1 Kings 2
1 As the time drew near for David to die, he charged his son Solomon,
Insuku zikaDavida zokuthi afe zasezisondela, waselaya uSolomoni indodana yakhe esithi:
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man.
Sengihamba indlela yomhlaba wonke. Ngakho qina, ube yindoda,
3 And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn,
ugcine imfanelo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ukuhamba ngezindlela zayo, ukugcina izimiso zayo, imithetho yayo, lezahlulelo zayo, lobufakazi bayo, njengokubhaliweyo emlayweni kaMozisi, ukuze uphumelele kukho konke okwenzayo, laloba ngaphi lapho ophendukela khona,
4 and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
ukuze iNkosi iqinise ilizwi layo eyalikhuluma mayelana lami isithi: Uba amadodana akho eqaphelisa indlela yawo, ukuhamba ngobuqotho phambi kwami ngenhliziyo yonke yawo langomphefumulo wonke wawo, (isithi) kakuyikusweleka kuwe indoda esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli.
5 Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
Futhi-ke wena uyakwazi ukuthi uJowabi indodana kaZeruya wenzani kimi, ukuthi wenzani kuzinduna ezimbili zamabutho akoIsrayeli, kuAbhineri indodana kaNeri, lakuAmasa indodana kaJetheri, owababulala wachitha igazi lempi ekuthuleni, wafaka igazi lempi ebhantini lakhe elalisekhalweni lwakhe lemanyathelweni asenyaweni zakhe.
6 So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
Ngakho yenza njengenhlakanipho yakho, ungayekeli ikhanda lakhe elilezimvu lehlele engcwabeni ngokuthula. (Sheol h7585)
7 But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
Kodwa kumadodana kaBarizilayi umGileyadi wenze umusa, njalo kawabe phakathi kwabadla etafuleni lakho, ngoba ngokunjalo asondela kimi ekubalekeleni kwami ubuso bukaAbisalomu umfowenu.
8 Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
Futhi khangela, kukhona kuwe uShimeyi indodana kaGera umBhenjamini weBahurimi, owangithuka ngesethuko esibuhlungu mhla ngisiya eMahanayimi; kodwa wehla ukungihlangabeza eJordani, ngasengifunga kuye ngeNkosi ngathi: Kangiyikukubulala ngenkemba.
9 Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.” (Sheol h7585)
Ngakho-ke ungamyekeli abe ngongelacala, ngoba ungumuntu ohlakaniphileyo, ngoba uyakwazi ozakwenza kuye, njalo uzakwehlisela ikhanda lakhe eliyimpunga lilegazi engcwabeni. (Sheol h7585)
10 Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
UDavida waselala laboyise, wangcwatshelwa emzini kaDavida.
11 The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
Njalo insuku uDavida abusa ngazo phezu kukaIsrayeli zaziyiminyaka engamatshumi amane; eHebroni wabusa iminyaka eyisikhombisa, leJerusalema wabusa iminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lantathu.
12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.
USolomoni wasehlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida uyise, lombuso wakhe waqiniswa kakhulu.
13 Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied.
UAdonija indodana kaHagithi wasesiza kuBathisheba unina kaSolomoni; wasesithi: Ukuza kwakho kuyikuthula yini? Wasesithi: Ukuthula.
14 Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered.
Wathi: Ngilelizwi kuwe. Wasesithi: Khuluma.
15 “You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD.
Wasesithi: Wena uyakwazi ukuthi umbuso wawungowami, lokuthi uIsrayeli wonke babebeke ubuso babo kimi ukuthi ngizabusa; kodwa umbuso waphendulwa, waba ngowomfowethu, ngoba waba ngowakhe uvela eNkosini.
16 So now I have just one request of you; do not deny me.” “State your request,” she told him.
Khathesi-ke, ngicela isicelo esisodwa kuwe, ungafulathelisi ubuso bami. Wasesithi kuye: Khuluma.
17 Adonijah replied, “Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
Wasesithi: Ake ukhulume loSolomoni inkosi (ngoba kayikufulathelisa ubuso bakho) ukuthi anginike uAbishagi umShunami abe ngumkami.
18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”
UBathisheba wasesithi: Kulungile; mina ngizakukhulumela enkosini.
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, and sat down on his throne. Then the king had a throne brought for his mother, who sat down at his right hand.
Ngakho uBathisheba wasesiya enkosini uSolomoni ukukhulumela uAdonija kuyo. Inkosi yasisukuma ukumhlangabeza, yakhothama kuye, yahlala esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yathi kubekelwe unina wenkosi isihlalo sobukhosi; wasehlala ngakwesokunene sayo.
20 “I have just one small request of you,” she said. “Do not deny me.” “Make your request, my mother,” the king replied, “for I will not deny you.”
Wasesithi: Ngicela isicelo esisodwa esincinyane kuwe, ungafulathelisi ubuso bami. Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Cela, mama, ngoba kangiyikufulathelisa ubuso bakho.
21 So Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”
Wasesithi: UAbishagi umShunami kanikwe uAdonija umfowenu abe ngumkakhe.
22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
Inkosi uSolomoni yasiphendula yathi kunina: Usumcelelelani uAdonija uAbishagi umShunami? Umcelele lombuso, ngoba ungumfowethu omdala kulami, yebo yena loAbhiyatha umpristi loJowabi indodana kaZeruya.
23 Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.
Inkosi uSolomoni yasifunga ngeNkosi isithi: Kenze njalo uNkulunkulu kimi lokunjalo engezelele, uba uAdonija engakhulumanga lelilizwi emelene lempilo yakhe.
24 And now, as surely as the LORD lives—the One who established me, who set me on the throne of my father David, and who founded for me a dynasty as He promised—surely Adonijah shall be put to death today!”
