¹Zvino mazuva mazhinji akati apfuura, shoko raJehovha rikasvika kuna Eria negore rechitatu, richiti, Enda undozviratidza kuna Ahabhi; ndigotuma mvura panyika.

¹And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

²Ipapo Eria akandozviratidza kuna Ahabhi. Zvino nzara yakanga yanyanya kwazvo paSamaria.

²And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

³Ahabhi akadana Obhadhiya, iye wakange ari mutariri weimba yake. (Zvino Obhadhiya wakange achitya Jehovha kwazvo;

³And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

⁴nekuti nenguva iyo Izebheri yaakaparadza nayo navaporofita vaJehovha, Obhadhia wakatora vaporofita vane zana, akavavanza makumi mashanu namakumi mashanuzve mubako, akavapa chingwa nemvura.)

⁴For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

⁵Zvino Ahabhi akati kuna Obhadhiya, Famba nenyika, kumatsime emvura, nokuhova dzose; zvimwe tingawana bundo, tiraramise mabhiza namahesera,tirege kurashikirwa nechimwe chezvipfuwo.

⁵And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

⁶Naizvozvo vakagovana nyika, kuti vafambe nayo; Ahabhi akaenda ari oga kuno rumwe rutivi, Obhadhiya akaendawo ari oga kuno rumwe rutivi.

⁶So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

⁷Zvino Obhadhiya wakati ari panzira, Eria akasangana naye; akamuziva, akawira pasi nechiso chake, akati, Ndimi here, ishe wangu Eria?

⁷And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

⁸Iye akamupindura, akati, Ndini; enda unoudza ishe wako, uti, Tarirai, Eria ari pano.

⁸And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

⁹Iye akati, Ndatadzeiko, zvamoda kuisa muranda wenyu mumaoko aAhabhi, andiuraye?

⁹And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

¹⁰NaJehovha Mwari wenyu mupenyu, hapano rudzi kana ushe kwaasina kutuma iye ishe wangu kukutsvakai; kana vakati, Haapo pano, waipikisa ushe uhwo kana rudzi urwo, kuti havana kukuwanai.

¹⁰As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

¹¹Zvino moti, Enda undoudza ishe wako, uti, Eria ari pano.

¹¹And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

¹²Zvimwe ndichangobva kwamuri, Mweya waJehovha ndokukuisai kwandisingazivi; zvino kana ndikandoudza Ahabhi, akakushayai, uchandiuraya, asi ini muranda wenyu ndinotya Jehovha kubva pauduku hwangu.

¹²And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.

¹³Ishe wangu hamuna kuudzwa here zvandakaita panguva iya Izebheri yaakauraya nayo vaporofita vaJehovha kuti ndakavanza vaporofita vaJehovha, vane zana, makumi mashanu namakumi mashanu mubako, ndikavapa zvingwa nemvura?

¹³Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

¹⁴Zvino moti, Chindoudza ishe wako, uti, Eria ari pano. Iye uchandiuraya.

¹⁴And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

¹⁵Eria akati, NaJehovha wehondo mupenyu, iye wandimire pamberi pake, ndichazviratidza kwaari nhasi zvirokwazvo.

¹⁵And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to day.

¹⁶Naizvozvo Obhadhiya akaenda kuna Ahabhi, akamuudza Ahabhi akandosangana naEria.

¹⁶So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

¹⁷Zvino Ahabhi wakati achiona Eria, Ahabhi akati kwaari, Ndiwe here, iwe mutambudzi waIsiraeri?

¹⁷And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

¹⁸Iye akati, Ini handina kutambudza Isiraeri; asi ndiwe neimba yababa vako, nekuti makasiya mirairo yaJehovha, mukatevera vaBhaari.

¹⁸And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

¹⁹Naizvozvo zvino chituma vanhu uunganidze vaIsiraeri vose pagomo reKarimeri, navaporofita vaBhaari vana mazana mana vanodya patafura yaIzebheri,

¹⁹Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

²⁰Naizvozvo Ahabhi akatuma vanhu kuvana vaIsiraeri vose, akaunganidza vaporofita pagomo reKarimeri.

²⁰So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

²¹Zvino Eria akaswedera kuvanhu vose, akati, Mucharamba muchikamhina pamifungo miviri kusvikira rinhiko? Kana Jehovha ari Mwari, mumutevere, kana ari Bhaari, mumutevere iye. Asi vanhu havana kupindura shoko rimwe.

²¹And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

²²Ipapo Eria akati kuvanhu, Ini, iyeni ndoga, ndini ndasara kuvaporofita vaJehovha, asi vaporofita vaBhaari vanosvika varume vana mazana mana namakumi mashanu.

²²Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

²³Naizvozvo ngavatipe nzombe mbiri, ivo vazvitsaurire nzombe imwe, vaiguranye, vaiise pamusoro pehuni, asi varege kuisa moto pasi payo; neniwo ndichagadzira imwe nzombe, ndichiisa pamusoro pehuni, asi ndisingaisi moto pasi payo.

²³Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

²⁴Zvino imwi mudane zita ramwari wenyu, ini ndidanewo zita raJehovha, Mwari unopindura nomoto, iye ngaave Mwari. Vanhu vose vakapindura, vakati, Zvarehwa zvakanaka.

