1 Madzimambo 18
1 Zvino mushure menguva huru, mugore rechitatu, shoko raJehovha rakauya kuna Eria richiti, “Enda undozviratidza kuna Ahabhu, uye ini ndichanayisa mvura panyika.”
After many days, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go and show yourself to Ahab, so that I may grant rain upon the face of the earth.”
2 Saka Eria akaenda kundozviratidza kuna Ahabhu. Zvino nzara yakanga yanyanya kwazvo muSamaria,
Therefore, Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. For there was a severe famine in Samaria.
3 uye Ahabhu akanga adana Obhadhia uyo akanga ari mutariri womuzinda wake. (Obhadhia akanga achitenda kuna Jehovha zvikuru kwazvo.
And Ahab called Obadiah, the manager of his household. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.
4 Jezebheri paakanga achiuraya vaprofita vaJehovha, Obhadhia akanga atora vaprofita zana akavaviga mumapako maviri, makumi mashanu mune rimwe nerimwe. Uye akavapa kudya nemvura.)
For when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord, he took one hundred prophets, and concealed them, fifty and fifty, in caves. And he fed them with bread and water.
5 Ahabhu akanga ati kuna Obhadhia, “Enda munyika umu kuzvitubu zvose nemipata yose. Zvimwe tingawana uswa tiraramise mabhiza namanyurusi kuitira kuti tirege kuzouraya kana chimwe chete chezvipfuwo zvedu.”
Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go into the land, to all fountains of water, and to all the valleys, for perhaps we will be able to find plants, and save the horses and mules, so that the beasts of burden may not perish entirely.”
6 Saka vakagovana nzvimbo dzavaizoenda, Ahabhu achienda kune rimwe divi, Obhadhia kune rimwewo divi.
And they divided the regions among themselves, so that they might travel through them. Ahab went one way alone, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7 Obhadhia akati achifamba, Eria akasangana naye. Obhadhia akamuziva akakotamira pasi, akati, “Chaizvoizvo chokwadi, ndimi here ishe wangu Eria?”
And while Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him. And when he had recognized him, he fell on his face, and he said, “Are you not my lord Elijah?”
8 Akapindura akati, “Hongu. Enda undoudza ishe wako kuti, ‘Eria ari kuno.’”
And he responded to him: “I am. Go and tell your lord that Elijah is here.”
9 Obhadhia akabvunza akati, “Ndatadzeiko zvamava kuendesa muranda wenyu kuna Ahabhu kuti andourayiwa?
And he said: “How have I sinned that you would deliver me, your servant, into the hand of Ahab, so that he would put me to death?
10 Zvirokwazvo naJehovha Mwari wenyu mupenyu, hakuna rudzi kana nyika, ishe wangu, kwaasina kutuma mumwe munhu kuti andokutsvagai. Uye kana pane nyika kana rudzi vaiti makanga musiko, aitovamanikidza kuti vapike kuti vakanga vakushayai.
As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to which my lord has not sent, seeking you. And when all responded, ‘He is not here,’ he swore each kingdom and nation to an oath, because you were not found at all.
11 Asi zvino mava kundiudza kuti ndiende kuna ishe wangu ndinoti, ‘Eria ari kuno.’
And now, you say to me, ‘Go and tell your lord that Elijah is here.’
12 Ini handizivi kuti Mweya waJehovha uchakuendesai kupi kana ndabva pano pamuri. Kana ndikaenda kundoudza Ahabhu, iye akazokushayai, anondiuraya. Asi ini muranda wenyu ndakashumira Jehovha kubvira pauduku hwangu.
And when I will have departed from you, the Spirit of the Lord will transport you to a place that I do not know. And entering, I will report to Ahab. And he, not finding you, will put me to death. Yet your servant has feared the Lord from his infancy.
