1 Wafalme 17
1 Eliyas Mtishibi, kutoka Tishibi ya Gileadi, akamwambia Ahabu, “Kama BWANA, Mungu wa Israeli aishivyo, ambaye ninasimama, hakutakuwa na umande wala mvua isiipokuwa kwa neno langu.”
Elijah was [a prophet] who lived in Tishbe [town] in [the] Gilead [region]. One day he [went to] King Ahab and said to him, “Yahweh is the God whom we Israelis [worship] and the God whom I worship and serve. Just as certainly as Yahweh lives, there will be no dew or rain for the next few years, if I do not command rain to fall!”
2 Kisha nenola BWANA, likammjia Eliya, likisema,
Then Yahweh said to Elijah,
3 “Ondoka hapa uende mashariki; ukajifiche karibu na kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki mwa Yorodani.
“[Because you have made the king angry with you, escape from the king and, ] go to the east, to the Kerith Brook, east of where it flows into the Jordan [River].
4 Nawe utakunywa maji ya kijito, na nimewaamuru kunguru kukulisha mahali hapo.”
You will be able to drink water from the brook, and [you will be able to eat what] the crows [bring to you, because] I have commanded them to bring food to you.”
5 Kwa hiyo Eliya akaenda kama neno la BWANA lilivyomwamuru. Akaenda kuishi karibu na kijito cha Kerithi, mashariki mwa Yorodani.
So Elijah did what Yahweh commanded him to do. He went and camped alongside Kerith Brook.
6 Nao kunguru wakamletea mkate na nyama asubuhi, na mkate na nyama jioni, naye akanywa maji ya kijito kile.
Crows bought bread and meat to him every morning and every evening, and he drank [water] from the brook.
7 Lakini baada ya muda kile kijito kikakauka kwa sababu hapakuwepo na mvua katika nchi.
But after a while, the water in the brook dried up, because rain did not fall anywhere in the land.
8 Neno la BWANA likamjia, likisema,
Then Yahweh said to Elijah,
9 “Inuka, uende Sarepta, ambao ni mji wa Sidoni, na ukaishi huko. Tazama nimemmwamuru mjane kukulisha.”
“Go and live in Zarephath [village], near Sidon [city]. There is a widow there who will give you food to eat. I have [already] told her what to do about that.”
10 Kwa hiyo akainuka na akaenda Sarepta, na alipofika kwenye lango la mji, kulikuwa na mjane akiokota kuni. Kwa hiyo akamwita na akamwambia, “Tafadhali niletee maji kidogo kwenye jagi ninywe.”
So [Elijah did what God said]. He went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow who was gathering sticks. He said to her, “Would you please bring me a cup of water?”
11 Naye alipokuwa akienda kuleta maji alimwita, akamwambia, “tafadhali uniletee na kipande cha mkate mkononi.”
While she was going to get it, he called out to her, “Bring me a piece of bread, too!”
12 Naye akamjibu, “Kama BWANA Mungu wako aishivyo, sina mkate wowote, bali konzi moja ya unga katika chombo na mafuta kidogo kwenye chupa. Tazama, ninaokota kuni mbili ili niende kupika kwa ajili yangu na mwanangu, ili tule, na tusubiri kufa.”
But she replied, “Your God knows that what I am telling you is true: I do not have even one piece of bread in my house. I have only a handful of flour in a jar, and a little [olive] oil in a jug. I was gathering a few sticks to use these to [make a fire and] cook one more meal, and then after my son and I eat that, we will die [from hunger].”
13 Eliya akamwambia, “Usiogope. Nenda ukafanye kama usemavyo. lakini nitengenezee kwanza mimi na uniletee. Ndipo baadaye ujitenegenezee wewe na mwanao.
But Elijah said to her, “Do not be worried! Go home and do what you said that you were going to do. But first, bake me a little loaf of bread and bring it to me. After you do that, take what is left and prepare some food for you and your son.
14 Kwa kuwa BWANA, Mungu wa Israeli anasema 'Lile pipa la unga halitaisha, wala ile chupa ya mafuta kukoma kutoa mafuta, mpaka siku ile BWANA atakapotuma mvua duniani.”
[I know that you will be able to do that, ] because Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], says this: ‘There will always be plenty of flour and [olive] oil left in your containers, until the time when I send rain again [and the crops grow again]!’”
15 Kwa hiyo yule mjane akafanya kama Eliya alivyomwelekeza, yeye, na Eliya, na mwanae wakala kwa siku nyingi.
So the woman did exactly what Elijah told her to do. And she and her son and Elijah had enough food every day,
16 Lile pipa la Unga halikuisha, wala ile chupa ya mafuta haikukoma kutoa mafuta, kama vile neno la BWANA lilivyosema, kupitia kinywa cha Eliya.
because the flour in the jar was never finished, and the jug of oil was never empty. That happened just like Yahweh had told Elijah that it would happen.
17 Baada ya hayo mambo, yule mwana wa yule mwanamke, yule mwanamke mwenye nyumba, aliugua. Ugonjwa wake ukazidi hata akaishiwa pumzi kabisa.
Some time later, the woman’s son became sick. He continued to get worse, and finally he died.
18 Kwa hiyo mama yake akamwambia Eliya, “Je, una nini nami, ewe mtu wa Mungu? Je, umekuja kwangu ili kunikumbusha dhambi zangu na kumwua mwanangu?”
So the woman went to Elijah and said to him, “You are a prophet; so why have you done this to me? Have you come here to punish me for my sins by causing my son to die?”
19 Naye Eliya akamjibu, “Nipe hapa mwanao.” Akambeba mtoto mikononi mwake na akampeleka mpaka chumbani alimokuwa akikaa, akamlaza yule mtoto kitanadani pake mwenyewe.
But Elijah replied, “Give your son to me.” So she gave her son to him, and he took the boy’s [body] from her and carried it up [the steps] to the room where he stayed. He laid the boy’s [body] on his bed.
20 Akamlilia BWANA akisema, “BWANA Mungu wangu, kwa nini umeleta majanga kwa mjane ambaye mimi ninakaa, kwa kumwua mwanae?”
Then Elijah cried out to Yahweh, “O Yahweh my God, this widow [has kindly allowed] me to stay in her home. So why have you brought this tragedy to her and caused her son to die?” [RHQ]
21 Kisha Eliya akajinyosha mwenyewe juu ya mtoto mara tatu; akamlilia BWANA akisema, “BWANA Mungu wangu, Ninakuomba, tafadhali uhai wa mtoto huyu umrudie.”
Then Elijah stretched himself on top of the boy’s [body] and called out to Yahweh saying, “Yahweh my God, please allow this boy to become alive again!” He did this three times.
22 BWANA akaisikiliza sauti ya Eliya; uhai wa mtoto ukamrudia, na akawa hai.
Yahweh heard what Elijah prayed, and [he caused] the boy [to] become alive again [DOU].
23 Eliya akamchukua mtoto na akamtoa toka chumbani kwake akamleta kwenye ile nyumba; akampatia mama yake yule mtoto na akasema, “Tazama, mwanao yuko hai.”
Elijah carried the boy down [the steps] and gave him to his mother. He said, “Look, your son is alive!”
24 Yule mwanamke akamwambia Eliya, “Sasa natambua kuwa wewe ni mtu wa Mungu, na kwamba neno la BWANA kinywani mwako ni la kweli.”
The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know [for certain] that you are a prophet and that the words that you speak are truly from Yahweh!”
