niile nyochapụta na ndagwurugwu na isi iyi niile, ebe ahịhịa ndụ dị. Gbutere ịnyịnya na ịnyịnya muul m ahịhịa ahụ ka ha taa ghara ịnwụ, ka anyị gharakwa igbu ha.”
And Ahab said to Obadiah, Come, let us go through all the country, to all the fountains of water and all the rivers, and see if there is any grass to be had for the horses and the transport beasts, so that we may be able to keep some of the beasts from destruction.
6 Ha kere ala ahụ nʼetiti onwe ha. Ehab sitere otu akụkụ, ma Ọbadaya sitere akụkụ nke ọzọ.
So they went through all the country, covering it between them; Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another by himself.
7 Ọ dịghị anya, na mberede, Ọbadaya hụrụ Ịlaịja ka ọ na-abịa izute ya. Ọbadaya matara na ọ bụ ya. Nʼihi ya, ọ dara nʼala kpuo ihu ya nʼala sị, “Ọ bụ gị ka m hụrụ nʼezie, onyenwe m, Ịlaịja?”
And while Obadiah was on his way, he came face to face with Elijah; and seeing who it was, he went down on his face and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah?
8 Ịlaịja zara sị ya, “E, ọ bụ m. Ugbu a gaa gwa onyenwe gị, ‘mụ bụ Ịlaịja nọ nʼebe a.’”
And Elijah in answer said, It is I; now go and say to your lord, Elijah is here.
9 Mgbe ahụ, Ọbadaya jụrụ Ịlaịja sị, “Gịnị bụ ihe m mejọrọ, nke mere i ji na-achọ inyefe ohu gị nʼaka Ehab ka o gbuo ya?
And he said, What sin have I done, that you would give up your servant into the hand of Ahab, and be the cause of my death?
10 Dịka Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị sị adị ndụ, o nwebeghị mba maọbụ alaeze dị nke nna m ukwu na-ezigaghị mmadụ ịchọ gị. Ebe ọbụla ọ gara a na-akọrọ ya na Ịlaịja anọghị nʼebe ahụ. Ehab na-eme ka eze obodo ahụ ṅụọ iyi na ihe ọ na-ekwu bụ eziokwu.
By the life of the Lord your God, there is not a nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent in search of you; and when they said, He is not here; he made them take an oath that they had not seen you.
11 Ma ugbu a, ị na-asị m gaa gwa Onyenwe m na, ‘Ịlaịja nọ nʼebe a.’
And now you say, Go, say to your lord, Elijah is here.
12 Ọ bụrụkwanụ na m esite nʼebe a pụọ, onye ma ebe Mmụọ Onyenwe anyị ga-ebuga gị. Mgbe ahụ, ọ bụrụ na Ehab abịa hapụ ịhụ gị, ọ ga-egbu m. Nʼihi na mụ bụ ohu gị bụ onye na-efe Onyenwe anyị ofufe siterị na mgbe m bụ okorobịa.
And straight away, when I have gone from you, the spirit of the Lord will take you away, I have no idea where, so that when I come and give word to Ahab, and he sees you not, he will put me to death: though I, your servant, have been a worshipper of the Lord from my earliest years.
13 Ọ bụ na onyenwe m anụghị ihe m mere mgbe Jezebel nọ na-egbu ndị amụma Onyenwe anyị? E zoro narị ndị amụma Onyenwe anyị nʼime ọgba nkume abụọ, iri ise nʼime otu ọgba nkume, iri ise nʼime otu ọgba nkume ka m zoro ha, jirikwa nri na mmiri ọṅụṅụ zụọ ha.
Has my lord not had word of what I did when Jezebel was putting the Lord's prophets to death? how I kept a hundred of them in a secret hole in the rock, fifty at a time, and gave them bread and water?
14 Ma ugbu a i na-agwa m sị m, ‘Gaa gwa onyenwe gị na Ịlaịja abịala.’ Ọ ga-egbukwa m!”
And now you say, Go and say to your Lord, Elijah is here; and he will put me to death.
15 Ma Ịlaịja zara sị ya, “Dịka Onyenwe anyị Chineke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile na-adị ndụ, onye m na-ejere ozi, ana m agwa gị na agaghị m esi nʼebe a pụọ tutu ruo mgbe m gosiri Ehab onwe m taa.”
And Elijah said, By the life of the Lord of armies, whose servant I am, I will certainly let him see me today.