13 Ishe wangu, hamuna kunzwa here zvandakaita, Jezebheri paakanga achiuraya vaprofita vaJehovha? Ndakaviga vaprofita vaJehovha zana mumapako maviri, makumi mashanu mune rimwe nerimwe uye ndakavapa kudya nemvura.
Has it not been revealed to you, my lord, what I did when Jezebel was killing the prophets of the Lord: how I hid one hundred men from the prophets of the Lord, fifty and fifty, in caves, and how I fed them with bread and water?
14 Zvino mava kundiudza kuti ndiende kuna ishe wangu ndinoti, ‘Eria ari kuno.’ Anondiuraya!”
And now you say: ‘Go and tell your lord that Elijah is here,’ so that he may kill me!”
15 Eria akati, “NaJehovha Wamasimba Ose mupenyu, wandinoshandira, zvirokwazvo ndichazvipira kuna Ahabhu nhasi.”
And Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whose face I stand, this day I will appear to him.”
16 Saka Obhadhia akaenda kundosangana naAhabhu akamuudza, uye Ahabhu akaenda kundosangana naEria.
Therefore, Obadiah went away to meet Ahab, and he reported to him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 Paakaona Eria, akati kwaari, “Ndiwe here, iwe mutambudzi weIsraeri?”
And when he had seen him, he said, “Are you the one who is disturbing Israel?”
18 Eria akapindura akati, “Handina kuuyisa dambudziko kuIsraeri, asi imi nemhuri yenyu ndimi makadaro. Makasiya mirayiro yaJehovha mukatevera Bhaari.
And he said: “I have not troubled Israel. But it is you, and the house of your father, who have abandoned the commandments of the Lord, and have followed the Baals.
19 Zvino danai vanhu muIsraeri yose kuti vazosangana neni paGomo reKarimeri. Muuyewo namazana mana namakumi mashanu avaprofita vaBhaari namazana mana avaprofita vaAshera vanodya patafura yaJezebheri.”
Yet truly now, send and gather to me all of Israel, on Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of the sacred groves, who eat from the table of Jezebel.”
20 Saka Ahabhu akatuma shoko muIsraeri yose akaunganidza vaprofita paGomo reKarimeri.
Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel, and he gathered together the prophets on mount Carmel.
21 Eria akaenda pamberi pavanhu akati, “Mucharamba muchifunga mifungo miviri kusvikira riniko? Kana Jehovha ari Mwari, muteverei; asi kana Bhaari ari Mwari, muteverei.” Asi vanhu havana chavakataura.
Then Elijah, drawing near to all the people, said: “How long will you waver between two sides? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal is, then follow him.” And the people did not respond a word to him.
22 Zvino Eria akati kwavari, “Ini chete pavaprofita vaJehovha ndini ndasara, asi Bhaari ane vaprofita mazana mana namakumi mashanu.
And Elijah said again to the people: “I alone remain as a prophet of the Lord. But the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Titorerei hando mbiri. Ivo ngavazvisarudzire yavo, uye ngavaicheke-cheke kuita zvidimbu zvidimbu vagoiisa pamusoro pehuni, asi havafaniri kudzitungidza nomoto. Ini ndichagadzira imwe hando yacho ndigoiisa pamusoro pehuni asi handizodzitungidzi nomoto.
Let two oxen be given to us. And let them choose one ox for themselves, and, cutting it into pieces, let them set it on the wood. But they may not place fire under it. And I will prepare the other ox, and set it on the wood. But I will not place fire under it.
24 Ipapo mudane kuzita ramwari wenyu, uye ini ndichadana kuzita raJehovha. Mwari achapindura nomoto ndiye Mwari.” Ipapo vanhu vose vakati, “Zvawataura zvakanaka.”
Call upon the names of your gods. And I will call on the name of my Lord. And the God who will have heeded with fire, let him be God.” And in response, all the people said, “Excellent proposition.”
