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.”
Ahab, therefore, spake unto Naboth, saying—Come! give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, for, the same, is near by my house, and let me give thee, instead thereof, a vineyard better than it, —if it be good in thine eyes, I will give thee silver to the value of this.
3 Lakini Nabothi akamjibu, “Bwana na apishe mbali kukupa wewe urithi wa baba zangu.”
And Naboth said unto Ahab, —Far be it from me, of Yahweh! that I should give up 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.
So Ahab came into his house, sullen and disturbed, because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken unto him, that he should have said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. So he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and did eat no food.
5 Yezebeli mke wake akaingia na akamuuliza, “Kwa nini unahuzunika hivi? Kwa nini huli chakula?”
Then came unto him Jezebel his wife, —and said unto him—Why is it, that thy spirit is sullen, that thou art, not eating food?
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 spake unto Naboth, the Jezreelite, and said unto him—Come! give me thy vineyard for silver, or, if thou wouldst prefer, I will give thee a vineyard, in its stead; and he said—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.”
Then Jezebel his wife said unto him: Art, thou, still, going to carry on the kingdom over Israel? Rise! eat food, 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 the name of Ahab, and sealed them with his signet-ring, —and sent the letters unto the elders, and unto the nobles who were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
9 Katika barua hizo aliandika: “Tangazeni siku ya watu kufunga na mkamketishe Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu.
Now she wrote in the letters, saying, —Proclaim ye a fast, and cause Naboth to sit 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.”
then let two reckless men take their seats before him, that they may bear witness against him, saying, Thou hast reviled God and king! then shall ye carry him forth 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.
So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who dwelt in his city, did just as Jezebel had sent unto them, —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 caused Naboth to sit 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.
Then came in the two reckless men, and sat before him, and the men bare witness against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, Naboth hath reviled God and king! So they carried him forth, outside the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
14 Kisha wakatuma ujumbe kwa Yezebeli, kusema, “Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa.”
Then sent they unto 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 unto Ahab—Rise! take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for silver, 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 arose, to go down unto the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession thereof.
17 Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, Mtishbi:
Then came the word of Yahweh unto 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 is in Samaria, —lo! he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he hath gone down, to take possession thereof.
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!’”
Then shalt thou speak unto him, saying—Thus, saith Yahweh, Hast thou committed murder, and also taken possession? Then shalt thou speak unto him, saying: Thus, saith Yahweh, In the place where the dogs have lapped up the blood of Naboth, shall the dogs lap up 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.
Then said Ahab unto Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he said: I have found [thee]! Because thou hast sold thyself to do the thing that is wicked in the eyes of Yahweh,
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 me! [saith he] bringing in upon thee, calamity, and I will consume after thee, —and cut off of Ahab, even the meanest, whether shut up or 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 will deliver up thy house—Like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, —for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked, and caused, Israel, to sin.
23 “Pia kwa habari ya Yezebeli Bwana anasema, ‘Mbwa watamla Yezebeli karibu na ukuta wa Yezreeli.’
Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, —The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land 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, shall, the dogs, eat, —and, him that dieth in the field, shall, the birds of heaven, eat.
25 (Hapajapata kamwe kuwa na mtu kama Ahabu, aliyejiuza mwenyewe kutenda uovu machoni mwa Bwana, akiwa anachochewa na Yezebeli mkewe.
But indeed, there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, —whom Jezebel his wife goaded on;
26 Alitenda kwa uovu sana katika kuabudu sanamu, kama wale Waamori ambao Bwana aliowafukuza mbele ya Israeli.)
so that he did very abominably, in going after the manufactured gods, —according to all which the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed from before the sons 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 these words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, —and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
28 Ndipo neno la Bwana lilipomjia Eliya Mtishbi kusema,
Then came the word of Yahweh unto 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.”
Hast thou seen that Ahab hath humbled himself, before me? Because he hath humbled himself before me, I will not bring in the calamity in his days, In the days of his son, will I bring in the calamity upon his house.
