2 Samuel 19
1 Then it was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.”
Kwasekubikwa kuJowabi kwathiwa: Khangela, inkosi uDavida iyakhala inyembezi, ililela uAbisalomu.
2 And that day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the people, because on that day they were told, “The king is grieving over his son.”
Ukunqoba ngalolosuku kwasekusiba yisililo ebantwini bonke, ngoba abantu bezwa ngalolosuku kuthiwa: Inkosi idabukile ngenxa yendodana yayo.
3 So they returned to the city quietly that day, as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing a battle.
Abantu basebengena ngokunyenya emzini ngalolosuku njengabantu benyenya belenhloni bebaleka empini.
4 But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Kodwa inkosi yagubuzela ubuso bayo, inkosi yakhala ngelizwi elikhulu yathi: Ndodana yami Abisalomu, Abisalomu, ndodana yami, ndodana yami!
5 Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines.
UJowabi wasengena endlini enkosini wathi: Lamuhla uyangisile ubuso benceku zakho zonke ezisindise impilo yakho lamuhla lempilo yamadodana akho leyamadodakazi akho lempilo yabomkakho lempilo yabafazi bakho abancane.
6 You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!
Uyabathanda abakuzondayo, uzonde abakuthandayo. Ngoba ukuveze obala lamuhla ukuthi izinduna lezinceku kazisilutho kuwe; ngoba ngiyananzelela lamuhla ukuthi uba uAbisalomu ubephila, njalo thina sonke besifile lamuhla, ukuthi bekungabe kulungile emehlweni akho.
7 Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now!”
Ngakho-ke sukuma, uphume uyekhuluma enhliziyweni yezinceku zakho; ngoba ngifunga ngeNkosi, uba ungaphumi, sibili kakulamuntu ozahlala lawe ngalobubusuku. Lalokhu kuzakuba kubi kuwe kulakho konke okubi okukwehlele kusukela ebutsheni bakho kuze kube khathesi.
8 So the king got up and sat in the gate, and all the people were told: “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” So they all came before the king. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled, each man to his home.
Inkosi yasisukuma, yahlala esangweni. Batshela bonke abantu bathi: Khangela, inkosi ihlezi esangweni; basebesiza abantu bonke phambi kwenkosi. UIsrayeli wayebaleke-ke, ngulowo lalowo waya emathenteni akhe.
9 And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom.
Njalo abantu bonke babephikisana ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli besithi: Inkosi yasikhulula esandleni sezitha zethu, njalo yona yasophula esandleni samaFilisti; kodwa khathesi isibalekile elizweni ngenxa kaAbisalomu.
10 But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?”
Kodwa uAbisalomu esamgcoba ukuthi abe phezu kwethu ufele empini. Pho-ke, lithuleleni ngokubuyisa inkosi?
11 Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace, since the talk of all Israel has reached the king at his quarters?
Inkosi uDavida yasithuma kuZadoki lakuAbhiyatha abapristi, isithi: Khulumani labadala bakoJuda lithi: Kungani lingabokucina ukubuyisela inkosi endlini yayo? (Ngoba inkulumo kaIsrayeli wonke ifike enkosini endlini yayo.)
12 You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?’
Lingabafowethu, lilithambo lami lenyama yami; ngakho kungani lingabokucina ukubuyisa inkosi?
13 And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
Lithi-ke kuAmasa: Angithi ulithambo lami lenyama yami? UNkulunkulu kenze njalo kimi engezelele ngokunjalo, uba ungayikuba yinduna yebutho phambi kwami zonke izinsuku esikhundleni sikaJowabi.
14 So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants.”
Wasethobisa inhliziyo yabantu bonke bakoJuda, njengamuntu munye; basebethuma enkosini besithi: Buyela wena lazo zonke inceku zakho.
15 So the king returned, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the Jordan.
Inkosi yasibuyela yafika eJordani; uJuda wasesiza eGiligali ukuyahlangabeza inkosi, ukuchaphisa inkosi iJordani.
16 Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David,
UShimeyi indodana kaGera umBhenjamini, owaseBahurimi, wasephangisa wehla labantu bakoJuda ukuhlangabeza inkosi uDavida,
17 along with a thousand men of Benjamin, as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan before the king
labantu abayinkulungwane bakoBhenjamini belaye, loZiba inceku yendlu kaSawuli, lamadodana akhe alitshumi lanhlanu, lenceku zakhe ezingamatshumi amabili belaye. Basebephangisa baya eJordani phambi kwenkosi.
18 and crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king
Kwasekuchapha isikepe sokuchapha ukuchaphisa abendlu yenkosi lokwenza okulungileyo emehlweni ayo. UShimeyi indodana kaGera wasewela phansi phambi kwenkosi ekuchapheni kwayo iJordani.
19 and said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty, and do not remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart.
Wasesithi enkosini: Inkosi yami ingangibaleli isiphambeko, futhi ungakhumbuli lokho inceku yakho eyaphambeka ngakho mhla inkosi yami, inkosi, iphuma eJerusalema, ukuthi inkosi ikubeke enhliziyweni yayo.
20 For your servant knows that I have sinned, so here I am today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
Ngoba inceku yakho iyazi ukuthi mina ngonile; khangela-ke, ngifikile lamuhla ngingowokuqala wendlu yonke kaJosefa ukwehla ukuhlangabeza inkosi yami, inkosi.
21 But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
Kodwa uAbishayi indodana kaZeruya waphendula wathi: UShimeyi kayikubulawa yini ngalokhu, ngoba wathuka ogcotshiweyo weNkosi?