²⁴And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

²⁵Ipapo Eria akati kuvaporofita vaBhaari, Chizvitsaurirai nzombe imwe, mutange kuigadzira, nekuti muri vazhinji; mudane zita ramwari wenyu, asi murege kuisa moto pasi payo.

²⁵And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

²⁶Ivo vakatora nzombe yavakanga vapiwa, vakaigadzira, vakadana zita raBhaari kubva mangwanani kusvikira masikati makuru, vachiti, Bhaari, tinzwei! Asi kwakanga kusine inzwi kana unopindura. Vakapoteredza aritari yakanga yavakwa vachipembera.

²⁶And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

²⁷Zvino panguva yamasikati makuru Eria akavasweveredza, akati, Danidzirai nenzwi guru; nekuti ndimwari, zvimwe ari pakufunga, zvimwe wambosuduruka, zvimwe wafamba rwendo, kana zvimwe uvete hake, anofanira kumutswa.

²⁷And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

²⁸Ipapo vakadanidzira kwazvo, vakazvicheka netsika dzavo neminondo namapfumo, kusvikira ropa richidzutuka kwavari.

²⁸And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

²⁹Masikati makuru akati apfuura, vakaporofita kusvikira panguva yokubayira chipo chamadekwana; asi kwakanga kusina inzwi kana unopindura, kana wakange achiteerera.

²⁹And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

³⁰Ipapo Eria akati kuvanhu vose, Swederai kwandiri, vanhu vose vakaswedera kwaari. Zvino wakagadzira aritari yaJehovha yakanga yaputswa.

³⁰And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down.

³¹Eria akatora mabwe ane gumi namaviri akaenzana namarudzi avana vaJakove iye wakange audzwa naJehovha zvichinzi, Zita rako richanzi Isiraeri.

³¹And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

³²Akavaka aritari namabwe iwayo nezita raJehovha, akachera goronga rakakomba aritari rakanga rakaenzana napangadzvarwa zviyero zviviri zvezviyo.

³²And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

³³Akaronga huni, akaguranya nzombe, akaiisa pamusoro pehuni, akati, Chizadzai zvirongo zvina nemvura, muidire pamusoro pechipiriso chinopiswa, napamusoro pehuni.

³³And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

³⁴Akati, Itai izvozvo rwechipiri, vakazviita rwechipiri. Akati, Itai izvozvo rwechitatu; vakazviita rwechitatu.

³⁴And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

³⁵Mvura ikayerera, ikapoteredza aritari; akazadza negorongawo nemvura.

³⁵And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

³⁶Nenguva yokubayira chipo chamadekwana, muporofita Eria akaswedera, akati, Imi Jehovha, Mwari waAbhurahamu, nowaIsaka, nowaIsiraeri, uye kuti ini ndiri muranda wenyu, uye kuti ndakaita izvi zvose ndarairwa nemi.

³⁶And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

³⁷Ndinzwei Jehovha, ndinzwei, kuti vanhu ava vazive kuti imwi Jehovha ndimi Mwari, uye kuti ndimi makadzosazve moyo yavo.

³⁷Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

³⁸Ipapo moto waJehovha wakaburuka, ukapedza chipiriso chinopiswa, nehuni, namabwe, neguruva, ukananzva mvura yakanga iri mugoronga.

³⁸Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

³⁹Vanhu vose vakati vachizviona, vakawira pasi nezviso zvavo, vakati, Jehovha ndiye Mwari, Jehovha ndiye Mwari!

³⁹And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

⁴⁰Eria akati kwavari, Batai vaporofita vaBhaari, varege kupukunyuka kunyange nomumwe wavo. Vakavabata. Eria akaburuka navo kurukova Kishoni, akavaurayirapo.

⁴⁰And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

⁴¹Eria akati kuna Ahabhi, Chirongedzai, mudye, mumwe, nekuti kuno kuunga kwemvura zhinji.

⁴¹And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

⁴²Naizvozvo Ahabhi akarongedza kundodya nokumwa. Eria akakwira pamusoro pegomo reKarimeri, akagwadamira pasi, akaisa chiso chake pakati pamabvi ake;

⁴²So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

⁴³akati kumuranda wake, Chikwira zvino, utarire kurutivi rwegungwa. Akakwira akatarira, akati, Hakuna chinhu. Akati, Endazve, kanomwe.

⁴³And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

⁴⁴Zvino panguva yechinomwe akati, Tarirai, kune gore duku, rinokwira richibva mugungwa, rakafanana nechanza chomunhu. Akati, Enda, undoti kuna Ahabhi, Sungai ngoro yenyu, muburuke, kuti murege kudzivirirwa nemvura.

⁴⁴And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.

⁴⁵Zvino nguva duku yakati yapfuura, denga rikasviba namakore nemhepo, mvura zhinji ikanaya Ahabhi akaenda nengoro, akasvika Jezereeri.

⁴⁵And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

⁴⁶Ruoko rwaJehovha rukasimbisa Eria; akazvisunga chivuno chake, akamhanya pamberi paAhabhi kusvikira pasuwo reJezereeri.

⁴⁶And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.