< 1 Wafalme 19 >
1 Ahabu akamwambia Yezebeli kila kitu Eliya alichokuwa amefanya na jinsi alivyowaua manabii wote kwa upanga.
And Ahab told Jezebel, all that Elijah had done, —and withal, how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Hivyo Yezebeli akamtuma mjumbe kwa Eliya, kusema, “Hao miungu initendee hivyo na kuzidi, kama kufikia kesho wakati kama huu sitaifanya roho yako kama mmojawapo wa hao manabii.”
Then sent Jezebel a messenger unto Elijah, saying, —So, let the gods do, and, so, let them add, if, by this time to-morrow, I make not thy life as the life of one of them.
3 Eliya aliogopa, na akakimbia kuokoa maisha yake. Alipofika Beer-Sheba katika Yuda, akamwacha mtumishi wake huko,
And, when he saw [that], he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, —and left his servant there.
4 lakini yeye mwenyewe akatembea mwendo wa kutwa nzima katika jangwa. Akafika kwenye mti wa mretemu, akakaa chini yake na kuomba ili afe. Akasema, “Yatosha sasa, Bwana, ondoa roho yangu, kwani mimi si bora kuliko baba zangu.”
But, he himself, went into the wilderness a day’s journey, and came and sat down under a certain shrub, —and asked for his life, that he might die, and said—Enough, now, O Yahweh! take away my life, for, no better, am, I, than, my fathers.
5 Kisha akajinyoosha chini ya mti, akalala usingizi. Mara malaika akamgusa na akamwambia, “Inuka na ule.”
And, as he lay, and slept, under a certain shrub, lo! a messenger, touching him, who said to him—Rise, eat.
6 Akatazama pande zote, napo hapo karibu na kichwa chake palikuwepo mkate uliookwa kwenye makaa ya moto na gudulia la maji. Akala na kunywa, kisha akajinyoosha tena.
So he looked about, and lo! at his head, a cake baked on hot stones, and a cruse of water, —and he did eat and drink, and then went back and lay down.
7 Yule malaika wa Bwana akaja tena mara ya pili, akamgusa akamwambia, “Inuka na ule, kwa kuwa safari ni ndefu kwako.”
And the messenger of Yahweh came again a second time, and touched him, and said—Rise, eat, —because, too much for thee, is the journey.
8 Kwa hiyo akainuka, akala na kunywa. Akiwa ametiwa nguvu na kile chakula, akasafiri siku arobaini usiku na mchana mpaka akafika Horebu, mlima wa Mungu.
So he arose, and did eat and drink, —and journeyed, in the strength of that eating, forty days and forty nights, as far as the mountain of God—Horeb.
9 Huko akaingia katika pango, akalala humo usiku ule. Nalo neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema, “Unafanya nini hapa, Eliya?”
And he entered, there, into a cave, and lodged there, —and lo! the word of Yahweh [came] unto him, and said to him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10 Akajibu, “Nimeona wivu mwingi kwa ajili ya Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Waisraeli wamelikataa Agano lako, wamevunja madhabahu zako na kuwaua manabii wako kwa upanga. Ni mimi, mimi peke yangu, niliyebaki, nao sasa wananitafuta ili waniangamize.”
And he said—Very jealous, have I been, for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thine altars, have they thrown down, thy prophets, also have they slain with the sword, —and, I alone, am left, and they have sought my life, to take it.
11 Bwana akasema, “Toka nje ukasimame juu ya mlima mbele za Bwana, kwa kuwa Bwana yu karibu kupita hapo.” Kisha upepo mwingi na wenye nguvu ukapasua milima ile na kuvunjavunja miamba mbele za Bwana, lakini Bwana hakuwamo katika ule upepo. Baada ya upepo palikuwa na tetemeko la nchi, lakini Bwana hakuwamo kwenye lile tetemeko.
