1 Wafalme 19
1 Ahabu akamwambia Yezebeli kila kitu Eliya alichokuwa amefanya na jinsi alivyowaua manabii wote kwa upanga.
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed 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 don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!”
3 Eliya aliogopa, na akakimbia kuokoa maisha yake. Alipofika Beer-Sheba katika Yuda, akamwacha mtumishi wake huko,
When he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs 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. Then 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.”
He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, 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.
He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
7 Yule malaika wa Bwana akaja tena mara ya pili, akamgusa akamwambia, “Inuka na ule, kwa kuwa safari ni ndefu kwako.”
The LORD’s angel came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”
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.
He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s Mountain.
9 Huko akaingia katika pango, akalala humo usiku ule. Nalo neno la Bwana likamjia, kusema, “Unafanya nini hapa, Eliya?”
He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, the LORD’s word came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing 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.”
He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even 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.
He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” Behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was 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.
After the earthquake a fire passed; but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was 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?”
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing 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.”
He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even 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
The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, 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.
Anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel; and anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.
17 Yehu atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Hazaeli, naye Elisha atamuua yeyote atakayeutoroka upanga wa Yehu.
He who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
18 Hata sasa nimeweka akiba watu elfu saba katika Israeli, wote ambao hawajampigia Baali magoti, na wote ambao midomo yao haijambusu.”
Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has 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 from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and put his mantle on 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?”
Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” He said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?”
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.
He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, killed them, and boiled their meat with the oxen’s equipment, and gave to the people; and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him.
