1 Wafalme 17
1 Basi Eliya, Mtishbi kutoka Tishbi katika Gileadi, akamwambia Ahabu, “Kama Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, aishivyo, ambaye ninamtumikia, hapatakuwa na umande wala mvua katika miaka hii, isipokuwa kwa neno langu.”
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
2 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, kusema,
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
3 “Ondoka hapa, elekea upande wa mashariki ukajifiche katika Kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki mwa Yordani.
Get you behind, and turn you eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
4 Utakunywa maji kutoka kile kijito, nami nimeagiza kunguru wakulishe huko.”
And it shall be, that you shall drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.
5 Hivyo akafanya kile alichoambiwa na Bwana. Akaenda katika Kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki ya Yordani na akakaa huko.
So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
6 Kunguru wakamletea mkate na nyama asubuhi na mkate na nyama jioni, naye akanywa maji kutoka kile kijito.
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
7 Baada ya muda, kile kijito kikakauka kwa sababu mvua haikuwa imenyesha katika nchi.
And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
8 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema,
And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,
9 “Ondoka, uende Sarepta ya Sidoni na ukae huko. Nimemwagiza mjane katika sehemu ile akupatie chakula.”
Arise, get you to Zarephath, which belongs to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you.
10 Hivyo akaenda Sarepta. Alipofika kwenye lango la mji, mjane alikuwa huko akiokota kuni. Akamwita na kumwambia, “Naomba uniletee maji kidogo kwenye gudulia ili niweze kunywa.”
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray you, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 Alipokuwa anakwenda kumletea, akamwita akasema, “Tafadhali niletee pia kipande cha mkate.”
And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray you, a morsel of bread in your hand.
12 Akamjibu, “Hakika kama Bwana Mungu wako aishivyo, sina mkate wowote, isipokuwa konzi ya unga kwenye gudulia na mafuta kidogo kwenye chupa. Ninakusanya kuni chache nipeleke nyumbani na nikapike chakula kwa ajili yangu na mwanangu, ili kwamba tule, kiishe, tukafe.”
And she said, As the LORD your God lives, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
13 Eliya akamwambia, “Usiogope. Nenda nyumbani ukafanye kama ulivyosema. Lakini kwanza unitengenezee mimi mkate mdogo kutoka vile ulivyo navyo kisha uniletee na ndipo utayarishe chochote kwa ajili yako na mwanao.
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as you have said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for you and for your son.
14 Kwa kuwa hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: ‘Lile gudulia la unga halitakwisha wala ile chupa ya mafuta haitakauka hadi siku ile Bwana atakapoleta mvua juu ya nchi.’”
For thus says the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.
15 Akaondoka na kufanya kama Eliya alivyomwambia. Kwa hiyo kukawa na chakula kila siku kwa ajili ya Eliya, yule mwanamke na jamaa yake.
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
16 Kwa kuwa lile gudulia la unga halikwisha na ile chupa ya mafuta haikukauka, sawasawa na lile neno la Bwana alilosema Eliya.
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Elijah.
17 Baada ya muda, mwana wa yule mwanamke mwenye nyumba akaugua. Hali yake ikaendelea kuwa mbaya sana, na hatimaye akaacha kupumua.
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
18 Akamwambia Eliya, “Una nini dhidi yangu, ewe mtu wa Mungu? Umekuja ili kukumbushia dhambi yangu na kusababisha kifo cha mwanangu?”
And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with you, O you man of God? are you come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
19 Eliya akamjibu, “Nipe mwanao.” Eliya akampokea kutoka kifuani mwake, akambeba mpaka chumba cha juu alipokuwa anaishi, akamlaza kitandani mwake.
And he said unto her, Give me your son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into an upper room, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 Kisha akamlilia Bwana, akasema “Ee Bwana Mungu wangu, je, pia umeleta msiba juu ya mjane huyu ninayeishi pamoja naye, kwa kusababisha mwanawe kufa?”
And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, have you also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?
21 Kisha akajinyoosha juu ya kijana mara tatu na kumlilia Bwana, akisema, “Ee Bwana Mungu wangu, nakuomba roho ya huyu kijana imrudie!”
And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray you, let this child's soul come into him again.
22 Bwana akasikia kilio cha Eliya, na roho ya kijana ikamrudia, naye akafufuka.
And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
23 Eliya akamtwaa kijana na kumbeba kutoka chumbani mwake akamshusha kumpeleka kwenye nyumba. Akampa mama yake na kusema, “Tazama, mwanao yu hai!”
And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, your son lives.
24 Ndipo yule mwanamke akamwambia Eliya, “Sasa ninajua kwamba wewe ni mtu wa Mungu, na kwamba neno la Bwana kutoka kinywani mwako ni kweli.”
And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.
