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.”
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As Yahweh, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there will not be dew or rain these years unless I say so.”
2 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, kusema,
The word of Yahweh came to Elijah, saying,
3 “Ondoka hapa, elekea upande wa mashariki ukajifiche katika Kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki mwa Yordani.
“Leave from here and go eastward; hide yourself by the brook Kerith, east of the Jordan.
4 Utakunywa maji kutoka kile kijito, nami nimeagiza kunguru wakulishe huko.”
It will happen that you will drink from 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 Elijah went and did as the word of Yahweh commanded. He went to live by the brook Kerith, east of the Jordan.
6 Kunguru wakamletea mkate na nyama asubuhi na mkate na nyama jioni, naye akanywa maji kutoka kile kijito.
The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
7 Baada ya muda, kile kijito kikakauka kwa sababu mvua haikuwa imenyesha katika nchi.
But after a while the brook dried up because there was no rain in the land.
8 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema,
The word of Yahweh came to him, saying,
9 “Ondoka, uende Sarepta ya Sidoni na ukae huko. Nimemwagiza mjane katika sehemu ile akupatie chakula.”
“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there. Look, I have commanded a widow there to provide for 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 a widow was there gathering sticks. So he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a jar so that I may drink.”
11 Alipokuwa anakwenda kumletea, akamwita akasema, “Tafadhali niletee pia kipande cha mkate.”
As she was going to get water he called to her, and said, “Please bring me a piece 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.”
She replied, “As Yahweh your God lives, I do not have any bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug. See, I am gathering two sticks so I may go in and cook 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.
Elijah said to her, “Do not fear. Go and do as you have said, but make me a little bread first and bring it out to me. Then afterward make some 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 Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'The jar of meal will not empty, neither will the jug of oil stop flowing, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on 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.
So she did as Elijah had told her. She and Elijah, along with her household, ate for many days.
16 Kwa kuwa lile gudulia la unga halikwisha na ile chupa ya mafuta haikukauka, sawasawa na lile neno la Bwana alilosema Eliya.
The jar of meal did not empty, neither did the jug of oil stop flowing, just as the word of Yahweh had said, as he had spoken by Elijah.
17 Baada ya muda, mwana wa yule mwanamke mwenye nyumba akaugua. Hali yake ikaendelea kuwa mbaya sana, na hatimaye akaacha kupumua.
After these things the woman's son, the woman who owned the house, fell sick. His sickness was so severe that there was no more 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?”
So his mother said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Have you come to me to remind me of my sin 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.
Then Elijah replied to her, “Give me your son.” He took the boy from her arms and carried him up into the room where he was staying, and he laid the boy on 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?”
He cried to Yahweh and said, “Yahweh my God, have you also brought disaster on the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?”
21 Kisha akajinyoosha juu ya kijana mara tatu na kumlilia Bwana, akisema, “Ee Bwana Mungu wangu, nakuomba roho ya huyu kijana imrudie!”
Then Elijah stretched himself on the child three times; he cried out to Yahweh and said, “Yahweh my God, I beg you, please let this child's life return to him.”
22 Bwana akasikia kilio cha Eliya, na roho ya kijana ikamrudia, naye akafufuka.
Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child returned to him, 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!”
Elijah took the child and brought him out of his room down into the house; he handed the boy to his mother and said, “See, your son is alive.”
24 Ndipo yule mwanamke akamwambia Eliya, “Sasa ninajua kwamba wewe ni mtu wa Mungu, na kwamba neno la Bwana kutoka kinywani mwako ni kweli.”
The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is true.”
