1 Samuel 26
1 Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?”
AbeZifi basebesiza kuSawuli eGibeya besithi: UDavida kacatshi yini oqaqeni lweHakila phambi kweJeshimoni?
2 So Saul, accompanied by three thousand chosen men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.
USawuli wasesukuma wehlela enkangala yeZifi elabantu abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli abayizinkulungwane ezintathu, ukuze adinge uDavida enkangala yeZifi.
3 Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon, but David was living in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had followed him there,
USawuli wasemisa inkamba oqaqeni lweHakila oluphambi kweJeshimoni endleleni, kodwa uDavida wahlala enkangala. Kwathi esebonile ukuthi uSawuli uyamlandela enkangala,
4 David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.
uDavida wasethuma izinhloli ukuze azi ukuthi uSawuli ufikile isibili.
5 Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp, with the troops camped around him.
UDavida wasesukuma wayafika endaweni lapho uSawuli amise khona inkamba; uDavida wayibona indawo lapho uSawuli alala khona, loAbhineri indodana kaNeri, induna yebutho lakhe. Njalo uSawuli wayelele enqabeni yezinqola, lesizwe sasimise amathente simhanqile.
6 And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go with you,” answered Abishai.
UDavida wasephendula wakhuluma kuAhimeleki umHethi, lakuAbishayi indodana kaZeruya, umfowabo kaJowabi, esithi: Ngubani ozakwehlela lami kuSawuli enkambeni? UAbishayi wasesithi: Mina ngizakwehla lawe.
7 That night David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were lying around him.
Ngakho uDavida loAbishayi bafika ebantwini ebusuku; khangela-ke, uSawuli wayelele ubuthongo enqabeni yezinqola, lomkhonto wakhe wawugxunyekiwe emhlabathini ngasekhanda lakhe, loAbhineri labantu babelele bemhanqile.
8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”
UAbishayi wasesithi kuDavida: UNkulunkulu uvalele isitha sakho esandleni sakho lamuhla; ngakho-ke ake ngimtshayele ngitsho emhlabathini kanye ngomkhonto, ngingakuphindi kuye.
9 But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”
Kodwa uDavida wathi kuAbishayi: Ungamchithi; ngoba ngubani ongelulela isandla sakhe kogcotshiweyo weNkosi angabi lacala?
10 David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
UDavida wathi futhi: Kuphila kukaJehova, kodwa iNkosi izamtshaya, loba kufike usuku lwakhe ukuthi afe, kumbe ehlele empini abhujiswe.
11 But the LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”
Kakube khatshana lami ngeNkosi ukwelulela isandla sami kogcotshiweyo weNkosi; kodwa khathesi ake uthathe umkhonto osemqamelweni wakhe, lesigxingi samanzi, sihambe.
12 So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
UDavida wasethatha umkhonto lesigxingi samanzi ekususa emqamelweni kaSawuli, bahamba. Njalo kakho owakubonayo, kakho owakwaziyo, kakho owavukayo, ngoba bonke babelele, ngoba ubuthongo obunzima beNkosi babubehlele.
13 Then David crossed to the other side and stood atop the mountain at a distance; there was a wide gulf between them.
Lapho uDavida esechaphele ngaphetsheya, wema engqongeni yentaba khatshana; kwakukhona ummango omkhulu phakathi kwabo.
14 And David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Will you not answer me, Abner?” “Who calls to the king?” Abner replied.
UDavida wasememeza ebantwini lakuAbhineri indodana kaNeri, esithi: Kawuphenduli yini, Abhineri? UAbhineri wasephendula esithi: Ungubani okhala enkosini?
15 So David said to Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him?
UDavida wasesithi kuAbhineri: Kawusindoda yini? Njalo ngubani onjengawe koIsrayeli? Kungani-ke ungayilindanga inkosi yakho inkosi? Ngoba kufike omunye wabantu ukuchitha inkosi, inkosi yakho.
16 This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”
Kayinhle into oyenzileyo. Kuphila kukaJehova, lingabantwana bokufa, ngoba kaliyilindanga inkosi yenu, ogcotshiweyo weNkosi. Khathesi-ke bona ukuthi ungaphi umkhonto wenkosi lesigxingi samanzi ebesingasemqamelweni wayo.
17 Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.
USawuli waselinanzelela ilizwi likaDavida wathi: Yilizwi lakho lelo yini, ndodana yami, Davida? UDavida wasesithi: Yilizwi lami, nkosi yami, nkosi.
18 And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?
Wathi njalo: Inkosi yami ixotshanelani lenceku yayo? Ngoba ngenzeni? Kulobubi bani esandleni sami?
19 Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
Ngakho-ke, ake izwe inkosi yami, inkosi, amazwi enceku yayo. Uba iNkosi ikuqubula ukumelana lami, kayemukele umnikelo; kodwa uba kungabantwana babantu, kabaqalekiswe phambi kweNkosi; ngoba bangixotshile lamuhla ukuthi ngingazihlanganisi lelifa leNkosi, besithi: Hamba, ukhonze abanye onkulunkulu.
20 So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
Ngakho-ke igazi lami kalingaweli emhlabathini lisuke phambi kobuso beNkosi; ngoba inkosi yakoIsrayeli iphumele ukudinga indwebundwebu eyodwa, njengozingela ithendele ezintabeni.
21 Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
USawuli wasesithi: Ngonile; buya, ndodana yami Davida, ngoba kangisayikwenza ububi kuwe, ngenxa yokuthi umphefumulo wami ubuligugu emehlweni akho lamuhla. Khangela, ngenze ngobuphukuphuku, ngaduha kakhulu sibili.
22 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of the young men come over and get it.
UDavida wasephendula wathi: Khangela, umkhonto wenkosi! Kalichaphe elinye lamajaha, liwuthathe.
23 May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
INkosi kayibuyisele kulowo lalowo ukulunga kwakhe lokuthembeka kwakhe; ngoba iNkosi ibikunikele esandleni sami lamuhla, kodwa kangithandanga ukwelulela isandla sami kogcotshiweyo weNkosi.
24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
Khangela-ke, njengoba impilo yakho ibinkulu emehlweni ami lamuhla, ngokunjalo impilo yami ayibe nkulu emehlweni eNkosi, kayingophule ekuhluphekeni konke.
25 Saul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
USawuli wasesithi kuDavida: Kawubusiswe wena, ndodana yami Davida. Lawe uzakwenza isibili, lawe uzanqoba lokunqoba. UDavida wasehamba ngendlela yakhe, loSawuli wabuyela endaweni yakhe.