And he said—Go forth to-morrow, and stand in the mountain, before Yahweh. And lo! Yahweh, passing by, and a great and strong wind—rending the mountains, and breaking in pieces the crags, before Yahweh, Not, in the wind, was, Yahweh, —And, after the wind, an, earthquake, Not, in the earthquake, was, Yahweh;
12 Baada ya tetemeko la nchi ukaja moto, lakini Bwana hakuwamo katika ule moto. Baada ya moto ikaja sauti ya utulivu ya kunongʼona.
And, after the earthquake, a, fire, Not, in the fire, was, Yahweh, —And, after the fire, the voice of a gentle whisper.
13 Eliya alipoisikia, akafunika uso kwa vazi lake, akatoka na kusimama kwenye mdomo wa pango. Kisha ile sauti ikamwambia, “Eliya, unafanya nini hapa?”
And it came to pass, when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went forth, and stood at the entrance of the cave, —and lo! unto him, a voice; and it said—What doest thou here, Elijah?
14 Akajibu, “Nimeona wivu mwingi kwa ajili ya Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote. Waisraeli wamelikataa Agano lako, wamevunja madhabahu zako na kuwaua manabii wako kwa upanga. Ni mimi, mimi peke yangu, niliyebaki, nao sasa wananitafuta ili waniangamize.”
And he said—Very jealous, have I been, for Yahweh, God of hosts, because the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thine altars, have they thrown down, thy prophets also, have they slain with the sword, —and, I alone, am left, and they rove sought my life, to take it.
15 Bwana akamwambia, “Rudi kwa njia uliyoijia, uende kwenye Jangwa la Dameski. Wakati utakapofika huko, mtie Hazaeli mafuta awe mfalme wa Aramu
And Yahweh said unto him, Go, return to thy way, towards the wilderness of Damascus, —and, when thou enterest, then shalt thou anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;
16 Pia mtie mafuta Yehu mwana wa Nimshi awe mfalme wa Israeli, na umtie Elisha mwana wa Shafati kutoka Abel-Mehola mafuta awe nabii badala yako.
And, Jehu son of Minshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel, —and, Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy stead:
17 Yehu atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Hazaeli, naye Elisha atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Yehu.
Then shall it come to pass, that—him that escapeth the sword of Hazael, shall, Jehu, slay, —and, him that escapeth the sword of Jehu, shall, Elisha, slay;
18 Hata sasa nimeweka akiba watu elfu saba katika Israeli, wote ambao hawajampigia Baali magoti, na wote ambao midomo yao haijambusu.”
Yet will I leave remaining in Israel, seven thousand, —all knees which have not bowed to Baal, and all mouths which have not kissed to him.
19 Hivyo Eliya akaondoka kutoka huko na kumkuta Elisha mwana wa Shafati. Alikuwa akilima kwa jozi kumi na mbili za maksai, na yeye mwenyewe aliongoza ile jozi ya kumi na mbili. Eliya akapita karibu naye, akamrushia vazi lake.
So he departed from thence, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, as he was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, he being with the twelfth, —so Elijah crossed over unto him, and cast his mantle towards him;
20 Kisha Elisha akawaacha maksai wake, akamkimbilia Eliya, akamwambia, “Niruhusu nikawabusu baba yangu na mama yangu, halafu nitafuatana nawe.” Eliya akajibu, “Rudi zako, kwani nimekutendea nini?”
and he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said—Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, that I may follow thee. And he said unto him, —Go, turn back, for what have I done to thee?
21 Basi Elisha akamwacha Eliya, naye akarudi. Akachukua ile jozi yake ya maksai na kuwachinja. Akaipika ile nyama kwa kutumia miti ya nira kama kuni na kuwapa watu, nao wakala. Kisha akaondoka, akamfuata Eliya, akamtumikia.
So he turned back from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and sacrificed them, and, with the implements of the oxen, boiled their flesh, and gave unto the people, and they did eat, —then he arose, and followed Elijah, and ministered unto him.