1 Bakonzi 18
1 Sima na tango molayi, na mobu ya misato, Yawe alobaki na Eliya: « Kende komimonisa epai ya Akabi, mpe Ngai nakonokisa mvula na mokili oyo. »
For almost three years there was no rain in Samaria. Then Yahweh said this to Elijah: “Go and meet with King Ahab and [tell him that] I will soon send rain.”
2 Eliya akendeki komimonisa epai ya Akabi. Wana nzala ezalaki makasi na Samari,
So Elijah went to talk to Ahab. In Samaria there was almost no food for anyone to eat.
3 Akabi abengisaki Abidiasi, mobateli bikolo ya ndako na ye. Nzokande Abidiasi azalaki kotosa Yawe mingi.
There was a man there named Obadiah. He was in charge of the king’s palace. He greatly revered Yahweh.
4 Wana Jezabeli azalaki koboma basakoli ya Yawe, Abidiasi azwaki basakoli nkama moko mpe abombaki bango kati na madusu mibale ya mabanga: basakoli tuku mitano na lidusu moko na moko, mpe azalaki kopesa bango bilei mpe mayi.
One time when [Queen] Jezebel had [tried to] kill all Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah hid 100 of them in two caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave, and he brought food and water to them.
5 Akabi apesaki mitindo na Abidiasi: « Tambola kati na mokili mobimba, na bitima nyonso ya mayi mpe na miluka nyonso; tango mosusu tokoki kozwa matiti ya mobesu mpe tokobatela bomoi ya bampunda mpe ya bamile mpo ete toboma lisusu te ndambo ya bibwele na biso. »
[By this time, the (famine/lack of food and water) had become very severe in Samaria]. So Ahab summoned Obadiah and said to him, “We must check/look near every spring and in every valley to see if we can find enough grass to give to some of my horses and mules, so that they will not all die.”
6 Bakabolaki mokili mpo na kotambola kati na yango, Akabi akendeki ye moko na ngambo moko, Abidiasi mpe akendeki ye moko na ngambo mosusu.
So they both started walking throughout the land. Obadiah went in one direction by himself, and Ahab went in another direction by himself.
7 Wana Abidiasi azalaki kokende, Eliya akutanaki na ye. Abidiasi asosolaki ete ezali ye, afukamaki elongi kino na se mpe alobaki: — Boni, ezali penza yo, Eliya, nkolo na ngai?
While Obadiah was walking along, he saw Elijah coming toward him. Obadiah recognized Elijah and bowed down in front of him and said, “Is it really you, Elijah, my master?”
8 Eliya azongisaki: — Iyo, ezali ngai. Kende koyebisa mokonzi na yo ete Eliya azali awa.
Elijah replied, “Yes. Now go and tell [Ahab, ] your master, that I am here.”
9 Abidiasi atunaki: — Likambo nini ya mabe ngai nasali mpo ete okaba mosali na yo epai ya Akabi mpo ete baboma ngai?
Obadiah objected. He said, “Sir, I have not [RHQ] harmed you at all. So why are you sending me back to Ahab? He will kill me!
10 Solo, na Kombo na Yawe, Nzambe na yo, ezali na ekolo moko te to mokili moko te epai wapi nkolo na ngai azangi kotinda bato koluka yo. Mpe soki ekolo moko to mokili elobi ete ozalaki kuna te, Akabi azalaki kolapisa bango ndayi ete bamoni yo te.
Yahweh your God [knows that I am telling the truth when] I solemnly declare that King Ahab has searched in every kingdom all over the world [HYP] to find you. Each time that some king said to him, ‘Elijah is not here,’ Ahab demanded that the king of that country solemnly swear/declare that the king was telling the truth.
11 Kasi sik’oyo otindi ngai ete nakende epai ya mokonzi na ngai koyebisa ye ete Eliya azali awa.
Now you say to me, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here!’
12 Nayebi te esika nini Molimo na Yawe akoki komema yo tango nakotika yo. Soki namemi sango epai ya Akabi, kasi ye amoni yo te, akoboma ngai. Nzokande ngai, mosali na yo, natosaka Yawe wuta bolenge na ngai.
But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of Yahweh will carry you away, and I will not know where he will take you. So when [I tell] Ahab [that you are here and he] comes to me and he does not find you here, he will kill me! But [I do not deserve to die because] I have revered Yahweh since I was a boy.
