1 Samuel 24
1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from pursuing the Philistines, that it was told to him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of 'En-gedi.
Kwathi uSawuli esebuyile ekuxotsheni amaFilistiya watshelwa ukuthi, “UDavida useNkangala yase-Eni-Gedi.”
2 Then took Saul three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.
Ngakho uSawuli wathatha abantu abazinkulungwane ezintantu abakhethwa ko-Israyeli waphuma ukuyadinga uDavida labantu bakhe eduze kwamadwala amaGogo.
3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, and there was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men were sitting in the lower end of the cave.
Wafika ezibayeni zezimvu endleleni; kwakulobhalu khonapho, yikho uSawuli wasengena phakathi ukuba aye ngaphandle. UDavida labantu bakhe babekhatshana emuva phakathi kobhalu.
4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold, this is the day of which the Lord hath said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thy enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. And David arose, and cut off the corner of the robe which Saul wore, unperceived.
Abantu bathi, “Leli yilo ilanga uThixo akhuluma ngalo lapho wathi kuwe, ‘Ngizanikela izitha zakho ezandleni zakho ukuba uziphathe njengokufisa kwakho.’” UDavida wanyenya egaqa waquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off the corner of Saul's [robe].
Muva uDavida wakhathazeka ngokuquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.
6 And he said unto his men, Far be it from me for the Lord's sake, that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him; because he is the anointed of the Lord.
Wathi ebantwini bakhe, “Uthixo kakwenqabele ukwenza into enje enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.”
7 So David restrained his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
Ngala amazwi uDavida wabakhuza abantu bakhe akaze wabavumela ukuthi bahlasele uSawuli. USawuli waphuma ebhalwini wazihambela.
8 David also arose afterward, and went forth out of the cave, and called after Saul, saying, My Lord, the king! And Saul then looked behind him, and David bowed his face to the earth, and prostrated himself.
Lapho-ke uDavida waphuma ebhalwini wamemeza uSawuli esithi, “nkosi, nkosi yami!” Kwathi lapho uSawuli ekhangela emuva kwakhe, uDavida wakhothama waselala phansi ethe mbo phansi ngobuso.
9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore wilt thou listen to men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy injury?
Wathi kuSawuli, “Kungani ulalela nxa abantu besithi, ‘UDavida ujonge ukwenza okubi kuwe’?
10 Behold, this day thy eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee today into my hand in the cave, and some one said that I should kill thee: but my soul felt compassion for thee: and I said, I will not stretch forth my hand against my Lord; because he is the anointed of the Lord.
Lamhla uzibonele ngamehlo akho ukuthi uThixo ukunikele ezandleni zami ebhalwini. Abanye bangikhuthaze ukuthi ngikubulale, kodwa ngikuphephisile, ngithe, ‘Angiyikuphakamisa isandla sami ngimelana lenkosi yami, ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaThixo.’
11 And now, my father, see, yea, see the corner of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the corner of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and that I have not sinned against thee: yet thou liest in wait for my soul to take it.
Khangela, baba, khangela isiqa sesembatho sakho lesi esisesandleni sami! Ngisiqume emphethweni wesembatho sakho, kodwa kangikubulalanga. Ngakho zwisisa ubone ukuthi kangilacala lokwenza okubi loba ukuhlamuka. Kangonanga lutho kuwe, kodwa wena uyangizingela ufuna ukungibulala.
12 May the Lord judge between me and thee, and may the Lord avenge me on thee; but my hand shall not be against thee.
Sengathi uThixo angahlulela phakathi kwami lawe. Njalo sengathi uThixo angaphindisela ububi obenze kimi, kodwa esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.
13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, From the wicked proceedeth wickedness; but my hand shall not be against thee.
Njengoba isitsho sendulo sisitsho ukuthi, ‘Kwabenza okubi kuvela izenzo ezimbi,’ ngakho esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.
14 After whom is the king of Israel gone out? after whom art thou pursuing? after a dead dog, after a single flea.
Inkosi yako-Israyeli iphume ukuyamelana lobani na? Ngubani oxotshana laye? Yinja efileyo na? Yindwebundwebu na?
15 May the Lord therefore be judge, and decide between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and obtain me justice out of thy hand.
Sengathi uThixo angaba ngumahluleli wethu ahlulele phakathi kwethu. Sengathi angahlola injongo yami ayisekele; sengathi angangikhulula ngokungisindisa esandleni sakho.”
16 And it came to pass, When David had finished speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
Kwathi uDavida eseqedile ukutsho lokhu, uSawuli wabuza wathi, “Lelo yilizwi lakho, Davida ndodana yami na?” Wasekhala kakhulu.
17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast done for me only what is good, whereas I have rewarded thee only with what is evil.
Wasesithi, “Wena ulungile kakhulu kulami. Ungiphathe kuhle, kodwa mina ngikuphathe kubi.
18 And thou hast proved this day, that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the Lord had surrendered me into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.
Usungitshelile khathesi nje okuhle okwenze kimi; uThixo unginikele ezandleni zakho, kodwa kawungibulalanga.
19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go away on a good road? so may the Lord reward thee with good for what thou hast done unto me this day.
Kanje nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uyasiyekela sihambe singenziwanga lutho olubi na? Sengathi uThixo angakunika umvuzo omuhle ngenxa yendlela ongiphathe ngayo lamhla.
20 And now, behold, I know that thou wilt surely become king, and that the kingdom of Israel will stand firmly in thy hand.
Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi impela kanye lokuthi umbuso wako-Israyeli uzamiswa ezandleni zakho.
21 And now swear 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.
Khathesi-ke funga kimi ngo Thixo ukuthi kawuyikubulala inzalo yami loba wesule ibizo lami kwabendlu kababa.”
22 And David swore unto Saul; and Saul went to his house; but David and his men went up into the strong-hold.
UDavida wafunga kuSawuli. Emva kwalokho uSawuli wabuyela ekhaya, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe baya enqabeni.