25 Eria akati kuvaprofita vaBhaari, “Sarudzai imwe yehando idzi mugotanga imi kuigadzira, sezvo makawanda. Danai kuzita ramwari wenyu, asi musatungidza moto.”
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: “Choose for yourselves one ox, and prepare it first. For you are many. And call on the names of your gods, but do not place fire under it.”
26 Saka vakatora hando yavakanga vapiwa vakaigadzira. Ipapo vakadana kuzita raBhaari kubvira mangwanani kusvikira masikati. Vakadanidzira vakati, “Bhaari, tipindure!” Asi mhinduro haina kuwanikwa; hapana akapindura. Vakatamba vachipoterera aritari yavakanga vaita.
And when they had taken an ox, which he had given to them, they prepared it. And they called on the name of Baal, from morning even until midday, saying, “O Baal, heed us.” And there was no voice, nor did anyone respond. And so they leaped upon the altar that they had made.
27 Ava masikati, Eria akatanga kuvatuka akati, “Danidzirisai! Zvirokwazvo ndimwari! Zvichida ari kufunga zvakadzama kwazvo, kana kuti ane basa kwazvo, kana kuti ari parwendo. Zvimwe akavata zvokuti anotofanira kumutswa.”
And when it was now midday, Elijah ridiculed them, saying: “Cry out with a louder voice. For he is a god, and perhaps he is talking, or at an inn, or on a journey, or certainly he may be asleep, and must be awakened.”
28 Saka vakatonyanyisa kudanidzira, vakazvicheka-cheka neminondo namapfumo, setsika yavo, kusvikira ropa ravo raerera.
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves, in accord with their ritual, with knives and lancets, until they were entirely covered in blood.
29 Masikati akapfuura, ivo vakaramba vachiprofita zveshungu kusvikira nguva yechibayiro chamanheru. Asi hapana chakaitika, hapana akapindura, hapana akaratidza hanya.
Then, after midday had passed, and they were prophesying, the time had arrived when the sacrifice is usually offered. And there was no voice heard, neither did anyone heed or respond to the praying.
30 Ipapo Eria akati kuvanhu vose, “Uyai kuno kwandiri.” Vakauya kwaari, iye akagadzira aritari yaJehovha yakanga yaputswa.
Elijah said to all the people, “Draw near to me.” And as the people were drawing near to him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down.
31 Eria akatora mabwe gumi namaviri, rimwe chete rakamirira rudzi rumwe chete rwavanakomana vaJakobho, uyo akanga audzwa naJehovha kuti, “Zita rako richava Israeri.”
And he took twelve stones, in accord with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
32 Akashandisa mabwe aya kuvaka aritari muzita raJehovha, uye akachera mugero waipoteredza aritari wakanga wakakura zvokuti waikwana maseya maviri embeu.
And he built from the stones an altar to the name of the Lord. And he made a trench for water, like two furrows of plowed land, all around the altar.
33 Akaronga huni, akacheka hando kuita zvidimbu zvidimbu, akaiisa pamusoro pehuni. Ipapo akati kwavari, “Zadzai zvirongo zvikuru zvina nemvura mugoidira pamusoro pechipiriso napamusoro pehuni.”
And he arranged the wood, and he cut the ox into pieces, and he placed it on the wood.
34 Akati, “Pamhidzai zvakare,” ivo vakapamhazve. Akatizve, “Pamhidzai kechitatu.”
And he said, “Fill four containers with water, and pour it over the holocaust, and over the wood.” And again, he said, “Do this a second time.” And when they had done it a second time, he said, “Do it also a third time.” And they did so a third time.
35 Mvura yakaerera ichipoteredza aritari ikazadzawo nomugero.
And the water was running down around the altar, and the pit of the trench was filled with water.
36 Panguva yechibayiro, muprofita Eria akaenda pamberi akanamata akati, “Haiwa Jehovha, Mwari waAbhurahama, Isaka naIsraeri, ngazvizivikanwe nhasi kuti ndimi Mwari munyika yeIsraeri uye kuti ini ndiri muranda wenyu, uyewo kuti ndaita zvinhu zvose izvi sezvamakandirayira.