13 Nkolo na ngai, oyokaki te makambo oyo nasalaki tango Jezabeli azalaki koboma basakoli ya Yawe? Nabombaki basakoli ya Yawe nkama moko kati na madusu mibale ya mabanga: tuku mitano na lidusu moko na moko mpe napesaki bango bilei mpe mayi ya komela.
My master, have you not heard about what I did when Jezebel wanted to kill all of Yahweh’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and took food and water to them.
14 Sik’oyo olobi na ngai ete nakende koyebisa mokonzi na ngai ete Eliya azali awa? Akoboma ngai!
Now, sir, you say, ‘Go and tell your master that Elijah is here.’ But if I do that, [and he comes and you are not here, ] he will kill me!”
15 Eliya alobaki: — Solo, na Kombo na Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, Nzambe oyo ngai nazali kosalela, lelo nakomimonisa epai ya Akabi.
But Elijah replied, “Yahweh, the Almighty One whom I serve [IDM], knows that [I am telling the truth as] I solemnly declare that I will go to meet with Ahab today.”
16 Boye Abidiasi akendeki kokutana na Akabi mpe apesaki ye sango; mpe Akabi akendeki kokutana na Eliya.
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come. Ahab went to meet with him.
17 Tango Akabi amonaki Eliya alobaki na ye: — Yo nde moto ozali kotia mobulu kati na Isalaele?
When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, the one who causes trouble for [the people of] Israel?”
18 Eliya azongisaki: — Natie mobulu te kati na Isalaele. Kasi ezali nde yo mpe libota ya tata na yo bato bozali kosala mobulu, pamba te botosaki te mibeko ya Yawe mpe bolandi banzambe Bala.
Elijah replied, “It is not I who have caused trouble for the people of Israel! You and your family are the ones who have caused trouble! You have refused to obey Yahweh’s commands, and you have worshiped the idols of Baal instead.
19 Sik’oyo bengisa bato ya Isalaele nyonso ete tokutana na ngomba Karimeli elongo na basakoli ya Bala nkama minei na tuku mitano mpe basakoli ya Ashera nkama minei oyo baliaka na mesa ya Jezabeli.
So now, command all the Israeli people to come to Carmel Mountain, and [be sure to] bring all the 450 prophets who worship Baal and the 400 prophets who worship [the goddess] Asherah, the ones to whom [your wife] Jezebel brings food and water.”
20 Boye Akabi atindaki sango epai ya bato nyonso ya Isalaele mpe asangisaki basakoli na ngomba Karimeli.
So Ahab summoned all his prophets and all the other [Israeli] people to the top of Carmel Mountain, [and Elijah went up there too.]
21 Eliya apusanaki pene na bato mpe alobaki: — Kino tango nini bokotambola lokolo moko na zamba mpe lokolo mosusu na nzela? Soki Yawe azali Nzambe, tika ete bolanda Ye! Kasi soki mpe Bala, bolanda ye. Bato bazongisaki ata eloko moko te.
Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How long [RHQ] are you going to be undecided [about who is truly God]? If Yahweh is [truly] God, then worship/serve him. If Baal is truly God, then worship/serve him!” But the people said nothing [in reply, because they were afraid of what Jezebel would do to them if they admitted that they worshiped Yahweh].
22 Boye Eliya alobaki na bango: — Natikali kaka ngai moko mosakoli kati na basakoli na Yawe. Kasi Bala azali na basakoli tuku minei na mitano.
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only true prophet of Yahweh who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.
23 Bobongisela biso bangombe mibale ya mibali. Tika ete basakoli ya Bala bapona bango moko ngombe moko, bakata-kata yango na biteni mpe batia yango likolo ya bakoni, kasi bapelisa moto te. Ngai mpe nakobongisa ngombe mosusu, nakotia yango likolo ya bakoni, kasi na kopelisa moto te.
Bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose the one that they want. They must [kill it and] cut it into pieces and lay the pieces on the wood that is on the altar that they have made. But they must not light a fire [under the wood]. [I will kill the other bull and cut it in pieces and lay the pieces on the altar that I make].
24 Boye bokobelela kombo ya nzambe na bino, bongo ngai mpe nakobelela Kombo ya Yawe. Nzambe oyo akoyanola na nzela ya moto, Ye nde Nzambe ya solo. Boye bato nyonso bazongisaki: — Makambo oyo olobi ezali malamu.
