2 Samuel 20
1 And it happened that there was, in that place, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he sounded the trumpet, and he said: “There is no portion for us in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your own tents, O Israel.”
Ngalesosikhathi kwenzakala ukuthi umxabanisi owayethiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri umBhenjamini abekhona. Wakhalisa icilongo waklabalala esithi, “Kasilasabelo kuDavida, kasilangxenye endodaneni kaJese! Umuntu wonke ethenteni lakhe, Oh Israyeli!”
2 And all of Israel separated from David, and they were following Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.
Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlubuka kuDavida balandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri. Kodwa abantu bakoJuda babambelela enkosini yabo umango wonke kusukela eJodani kusiya eJerusalema.
3 And when the king had entered his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women concubines, whom he had left behind to care for the house, and he put them into custody, allowing them provisions. But he did not enter to them. Instead, they were enclosed, even until the day of their deaths, living as widows.
UDavida esebuyele esigodlweni sakhe eJerusalema, wathatha abafazi bakhe beceleni abalitshumi ayebatshiye begcine isigodlo wababeka endlini elindwayo. Wabanika ababekuswela, kodwa kembathanga labo. Babehlala bevalelwe kuze kube lusuku lokufa kwabo, baphila njengabafelokazi.
4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon to me all the men of Judah on the third day, and you shall be present also.”
Inkosi yasisithi ku-Amasa, “Biza abantu bakoJuda beze kimi phakathi kwensuku ezintathu, lawe ube lapha wena ngokwakho.”
5 Therefore, Amasa went away, so that he might summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the agreed time that the king had appointed to him.
Kodwa u-Amasa eseyebiza uJuda, wathatha isikhathi eside kulaleso inkosi eyayimisele sona.
6 And David said to Abishai: “Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, will afflict us more so than Absalom did. Therefore, take the servants of your lord, and pursue him, otherwise he may find fortified cities, and escape from us.”
UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhishayi, “Khathesi uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri uzasenzela umonakalo odlula owenziwa ngu-Abhisalomu. Thatha abantu benkosi yakho umlandele, hlezi athole amadolobho avikelweyo aphunyuke kithi.”
7 And so, the men of Joab departed with him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And all the able-bodied men went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri.
Ngakho abantu bakaJowabi lamaKherethi lamaPhelethi kanye lamaqhawe wonke alamandla baphuma belawulwa ngu-Abhishayi. Bahamba besuka eJerusalema belandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
8 And when they were beside the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a close-fitting coat of equal length with his garment. And over these, he was girded with a sword hanging down to his thigh, in a scabbard which was made so that the sword could be removed with the least motion, and then strike.
Kwathi besesedwaleni elikhulu eGibhiyoni, u-Amasa wayabahlangabeza. UJowabi wayegqoke ibhatshi lakhe lempi, phezu kwalo, ekhalweni lwakhe, kubophe ibhanti lilomhedla esikhwameni sawo. Esahamba esiya phambili, umhedla wawela ngaphandle kwesikhwama sawo.
9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Be well, my brother.” And he held Amasa by the chin with his right hand, as if to kiss him.
UJowabi wasesithi ku-Amasa, “Unjani, mfowethu?” UJowabi wasebamba u-Amasa ngendevu ngesandla sakhe sokudla wasemanga.
10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that Joab had. And he struck him in the side, and his intestines poured out to the ground. And he did not inflict a second wound, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri.
U-Amasa kawunanzelelanga umhedla owawuphethwe nguJowabi, uJowabi wasemgwaza esiswini sakhe, amathumbu akhe ahutshukela phandle emhlabathini. Lanxa engasagwazwanga futhi, u-Amasa wafa. Emva kwalokho uJowabi lomfowabo u-Abhishayi baxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
11 Meanwhile, certain men, from the company of Joab, when they had stopped beside the dead body of Amasa, said: “Behold, the one who wished to be in the place of Joab, the companion of David.”
Omunye wabantu bakaJowabi wema phansi kuka-Amasa wathi, “Lowo othanda uJowabi, lalowo ongokaDavida, kalandele uJowabi!”
12 Now Amasa was covered with blood, and was lying in the middle of the road. A certain man saw this, with all the people standing nearby to look at him, and he removed Amasa from the road into a field. And he covered him with a garment, so that those passing by would not stop because of him.
