1 Samuel 27
1 But David said to himself, “One of these days Saul is going to get me. I think I'd better run away to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up looking for me all over Israel and he won't catch me.”
Kodwa uDavida wacabanga wathi, “Ngolunye lwalezi insuku uSawuli uzangibulala. Into engcono engingayenza yikubalekela elizweni lamaFilistiya. Lapho-ke uSawuli uzadela ukungidinga loba kungaphi ko-Israyeli, njalo ngizaphunyuka esandleni sakhe.”
2 So David and the six hundred men with him set off, crossed the border, and went to Achish, son of Maoch, the king of Gath.
Ngakho uDavida labantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha basuka laye baya ku-Akhishi indodana kaMawokhi inkosi yaseGathi.
3 David and his men settled down with Achish in Gath. All the men had their families with them, and David had his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail from Carmel, Nabal's widow.
UDavida labantu bakhe bahlala eGathi lo-Akhishi. Umuntu ngamunye wayelabendlu yakhe, uDavida elabomkakhe ababili: u-Ahinowama waseJezerili lo-Abhigeli waseKhameli, umfelokazi kaNabhali.
4 When Saul found out that David had run away to Gath, he didn't go on looking for him.
Kwathi uSawuli esetsheliwe ukuthi uDavida wayebalekele eGathi kasamdinganga futhi.
5 David said to Achish, “Please do me a favor: assign me somewhere in one of the towns in the countryside so I can live there. I, your servant, don't really deserve to live in the royal city with you.”
UDavida wasesithi ku-Akhishi, “Nxa ngithole umusa emehlweni akho ngabela indawo komunye wemizi yasemaphandleni, ukuze ngiyehlala khona. Inceku yakho ingahlalelani lawe edolobheni lobukhosi na?”
6 Achish gave him Ziklag right away, and the town still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.
Ngakho ngalelolanga u-Akhishi wamnika iZikhilagi, njalo seyaba ngeyamakhosi akoJuda kusukela lapho.
7 David lived in the country of the Philistines for a year and four months.
UDavida wahlala elizweni lamaFilistiya umnyaka lezinyanga ezine.
8 During that time David and his men were raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. These people had lived in the land as far as Shur and Egypt from ancient times.
UDavida labantu bakhe basuka bayahlasela amaGeshuri, amaGirizi kanye lama-Amaleki. (Kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo abantu laba babehlale elizweni elalifika eShuri kanye laseGibhithe.)
9 When David attacked a place, he did not leave anybody alive. He took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would go back to Achish.
Lapho uDavida ehlasele indawo, wayengatshiyi ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila, kodwa wayethatha izimvu lenkomo, obabhemi lamakamela, kanye lezigqoko. Wabuyela ku-Akhishi.
10 When Achish asked him, “Where have you been raiding today?” David would reply, “In the desert of Judah,” or “the desert of Jerahmeel,” or “the desert of the Kenites.”
Lapho u-Akhishi embuza esithi, “Lamhla ubuyehlasela ngaphi na?” UDavida wayesithi, “Besimelane leNegebi yakoJuda,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yaseJerameli,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yama-Kheni.”
11 David didn't leave anybody alive that could come to Gath because he thought, “They might tell on us and say, ‘David did this.’” This is what he did all the time he lived in the country of the Philistines.
Katshiyanga ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila ukuba asiwe eGathi ngoba wacabanga wathi, “Bangasiceba bathi, ‘Lokhu yikho okwenziwe nguDavida.’” Lokhu yikho ayekwenza sonke isikhathi sokuhlala kwakhe elizweni lamaFilistiya.
12 Achish trusted David, and said to himself, “He's made himself so offensive to his people the Israelites that he'll have to serve me forever.”
U-Akhishi wayemthemba uDavida njalo wazitshela wathi, “Usezondakala kangaka ebantwini bakibo, ama-Israyeli, usezakuba yinceku yami kuze kube nininini.”
