2 Samuel 16
1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
Kwathi uDavida esehambe ibanga elifitshane ngale kwenqongo, wabona uZibha, isikhonzi sikaMefibhoshethi, elindele ukumhlangabeza, elodwendwe lwabobabhemi ababotshelwe izihlalo bethwele izinkwa ezingamakhulu amabili, ikhulu lamakhekhe ezithelo ezonyisiweyo, ikhulu lamakhekhe omkhiwa kanye lomgodla wewayini.
2 “Why do you have these?” asked the king. Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
Inkosi yabuza uZibha yathi, “Ukuletheleni lokhu na?” UZibha waphendula wathi, “Obabhemi ngabendlu yenkosi ukuba bagade, izinkwa lezithelo ngokwabantu ukuba badle, iwayini ngelokuqaqabula labo abaphela amandla enkangala.”
3 “Where is your master’s grandson?” asked the king. And Ziba answered, “Indeed, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he has said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my grandfather.’”
Inkosi yasibuza yathi, “Indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho ingaphi na?” UZibha wathi kuyo, “Ihlezi eJerusalema, ngoba icabanga ithi, ‘Lamhla indlu ka-Israyeli izangibuyisela umbuso kababamkhulu.’”
4 So the king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I humbly bow before you,” said Ziba. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king!”
Inkosi yasisithi kuZibha, “Konke okwakungokuka Mefibhoshethi khathesi sekungokwakho.” UZibha wathi, “Ngikhothama ngokuzithoba. Sengathi ngingathola umusa emehlweni akho mhlekazi wami, nkosi.”
5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
Kwathi Inkosi uDavida efika eBhahurimi, umuntu wosendo lunye labendlu kaSawuli, waphuma evela lapho. Ibizo lakhe lalinguShimeyi indodana kaGera, njalo waphuma esethuka.
6 He threw stones at David and at all the servants of the king, though the troops and all the mighty men were on David’s right and left.
Wajikijela uDavida lezikhulu zonke zenkosi ngamatshe, lanxa amabutho wonke labalindi abakhethiweyo babengakwesokudla lakwesokhohlo kukaDavida.
7 And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!
Ekuthukeni kwakhe uShimeyi wathi, “Phuma, phuma, wena wegazi, wena sixhwali!
8 The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, you have come to ruin because you are a man of bloodshed!”
UThixo usephindisele kuwe ngenxa yegazi lonke owalichithayo kwabendlu kaSawuli, wena osubusa esikhundleni sakhe. UThixo umbuso usewunike indodana yakho u-Abhisalomu. Wena usudilikile ngoba ungumuntu wegazi!”
9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
Lapho-ke u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya wathi enkosini, “Kungani inja efileyo le ithuka inkosi yami? Ngivumelani ngiyequma ikhanda layo.”
10 But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”
Kodwa inkosi yathi, “Kuyini okulihlanganisa lami, lina madodana kaZeruya? Nxa ethuka ngenxa yokuthi uThixo uthe kuye, ‘Mthuke uDavida,’ ngubani ongabuza ukuthi, ‘Lokhu ukwenzelani na?’”
11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.
UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhishayi lakuzo zonke izikhulu zakhe, “Indodana yami, eyinyama yami, izama ukungibulala. Pho umBhenjamini lo-ke! Myekeleni enjalo; yekelani athuke, ngoba uThixo umtshele ukuba enze njalo.
12 Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction and repay me with good for the cursing I receive today.”
Engxenye uThixo uzalubona usizi lwami angibuyisele okuhle ngenxa yokuthukwa engikwenziwayo lamhla.”
13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei went along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he yelled curses, threw stones, and flung dust at David.
Ngakho uDavida labantu bonke waqhubeka elandela umgwaqo uShimeyi yena ehamba eyame intaba maqondana laye, ehamba elokhu ethuka njalo emjikijela ngamatshe emthela langengcekeza.
14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
Inkosi labantu bayo bafika lapho ababesiya khona sebediniwe. Kulapho abaphumula khona.
15 Then Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
Ngalesosikhathi, u-Abhisalomu labantu bonke bako-Israyeli bafika eJerusalema, lo-Ahithofeli wayelaye.
16 And David’s friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
Lapho-ke uHushayi umʼArikhi, umngane kaDavida, waya ku-Abhisalomu wathi kuye, “Impilo ende nkosi! Impilo ende nkosi!”
17 “Is this the loyalty you show your friend?” Absalom replied. “Why did you not go with your friend?”
U-Abhisalomu wabuza uHushayi wathi, “Lolu yilo uthando olutshengisa umngane wakho na? Kungani ungahambanga lomngane wakho na?”
18 “Not at all,” Hushai answered. “For the one chosen by the LORD, by the people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and with him I will remain.
UHushayi wathi ku-Abhisalomu, “Hayi, lowo okhethwe nguThixo, langabantu laba, labantu bonke bako-Israyeli ngizakuba ngowakhe, njalo ngizahlala laye.
19 Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father’s presence, so also I will serve in yours.”
Phezu kwalokho, ngubani engingamkhonza na? Akumelanga ngikhonze indodana na? Njengoba ngakhonza uyihlo, kanjalo ngizakukhonza.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”
U-Abhisalomu wasesithi ku-Ahithofeli, “Ake useluleke. Kuyini esingakwenza na?”
21 Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”
U-Ahithofeli waphendula wathi, “Lala labafazi bakayihlo abaseceleni abatshiya belinde isigodlo. Lapho-ke u-Israyeli wonke uzakuzwa ukuthi wena usuzenze waba liphunga elibi emakhaleni kayihlo, njalo izandla zabantu bonke abalawe zizaqiniswa.”
22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Ngakho u-Abhisalomu bamisela ithente phezu kophahla lwendlu, walala labafazi bakayise beceleni u-Israyeli wonke ekhangele.
23 Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
Ngalezonsuku iseluleko sika-Ahithofeli, sasifana lesalowo obuze uNkulunkulu. Lokho kwaba yiyo indlela uDavida lo-Abhisalomu abakhangela ngayo zonke izeluleko zika-Ahithofeli.
