1 Kings 19
1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
U-Ahabi wasetshela uJezebheli ngakho konke okwakwenziwe ngu-Elija kanye lokuthi wababulala njani abaphrofethi ngenkemba.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don’t make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!”
Ngalokho uJezebheli wathumela isithunywa ku-Elija ukuthi siyekuthi, “Onkulunkulu kabangihlanekele ngokwengezelelweyo nxa ngingakubulalanga kuze kube kusasa, njengoba usubulele abaphrofethi.”
3 When he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
U-Elija wasesesaba, wasuka wabaleka, wayafika eBherishebha yakoJuda, wasetshiya khona inceku yakhe.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. Then he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough. Now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”
Yena wahamba okwelanga elilodwa engena enkangala. Wathola khona isihlahla, wahlala ngaphansi kwaso emthunzini, wakhulekela ukuthi ngabe uyafa wathi, “Kwanele, Thixo, susa ukuphila kwami ngoba angingcono kulabokhokho.”
5 He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat!”
Wasecambalala elala ngaphansi kwesihlahla wajunywa yibuthongo. Khonokho ingilosi yamthinta yathi kuye, “Vuka udle.”
6 He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
Wathalaza, lakanye wabona ngemakhanda nantiyana iqebelengwane lisatshisa emalahleni elaliphekwe kuwo, kanye lenkezo eyayilamanzi okunatha. Wadla njalo wanatha, waphinda walala.
7 Yahweh’s angel came again the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”
Ingilosi kaThixo yaphinda yabuya okwesibili yamthinta, yathi kuye, “Vuka udle, ngoba uhambo lude luzakukhulela.”
8 He arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, God’s Mountain.
Ngakho wavuka, wadla njalo wehlisa ngamanzi. Eseqiniswe yilokhokudla wahamba insuku ezingamatshumi amane lobusuku obungamatshumi amane waze wayafika eHorebhi intaba kaNkulunkulu.
9 He came to a cave there, and camped there; and behold, Yahweh’s word came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Eselapho wangena ebhalwini walala. Ngakho ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuye lisithi, “Kanti wenzani khonapha, Elija?”
10 He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
Yena waphendula wathi, “Bengikutshisekela kakhulu, wena Thixo Nkulunkulu Somandla. Abako-Israyeli basephule isivumelwano sakho, badiliza ama-alithare akho, babulala abaphrofethi bakho ngenkemba. Yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo khathesi bayangizingela bafuna ukungibulala.”
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.” Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.
UThixo wathi kuye, “Hamba uyekuma phezu kwentaba phambi kukaThixo ngoba uThixo uzadlula khona.” Kwaba lomoya owawuvunguza ngamandla udabula izintaba uqhekeza lamadwala phambi kukaThixo, kodwa uThixo wayengekho kulesosiphepho. Kwedlula isiphepho kweza ukuzamazama komhlaba kodwa uThixo wayengekho kulokhokuzamazama.
12 After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice.
Kwedlula ukuzamazama komhlaba kwaqhamuka umlilo, kodwa uThixo wayengekho kulowomlilo. Ngemva komlilo kwezwakala ilizwi elipholileyo linyenyeza.
13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
U-Elija uthe elizwa, wadonsa isembatho sakhe wamboza ubuso bakhe wasuka wayakuma entubeni yobhalu. Khonokho ilizwi lathi kuye, “Wenzani khonapha, Elija?”
14 He said, “I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
Yena waphendula wathi, “Bengikutshisekela kakhulu wena Thixo Nkulunkulu Somandla. Abako-Israyeli basephule isivumelwano sakho, badiliza ama-alithare akho, babulala abaphrofethi bakho ngenkemba. Yimi ngedwa engiseleyo, njalo khathesi bayangizingela bafuna ukungibulala lami.”
15 Yahweh said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
UThixo wathi kuye, “Buyela ngayonale indlela oze ngayo, uye enkangala yaseDamaseko. Ekufikeni kwakho khonale, ugcobe uHazayeli abe yinkosi yase-Aramu.
16 Anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi to be king over Israel; and anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah to be prophet in your place.
Njalo, ugcobe loJehu indodana kaNimishi abe yinkosi yako-Israyeli, ubusugcoba u-Elisha indodana kaShafathi wase-Abheli-Mehola athathe isikhundla sakho sobuphrofethi.
17 He who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and he who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
UJehu uzabulala bonke abazaphepha kuleyonkemba kaHazayeli, njalo u-Elisha uzabulala labo abazasila kuleyonkemba kaJehu.
18 Yet I reserved seven thousand in Israel, all the knees of which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.”
Kodwa ngizaphephisa abako-Israyeli abazinkulungwane eziyisikhombisa abangazange bakhothamele uBhali njalo abandebe zabo azizange zimange.”
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and put his mantle on him.
Ngakho u-Elija wasuka lapho wathola u-Elisha indodana kaShafathi. Wamfica elima labanye ngenkabi emajogweni alitshumi lambili, yena etshayela ezejogwe letshumi lambili. U-Elija wasondela kuye wamembesa ngesembatho sakhe.
20 Elisha left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” He said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?”
U-Elisha watshiya inkabi zakhe walandela u-Elija. Wasesithi, “Ngivumela ngiyevalelisa ubaba lomama, ngibuye ngizehamba lawe.” U-Elija wamphendula wathi, “Buyela, kanti ngenzeni kuwe?”
21 He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, killed them, and boiled their meat with the oxen’s equipment, and gave to the people; and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him.
Ngakho u-Elisha wehlukana laye wabuyela emuva. Wathatha inkabi zejogwe lakhe wazihlaba. Wabasa umlilo ngezinto lezo ayelima ngazo ukuze ose inyama yazo wayinika abantu bayidla. Waselandela u-Elija waba yinceku yakhe.