Ngakho-ke, kuphila kukaJehova ongimisileyo wangibeka esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida ubaba, wangenzela indlu njengokukhuluma kwakhe, isibili lamuhla uAdonija uzabulawa.
25 So King Solomon sent the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who struck down Adonijah, and he died.
Inkosi uSolomoni yasithuma ngesandla sikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, owamsukelayo, wasesifa.
26 Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”
LakuAbhiyatha umpristi inkosi yathi: Yana eAnathothi emasimini akho, ngoba ungumuntu wokufa; kodwa lamuhla kangiyikukubulala ngoba wawuthwala umtshokotsho weNkosi uJehova phambi kukaDavida ubaba, langoba wahlupheka kukho konke ubaba ahlupheka ngakho.
27 So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.
Ngakho uSolomoni wamxotsha uAbhiyatha ekubeni ngumpristi weNkosi, ukugcwalisa ilizwi leNkosi eyalikhuluma mayelana lendlu kaEli eShilo.
28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
Kwathi umbiko ufika kuJowabi, ngoba uJowabi wayephenduke walandela uAdonija lanxa wayengaphendukanga walandela uAbisalomu, uJowabi wabalekela ethenteni leNkosi, wabamba impondo zelathi.
29 It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar.” So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down!”
Kwasekubikelwa inkosi uSolomoni ukuthi uJowabi usebalekele ethenteni leNkosi, khangela-ke, useceleni kwelathi. USolomoni wasethuma uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada esithi: Hamba umsukele.
30 And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, “This is how Joab answered me.”
Ngakho uBhenaya waya ethenteni leNkosi, wathi kuye: Itsho njalo inkosi: Phuma! Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, kodwa ngizafela lapha. UBhenaya wasebuyisela ilizwi enkosini, esithi: Utsho njalo uJowabi, ungiphendule njalo.
31 And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.
Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Yenza njengokutsho kwakhe, umsukele, umngcwabe; ukuze ususe kimi lendlini kababa igazi elingelacala uJowabi alichithayo.
32 The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
Njalo iNkosi izabuyisela igazi lakhe ekhanda lakhe, owasukela amadoda amabili ayelungile engcono kulaye, wawabulala ngenkemba, ubaba uDavida engazi: UAbhineri indodana kaNeri induna yebutho lakoIsrayeli, loAmasa indodana kaJetheri induna yebutho lakoJuda.
33 Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”
Ngakho igazi labo lizabuyela ekhanda likaJowabi lekhanda lenzalo yakhe kuze kube nininini; kodwa kuDavida lenzalweni yakhe, lendlini yakhe, lembusweni wakhe, kuzakuba lokuthula kuze kube nininini okuvela eNkosini.
34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, struck down Joab, and killed him. He was buried at his own home in the wilderness.
UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wasesenyuka, wamsukela wambulala; wasengcwatshelwa endlini yakhe enkangala.
35 And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.
Inkosi yasibeka uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada esikhundleni sakhe phezu kwebutho, loZadoki umpristi inkosi yambeka esikhundleni sikaAbhiyatha.
36 Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
Inkosi yasithuma yabiza uShimeyi, yathi kuye: Zakhele indlu eJerusalema, uhlale khona, ungaphumi lapho uye ngaphi langaphi.
37 On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
Ngoba kuzakuthi mhla uphumayo, uchaphe isifula iKidroni, yazi lokwazi ukuthi uzakufa lokufa; igazi lakho lizakuba phezu kwekhanda lakho.
38 “The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
UShimeyi wasesithi enkosini: Lelolizwi lihle; njengokutsho kwenkosi yami, inkosi, inceku yakho izakwenza njalo. UShimeyi wasehlala eJerusalema insuku ezinengi.
39 After three years, however, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu inceku ezimbili zikaShimeyi zabalekela kuAkishi indodana kaMahaka inkosi yeGathi. Basebebikela uShimeyi besithi: Khangela, inceku zakho ziseGathi.
40 So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves, and he brought them back from Gath.
Wasesukuma uShimeyi, wabophela isihlalo kubabhemi wakhe, waya eGathi kuAkishi ukudinga inceku zakhe; uShimeyi wahamba waletha inceku zakhe zivela eGathi.
41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,
Kwasekubikelwa uSolomoni ukuthi uShimeyi wayesukile eJerusalema waya eGathi, njalo wabuyela.
42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die’? And you told me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will comply.’
Inkosi yasithuma yabiza uShimeyi yathi kuye: Kangikufungisanga yini ngeNkosi, ngafakaza kuwe ngathi: Mhla uphumayo ukuya ngaphi langaphi yazi lokwazi ukuthi uzakufa lokufa? Wasusithi kimi: Lihle ilizwi engilizwileyo.
43 So why have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you?”
Pho, kungani ungasigcinanga isifungo seNkosi lomlayo engakulaya ngawo?
44 The king also said, “You know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD will bring your evil back upon your head.
Inkosi yasisithi kuShimeyi: Wena uyazi bonke ububi inhliziyo yakho ebaziyo owabenza kuDavida ubaba; ngakho iNkosi izabuyisela ububi bakho phezu kwekhanda lakho.
45 But King Solomon will be blessed and David’s throne will remain secure before the LORD forever.”
Kodwa inkosi uSolomoni ibusisiwe, lesihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida sizaqiniswa phambi kweNkosi kuze kube nininini.
46 Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was firmly established in the hand of Solomon.
Ngakho inkosi yalaya uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, owaphuma wamsukela waze wafa. Ngakho umbuso waqiniswa esandleni sikaSolomoni.