16 Mgbe ahụ, Ọbadaya pụrụ gaa kọọrọ Ehab na Ịlaịja abịala. Emesịa, Ehab pụtara izute Ịlaịja.
So Obadiah went to Ahab and gave him the news; and Ahab went to see Elijah.
17 Mgbe ọ hụrụ Ịlaịja, Ehab sịrị ya, “Ọ bụ gị onwe gị bụ nke a, gị onye na-emekpa Izrel ahụ?”
And when he saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Is it you, you troubler of Israel?
18 Ịlaịja zara sị Ehab, “O nweghị mgbe m ji butere Izrel nsogbu. Ọ bụ gị onwe gị na ezinaụlọ nna gị na-ebutere Izrel nsogbu. Unu agbakụtala iwu Onyenwe anyị azụ, gbasoro chi Baal dị iche iche.
Then he said in answer, I have not been troubling Israel, but you and your family; because, turning away from the orders of the Lord, you have gone after the Baals.
19 Ugbu a, kpọkọta ndị Izrel niile ka ha zute m nʼugwu Kamel. Kpọpụtakwa ndị amụma Baal ọnụọgụgụ ha dị narị anọ na iri mmadụ ise, na ndị amụma Ashera, ndị dị narị anọ, bụ ndị na-eso eze nwanyị Jezebel erikọ ihe na tebul ya.”
Now send, and get Israel together before me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal who get their food at Jezebel's table.
20 Ehab zigara ozi kpọkọta ndị Izrel niile, na ndị amụma ahụ niile. Ha niile bịakwara nʼugwu Kamel.
So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and got the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
21 Ịlaịja gara nʼihu ndị a, sị ha, “Ọ bụ ruo ole mgbe ka unu ga-akwụsị inwe obi abụọ? Ọ bụrụ na Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke unu, soronụ ya! Ma ọ bụrụkwanụ na unu ekpebie na Baal bụ chi unu, soronụ ya.” Ma ndị zukọrọ nʼebe ahụ ekwughị ihe ọbụla.
And Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you go on balancing between two opinions? if the Lord is God, then give worship to him; but if Baal, give worship to him. And the people said not a word in answer.
22 Mgbe ahụ Ịlaịja sịrị ha, “Leenụ! Ọ bụ mụ onwe m, naanị m, bụ onye amụma Onyenwe anyị fọdụrụ, ma ndị amụma Baal dị narị anọ na iri ise nʼọnụọgụgụ.
Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I, am the only living prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Ugbu a wetanụ oke ehi abụọ ka ndị amụma Baal họrọ otu oke ehi, nke ha chọrọ. Ha ga-egbujasị ya, tụkwasị ya nʼelu nkụ dị nʼebe ịchụ aja, ma ha agaghị amụnye ọkụ ọbụla nʼokpuru ya. Mụ onwe m ga-akwado oke ehi nke ọzọ tụkwasị ya nʼelu nkụ ma agaghị m amụnyekwa ọkụ nʼokpuru ya.
Now, let them give us two oxen; and let them take one for themselves, and have it cut up, and put it on the wood, but put no fire under it; I will get the other ox ready, and put it on the wood, and put no fire under it.
24 Emesịa, unu ga-akpọku chi Baal unu, mụ onwe m kwa ga-akpọku aha Onyenwe anyị. Ọ ga-erukwa na chi ga-eji ọkụ za, chi ahụ bụ Chineke.” Ndị Izrel niile zara sị, “Okwu gị dị mma.”
And do you make prayers to your god, and I will make a prayer to the Lord: and it will be clear that the one who gives an answer by fire is God. And all the people in answer said, It is well said.
25 Ịlaịja gwara ndị amụma Baal, sị, “Ebe unu dị ọtụtụ, burunu ụzọ họrọ otu oke ehi nʼime ehi abụọ a dozie ya. Unu amụnyekwala ya ọkụ nʼokpuru, kama kpọkuonụ chi unu.”
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Take one ox for yourselves and get it ready first, for there are more of you; and make your prayers to your god, but put no fire under.
26 Ya mere, ndị amụma Baal weere oke ehi ahụ e nyere ha doziekwa ya. Mgbe ahụ, ha kpọkuru aha Baal, chi ha. Site nʼụtụtụ tigide mkpu ruo nʼetiti ehihie na-asị “O Baal, biko, zaa anyị.” Ma o nweghị ihe ha nụrụ site nʼọnụ Baal. Ọ dịkwaghị onye zara ha. Ha malitere ite egwu gburugburu ebe ịchụ aja ahụ ha kwadoro.