Then they must call to their god [MTY], and I will call to Yahweh. The god who answers by lighting a fire [to the wood that is on that altar] is [the true] God!” Then all the people thought that Elijah’s suggestion was good.
25 Eliya alobaki na basakoli ya Bala: — Bopona ngombe moko kati na bangombe ya mibali; bino bozala bato ya liboso ya kobongisa yango, pamba te bozali ebele. Bobelela kombo ya nzambe na bino, kasi bopelisa moto te.
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You call to Baal first, because there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls and prepare it, and then call to your god. But do not light a fire under the wood!”
26 Boye, bazwaki ngombe ya mobali oyo bapesaki bango mpe babongisaki yango. Babelelaki kombo ya Bala kobanda na tongo kino na midi, bagangaki: « Bala, yanola biso! » Kasi eyano ezalaki te mpe nzambe moko te ayanolaki bango. Bakomaki kobina zingazinga ya etumbelo oyo batongaki.
So they killed one of the bulls and cut it up and placed the pieces on the altar. Then they called out to Baal all morning. They shouted, “Baal, answer us!” But no one answered. There was no reply at all [DOU]. Then they danced wildly around the altar that they had made.
27 Na midi, Eliya akomaki kotiola bango, alobaki: « Boganga lisusu makasi, pamba te azali nzambe; tango mosusu azali kokanisa makambo ebele to akangami na misala mosusu to azali na mobembo; to mpe azali kolala, boye esengeli bino kolamusa ye. »
About noontime, Elijah started to make fun of them. He said, “[Surely] Baal is a god, so it seems that you must shout louder! Perhaps he is thinking about something, or perhaps he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he is traveling somewhere, or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!”
28 Boye bagangaki lisusu makasi mpe bamizokisaki na mipanga na makonga, ndenge ezalaki momesano na bango kino makila kotanga.
So they shouted louder. Then, doing one of the things that they frequently did [when they worshiped Baal], they slashed/cut themselves with knives and swords until a lot of blood flowed.
29 Wana ngonga ya midi elekaki, bakobaki kotuntuka kino na tango ya mbeka ya pokwa, kasi eyano ezalaki kaka te, nzambe moko te ayanolaki bango mpe ata elembo moko te ezalaki.
They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.
30 Eliya alobaki na bato nyonso: — Bopusana pene na ngai! Bato nyonso bapusanaki pene na ye mpe Eliya abongisaki etumbelo ya Yawe oyo ebukanaki.
Then Elijah called to the people saying, “Come closer!” So they all crowded around him. Then Elijah repaired the altar of Yahweh that had previously been (ruined/torn down) [by the prophets of Baal].
31 Eliya akamataki mabanga zomi na mibale kolanda motango ya mabota ya bana mibali ya Jakobi oyo Yawe alobaki na ye: « Kombo na yo ekozala Isalaele. »
Then he took twelve [large] stones, each one to represent one of the Israeli tribes. The names of those tribes were given to them by their ancestor Jacob.
32 Na mabanga yango, atongaki etumbelo mpo na Yawe; atimolaki libulu ya mayi oyo ekokaki kokota balitele pene tuku misato zingazinga ya etumbelo.
With these stones he rebuilt Yahweh’s altar. Then around the altar he dug a little ditch that was large enough to hold about (three gallons/12 liters) of water.
33 Abongisaki bakoni, akataki ngombe na biteni mpe atiaki yango likolo ya bakoni.
He piled wood on top of the stones. He killed the bull and cut it in pieces. Then he laid the pieces on top of the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water on top of the pieces of meat and the wood.” So they did that.
34 Alobaki na bango: — Botondisa mayi kati na bambeki minei ya minene mpe bosopa yango na likolo ya mbeka mpe na likolo ya bakoni. Basalaki bongo. Alobaki na bango lisusu: — Botondisa mayi kati na bambeki minei ya minene mpe bosopa yango na likolo ya mbeka mpe na likolo ya bakoni. Basalaki lisusu bongo. Apesaki bango mitindo: — Bosala bongo mpo na mbala ya misato! Basalaki bongo mpo na mbala ya misato.
Then he said, “Do the same thing again!” So they did it again. Then he said “Do it a third time!” So they did it again.
35 Mayi esopanaki zingazinga ya etumbelo mpe etondisaki libulu.
As a result, the water flowed down below the altar and filled the ditches.
