1
Basi, Ahabu akamwambia Yezebeli habari ya mambo yote aliyoyafanya Eliya, na jinsi alivyowaua manabii wote kwa upanga.
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2
Ndipo Yezebeli akampelekea Eliya mjumbe, kusema, Miungu wanifanyie hivyo na kuzidi, nisipokufanya roho yako kesho, panapo wakati huu, kama roho ya mmojawapo wa hao.
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!”
3
Naye alipoona hayo, aliondoka, akaenda aihifadhi roho yake, akafika Beer-sheba, mji wa Yuda, akamwacha mtumishi wake huko.
And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
4
Lakini yeye mwenyewe akaendelea katika jangwa mwendo wa siku moja, akaenda akaketi chini ya mretemu. Akajiombea roho yake afe, akasema, Yatosha; sasa, Ee Bwana, uiondoe roho yangu; kwa kuwa mimi si mwema kuliko baba zangu.
while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
5
Naye akajinyosha akalala chini ya mretemu; na tazama, malaika akamgusa, akamwambia, Inuka, ule.
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6
Akatazama, kumbe! Pana mkate umeokwa juu ya makaa, na gudulia la maji, kichwani pake. Akala, akanywa, akajinyosha tena.
And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7
Malaika wa Bwana akamwendea mara ya pili, akamgusa, akasema, Inuka, ule; maana safari hii ni kubwa mno kwako.
A second time the angel of the LORD returned and touched him, saying, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
8
Akainuka, akala, akanywa, akaenda katika nguvu za chakula hicho siku arobaini mchana na usiku hata akafika Horebu, mlima wa Mungu.
So he got up and ate and drank. And strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
9
Akafika kunako pango, akalala ndani yake. Na tazama, neno la Bwana likamjia, naye akamwambia, Unafanya nini hapa, Eliya?
There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10
Akasema, Nimeona wivu mwingi kwa ajili ya Bwana Mungu wa majeshi; kwa kuwa wana wa Israeli wameyaacha maagano yako, na kuzivunja madhabahu zako, na kuwaua manabii wako kwa upanga; nami nimesalia, mimi peke yangu; nao wanitafuta roho yangu, waiondoe.
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
11
Akasema, Toka, usimame mlimani mbele za Bwana. Na tazama, Bwana akapita; upepo mwingi wa nguvu ukaipasua milima, ukaivunja-vunja miamba mbele za Bwana; lakini Bwana hakuwamo katika upepo ule; na baada ya upepo, tetemeko la nchi; lakini Bwana hakuwamo katika lile tetemeko la nchi;
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12
na baada ya tetemeko la nchi kukawa na moto; lakini Bwana hakuwamo katika moto ule; na baada ya moto sauti ndogo, ya utulivu.
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.
13
Ikawa, Eliya alipoisikia, alijifunika uso wake katika mavazi yake, akatoka, akasimama mlangoni mwa pango. Na tazama, sauti ikamjia, kusema, Unafanya nini hapa, Eliya?
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14
Akasema, Nimeona wivu mwingi kwa ajili ya Bwana, Mungu wa majeshi; kwa kuwa wana wa Israeli wameyaacha maagano yako, na kuzivunja madhabahu zako, na kuwaua manabii wako kwa upanga; nami nimesalia, mimi peke yangu; nao wanitafuta roho yangu waiondoe.
“I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well.”
15
Bwana akamwambia, Enenda, urudi njia ya jangwa la Dameski; ukifika, mtie mafuta Hazaeli awe mfalme wa Shamu.
Then the LORD said to him, “Go back by the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
16
Na Yehu mwana wa Nimshi mtie mafuta awe mfalme wa Israeli; na Elisha mwana wa Shafati wa Abel-Mehola mtie mafuta awe nabii mahali pako.
You are also to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.
17
Na itakuwa atakayeokoka na upanga wa Hazaeli, Yehu atamwua; na atakayeokoka na upanga wa Yehu, Elisha atamwua.
Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
18
Pamoja na hayo nitajisazia katika Israeli watu elfu saba, kila goti lisilomwinamia Baali, na kila kinywa kisichombusu.
Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
19
Basi, akaondoka huko, akamkuta Elisha mwana wa Shafati, aliyekuwa akilima, mwenye jozi za ng'ombe kumi na mbili mbele yake, na yeye mwenyewe alikuwa pamoja na lile la kumi na mbili. Eliya akapita karibu naye, akatupa vazi lake juu yake.
So Elijah departed and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve teams of oxen, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah passed by him and threw his cloak around him.
20
Naye akawaacha ng'ombe, akamfuata Eliya mbio, akasema, Nipe ruhusa, nakuomba, nimbusu baba yangu na mama yangu, kisha mimi nitakufuata. Akamwambia, Enenda, urudi; ni nini niliyokutendea?
So Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” Elijah replied, “for what have I done to you?”
21
Akarudi akiacha kumfuata, akatwaa lile jozi la ng'ombe, akawachinja, akatokosa nyama zao kwa ile miti ya ng'ombe, akawapa watu, wakala. Kisha akainuka, akamfuata Eliya, akamhudumia. </p>
So Elisha turned back from him, took his pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Using the oxen’s equipment for fuel, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow and serve Elijah.