< 2 Wafalme 6 >
1 Wana wa manabii wakamwambia Elisha, “Tazama, mahali hapa tunapokutana nawe ni padogo sana kwetu.
And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too narrow for us.
2 Twendeni Yordani, mahali ambapo kila mmoja wetu anaweza kupata nguzo moja, nasi tujenge huko mahali petu pa kuishi.” Naye akawaambia, “Nendeni.”
Let us go, we pray thee, to Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
3 Kisha mmoja wao akasema, “Je, tafadhali, huwezi kufuatana na watumishi wako?” Elisha akajibu, “Nitakuja.”
And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
4 Naye akaenda pamoja nao. Basi wakaenda Yordani, nao wakaanza kukata miti.
So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
5 Mmoja wao alipokuwa anakata mti, shoka lilitumbukia kwenye maji. Akalia, “Ee bwana wangu, shoka lilikuwa la kuazima!”
But as one was felling a beam, the ax head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
6 Mtu wa Mungu akauliza, “Je, liliangukia wapi?” Alipomwonyesha mahali penyewe, Elisha akakata kijiti na kukitupa mahali pale, nalo shoka likaelea.
And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast [it] in thither; and the iron floated.
7 Akasema, “Lichukue.” Kisha yule mtu akanyoosha mkono wake, akalichukua.
Therefore said he, Take [it] up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
8 Wakati huo mfalme wa Aramu alikuwa akipigana vita na Israeli. Baada ya kukubaliana na maafisa wake, akasema, “Nitapiga kambi yangu mahali fulani na fulani.”
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place [shall be] my camp.
9 Mtu wa Mungu akatuma ujumbe kwa mfalme wa Israeli: “Jihadhari usije ukapita mahali pale, kwa sababu Waaramu wanashuka huko.”
And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians have come down.
10 Kwa hiyo mfalme wa Israeli akatuma neno la tahadhari mahali pale alikokuwa ameelekezwa na mtu wa Mungu. Mara kwa mara Elisha alimwonya mfalme kwamba watu wawe macho kwenye maeneo kama hayo.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Hili lilimfadhaisha sana mfalme wa Aramu. Akawaita maafisa wake, akawauliza, “Je, hamtaniambia ni nani miongoni mwenu aliye upande wa mfalme wa Israeli?”
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will ye not show me which of us [is] for the king of Israel?
12 Mmoja wa maafisa wake akasema, “Mfalme bwana wangu, hakuna hata mmoja wetu. Lakini Elisha, yule nabii aliye Israeli, humwambia mfalme wa Israeli hata yale maneno unayozungumza katika chumba chako cha kulala.”
And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that [is] in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed-chamber.
13 Mfalme akaagiza akisema, “Nendeni, mkatafute aliko, ili niweze kutuma watu kumkamata.” Taarifa ikarudi kwamba, “Yuko Dothani.”
And he said, Go, and spy where he [is], that I may send and bring him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothan.
14 Ndipo akatuma farasi na magari ya vita na jeshi lenye nguvu huko. Walikwenda usiku na kuuzunguka mji.
Therefore he sent thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and encompassed the city.
15 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema, mtumishi wa mtu wa Mungu alipoamka na kutoka nje, jeshi, pamoja na farasi na magari ya vita, likawa limeuzunguka mji. Mtumishi wake akasema, “Ole wetu, bwana wangu! Tutafanya nini?”
And when the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 Nabii akajibu, “Usiogope. Wale walio pamoja nasi ni wengi zaidi kuliko wale walio pamoja nao.”
And he answered, Fear not: for they that [are] with us [are] more than they that [are] with them.
17 Kisha Elisha akaomba, “Ee Bwana, mfumbue macho huyu mtumishi ili apate kuona.” Ndipo Bwana akayafumbua macho ya yule mtumishi, naye akatazama na kuona vilima vimejaa farasi na magari ya moto, yamemzunguka Elisha pande zote.
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
18 Wakati adui waliposhuka kumwelekea, Elisha akamwomba Bwana: “Wapige watu hawa kwa upofu.” Basi Mungu akawapiga kwa upofu, kama Elisha alivyoomba.