And when it was now time for the holocaust to be offered, the prophet Elijah, drawing near, said: “O Lord, God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, reveal this day that you are the God of Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have acted, in all these things, in accord with your precept.
37 Haiwa Jehovha, ndipindurei, ndipindurei, kuitira kuti vanhu ava vazive kuti imi, Jehovha, ndimi Mwari, uye kuti muri kudzora mwoyo yavo zvakare.”
Heed me, O Lord, heed me, so that this people may learn that you are the Lord God, and that you have converted their heart again.”
38 Ipapo moto waJehovha wakaburuka ukapisa chibayiro, nehuni namabwe nevhu, ukananzva mvura yose yaiva mumugero.
Then the fire of the Lord fell down and devoured the holocaust, and the wood, and the stones, and even the dust, and it absorbed the water that was in the trench.
39 Vanhu vose pavakaona izvi, vakawira pasi nezviso zvavo, vakadanidzira vachiti, “Jehovha ndiye Mwari! Jehovha ndiye Mwari!”
And when all the people had seen it, they fell upon their face, and they said: “The Lord himself is God! The Lord himself is God!”
40 Ipapo Eria akavarayira akati, “Batai vaprofita vaBhaari. Musarega kana mumwe chete achipunyuka!” Vakavabata, uye Eria akaita kuti vaendeswe zasi kuMupata weKishoni vakandourayirwako.
And Elijah said to them, “Apprehend the prophets of Baal, and do not let even one of them escape.” And when they had apprehended them, Elijah led them down to the torrent Kishon, and he put them to death there.
41 Uye Eria akati kuna Ahabhu, “Chienda undodya uye unwe, nokuti kune kutinhira kwemvura zhinji.”
And Elijah said to Ahab “Ascend; eat and drink. For there is the sound of an abundance of rain.”
42 Saka Ahabhu akaenda kundodya nokunwa, asi Eria akakwira pamusoro pegomo reKarimeri, akakotamira pasi akaisa chiso chake pakati pamabvi ake.
Ahab ascended, so that he might eat and drink. But Elijah ascended to the top of Carmel, and bending down to the ground, he placed his face between his knees.
43 Akaudza muranda wake kuti, “Enda undotarisa kwakadziva kugungwa.” Akakwira akandotarisa. Akati, “Hakuna chiriko uku.” Eria akati, “Dzokerazve,” kanomwe.
And he said to his servant, “Ascend, and gaze out toward the sea.” And when he had ascended, and had contemplated, he said, “There is nothing.” And again, he said to him, “Return seven times.”
44 Kechinomwe muranda akati, “Gore duku rakaenzana nechanza chomunhu riri kukwira richibva mugungwa.” Saka Eria akati, “Enda undoudza Ahabhu kuti, ‘Sunga ngoro yako uburuke usati wadzivirirwa nemvura.’”
And at the seventh time, behold, a little cloud ascended from the sea like the footstep of a man. And he said: “Ascend, and say to Ahab, ‘Yoke your chariot, and descend; otherwise, the rain may prevent you.’”
45 Panguva imwe cheteyo denga rakasviba namakore, mhepo ikavhuvhuta, mvura zhinji ikauya, Ahabhu akaenda nengoro kuJezireeri.
And as he was turning himself this way and that, behold, the heavens were darkened, and there were clouds and wind, and a great rainstorm occurred. And so Ahab, going up, went away to Jezreel.
46 Simba raJehovha rakauya pana Eria, akasunga jasi rake nebhanhire, akamhanya pamberi paAhabhu nzira yose kusvika kuJezireeri.
And the hand of the Lord was upon Elijah. And cinching his waist, he ran before Ahab, until he arrived at Jezreel.
