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

¹And the days are many, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Elijah in the third year, saying, `Go, appear unto Ahab, and I give rain on the face of the ground;`

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

²and Elijah goeth to appear unto Ahab. And the famine is severe in Samaria,

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

³and Ahab calleth unto Obadiah, who [is] over the house — and Obadiah hath been fearing Jehovah greatly,

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

⁴and it cometh to pass, in Jezebel`s cutting off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah taketh a hundred prophets, and hideth them, fifty men in a cave, and hath sustained 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 saith unto Obadiah, `Go through the land, unto all fountains of waters, and unto all the brooks, if so be we find hay, and keep alive horse and mule, and do not cut off any of the cattle.`

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

⁶And they apportion to themselves the land, to pass over into it; Ahab hath gone in one way by himself, and Obadiah hath gone in another way by himself;

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

⁷and Obadiah [is] in the way, and lo, Elijah — to meet him; and he discerneth him, and falleth on his face, and saith, `Art thou he — my lord Elijah?`

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

⁸And he saith to him, `I [am]; go, say to thy lord, Lo, Elijah.`

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

⁹And he saith, `What have I sinned, that thou art giving thy servant into the hand of Ahab — to put me to death?

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.

¹⁰Jehovah thy God liveth, if there is a nation and kingdom whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee; and they said, He is not, then he caused the kingdom and the nation to swear, that it doth not find thee;

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

¹¹and now, thou art saying, Go, say to thy lord, Lo, Elijah;

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

¹²and it hath been, I go from thee, and the Spirit of Jehovah doth lift thee up, whither I know not, and I have come to declare to Ahab, and he doth not find thee, and he hath slain me; and thy servant is fearing Jehovah 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?

¹³`Hath it not been declared to my lord that which I have done in Jezebel`s slaying the prophets of Jehovah, that I hide of the prophets of Jehovah a hundred men, fifty by fifty in a cave, and sustained them with bread and water?

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

¹⁴and now thou art saying, Go, say to my lord, Lo, Elijah — and he hath slain me!`

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

¹⁵And Elijah saith, `Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood, surely to-day I appear unto him.`

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

¹⁶And Obadiah goeth to meet Ahab, and declareth [it] to him, and Ahab goeth to meet Elijah,

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

¹⁷and it cometh to pass at Ahab`s seeing Elijah, that Ahab saith unto him, `Art thou he — the troubler of Israel?`

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

¹⁸And he saith, `I have not troubled Israel, but thou and the house of thy father, in your forsaking the commands of Jehovah, and thou goest after the Baalim;

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

¹⁹and now, send, gather unto me all Israel, unto the mount of Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the shrine, four hundred — eating at the table of Jezebel.`

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

²⁰And Ahab sendeth among all the sons of Israel, and gathereth the prophets unto the mount of 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 cometh nigh unto all the people, and saith, `Till when are ye leaping on the two branches? — if Jehovah [is] God, go after Him; and if Baal, go after him;` and the people have not answered him a word.

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

²²And Elijah saith unto the people, `I — I have been left a prophet of Jehovah — by myself; and the prophets of Baal [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.

²³and let them give to us two bullocks, and they choose for themselves the one bullock, and cut it in pieces, and place [it] on the wood, and place no fire; and I — I prepare the other bullock, and have put [it] on the wood, and fire I do not place; —

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

²⁴and ye have called in the name of your god, and I — I call in the name of Jehovah, and it hath been, the god who answereth by fire — He [is] the God.` And all the people answer and say, `Good [is] the word.`

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 saith to the prophets of Baal, `Choose for you the one bullock, and prepare first, for ye [are] the multitude, and call ye in the name of your god, and place no fire.`

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 take the bullock that [one] gave to them, and prepare, and call in the name of Baal from the morning even till the noon, saying, `O Baal, answer us!` and there is no voice, and there is none answering; and they leap on the altar that one had 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 cometh to pass, at noon, that Elijah playeth on them, and saith, `Call with a loud voice, for he [is] a god, for he is meditating, or pursuing, or on a journey; it may be he is asleep, an doth awake.`

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

²⁸And they call with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their ordinance, with swords and with spears, till a flowing of blood [is] on them;

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

²⁹and it cometh to pass, at the passing by of the noon, that they feign themselves prophets till the going up of the present, and there is no voice, and there is none answering, and there is none attending.

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

³⁰And Elijah saith to all the people, `Come nigh unto me;` and all the people come nigh unto him, and he repaireth the altar of Jehovah that is broken down;

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

³¹and Elijah taketh twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah was, saying, `Israel is thy name;`

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

³²and he buildeth with the stones an altar, in the name of Jehovah, and maketh a trench, as about the space of two measures of seed, round about the altar.

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

³³And he arrangeth the wood, and cutteth in pieces the bullock, and placeth [it] on the wood, and saith, `Fill ye four pitchers of water, and pour on the burnt-offering, and on the wood;

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

³⁴and he saith, `Do [it] a second time;` and they do [it] a second time; and he saith, `Do [it] a third time;` and they do [it] a third time;

³⁵Mvura ikayerera, ikapoteredza aritari; akazadza negorongawo nemvura.

³⁵and the water goeth round about the altar, and also, the trench he hath filled 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 cometh to pass, at the going up of the [evening-]present, that Elijah the prophet cometh nigh and saith, `Jehovah, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to-day let it be known that Thou [art] God in Israel, and I Thy servant, that by Thy word I have done the whole of these things;

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

³⁷answer me, O Jehovah, answer me, and this people doth know that Thou [art] Jehovah God; and Thou hast turned their heart backward.`

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

³⁸And there falleth a fire of Jehovah, and consumeth the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and the water that [is] in the trench it hath licked up.

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

³⁹And all the people see, and fall on their faces, and say, `Jehovah, He [is] the God, Jehovah, He [is] the God.`

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

⁴⁰And Elijah saith to them, `Catch ye the prophets of Baal; let not a man escape of them;` and they catch them, and Elijah bringeth them down unto the stream Kishon, and doth slaughter them there.

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

⁴¹And Elijah saith to Ahab, `Go up, eat and drink, because of the sound of the noise of the shower.`

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

⁴²And Ahab goeth up to eat, and to drink, and Elijah hath gone up unto the top of Carmel, and he stretcheth himself out on the earth, and he placeth his face between his knees,

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

⁴³and saith unto his young man, `Go up, I pray thee, look attentively the way of the sea;` and he goeth up and looketh attentively, and saith, `There is nothing;` and he saith, `Turn back,` 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 cometh to pass, at the seventh, that he saith, `Lo, a little thickness as the palm of a man is coming up out of the sea.` And he saith, `Go up, say unto Ahab, `Bind — and go down, and the shower doth not restrain thee.`

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

⁴⁵And it cometh to pass, in the meantime, that the heavens have become black — thick clouds and wind — and the shower is great; and Ahab rideth, and goeth to Jezreel,

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

⁴⁶and the hand of Jehovah hath been on Elijah, and he girdeth up his loins, and runneth before Ahab, till thine entering Jezreel.