< 2 Wafalme 6 >
1 Wana wa manabii wakamwambia Elisha, “Sehemu ambayo tunayoishi na wewe ni ndogo sana kwa ajili ya wote.
And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us.
2 Tafadhali, tuache tuende Yordani, na umwache kila mtu akate mti hapo ambako tunaweza kuishi.” Elisha akajibu, “unaweza kwenda mbele.”
Let us go, we pray thee, to the Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he said, Go.
3 Mmoja wao akasema, “Nenda na watumishi wako tafadhali.” Elisha akajibu, “Nitaenda.”
And one said, Consent, I pray thee, to go with thy servants. And he said, I will go.
4 Kwa hiyo akaenda pamoja nao, na wakati walipokuja Yordani, wakaanza kukata miti.
And he went with them. And they came to the Jordan and cut down the trees.
5 Lakini mmoja wao alipokuwa akikata, kichwa cha shoka kikaangukia kwenye maji; akalia kwa sauti na kusema, “la hasha, bwana wangu, kilikuwa kimeazimwa!”
And it came to pass as one was felling a beam, that the iron fell into the water; and he cried and said, Alas, master, and it was borrowed!
6 Basi mtu wa Mungu akasema, “kiliangukia wapi?” Yule mtu akamwonyesha Elisha ile sehemu. akakata fimbo, akarusha kwenye maji, na kufanya chuma kuelea.
And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim.
7 Elisha akasema, “Kichukue.” Basi yule mtu akafikisha mkono wake na kukinyakua.
And he said, Take [it] up to thee. And he put out his hand and took it.
8 Basi mfalme wa Shamu alikuwa akipigana vita dhidi ya Israel. Akafanya shauri na watumishi wake, akisema, “kambi yangu itakuwa sehemu flani na flani.”
And the king of Syria warred against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place [shall be] my camp.
9 Basi huyo mtu wa Mungu akamtuma kwa mfalme wa Israeli, akisema, “Kuwa makini usipite ile sehemu, kwa kuwa ndipo Washamu wanakoshukia hapo.”
And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place, for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 Mfalme wa Israeli akatuma mjumbe kwenda pale sehemu ambayo mtu wa Mungu alipaongelea na kumtahadharisha. Zaidi ya mara moja au mbili, wakati mfalme alipoenda pale, alikuwa kwenye ulinzi wake.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and he was on his guard there. [That took place] not once, nor twice.
11 Huyo mfalme wa Shamu alikasirishwa kuhusu haya maonyo, na akawaita watumishi wake na kuwaambia, “Je hamtaniambia ni nani miongoni mwetu aliye upande wa Israeli?”
And the heart of the king of Syria was troubled because of this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 Hivyo mmoja wa watumishi wake akasema, “Hapana, bwana wangu, mfalme, kwa ajili ya Elisha yule nabii katika Israeli humwambia yule mfalme wa Israeli maneno ambayo uyaongeayo kwenye kitanda chako cha kulala!”
And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
13 Yule mfalme akajibu, “Nenda na uone Elisha alipo hivyo naweza kutuma watu na kumkamata.” Akaambiwa, “Tazama yuko Dothani.”
And he said, Go and see where he is, and I will send and fetch him. And it was told him saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Kwa hiyo yule mfalme akatuma farasi kwenda Donathi, magari ya farasi, na jeshi kubwa. Wakaja usiku na kuzunguka ule mji.
And he sent thither horses and chariots, and a great host, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 Wakati yule mtumishi wa mtu wa Mungu alipoamka mapema na kutoka nje, kumbe, jeshi kubwa pamoja na farasi na magari ya farasi yameuzunguka mji. Mtumishi wake akamwabia, “Kumbe, bwana wangu! Tutafanya nini?”
And when the attendant of the man of God rose early and went forth, behold, an army surrounded the city, with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 Elisha akajibu, “usiogope, wale walio na sisi ni zaidi kuliko wale walio nao.”
And he said, Fear not, for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.
17 Elisha akajibu na kusema, “Yahwe, nakuomba kwamba utamfungua macho yake ili kwamba aweze kuona.” Ndipo Yahwe alipofungua macho ya mtumishi, na akaona. Kumbe, ule mlima ulikuwa umejaa farasi na magari ya farasi ya moto yamemzunguka Elisha!
And Elisha prayed and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18 Wakati hao Washami walipomshukia chini, Elisha aliomba kwa Yahwe na kusema, “Uwapige hawa watu kwa upofu, nakuomba.” Hivyo Yahwe akawafanya vipofu, kama Elisha alivyoomba.