U-Amasa walala ezibhixeka egazini lakhe phakathi komgwaqo, umuntu lowo wabona ukuthi amabutho wonke afika ame khonapho. Kwathi esenanzelele ukuthi umuntu wonke owafika ku-Amasa wema, wamhudula emsusa emgwaqweni wamusa egangeni, waphosela isembatho phezu kwakhe.
13 Then, when he had been removed from the road, all the men continued on, following Joab in the pursuit of Sheba, the son of Bichri.
Emva kokuba u-Amasa esesusiwe emgwaqweni, abantu bonke bedlula loJowabi ukuyaxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
14 Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel into Abel and Bethmaacah. And all the elect men had gathered together to him.
UShebha wadabula phakathi kwazo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli kusiya e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha laphakathi kwesabelo sonke samaBikiri, aqoqanayo amlandela.
15 And so, they went and besieged him at Abel and Bethmaacah. And they surrounded the city with siege works, and the city was blockaded. Then the entire crowd who were with Joab strove to destroy the walls.
Wonke amabutho ayeloJowabi afika amvimbezela uShebha e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha. Bakha idundulu lokuvimbezela elalifika edolobheni njalo laleyame izinqaba zangaphandle. Besagqula umduli ukuba bawudilize,
16 And a wise woman exclaimed from the city: “Listen, listen, and say to Joab: Draw near, and I will speak with you.”
owesifazane ohlakaniphileyo wamemeza esedolobheni wathi, “Lalelani! Lalelani! Tshelani uJowabi eze lapha ukuze ngikhulume laye.”
17 And when he had drawn near to her, she said to him, “Are you Joab?” And he responded, “I am.” And she spoke in this way to him, “Listen to the words of your handmaid.” He responded, “I am listening.”
Wahamba esiya kuye, wasembuza esithi, “UnguJowabi na?” Yena waphendula wathi, “Nginguye.” Wasesithi, “Lalela okuzatshiwo yincekukazi yakho.” Wathi, “Ngilalele.”
18 And again she spoke: “A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion.
Owesifazane waqhubeka wathi, “Kudala babejwayele ukuthi, ‘Funani impendulo e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha,’ lokho kwakuyiqeda indaba.
19 Am I not the one who responds with the truth in Israel? And yet you are seeking to overthrow the city, and to overturn a mother in Israel! Why would you cast down the inheritance of the Lord?”
Thina singabathuleyo labathembekileyo ko-Israyeli. Wena uzama ukudiliza idolobho elingunina ko-Israyeli. Kungani ufuna ukuginya ilifa likaThixo na?”
20 And responding, Joab said: “May this be far, may this be far from me! May I not cast down, and may I not demolish.
UJowabi waphendula wathi, “Akusikho lokho! Akusikho lokho ukuginya loba ukudiliza!
21 The matter is not as you said. Rather, a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver him alone, and we will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown down to you from the wall.’
Akunjalo. Umuntu othiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri, owaselizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, uphakamisele inkosi isandla sakhe emelana layo, emelana loDavida. Mletheni umuntu lowo, ngisuke edolobheni.” Owesifazane wathi kuJowabi “Ikhanda lakhe lizaphoswa kuwe lisuka emdulini.”
22 Therefore, she entered to all the people, and she spoke to them wisely. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and they threw it down to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each one to his own tent. But Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
Emva kwalokho owesifazane lowo waya ebantwini bonke leseluleko sakhe esikhaliphileyo, baquma ikhanda likaShebha indodana kaBhikhiri baliphosela kuJowabi. Ngakho wakhalisa icilongo, abantu bakhe bachitheka besuka edolobheni, lowo lalowo ebuyela emzini wakhe. UJowabi wabuyela enkosini eJerusalema.
23 Thus Joab was over the entire army of Israel. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cerethites and Phelethites.
UJowabi wayephethe lonke ibutho lako-Israyeli; uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada ephethe amaKherethi lamaPhelethi;
24 Yet truly, Adoram was over the tributes. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records.
u-Adoniramu wayephethe izibhalwa; uJehoshafathi indodana ka-Ahiludi wayengumbhali;
25 Now Sheva was the scribe. And truly Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
uSheva engumabhalane; uZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari bengabaphristi;
26 But Ira, the Jairite, was the priest of David.
u-Ira umJayiri engumphristi kaDavida.
