1 Wafalme 19
1 Ahabu akamwambia Yezebeli mambo yote ambayo Eliya amefanya na jinsi alivyowaua manabii wote kwa upanga.
And Achab told Jezabel all that Elias had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Ndipo Yezebeli alipotuma mjumbe kwa Eliya, akisema, “miungu wanifanye hivyo na mimi, na zaidi yake, kama kesho muda kama huu sitayafanya maisha yako kuwa kama mmoja wa hao manabii waliokufa.”
And Jezabel sent a messenger to Elias, saying: Such and such things may the gods do to me, and add still more, if by this hour tomorrow I make not thy life as the life of one of them.
3 Eliya aliposikia hayo, akaiinuka na akakimbia kwa ajili ya kuokoa maisha yake akaja mpaka Beerisheba, ambao ni mji wa Yuda, na akamwacha mtumishi wake huko.
Then Elias was afraid, and rising up he went whithersoever he had a mind: and he came to Bersabee of Juda, and left his servant there,
4 Lakini yeye mwenyewe akaenda mwendo wa siku moja huko jangwani, akaja akakaa chini ya mti wa mretemu. Akajiombea mwenyewe kufa, akasema, “Sasa yatosha, BWANA, ichukue roho yangu, kwa kuwa mimi si mzuri kuliko mababu zangu waliokufa.”
And he went forward, one day’s journey into the desert. And when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me, Lord, take away my soul: for I am no better than my fathers.
5 Kwa hiyo akalala chini ya mretemu. Ghafula malaika akamgusa na akamwambia, “Inuka ule.”
And he cast himself down, and slept in the shadow of the juniper tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him: Arise and eat.
6 Eliya akatazama, karibu na kichwa chake kulikuwa na mkate uliokuwa umeokwa kwa mkaa na gudulia la maji. Kwa hiyo akala na kunywa na kulala tena.
He looked, and behold there was at his head a hearth cake, and a vessel of water: and he ate and drank, and he fell asleep again.
7 Malaika wa BWANA akaja tena mara ya pili akamgusa na kumwambia, “Inuka ule, kwa sababu safari bado ndefu kwako.”
And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said to him: Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a great way to go.
8 Kwa hiyo akainuka na kula na kunywa, naye akasafiri kwa nguvu ya chakula hicho kwa siku arobaini mchana na usiku hata akafika Horebu, mlima wa Mungu.
And he arose, and ate, and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb.
9 Akaingia kwenye pango akakaa humo. Kisha neno la BWANA likamjia likimwambia, “Unafanya nini hapa, Eliya?”
And when he was come thither, he abode in a cave: and behold the word of the Lord came unto him, and he said to him: What dost thou here, Elias?
10 Eliya akajibu, “Nimeona wivu mwingi kwa BWANA, Mungu wa majeshi, kwa kuwa watu wa Israeli wameliacha agano lako, wameziharibu madhabahu zako, na wamewaua manabii wako kwa upanga. Sasa ni mimi, pekee yangu, nimebaki na wanataka kuichukua roho yangu.
And he answered: With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have thrown down thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.
11 BWANA akamwambia, “Nenda nje ukasimame kwenye mlima mbele yangu.” Kisha BWANA akapita, na upepo mkali ukaupiga mlima ukavunja miamba katika vipande vipande mbele ya BWANA, lakini BWANA hakuwemo kwenye huo mlima. Kisha baada ya upepo, tetemeko lakaja, lakini BWANA hakuwemo kwenye hilo tetemeko.
And he said to him: Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord: and behold the Lord passeth, and a great and strong wind before the Lord over throwing the mountains, and breaking the rocks in pieces: the Lord is not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake: the Lord is not in the earthquake.
12 Kisha baada ya tetemeko, moto ukaja, lakini BWANA hakuwemo kwenye moto. Ndipo baada ya moto, sauti ya upole ikaja.
And after the earthquake a fire: the Lord is not in the fire, and after the fire a whistling of a gentle air.
13 Naye Eliya alipoisikia sauti, akafunika uso wake kwa vazi lake, akatoka nje, akasimama kwenye lango la hilo pango. Na sauti ikaja kwake ikisema, “unafanya nini hapa?,
And when Elias heard it, he covered his face with his mantle, and coming forth stood in the entering in of the cave, and behold a voice unto him, saying: What dost thou here, Elias? And he answered:
14 Eliya akajibu, “nimeona wivu sana kwa ajili ya BWANA, Muungu wa majeshi, kwa kuwa watu wa Israeli wameliacha agano lako, wamezihariibu madhabahu zako, na wamewaua manabii kwa upanga. Sasa, ni mimi pekee yangu, nimebaki na wanajaribu kuichukua roho yangu.”
With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have destroyed thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.
15 Kisha BWANA akamwambia, “Nenda, rudi kwa njia yako kwenye jangwa la Dameski, na utakapofika utamtia mafuta Hazaeli awe Mfalme wa Shamu,
And the Lord said to him: Go, and return on thy way through the desert to Damascus: and when thou art come thither, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
16 na utamtia mafuta Yehu mwana wa Nimshi kuwa mfalme wa Israeli, na utamtia mafuta Elisha mwana wa Shafeti wa Abeli Mehola kuwa nabii mahali pako.
And thou shalt anoint Jehu the son of Namsi to be king over Israel: and Eliseus the son of Saphat, of Abelmeula, thou shalt anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17 Itakuwa hivi Yehu atamwua kila mmoja atakayejaribu kutoroka upanga wa Hazaeli, na kwamba Elisha atamwua kila atakayejaribu kukwepa upanga wa Yehu.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall escape the sword of Hazael, shall be slain by Jehu: and whosoever shall escape the sword of Jehu, shall be slain by Eliseus.
18 Lakini nitawaacha watu elfu saba katika Israeli kwa ajili yangu, ambao magoti yao hayajawahi kupigwa kwa Baali, na ambao midomo yao haijambusu.”
And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal, and every mouth that hath not worshipped him kissing the hands.
19 Kwa hiyo Eliya akaondoka mahali pale na akamkuta Elisha mwana wa Shafati, akilima na jozi za makisai kumi na mbili mbele yake, na yeye mwenyewe alikuwa akilima na ile jozi ya kumi na mbili. Eliya akaenda mpaka kwa Elisha akamtupia vazi lake juu yake.
And Elias departing from thence, found Eliseus the son of Saphat, ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and he was one of them that were ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen: and when Elias came up to him, he cast his mantle upon him.
20 Elisha naye akawaacha wale makisai akamkimbilia Eliya; akamwambia, “Tafadhali naomba nikambusu baba yangu na mama yangu kisha nitakufuata.” Naye Eliya akamwambia, “Rudi, lakini fikiria juu ya kile nilichokufanyia.”
And he forthwith left the oxen and ran after Elias, and said: Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said to him: Go, and return back: for that which was my part, I have done to thee.
21 Kwa hiyo Elisha akarudi toka kwa Eliya na akachukua ile jozi ya makisai, akawaua wale wanyama, na akapika ile nyama kwa kuni za ile nira. Kisha akawapa watu wakala. Kisha akaamka, akamfuata Eliya akamtumikia.
And returning back from him, he took a yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled the flesh with the plough of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate: and rising up he went away, and followed Elias, and ministered to him.
