1 Wafalme 21
1 Baada ya hayo, Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa na shamba la mizabibu jirani na jumba la kifalme la Ahabu mfalme wa Samaria.
And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.
2 Ahabu akamwambia Nabothi, “Nipe shamba lako la mizabibu nilitumie kwa bustani ya mboga, kwa kuwa liko karibu na jumba langu la kifalme. Badala yake, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu zuri zaidi au, kama utapenda, nitakulipa kiasi chochote unachoona ni thamani yake.”
And Ahab spoke unto Naboth, saying: 'Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house; and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.'
3 Lakini Nabothi akamjibu, “Bwana na apishe mbali kukupa wewe urithi wa baba zangu.”
And Naboth said to Ahab: 'The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.'
4 Basi Ahabu akaenda nyumbani, mwenye huzuni na hasira kwa sababu ya yale ambayo Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa amesema, “Sitakupa urithi wa baba zangu.” Akajinyoosha juu ya kitanda akisononeka, na akakataa kula.
And Ahab came into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said: 'I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers.' And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
5 Yezebeli mke wake akaingia na akamuuliza, “Kwa nini unahuzunika hivi? Kwa nini huli chakula?”
But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him: 'Why is thy spirit so sullen, that thou eatest no bread?'
6 Akamjibu, “Kwa sababu nilimwambia Nabothi, Myezreeli, ‘Niuzie shamba lako la mizabibu, au kama ukipenda, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu badala yake.’ Lakini akasema, ‘Sitakupa shamba langu la mizabibu.’”
And he said unto her: 'Because I spoke unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him: Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it; and he answered: I will not give thee my vineyard.'
7 Yezebeli mke wake akasema, “Hivi ndivyo unavyofanya, nawe ni mfalme katika Israeli yote? Inuka na ule! Changamka. Nitakupatia shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli.”
And Jezebel his wife said unto him: 'Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thy heart be merry; I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.'
8 Kwa hiyo akaandika barua kwa jina la Ahabu akaweka muhuri wake juu ya hizo barua, akazipeleka kwa wazee na kwa watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji pamoja na Nabothi.
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth.
9 Katika barua hizo aliandika: “Tangazeni siku ya watu kufunga na mkamketishe Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu.
And she wrote in the letters, saying: 'Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people;
10 Lakini waketisheni watu wawili wabaya kabisa mkabala naye, nao washuhudie kuwa yeye amemlaani Mungu na mfalme. Kisha mtoeni nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi afe.”
and set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying: Thou didst curse God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he die.'
11 Hivyo wazee na watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji wa Nabothi wakafanya kama Yezebeli alivyoelekeza katika barua aliyowaandikia.
And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, according as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
12 Wakatangaza mfungo na kumketisha Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu.
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people.
13 Kisha watu wawili wabaya kabisa wakaja wakaketi mkabala naye, nao wakaleta mashtaka dhidi ya Nabothi mbele ya watu, wakisema, “Nabothi amemlaani Mungu na mfalme.” Kwa hiyo wakamtoa nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi akafa.
And the two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him; and the base fellows bore witness against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying: 'Naboth did curse God and the king.' Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
14 Kisha wakatuma ujumbe kwa Yezebeli, kusema, “Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa.”
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying: 'Naboth is stoned, and is dead.'
15 Mara tu Yezebeli aliposikia kwamba Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa, akamwambia Ahabu, “Amka na uchukue lile shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli, ambalo alikataa kukuuzia. Hayuko hai tena, bali amekufa.”
And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab: 'Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.'
16 Ahabu aliposikia Nabothi amekufa, akainuka na kushuka ili kulichukua shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi.
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
17 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, Mtishbi:
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying:
18 “Shuka ukakutane na Ahabu mfalme wa Israeli, anayetawala Samaria. Sasa yuko katika shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, ambapo amekwenda alimiliki.
'Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwelleth in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to take possession of it.
19 Umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: Je, hujamuua mtu na kuitwaa mali yake?’ Kisha umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: Mahali ambapo mbwa waliramba damu ya Nabothi, mbwa watairamba damu yako, naam, yako wewe!’”
And thou shalt speak unto him, saying: Thus saith the LORD: Hast thou killed, and also taken possessions? and thou shalt speak unto him, saying: Thus saith the LORD: In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.'
20 Ahabu akamwambia Eliya, “Kwa hiyo umenipata, wewe adui yangu!” Akajibu, “Ndiyo, nimekupata. Kwa sababu umejiuza mwenyewe kufanya uovu mbele ya macho ya Bwana.
And Ahab said to Elijah: 'Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?' And he answered: 'I have found thee; because thou hast given thyself over to do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD.
21 ‘Nitaleta maafa juu yako. Nitaangamiza uzao wako na kukatilia mbali kutoka kwa Ahabu kila mzaliwa wa mwisho wa kiume katika Israeli, wa mtumwa au wa mtu huru.
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away, and will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel.
22 Nitaifanya nyumba yako kama ile ya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati na ile ya Baasha mwana wa Ahiya, kwa sababu umenighadhibisha kwa kuwa umesababisha Israeli kutenda dhambi.’
And I will make thy house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasa the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked Me, and hast made Israel to sin.
23 “Pia kwa habari ya Yezebeli Bwana anasema, ‘Mbwa watamla Yezebeli karibu na ukuta wa Yezreeli.’
And of Jezebel also spoke the LORD, saying: The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the moat of Jezreel.
24 “Mbwa watawala wale wa nyumba ya Ahabu watakaofia mjini, nao wale watakaofia mashambani wataliwa na ndege wa angani.”
Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.'
25 (Hapajapata kamwe kuwa na mtu kama Ahabu, aliyejiuza mwenyewe kutenda uovu machoni mwa Bwana, akiwa anachochewa na Yezebeli mkewe.
But there was none like unto Ahab, who did give himself over to do that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26 Alitenda kwa uovu sana katika kuabudu sanamu, kama wale Waamori ambao Bwana aliowafukuza mbele ya Israeli.)
And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
27 Ahabu aliposikia maneno haya, akararua nguo zake, akavaa nguo za gunia na kufunga. Akalala na kujifunika nguo za gunia na kwenda kwa unyenyekevu.
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softy.
28 Ndipo neno la Bwana lilipomjia Eliya Mtishbi kusema,
And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying:
29 “Umeona jinsi Ahabu alivyojinyenyekeza mbele zangu? Kwa kuwa amejishusha mwenyewe, sitaleta maafa haya wakati akiwa hai, lakini nitayaleta juu ya nyumba yake katika siku za mwanawe.”
'Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me? because he humbleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.'