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 Elisha akawaambia, “Hii sio njia yenyewe, na huu sio huo mji. Nifuateni mimi, nami nitawapeleka kwa huyo mtu mnayemtafuta.” Naye akawapeleka Samaria.
And Elisha said to them, This [is] not the way, neither [is] this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
20 Baada ya kuingia mjini, Elisha akasema, “Bwana, yafungue macho ya watu hawa ili wapate kuona.” Ndipo Bwana akayafungua macho yao, na walipotazama, kumbe hapo ndipo walipojikuta, ndani ya Samaria.
And it came to pass, when they had come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these [men], that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, [they were] in the midst of Samaria.
21 Wakati mfalme wa Israeli alipowaona, akamuuliza Elisha, “Je, baba yangu, niwaue?”
And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite [them]? shall I smite [them]?
22 Naye akajibu, “Usiwaue. Je, utawaua watu uliowateka kwa upanga wako mwenyewe na upinde wako? Wape chakula na maji ili wapate kula na kunywa, na kisha wamrudie bwana wao.”
And he answered, Thou shalt not smite [them]: wouldst thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23 Basi akawaandalia karamu kubwa, na baada ya kula na kunywa, akawaaga nao wakarudi kwa bwana wao. Hivyo, vikosi kutoka Aramu vikakoma kuvamia nchi ya Israeli.
And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drank, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24 Baada ya kitambo kidogo, Ben-Hadadi mfalme wa Aramu akaandaa jeshi lake lote akapanda kwenda kuihusuru Samaria.
And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 Kukawa na njaa kuu katika mji. Samaria ilizingirwa kwa muda mrefu, kiasi kwamba kichwa cha punda kiliuzwa kwa shekeli themanini za fedha, na robo ya kibaba cha mavi ya njiwa kiliuzwa kwa shekeli tano za fedha.
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was [sold] for eighty [pieces] of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five [pieces] of silver.
26 Wakati mfalme wa Israeli alipokuwa anapita juu ya ukuta, mwanamke mmoja akamlilia, “Bwana wangu mfalme, nisaidie!”
And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27 Mfalme akajibu, “Ikiwa Bwana hakusaidii, nitakutolea wapi msaada? Je, ni kutoka kwenye sakafu ya kupuria? Au kwenye shinikizo la divai?”
And he said, If the LORD doth not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-press?
28 Kisha akamuuliza, “Kwani kuna nini?” Yule mwanamke akamjibu, “Huyu mwanamke aliniambia, ‘Mtoe mwanao ili tupate kumla leo, na kesho tutamla mwanangu.’
And the king said to her, What aileth thee? and she answered, This woman said to me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
29 Basi tukampika mwanangu na kumla. Siku iliyofuata nikamwambia, ‘Mtoe mwanao ili tupate kumla.’ Lakini akawa amemficha.”
So we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
30 Wakati mfalme aliposikia maneno ya yule mwanamke, alirarua mavazi yake. Naye alipoendelea kutembea ukutani, watu wakamtazama, na ndani ya mavazi yake alikuwa amevaa nguo ya gunia mwilini mwake.
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold, [he had] sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Akasema, “Mungu na anitendee hivyo na kuzidi, ikiwa kichwa cha Elisha mwana wa Shafati kitabaki juu ya mabega yake leo!”
Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
32 Wakati huu, Elisha alikuwa ameketi ndani ya nyumba yake, akiwa pamoja na wazee. Mfalme akatuma mjumbe kumtangulia, lakini kabla hajafika, Elisha akawaambia wale wazee, “Hammwoni huyu muuaji jinsi anavyotuma mtu kukata kichwa changu? Tazama, wakati mjumbe huyo atakapofika, fungeni mlango na mzuieni asiingie. Je, vishindo vya nyayo za bwana wake haviko nyuma yake?”
But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: [is] not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33 Alipokuwa angali bado anazungumza nao, mjumbe akamfikia. Naye mfalme akasema, “Maafa haya yanatoka kwa Bwana. Kwa nini niendelee kumngoja Bwana zaidi?”
And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down to him: and he said, Behold, this evil [is] from the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?