So they took the ox which was given them, and made it ready, crying out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day, and saying, O Baal, give ear to us. But there was no voice and no answer. And they were jumping up and down before the altar they had made.
27 Nʼihe dị ka nʼetiti ehihie, Ịlaịja malitere ịchị ha ọchị, na ịkwa ha emo. Ọ gwara ha okwu sị ha, “Tisienụ mkpu ike ka Baal nwe ike ịnụ arịrịọ unu. Nʼezie, ọ bụ chi! Ma eleghị anya ọ nọ nʼoke echiche, maọbụ o ji ọrụ nʼaka, maọbụ ọ gara njem. Ma eleghị anya ọ na-arahụ ụra. Ọ chọrọ onye ga-akpọte ya.”
And in the middle of the day, Elijah made sport of them, saying, Give louder cries, for he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or he may have gone away for some purpose, or he may be on a journey, or by chance he is sleeping and has to be made awake.
28 Ndị amụma a tiri mkpu nʼoke olu dịka ha si eme. Ha ji mma na ùbe na-egbukasị onwe ha ahụ, tutu ruo mgbe ọbara malitere isite ha nʼahụ na-agbapụta.
So they gave loud cries, cutting themselves with knives and swords, as was their way, till the blood came streaming out all over them.
29 Ma mgbe etiti ehihie gasịrị, ha nọgidekwara na-ebu amụma ruo mgbe oge ịchụ aja uhuruchi ruru, ma o nweghị onye zara ha, o nwekwaghị olu a nụrụ. Ọ dịkwaghị onye ṅara ha ntị.
And from the middle of the day they went on with their prayers till the time of the offering; but there was no voice, or any answer, or any who gave attention to them.
30 Mgbe ahụ, Ịlaịja kpọrọ ndị Izrel sị ha, “Bịaruenụ m nso.” Ha niile bịaruru ya nso, o doziri ebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị, bụ ndị ahụ a kwaturu nʼala na mbụ.
Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me; and all the people came near. And he put up again the altar of the Lord which had been broken down.
31 Ịlaịja chịịrị nkume iri na abụọ, nke otu nʼime ha nọchiri anya otu ebo Jekọb, onye okwu Onyenwe anyị rutere si ya, “Aha gị ga-abụ Izrel.”
And Elijah took twelve stones, the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, Israel will be your name:
32 O ji nkume ndị a wuzie ebe ịchụ aja Onyenwe anyị. Emesịa, o gwuru olulu miri emi, nke gbara ebe ịchụ aja ahụ gburugburu.
And with the stones he made an altar to the name of the Lord; and he made a deep drain all round the altar, great enough to take two measures of seed.
33 Ọ tụkwasịrị nkụ nʼelu ebe ịchụ aja ahụ, tụkwasịkwa otu oke ehi o gbujasịrị nʼelu nkụ ndị ahụ. Emesịa, o nyere ndị nọ nʼebe ahụ iwu sị ha, “Gbajuonụ ite anọ mmiri. Butekwanụ mmiri ahụ bịa wụkwasị ya nʼelu aja nsure ọkụ a, na nʼelu nkụ ndị a.” Mgbe ha mesiri nke a, Ịlaịja gwara ha okwu sị,
And he put the wood in order, and, cutting up the ox, put it on the wood. Then he said, Get four vessels full of water and put it on the burned offering and on the wood. And he said, Do it a second time, and they did it a second time;
34 “Gbajukwaanụ ite mmiri ndị ahụ, bute ha bịa wụkwasị mmiri ahụ nke ugboro abụọ nʼelu aja nsure ọkụ a.” Ha mere dịka Ịlaịja kwuru. Ịlaịja nyekwara ha iwu sị, “Gbajukwaanụ ya nke ugboro atọ, bịa wụkwasị ya.” Ha mekwara otu a.
And he said, Do it a third time, and they did it a third time.
35 Mmiri jupụtakwara nʼebe ịchụ aja ahụ, na olulu ahụ dị ya gburugburu.
And the water went all round the altar, till the drain was full.
36 Mgbe oge e ji achụ aja anyasị ruru, Ịlaịja, onye amụma bịara ebe ịchụ aja ahụ nso kpee ekpere sị, “O, Onyenwe anyị Chineke Ebraham, na Aịzik, na Izrel, biko gosi taa na ọ bụ gị onwe gị bụ naanị Chineke nʼIzrel, na mụ onwe m bụkwa ohu gị. Gosikwa na m bụ onyeozi gị, na ọ bụ ihe i nyere m nʼiwu ka m mere oge ndị a niile.