36 Na ngonga oyo batumbaka mbeka ya pokwa, mosakoli Eliya apusanaki mpe asambelaki: — Oh Yawe, Nzambe ya Abrayami, ya Izaki mpe ya Isalaele! Tika bato bayeba lelo ete Yo nde ozali Nzambe ya Isalaele, mpe ngai nazali mosali na Yo; mpe nasali makambo oyo nyonso na etinda na Yo.
When it was time to offer the evening sacrifices, Elijah walked close [to the altar] and prayed. He said, “Yahweh, you who are the God that [our ancestors] Abraham and Isaac and Jacob [worshiped], prove today that you are the God whom the Israeli people [should worship], and prove that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all these things because you told me to do them.
37 Yanola ngai, oh Yawe, yanola ngai, mpo ete bato oyo bayeba solo ete Yo, Yawe, nde ozali Nzambe; na bongo okozongisa mitema ya bato oyo epai na Yo.
Yahweh, answer me! Answer me in order that these people will know that you, Yahweh God, [have the power to do what you say that you will do], and that you have caused them to trust in [IDM] you again!”
38 Bongo moto ya Yawe ekweyaki, ezikisaki mbeka, bakoni, mabanga mpe ekawusaki mayi nyonso kati na libulu.
Immediately a fire from Yahweh flashed down from the sky. The fire burned up the pieces of meat, the wood, the stones, and the dirt [that was around the altar]. It even dried up all the water in the ditch!
39 Tango bato nyonso bamonaki bongo, bakweyaki bilongi na se mpe bagangaki: — Solo, Yawe nde azali Nzambe; Yawe nde azali Nzambe!
When the people saw that, they prostrated themselves on the ground and shouted, “Yahweh is God! Yahweh is God!”
40 Eliya apesaki bango mitindo: — Bokanga basakoli ya Bala, botika ata moto moko te kokima. Bakangaki bango, mpe Eliya amemaki bango na lubwaku ya Kishoni mpo na kokata bango bakingo kuna.
Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize all the prophets of Baal! Do not allow any of them to escape!” So the people seized all the prophets of Baal, and took them down the mountain to the Kishon Valley, and Elijah killed them all there.
41 Eliya alobaki na Akabi: — Kende, lia mpe mela, pamba te nazali koyoka makelele ya mvula makasi.
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go and get something to eat and drink. [But do it quickly, because] it is soon going to rain very hard!”
42 Boye, Akabi akendeki kolia mpe komela. Kasi Eliya amataki kino na songe ya ngomba Karimeli, afukamaki elongi kino na se, na kati-kati ya mabolongo.
So Ahab [and his men] left to prepare a big meal. But Elijah went back up to the top of Carmel Mountain and prayed.
43 Alobaki na mosali na ye: — Kende kotala na nzela ya ebale monene. Mosali na ye akendeki kotala, alobaki: — Eloko moko te ezali kuna. Eliya atindaki ye mbala sambo na maloba oyo: « Kende kotala lisusu! »
Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea, [to see if there are any rain clouds.]” So his servant went and looked, [and came back] and said, “I do not see anything.” This happened six times.
44 Na mbala ya sambo, mosali na ye alobaki: — Tala, lipata moko ya moke lokola loboko ya moto ezali kobima wuta na ebale monene. Boye Eliya alobaki: — Kende koyebisa Akabi: « Bongisa shar na yo noki mpe zonga na ndako na yo, noki te mvula ekokanga yo na nzela. »
But when the servant went the seventh time, he came back and said, “I saw a very small cloud above the sea. [As I extend my arm, ] the cloud is about the size of my hand/fist.” Then Elijah shouted to him, “Go and tell King Ahab to get his chariot ready and go home immediately! If he does not do that, the rain will stop him!”
45 Na tango wana kaka, likolo eyindaki makasi na mapata ya mvula, mopepe eyaki, mpe mvula makasi enokaki. Akabi amataki na shar na ye mpe akendeki na Jizireyeli.
Very soon the sky was full of black clouds. There was a strong wind, and then it began to rain very hard. Ahab got into his chariot and started to return to Jezreel [city].
46 Lokola nguya na Yawe ezalaki likolo ya Eliya oyo alataki mokaba na loketo na ye, akimaki mbangu liboso ya Akabi kino na ekuke ya Jizireyeli.
Yahweh gave extra strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt [in order to run fast], and he ran ahead of Ahab’s [chariot] all the way [17 miles/26 km.] to Jezreel.
