1
Ikawa baada ya hayo, Nabothi Myezreeli alikuwa na shamba la mizabibu katika Yezreeli, karibu na nyumba ya kifalme ya Ahabu mfalme wa Samaria.
Some time after these events, Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2
Ahabu akasema na Nabothi, akamwambia, Nipe shamba lako la mizabibu nilifanye shamba la mboga, maana ni karibu na nyumba yangu; nami nitakupa badala yake shamba la mizabibu lililo zuri zaidi; au ukipenda, nitakupa fedha sawasawa na thamani yake.
So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”
3
Nabothi akamwambia Ahabu, Bwana apishe mbali nikupe wewe urithi wa baba zangu.
But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
4
Basi Ahabu akaenda nyumbani kwake, ana moyo mzito, tena amekasirika, kwa sababu ya neno lile aliloambiwa na Nabothi Myezreeli, akisema, Sitakupa urithi wa baba zangu. Akajilaza kitandani pake, akageuza uso wake, akakataa kula.
So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.
5
Lakini Yezebeli mkewe akamwendea, akamwambia, Kwa nini roho yako ina huzuni hata usile chakula?
Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?”
6
Akamwambia, Kwa sababu nimesema na Nabothi Myezreeli, nikamwambia, Unipe shamba lako la mizabibu kwa fedha, au, ukipenda, nitakupa shamba la mizabibu lingine badala yake. Akajibu, Sitakupa shamba langu la mizabibu.
Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’”
7
Yezebeli mkewe akamwambia, Je! Sasa wewe unaumiliki ufalme wa Israeli? Ondoka, ule chakula, moyo wako ufurahi; mimi nitakupa shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi Myezreeli.
But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8
Basi, akaandika nyaraka kwa jina la Ahabu, akazitia muhuri yake, akazipeleka zile nyaraka kwa wazee, na kwa watu wenye nguvu waliokuwa katika mji wake, waliokaa pamoja na Nabothi.
Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
9
Akaandika katika zile nyaraka, akasema, Pigeni mbiu ya watu kufunga, mkamweke Nabothi juu mbele ya watu,
In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
10
mkainue watu wawili, watu wasiofaa, ili wamshitaki, na kumshuhudia, kunena, Umemtukana Mungu na mfalme. Kisha mchukueni nje, mkampige kwa mawe, ili afe.
But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11
Wale wazee wa mji wake, na walio wenye nguvu waliokaa mjini mwake, wakafanya kama Yezebeli alivyowaagiza, kama ilivyoandikwa katika nyaraka alizowapelekea.
So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them.
12
Wakapiga mbiu ya watu kufunga, wakamweka Nabothi juu mbele ya watu.
They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
13
Na hao watu wawili, watu wasiofaa, wakaingia, wakaketi mbele yake; wale watu wasiofaa wakamshuhudia Nabothi mbele ya watu, wakasema, Nabothi amemtukana Mungu na mfalme. Ndipo wakamchukua nje ya mji, wakampiga kwa mawe hata akafa.
And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
14
Wakampelekea Yezebeli habari, wakasema, Nabothi amepigwa kwa mawe, amekufa.
Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15
Ikawa Yezebeli aliposikia ya kwamba Nabothi amepigwa kwa mawe na kufa, Yezebeli akamwambia Ahabu, Inuka, ulitamalaki shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi Myezreeli, alilokataa kukupa kwa fedha, maana Nabothi hako hai, lakini amekufa.
When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”
16
Ikawa Ahabu aliposikia ya kwamba Nabothi amekufa, akaondoka, alitelemkie shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi Myezreeli, ili alitamalaki.
And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
17
Neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya Mtishbi, kusema,
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18
Ondoka, ushuke, ukutane na Ahabu mfalme wa Israeli, akaaye katika Samaria; yuko katika shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, ndiko alikoshukia ili alitamalaki.
“Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it.
19
Ukamwambie, ukisema, Bwana asema hivi, Je! Umeua, ukatamalaki? Nawe utamwambia, kusema, Bwana asema hivi, Mahali pale mbwa walipoiramba damu ya Nabothi, mbwa watairamba na damu yako, naam, damu yako.
Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”
20
Ahabu akamwambia Eliya, Je! Umenipata, ewe adui yangu? Akamwambia, Nimekupata, kwa sababu umejiuza utende yaliyo mabaya machoni pa Bwana.
When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
21
Angalia, nitaleta mabaya juu yako; nami nitakuangamiza kabisa, nitamkatia Ahabu kila mume, aliyefungwa na aliyeachwa katika Israeli.
This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free.
22
Kisha nitaifanya nyumba yako iwe kama nyumba ya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati, na kama nyumba ya Baasha mwana wa Ahiya, kwa ajili ya chukizo ulilonichukiza, hata kunighadhibisha, ukawakosesha Israeli.
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’
23
Tena Bwana alinena habari za Yezebeli, akisema, Mbwa watamla Yezebeli katika kiwanja cha Yezreeli.
And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
24
Mtu wa nyumba ya Ahabu afaye mjini, mbwa watamla, na yeye afaye mashambani ndege wa angani watamla.
Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”
25
(Lakini hapakuwa na mtu kama Ahabu, aliyejiuza atende maovu machoni pa Bwana ambaye Yezebeli mkewe alimchochea.
(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.
26
Akachukiza mno, kwa kuzifuata sanamu sawasawa na yote waliyoyafanya Waamori, Bwana aliowafukuza mbele ya wana wa Israeli.)
He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)
27
Ikawa, Ahabu alipoyasikia maneno hayo, akayararua mavazi yake, akavaa magunia mwilini mwake, akafunga, akajilaza juu ya magunia, akaenda kwa upole.
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.
28
Neno la Bwana likaja kwa Eliya Mtishbi, kusema,
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying:
29
Huoni jinsi Ahabu alivyojidhili mbele yangu? Basi kwa sababu amejidhili mbele yangu, sitayaleta yale mabaya katika siku zake; ila katika siku za mwanawe nitayaleta mabaya hayo juu ya nyumba yake.
“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”