Then at the time of the offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, O Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be seen this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things by your order.
37 Biko, Onyenwe anyị m, zaa m ekpere m, zaa m ya, ka ndị Izrel niile mata na gị onwe gị, Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke, na gị onwe gị na-atụgharịkwa obi ha ịlaghachikwute gị.”
Give me an answer, O Lord, give me an answer, so that this people may see that you are God, and that you have made their hearts come back again.
38 Mgbe ahụ, na mberede, ọkụ Onyenwe anyị sitere nʼeluigwe daa, rechapụ oke ehi ahụ, na nkụ ahụ, na nkume, na ntụ, ma rechapụkwa mmiri niile dị nʼime olulu ahụ dị gburugburu ebe ịchụ aja ahụ.
Then the fire of the Lord came down, burning up the offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and drinking up the water in the drain.
39 Mgbe ndị mmadụ ahụ niile hụrụ ihe a mere, ha niile dara nʼala kpuo ihu nʼala, na-eti mkpu na-asị, “Onyenwe anyị, ya onwe ya bụ Chineke! Onyenwe anyị ya onwe ya bụ Chineke!”
And when the people saw it, they all went down on their faces, and said, The Lord, he is God, the Lord, he is God.
40 Mgbe ahụ, Ịlaịja nyere ha iwu sị, “Jidenụ ndị amụma Baal niile. Unu ekwekwala ka otu onye nʼime ha laa.” Ha jidekwara ha niile. Ịlaịja dukwaara ha niile gaa na ndagwurugwu iyi Kishọn, gbuo ha nʼebe ahụ.
And Elijah said to them, Take the prophets of Baal, let not one of them get away. So they took them, and Elijah made them go down to the stream Kishon, and put them to death there.
41 Emesịa, Ịlaịja gwara Ehab okwu sị, “Gaa rie nri, ṅụọkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ; nʼihi na anụrụ m ụzụ oke mmiri ozuzo ka ọ na-ada.”
Then Elijah said to Ahab, Up! take food and drink, for there is a sound of much rain.
42 Nʼihi nke a, Ehab sitere nʼebe ahụ pụọ gaa iri nri na ịṅụ ihe ọṅụṅụ ma Ịlaịja rigooro nʼelu ugwu Kamel gbuo ikpere nʼala, kpuokwa ihu ya nʼala nʼetiti ikpere ya abụọ ikpe ekpere.
So Ahab went up to have food and drink, while Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he went down on the earth, putting his face between his knees.
43 Nʼoge a, ọ gwara nwokorobịa na-ejere ya ozi sị ya, “Gaa lee anya nʼụzọ oke osimiri.” Ọ rịgoro lee anya, sị, “Ọ dịghị ihe ọbụla m hụrụ.” Ịlaịja gwakwara ya otu a, ugboro asaa, sị ya, “Jeghachi.”
And he said to his servant, Go now, and take a look in the direction of the sea. And he went up, and after looking said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times; and he went seven times.
44 O ruo na nke ugboro asaa, nwokorobịa ahụ bịaghachiri sị Ịlaịja, “Onyenwe m, ahụrụ m igwe ojii dị nta dịka ọbụ aka mmadụ ka o si nʼoke osimiri na-apụta.” Ya mere, Ịlaịja sịrị, “Gaa gwa Ehab, ‘dozie ụgbọ agha gị, gbadaa tupu mmiri ozuzo egbochi gị ịla.’”
And the seventh time he said, I see a cloud coming up out of the sea, as small as a man's hand. Then he said, Go up and say to Ahab, Get your carriage ready and go down or the rain will keep you back.
45 Ọ dịghị anya, eluigwe gbajikọtara nnọọ oji. Oke ifufe bidokwara ife. Mmiri dị ukwuu bidokwara izo. Mgbe ahụ, Ehab gbaara ụgbọ agha ya laa Jezril.
And after a very little time, the heaven became black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab went in his carriage to Jezreel.
46 Ma ike Onyenwe anyị bịakwasịrị Ịlaịja. Ọ fanyere ọnụ uwe mwụda ya na belịt o kere nʼukwu, gbapụ ọsọ buru Ehab ụzọ gbaruo obodo Jezril.
And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he made himself strong, and went running before Ahab till they came to Jezreel.

< 1 Ndị Eze 18 >