1 Amakhosi 17
1 UElija umTishibi wabahlali beGileyadi wasesithi kuAhabi: Kuphila kukaJehova, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, engimi phambi kwakhe, kakuyikuba khona lamazolo lezulu kuliminyaka, kuphela njengokwelizwi lami.
And Eliu the prophet, the Thesbite of Thesbae of Galaad, said to Achaab, As the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be these years dew nor rain, except by the word of my mouth.
2 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuye lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, [saying],
3 Suka lapha, wena uphendukele empumalanga, uzicatshise esifuleni iKerithi, esiphambi kweJordani.
Depart hence eastward, and hide you by the brook of Chorrath, that is before Jordan.
4 Kuzakuthi-ke unathe esifuleni; sengilaye amawabayi ukuthi akondle khona.
And it shall be [that] you shall drink water of the brook, and I will charge the ravens to feed you there.
5 Wasehamba wenza njengokwelizwi leNkosi, ngoba wayahlala esifuleni iKerithi esiphambi kweJordani.
And Eliu did according to the word of the Lord, and he sat by the brook of Chorrath before Jordan.
6 Amawabayi asemlethela isinkwa lenyama ekuseni, lesinkwa lenyama ntambama; wanatha esifuleni.
And the ravens brought him loaves in the morning, and flesh in the evening and he drank water of the brook.
7 Kwasekusithi emva kwesikhathi isifula satsha, ngoba kwakungelazulu elizweni.
And it came to pass after some time, that the brook was dried up, because there had been no rain upon the earth.
8 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kuye lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to Eliu, [saying],
9 Sukuma uye eZarefathi engeyeSidoni, uhlale khona. Khangela, ngilayile owesifazana ongumfelokazi khona ukuthi akondle.
Arise, and go to Sarepta of the Sidonian [land]: behold, I have there commanded a widow-woman to maintain you.
10 Wasukuma-ke waya eZarefathi. Lapho efika esangweni lomuzi, khangela, owesifazana ongumfelokazi wayelapho etheza inkuni; wasembiza wathi: Ake ungikhele amanzi amalutshwana ngenkezo ukuze nginathe.
And he arose and went to Sarepta, and came to the gate of the city: and, behold, a widow-woman was there gathering sticks; and Eliu cried after her, and said to her, Fetch me, I pray you, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
11 Kwathi esahamba ukuyawathatha, wambiza wathi: Ake ungiphathele ucezu lwesinkwa esandleni sakho.
And she went to fetch it; and Eliu cried after her, and said, Bring me, I pray you, a morsel of the bread that is in your hand.
12 Wasesithi: Kuphila kukaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, kangilaqebelengwana, kuphela impuphu egcwala isandla embizeni lamafutha ayingcosana esiphisweni; khangela-ke ngitheza izinkuni ezimbili ukuze ngingene ngizilungisele khona mina lendodana yami, ukuze sidle sife.
And the woman said, [As] the Lord your God lives, I have not a cake, but only a handful of meal in the pitcher, and a little oil in a cruse, and, behold, I am going to gather two sticks, and I shall go in and dress it for myself and my children, and we shall eat it and die.
13 UElija wasesithi kuye: Ungesabi; hamba wenze njengokwelizwi lakho, kodwa ngenzela kuqala iqebelengwana elincinyane ngakho, ulilethe lapha kimi, ngemva kwalokho-ke wenzele wena lendodana yakho.
And Eliu said to her, Be of good courage, go in and do according to your word: but make me thereof a little cake, and you shall bring [it] out to me first, and you shall make [some] for yourself and your children last.
14 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli: Imbiza yempuphu kayiyikuphela, lesiphiso samafutha kasiyikuswela, kuze kube lusuku iNkosi ezanisa ngalo izulu ebusweni bomhlaba.
For thus says the Lord, The pitcher of meal shall not fail, and the cruse of oil shall not diminish, until the day that the Lord gives rain upon the earth.
15 Wasehamba wenza njengokwelizwi likaElija. Njalo yena kanye laye lendlu yakhe badla okwensuku ezinengi.
And the woman went and did [so], and did eat, she, and he, and her children.
16 Imbiza yempuphu kayiphelanga lesiphiso samafutha kasiswelanga, njengokwelizwi leNkosi eyalikhuluma ngesandla sikaElija.
And the pitcher of meal failed not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by the hand of Eliu.
17 Kwasekusithi emva kwalezizinto, indodana yowesifazana, inkosikazi yendlu, yagula; lomkhuhlane wayo wawulamandla kangangokuthi akwaze kwasala umphefumulo kuyo.
And it came to pass afterward, that the son of the woman the mistress of the house was sick; and his sickness was very severe, until there was no breath left in him.
18 Wasesithi kuElija: Ngilani lawe, muntu kaNkulunkulu? Uze kimi ukuze kukhumbuleke isono sami lokubulala indodana yami na?
And she said to Eliu, What have I to do with you, O man of God? have you come in to me to bring my sins to remembrance, and to kill my son?
19 Wasesithi kuye: Nginika indodana yakho. Waseyithatha esifubeni sakhe, wayenyusela endlini ephezulu lapho ayehlala khona, wayilalisa embhedeni wakhe.
And Eliu said to the woman, Give me your son. And he took him out of her bosom, and took him up to the chamber in which he himself lodged, and laid him on the bed.
20 Wasekhala eNkosini wathi: Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, umehlisele ububi lalo umfelokazi engingenise kwakhe ngokubulala indodana yakhe na?
And Eliu cried aloud, and said, Alas, O Lord, the witness of the widow with whom I sojourn, you have wrought evil [for her] in slaying her son.
21 Wasezelulela phezu komntwana kathathu, wakhala eNkosini wathi: Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, ake ubuyele umphefumulo walumntwana phakathi kwakhe.
And he breathed on the child thrice, and called on the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, let, I pray you, the soul of this child return to him.
22 INkosi yasilizwa ilizwi likaElija, umphefumulo womntwana wasubuyela phakathi kwakhe, wasebuya ephila.
And it was so, and the child cried out,
23 UElija wasemthatha umntwana, wamehlisa esuka endlini ephezulu waya endlini, wamnika unina; uElija wasesithi: Bona, indodana yakho iyaphila.
and he brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; and Eliu said, See, your son lives.
24 Owesifazana wasesithi kuElija: Khathesi sengisazi lokhu, ukuthi ungumuntu kaNkulunkulu, ukuthi ilizwi leNkosi elisemlonyeni wakho liliqiniso.
And the woman said to Eliu, Behold, I know that you [are] a man of God, and the word of the Lord in your mouth [is] true.
