< 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 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 Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.
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 a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I [am] not better 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 juniper-tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise [and] 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.
And he looked, and behold, [there was] a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he ate and drank, and laid himself down again.
7 Yule malaika wa Bwana akaja tena mara ya pili, akamgusa akamwambia, “Inuka na ule, kwa kuwa safari ni ndefu kwako.”
And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise [and] eat, because the journey [is] too great for thee.
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.
And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.
9 Huko akaingia katika pango, akalala humo usiku ule. Nalo neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema, “Unafanya nini hapa, Eliya?”
And he came thither to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD [came] to him, and he 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, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, I only, am left; and they seek my life to take it away.
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, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake:
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; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
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 was [so], when Elijah heard [it], that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, [there came] a voice to him, and 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, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15 Bwana akamwambia, “Rudi kwa njia uliyoijia, uende kwenye Jangwa la Dameski. Wakati utakapofika huko, mtie Hazaeli mafuta awe mfalme wa Aramu
And the LORD said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, 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 the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint [to be] king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint [to be] prophet in thy room.
17 Yehu atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Hazaeli, naye Elisha atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Yehu.
And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from 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 I have left to [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed 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 thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who [was] plowing [with] twelve yoke [of oxen] before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon 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, and [then] I will follow thee. And he said to him, Go back again: 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.
And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.