1 Samuel 24
1 It happened, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, "Look, 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 on the rocks of the wild goats.
USawuli wasethatha amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezintathu akhethiweyo kuIsrayeli wonke, wayadinga uDavida labantu bakhe phezu kwamadwala amagogo.
3 He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were abiding 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 The men of David said to him, "Look, the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Look, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose, and cut off an edge of Saul's robe secretly.
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 It happened afterward, that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off an edge of Saul's robe.
Kwasekusithi emva kwalokho inhliziyo kaDavida yamtshaya, ngenxa yokuthi wayesike umphetho wesembatho uSawuli ayelaso.
6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, since 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 persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. Then Saul got up, and went down the road.
UDavida wabanqanda abantu bakhe ngalawomazwi, kabavumelanga ukuthi bamvukele uSawuli. USawuli wasesukuma waphuma ebhalwini, wahamba endleleni.
8 Afterward David also got up and left the cave, and called out after Saul, saying, "My lord the king." When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground and did homage.
Emva kwalokho uDavida laye wasukuma waphuma ebhalwini, wamemeza emva kukaSawuli esithi: Nkosi yami nkosi! Lapho uSawuli enyemukula, uDavida wakhothama ngobuso emhlabathini, wakhonza.
9 David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men's words, saying, 'Look, David seeks your harm?'
UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: Ulalelelani amazwi abantu besithi: Khangela, uDavida udinga ukulinyazwa kwakho?
10 Look, this day your eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave, but I refused to kill you, and my eye spared you; 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 Now look, the skirt of your robe in my hand. When I cut off the skirt, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand, and I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life 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 May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand shall not be on you.
INkosi kayahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, njalo iNkosi ingiphindiselele kuwe, kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
13 As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness;' but my hand shall not be on you.
Njengokutsho kwesaga sabendulo esithi: Kwababi kuvela okubi; kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
14 Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, or one flea?
Inkosi yakoIsrayeli iphume ukulandela bani? Uxotshana lobani? Emva kwenja efileyo, emva kwendwebundwebu eyodwa!
15 May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you. May he see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand."
Ngakho iNkosi kayibe ngumahluleli, yahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, ibone, ilumele udaba lwami, ingikhulule esandleni sakho.
16 It came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" 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 He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.
Wasesithi kuDavida: Ulungile kulami, ngoba wena ungivuze ngokuhle, kodwa mina ngikuvuze ngokubi.
18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that the LORD had delivered me up into your hand and you did not kill me.
Wena-ke utshengisile lamuhla ukuthi wenze okuhle ngami, ngoba lapho iNkosi ibinginikele esandleni sakho, kawungibulalanga.
19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done this day.
Ngoba nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uzasiyekela sihambe ngendlela enhle yini? Ngakho iNkosi ikuvuze ngokuhle ngokwenze kimi lamuhla.
20 Now, look, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
Manje-ke, khangela, ngiyazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi isibili, lokuthi umbuso wakoIsrayeli uzaqiniswa esandleni sakho.
21 Swear now therefore to me by the LORD, that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will 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 David swore to Saul. Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
UDavida wasefunga kuSawuli, loSawuli waya endlini yakhe, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe benyukela enqabeni.
