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 Eliu the prophet, the Thesbite of Thesbae of Galaad, said to Achaab, As the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be these years dew nor rain, except by the word of my mouth.
2 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, kusema,
And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, [saying],
3 “Ondoka hapa, elekea upande wa mashariki ukajifiche katika Kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki mwa Yordani.
Depart hence eastward, and hide you by the brook of Chorrath, that is before Jordan.
4 Utakunywa maji kutoka kile kijito, nami nimeagiza kunguru wakulishe huko.”
And it shall be [that] you shall drink water of the brook, and I will charge the ravens to feed you there.
5 Hivyo akafanya kile alichoambiwa na Bwana. Akaenda katika Kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki ya Yordani na akakaa huko.
And Eliu did according to the word of the Lord, and he sat by the brook of Chorrath 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 loaves in the morning, and flesh in the evening and he drank water of the brook.
7 Baada ya muda, kile kijito kikakauka kwa sababu mvua haikuwa imenyesha katika nchi.
And it came to pass after some time, that the brook was dried up, because there had been no rain upon the earth.
8 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema,
And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, [saying],
9 “Ondoka, uende Sarepta ya Sidoni na ukae huko. Nimemwagiza mjane katika sehemu ile akupatie chakula.”
Arise, and go to Sarepta of the Sidonian [land]: behold, I have there commanded a widow-woman to maintain 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.”
And he arose and went to Sarepta, and came to the gate of the city: and, behold, a widow-woman was there gathering sticks; and Eliu cried after her, and said to her, 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 she went to fetch it; and Eliu cried after her, and said, Bring me, I pray you, a morsel of the bread that is 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 the woman said, [As] the Lord your God lives, I have not a cake, but only a handful of meal in the pitcher, and a little oil in a cruse, and, behold, I am going to gather two sticks, and I shall go in and dress it for myself and my children, and we shall 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 Eliu said to her, Be of good courage, go in and do according to your word: but make me thereof a little cake, and you shall bring [it] out to me first, and you shall make [some] for yourself and your children last.
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, The pitcher of meal shall not fail, and the cruse of oil shall not diminish, until the day that the Lord gives 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 the woman went and did [so], and did eat, she, and he, and her children.
16 Kwa kuwa lile gudulia la unga halikwisha na ile chupa ya mafuta haikukauka, sawasawa na lile neno la Bwana alilosema Eliya.
And the pitcher of meal failed not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by the hand of Eliu.
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 afterward, that the son of the woman the mistress of the house was sick; and his sickness was very severe, until 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 to Eliu, What have I to do with you, O man of God? have you come in to me to bring my sins to remembrance, and to kill my son?
19 Eliya akamjibu, “Nipe mwanao.” Eliya akampokea kutoka kifuani mwake, akambeba mpaka chumba cha juu alipokuwa anaishi, akamlaza kitandani mwake.
And Eliu said to the woman, Give me your son. And he took him out of her bosom, and took him up to the chamber in which he himself lodged, and laid him on the 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 Eliu cried aloud, and said, Alas, O Lord, the witness of the widow with whom I sojourn, you have wrought evil [for her] in 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 breathed on the child thrice, and called on the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, let, I pray you, the soul of this child return to him.
22 Bwana akasikia kilio cha Eliya, na roho ya kijana ikamrudia, naye akafufuka.
And it was so, and the child cried out,
23 Eliya akamtwaa kijana na kumbeba kutoka chumbani mwake akamshusha kumpeleka kwenye nyumba. Akampa mama yake na kusema, “Tazama, mwanao yu hai!”
and he brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; and Eliu 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 Eliu, Behold, I know that you [are] a man of God, and the word of the Lord in your mouth [is] true.