And they came down to him; and Elisha prayed to Jehovah and said, Smite this nation, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 Kisha Elisha akawaambia Washami, “Hii njia sio, pia mji huu sio. Nifuateni mimi, na nitawaleta kwa yule mtu ambaye mnayemtafuta.” Ndipo akawaongoza kweda 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. And he led them to Samaria.
20 Hata walipokwisha kufika Samaria, Elisha akasema, “Yahwe, fungua macho ya hawa watu ili waweze kuona.” Yahwe akawafungua macho yao na wakaona, na kumbe, walikuwa katikati ya mji wa Samaria.
And it came to pass when they entered into Samaria, that Elisha said, Jehovah, open the eyes of these [men] that they may see. And Jehovah opened their eyes, and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 Yule mfalme wa Israeli akamwambia Elisha, wakati alipowaona, “Baba yangu, niwaue? Niwaue?”
And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite? shall I smite [them]?
22 Elisha akajibu, “Usiwaue. Ungeweza kuwaua wale ambao uliokuwa umewachukua mateka kwa upanga na upinde wako? Weka mkate na maji mbele yao, ili kwamba waweze kula na kunywa, na kwenda kwa bwana wao.”
And he said, Thou shalt not smite [them]: wouldest 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 Ndipo mfalme akaandaa chakula kingi kwa ajili yao, na wakati walipokula na kunywa, akawapeleka mbali, na walirudi kwa bwana wao. Lile kundi la jeshi la Wasahami halikurudi kwa mda mrefu katika nchi ya Israeli.
And he prepared a great repast for them, and they ate and drank; and he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24 Baadaye baada ya huyu Ben Hadadi mfalme wa Shamu kukusanya majeshi yake yote na kuiteka Samaria na kuizingira.
And it came to pass after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25 Hivyo kulikuwa na njaa kubwa katika Samaria. Kumbe, wakauzingira hadi kichwa cha punda kilipouzwa kwa vipande themanini vya fedha, na sehemu ya nne ya sehemu ya kibaba cha kinyesi cha njiwa kwa vipande vitano vya fedha.
And there was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was worth eighty silver-pieces, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung five silver-pieces.
26 Wakati mfalme wa Israeli alipokuwa akipita karibu na ukuta, mwanamke mmoka akamlilia akisema, “Nisaidie, bwana wangu, mfalme.”
And it came to pass as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman to him saying, Help, my lord O king!
27 Akasema, “Kama Yahwe hawezi kukusaidia, je nitakusaidiaje? je kuna kitu chochote kinakuja kutoka sehemu ya kupuria nafaka au shinikizoni?”
And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence should I help thee? Out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?
28 Mfalme akaendelea, “Nini kinakusumbua?” Akajibu, “Huyu mwanamke ameniambia, 'Mtoe mtoto wako ili tuweze kumla leo, na tutamla wakwangu kesho.”
And the king said to her, What aileth thee? And she said, This woman said to me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
29 Hivyo tulimchemsha mtoto wangu na kumla, na siku ya pili yake nikamwambia, “Mtoe mtoto wako ili tuweze kumla, lakini alikuwa amemficha mtoto wake.”
And 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 has hidden her son.
30 Basi mfalme aliposikia yale maneno ya yule mwanamke, akayachana mavazi yake (sasa alikuwa akitembelea kwenye ukuta), na watu wakatazama na kuona kwamba alikuwa amevaa nguo ya gunia chini, dhidi ya ngozi yake.
And it came to pass when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his garments; and he was passing by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Kisha akasema, “Mungu afanye hivyo kwangu, na zaidi pia, kama kichwa cha Elisha mwana wa Shafati kitabaki juu yake leo.”
And he said, God do so, and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall remain on him this day!
32 Basi Elisha alikuwa ameketi kwenye nyumba yake, na wazee walikuwa wamekaa pamoja naye. Yule mfalme akamtuma mtu wa mbele yake, lakini wakati mjumbe alipokuja kwa Elisha, akawaambia wazee, “Ona jinsi huyu mwana wa muuaji alivytumwa kuchukua kichwa changu? Tazama, wakati yule mjumbe atakapokuja, funga mlango, na uushikilie huo mlango funga dhidi yake asiingie. Je sio sauti ya bwana wake nyuma mguuni pake?”
And Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him. And [the king] sent a man before him. Before the messenger came to him, he himself said to the elders, Do ye see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? See, when the messenger comes; shut the door, and keep him off with the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33 Wakati alipokuwa bado akiongea pamoja nao, kumbe, yule mjumbe alishuka kwake. Mfalme akasema, “Kumbe, masumbuko haya yatoka kwa Yahwe. Kwa nini nimsubiri Yahwe tena?”
And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. And [the king] said, Behold, this evil is of Jehovah: why should I wait for Jehovah any longer?