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, who was one of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the 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,
Then the LORD’s word came to him, saying,
3 “Ondoka hapa, elekea upande wa mashariki ukajifiche katika Kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki mwa Yordani.
“Go away from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan.
4 Utakunywa maji kutoka kile kijito, nami nimeagiza kunguru wakulishe huko.”
You shall drink from the brook. 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 to the LORD’s word, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith that is before 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.
After a while, the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.
8 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema,
The LORD’s word 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 stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow 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, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.”
11 Alipokuwa anakwenda kumletea, akamwita akasema, “Tafadhali niletee pia kipande cha mkate.”
As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me 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.”
She said, “As the LORD your God lives, I don’t have anything baked, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jar. Behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake 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, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you have said; but make me a little cake from it first, and bring it out to me, and 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 the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of meal will not run out, and the jar of oil will not fail, until the day that the LORD 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.
She went and did according to the saying of Elijah; and she, he, and her household ate 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 didn’t run out and the jar of oil didn’t fail, according to the LORD’s word, 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.
After these things, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe 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?”
She said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory, 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.
He said to her, “Give me your son.” He took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the room where he stayed, and laid him 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 the LORD and said, “LORD my God, have you also brought evil 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!”
He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to the LORD and said, “LORD my God, please let this child’s soul come into him again.”
22 Bwana akasikia kilio cha Eliya, na roho ya kijana ikamrudia, naye akafufuka.
The LORD listened to 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!”
Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the room into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, “Behold, 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.”
The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the LORD’s word in your mouth is truth.”