22 And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”
UDavida wasesithi: Ngilani lani, madodana kaZeruya, ukuthi libe yisitha kimi lamuhla? Kuzabulawa umuntu lamuhla koIsrayeli yini? Ngoba kangazi yini ukuthi lamuhla ngiyinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli?
23 So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.
Inkosi yasisithi kuShimeyi: Kawuyikufa. Inkosi yasifunga kuye.
24 Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.
UMefiboshethi indodana kaSawuli wasesehla ukuhlangabeza inkosi. Wayengalungisanga inyawo zakhe, engalungisanga lendevu zakhe, engawatshanga lezigqoko zakhe, kusukela mhla inkosi ihamba kwaze kwaba mhla ibuya ngokuthula.
25 And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”
Kwasekusithi esefikile eJerusalema ukuhlangabeza inkosi, inkosi yathi kuye: Kungani ungahambanga lami, Mefiboshethi?
26 “My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,
Wasesithi: Nkosi yami, nkosi, inceku yami yangikhohlisa; ngoba inceku yakho yathi: Ngizazibophelela isihlalo kubabhemi ukuze ngimgade, ngihambe lenkosi, ngoba inceku yakho iyaqhula.
27 and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Yet my lord the king is like the angel of God, so do what is good in your eyes.
Njalo iyihlebile inceku yakho enkosini yami, inkosi; kodwa inkosi yami, inkosi, injengengilosi kaNkulunkulu; ngakho yenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho.
28 For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”
Ngoba yonke indlu kababa ibingesilutho ngaphandle kokuba ngabantu bokufa phambi kwenkosi yami, inkosi; loba kunjalo wayibeka inceku yakho phakathi kwabadla etafuleni lakho. Pho, ngiselalungelo bani ukuthi ngibuye ngikhale enkosini?
29 The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”
Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Usakhulumelani ngendaba zakho? Ngithe: Wena loZiba lizakwehlukaniselana insimu.
30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”
UMefiboshethi wasesithi enkosini: Yebo, kayithathe yonke, lokhu inkosi yami, inkosi, isibuyile endlini yayo ngokuthula.
31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send him on his way from there.
UBarizilayi umGileyadi wasesehla evela eRogelimi, wachapha iJordani kanye lenkosi ukuyiphelekezela phetsheya kweJordani.
32 Barzillai was quite old, eighty years of age, and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.
UBarizilayi wayesemdala kakhulu, eleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili; yena wayisekela inkosi ekuhlaleni kwayo eMahanayimi, ngoba wayengumuntu omkhulu kakhulu.
33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.”
Inkosi yasisithi kuBarizilayi: Chapha kanye lami wena, ngizakusekela lami eJerusalema.
34 But Barzillai replied, “How many years of my life remain, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?
Kodwa uBarizilayi wasesithi enkosini: Zingaki insuku zeminyaka yempilo yami ukuthi ngenyukele eJerusalema lenkosi?
35 I am now eighty years old. Can I discern what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?
Lamuhla ngileminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili; ngingehlukanisa phakathi kokuhle lokubi yini? Inceku yakho inganambitha engikudlayo lengikunathayo yini? Ngingabe ngisawezwa yini amazwi amadoda ahlabelayo lawabesifazana abahlabelayo? Kungani-ke inceku yakho isizakuba ngumthwalo enkosini yami, inkosi?
36 Your servant could go with the king only a short distance past the Jordan; why should the king repay me with such a reward?
Inceku yakho izake ichaphe iJordani ingcosana nje kanye lenkosi; kungani-ke inkosi izangenanisa ngomvuzo ongaka?
37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.”
Ngiyakuncenga, yekela inceku yakho ibuyele, ukuze ngifele emzini wami eduze lengcwaba likababa lelikamama. Kodwa khangela, inceku yakho uKhimihamu, kayichaphe lenkosi yami, inkosi, uyenzele okulungileyo emehlweni akho.
38 The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good in your sight, and I will do for you whatever you desire of me.”
Inkosi yasisithi: UKhimihamu uzachapha lami; njalo mina ngizamenzela okulungileyo emehlweni ami, lakho konke okufunayo kimi ngizakwenzela khona.
39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned home.
Bonke abantu basebechapha iJordani, lenkosi yachapha, inkosi yamanga uBarizilayi, yambusisa, wasebuyela endaweni yakhe.
40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king.
Inkosi yasisedlulela eGiligali, loKhimihamu wedlula layo; labo bonke abantu bakoJuda bayidlulisela phambili inkosi, futhi lengxenye yesizwe sakoIsrayeli.
41 Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, together with all of David’s men?”
Khangela-ke, bonke abantu bakoIsrayeli beza enkosini bathi enkosini: Abafowethu, abantu bakoJuda, bakuntshontsheleni, bachaphisa inkosi lendlu yayo iJordani labo bonke abantu bakaDavida belaye?
42 And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is our relative. Why does this anger you? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense or received anything for ourselves?”
Bonke abantu bakoJuda basebephendula amadoda akoIsrayeli bathi: Ngoba inkosi iyisihlobo sethu; pho-ke, lithukuthelelani ngalindaba? Sike sadlani okwenkosi? Kumbe isinike isipho yini?
43 “We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah pressed even harder than the men of Israel.
Njalo amadoda akoIsrayeli aphendula amadoda akoJuda, athi: Silengxenye ezilitshumi enkosini, futhi lakuDavida silelungelo okwedlula lina. Pho, lasidelelelani ukuthi ilizwi lethu lingabi ngelokuqala ukubuyisa inkosi yethu? Kodwa ilizwi lamadoda akoJuda lalilukhuni kulelizwi lamadoda akoIsrayeli.
