1 Madzimambo 17
1 Zvino Eria muTishibhi aigara muGireadhi, akati kuna Ahabhu, “NaJehovha, Mwari waIsraeri mupenyu, wandinoshumira, hakuchazova nedova kana mvura inonaya mumakore anotevera kunze kwokutenge ndareva ini.”
Elijah was [a prophet] who lived in Tishbe [town] in [the] Gilead [region]. One day he [went to] King Ahab and said to him, “Yahweh is the God whom we Israelis [worship] and the God whom I worship and serve. Just as certainly as Yahweh lives, there will be no dew or rain for the next few years, if I do not command rain to fall!”
2 Ipapo shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Eria richiti,
Then Yahweh said to Elijah,
3 “Ibva pano, nanga kumabvazuva undovanda paRukova rweKeriti, kumabvazuva kweJorodhani.
“[Because you have made the king angry with you, escape from the king and, ] go to the east, to the Kerith Brook, east of where it flows into the Jordan [River].
4 Uchanwa mvura yorukova urwu, uye ndarayira makunguo kuti akupe zvokudya ikoko.”
You will be able to drink water from the brook, and [you will be able to eat what] the crows [bring to you, because] I have commanded them to bring food to you.”
5 Saka akaita zvaakanga audzwa naJehovha. Akaenda kuRukova rweKeriti, kumabvazuva kweJorodhani, akagarako.
So Elijah did what Yahweh commanded him to do. He went and camped alongside Kerith Brook.
6 Makunguo akamuvigira chingwa nenyama mangwanani, nechingwa nenyama manheru, uye akanwa mvura murukova.
Crows bought bread and meat to him every morning and every evening, and he drank [water] from the brook.
7 Mushure menguva yakati, rukova rwakapwa nokuti mvura yakanga isinganayi panyika.
But after a while, the water in the brook dried up, because rain did not fall anywhere in the land.
8 Zvino shoko raJehovha rakauya kwaari richiti,
Then Yahweh said to Elijah,
9 “Simuka izvozvi uende kuZarefati kunyika yeSidhoni undogarako. Ndarayira chirikadzi iri munzvimbo iyoyo kuti ikupe zvokudya.”
“Go and live in Zarephath [village], near Sidon [city]. There is a widow there who will give you food to eat. I have [already] told her what to do about that.”
10 Naizvozvo akaenda kuZarefati. Paakasvika pasuo reguta, chirikadzi yakanga iripo ichitsvaga huni. Akamudana akamubvunza akati, “Mungandivigirawo mvura shoma shoma mumukombe here kuti ndinwe?”
So [Elijah did what God said]. He went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow who was gathering sticks. He said to her, “Would you please bring me a cup of water?”
11 Paakanga ava kuenda kundoitora, iye akadanidzira akati, “Mundivigirewo chimedu chechingwa, ndapota.”
While she was going to get it, he called out to her, “Bring me a piece of bread, too!”
12 Iye akapindura akati, “Zvirokwazvo naJehovha Mwari wenyu mupenyu, handina chingwa. Ndinongova netufurawu tushoma shoma muhari namafuta mashoma shoma muhari. Ndiri kunhonga huni shoma shoma kuti ndiende nadzo kumba ndinozvibikira kudya ini nomwanakomana wangu, kuti tigodya, tife hedu.”
But she replied, “Your God knows that what I am telling you is true: I do not have even one piece of bread in my house. I have only a handful of flour in a jar, and a little [olive] oil in a jug. I was gathering a few sticks to use these to [make a fire and] cook one more meal, and then after my son and I eat that, we will die [from hunger].”
13 Eria akati kwaari, “Usatya. Enda kumba undoita sezvawareva. Asi tanga wandibikira chingwa chiduku pane zvaunazvo ugouya nacho kwandiri, mushure ugozvigadzirira iwe nomwanakomana wako.
But Elijah said to her, “Do not be worried! Go home and do what you said that you were going to do. But first, bake me a little loaf of bread and bring it to me. After you do that, take what is left and prepare some food for you and your son.
14 Nokuti zvanzi naJehovha, Mwari waIsraeri, ‘Furawu iri muhari imomo haizoperi uye mafuta ari muhari haazoperi kusvikira zuva iro richanayiswa mvura panyika naJehovha.’”
[I know that you will be able to do that, ] because Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], says this: ‘There will always be plenty of flour and [olive] oil left in your containers, until the time when I send rain again [and the crops grow again]!’”
15 Akaenda akandoita sezvaakanga audzwa naEria. Saka zvokudya zvaEria zvakavapo mazuva ose uyewo nezvomukadzi nemhuri yake.
So the woman did exactly what Elijah told her to do. And she and her son and Elijah had enough food every day,
16 Furawu yaiva muhari haina kupera uye mafuta aiva muhari haana kupera, sezvazvakanga zvarehwa neshoko raJehovha rakataurwa naEria.
because the flour in the jar was never finished, and the jug of oil was never empty. That happened just like Yahweh had told Elijah that it would happen.
17 Kwapera nguva yakati, mwanakomana womukadzi, muridzi weimba, akarwara. Kurwara kwake kwakanyanya kwazvo, pakupedzisira akamira kufema.
Some time later, the woman’s son became sick. He continued to get worse, and finally he died.
18 Mukadzi akati kuna Eria, “Ndakakutadzireiko, munhu waMwari? Wakauya here kuzondirangaridza chivi changu nokuuraya mwanakomana wangu?”
So the woman went to Elijah and said to him, “You are a prophet; so why have you done this to me? Have you come here to punish me for my sins by causing my son to die?”
19 Eria akapindura akati, “Ndipe mwanakomana wako kuno.” Akamutora kubva mumaoko ake, akamutakura akaenda naye kuimba yapamusoro yaaigara, akamuradzika pamubhedha wake.
But Elijah replied, “Give your son to me.” So she gave her son to him, and he took the boy’s [body] from her and carried it up [the steps] to the room where he stayed. He laid the boy’s [body] on his bed.
20 Ipapo akadanidzira kuna Jehovha akati, “Haiwa, Jehovha Mwari wangu, mauyisawo here dambudziko pachirikadzi iyi yandiri kugara nayo, nokuuraya mwanakomana wayo?”
Then Elijah cried out to Yahweh, “O Yahweh my God, this widow [has kindly allowed] me to stay in her home. So why have you brought this tragedy to her and caused her son to die?” [RHQ]
21 Ipapo akazvambarara pamusoro pomukomana katatu akadanidzira kuna Jehovha akati, “Haiwa Jehovha Mwari wangu, itai kuti mweya womukomana uyu udzokere maari!”
Then Elijah stretched himself on top of the boy’s [body] and called out to Yahweh saying, “Yahweh my God, please allow this boy to become alive again!” He did this three times.
22 Jehovha akanzwa kudanidzira kwaEria, mweya womukomana ukadzokera maari, akararama.
Yahweh heard what Elijah prayed, and [he caused] the boy [to] become alive again [DOU].
23 Eria akatora mwana akamutakura achibuda mumba maakanga ari akaenda naye mumba huru. Akamupa kuna mai vake akati, “Tarirai, mwanakomana wenyu mupenyu!”
Elijah carried the boy down [the steps] and gave him to his mother. He said, “Look, your son is alive!”
24 Ipapo mukadzi akati kuna Eria, “Zvino ndazoziva kuti muri munhu waMwari uye kuti shoko raJehovha rinobuda mumuromo menyu nderechokwadi.”
The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know [for certain] that you are a prophet and that the words that you speak are truly from Yahweh!”
