1 Samuel 24
1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying: 'Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.'
Kwasekusithi uSawuli esebuyile ekulandeleni amaFilisti, bambikela besithi: Khangela, uDavida usenkangala yeEngedi.
2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
USawuli wasethatha amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezintathu akhethiweyo kuIsrayeli wonke, wayadinga uDavida labantu bakhe phezu kwamadwala amagogo.
3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.
Wasefika ezibayeni zezimvu endleleni, lapho okwakulobhalu khona; uSawuli wasengena ukwembesa inyawo zakhe; uDavida labantu bakhe babehlezi-ke enhlangothini zobhalu.
4 And the men of David said unto him: 'Behold the day in which the LORD hath said unto thee: Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thy hand, and thou shalt do to him as it shall seem good unto thee.' Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.
Abantu bakaDavida basebesithi kuye: Khangela, usuku iNkosi ethi ngalo kuwe: Khangela, ngizanikela isitha sakho esandleni sakho, ukuthi wenze kuso njengokuhle emehlweni akho. UDavida wasesukuma, wasika ensitha umphetho wesembatho uSawuli ayelaso.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
Kwasekusithi emva kwalokho inhliziyo kaDavida yamtshaya, ngenxa yokuthi wayesike umphetho wesembatho uSawuli ayelaso.
6 And he said unto his men: 'The LORD forbid it me, that I should do this thing unto my lord, the LORD'S anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD'S anointed.'
Wasesithi ebantwini bakhe: Kakube khatshana lami ngeNkosi ukuthi ngenze linto enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo weNkosi, ukwelulela isandla sami kuye, ngoba engogcotshiweyo weNkosi.
7 So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
UDavida wabanqanda abantu bakhe ngalawomazwi, kabavumelanga ukuthi bamvukele uSawuli. USawuli wasesukuma waphuma ebhalwini, wahamba endleleni.
8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying: 'My lord the king.' And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and prostrated himself.
Emva kwalokho uDavida laye wasukuma waphuma ebhalwini, wamemeza emva kukaSawuli esithi: Nkosi yami nkosi! Lapho uSawuli enyemukula, uDavida wakhothama ngobuso emhlabathini, wakhonza.
9 And David said to Saul: 'Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying: Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?
UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: Ulalelelani amazwi abantu besithi: Khangela, uDavida udinga ukulinyazwa kwakho?
10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said: I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.
Khangela, lamuhla amehlo akho abonile ukuthi iNkosi ibikunikele lamuhla esandleni sami ebhalwini; njalo besithi kangikubulale, kodwa ngakuhawukela, ngathi: Kangiyikwelulela isandla sami enkosini yami, ngoba ingogcotshiweyo weNkosi.
11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou layest wait for my soul to take it.
Futhi-ke, baba, bona, yebo bona umphetho wesembatho sakho esandleni sami; ngoba ekusikeni kwami umphetho wesembatho sakho, lokuthi kangikubulalanga, yazi ubone ukuthi kakukho ububi lesiphambeko esandleni sami, njalo kangonanga kuwe, kanti wena uzingela umphefumulo wami ukuwuthatha.
12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
INkosi kayahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, njalo iNkosi ingiphindiselele kuwe, kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients: Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
Njengokutsho kwesaga sabendulo esithi: Kwababi kuvela okubi; kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.
Inkosi yakoIsrayeli iphume ukulandela bani? Uxotshana lobani? Emva kwenja efileyo, emva kwendwebundwebu eyodwa!
15 The LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.'
Ngakho iNkosi kayibe ngumahluleli, yahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, ibone, ilumele udaba lwami, ingikhulule esandleni sakho.
16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said: 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
Kwasekusithi uDavida eseqedile ukukhuluma lamazwi kuSawuli, uSawuli wathi: Yilizwi lakho lelo yini, ndodana yami, Davida? USawuli wasephakamisa ilizwi lakhe, wakhala inyembezi.
17 And he said to David: 'Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil.
Wasesithi kuDavida: Ulungile kulami, ngoba wena ungivuze ngokuhle, kodwa mina ngikuvuze ngokubi.
18 And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me up into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.
Wena-ke utshengisile lamuhla ukuthi wenze okuhle ngami, ngoba lapho iNkosi ibinginikele esandleni sakho, kawungibulalanga.
19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day.
Ngoba nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uzasiyekela sihambe ngendlela enhle yini? Ngakho iNkosi ikuvuze ngokuhle ngokwenze kimi lamuhla.
20 And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.
Manje-ke, khangela, ngiyazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi isibili, lokuthi umbuso wakoIsrayeli uzaqiniswa esandleni sakho.
21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.'
Ngakho khathesi funga kimi ngeNkosi ukuthi kawuyikuyiquma inzalo yami emva kwami, lokuthi kawuyikulicitsha ibizo lami endlini kababa.
22 And David swore unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men got them up unto the stronghold.
UDavida wasefunga kuSawuli, loSawuli waya endlini yakhe, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe benyukela enqabeni.
