2 Samuel 23
1 David, the son of Jesse, was a man whom [God caused to] become great. He was appointed to become king by the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. He wrote beautiful songs for the Israeli people. This is the last song that he wrote:
La ngamazwi okucina kaDavida: “Umbono kaDavida indodana kaJese, umbono womuntu owaphakanyiswa ngoPhezukonke, umuntu owagcotshwa nguNkulunkulu kaJakhobe, umhlabeleli wezingoma ka-Israyeli:
2 “The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.
Umoya kaThixo wakhuluma ngami, ilizwi lakhe lalisolimini lwami.
3 God, the one whom we Israeli [people worship], has spoken; the one who protects us Israeli people said to me, ‘Kings who rule people justly have an awesome respect for me, God.
UNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wakhuluma, iDwala lika-Israyeli lathi kimi: ‘Lapho umuntu ebusa abantu ngokulunga, lapho ebusa ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu,
4 They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’
unjengokukhanya kwekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga ekuseni okungelamayezi, njengokukhanya emva kokuna kwezulu okumilisa utshani emhlabathini.’
5 And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family [RHQ] because he made an agreement with me that will endure forever, an agreement in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed. He will surely cause me to prosper [RHQ], and he will always help me, and that is all that I desire.
Indlu yami kayifanelanga kuNkulunkulu na? Kanje kenzanga lami isivumelwano esingapheliyo esalungiswayo saqiniswa izigaba zonke na? Kambe kazukuphumelelisa ukusindiswa kwami angiphe konke engikufisayo na?
6 But [he will get rid of] godless/evil people like [SIM] people throw away thorns that [injure people if they try to] pick them up with their hands.
Kodwa abantu ababi bonke bazaphoselwa eceleni njengameva, angabuthwayo ngesandla.
7 Someone [who wants to get rid of thornbushes] does not grab them; he uses an iron [shovel] or a spear [to dig them out] and then he burns them completely.
Loba ngubani othinta ameva usebenzisa insimbi loba uluthi lomkhonto; ayatshiswa ngomlilo khonapho akhona.”
8 These are the names of David’s three greatest warriors. The first was Esh-Baal, [whose other name was Jashobeam], from the Hachmon clan (OR, the son of Hachmon). He was the leader of the three men. One time he fought against 800 enemies and killed them all with his spear.
La ngamabizo amaqhawe kaDavida: UJoshebi-Bhasishebethi umThakemoni wayeyinduna yabaThathu, waphakamisela abantu abangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili umkhonto wakhe, ababulalayo ekuhlaseleni kunye.
9 The second/next one of the three greatest warriors was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied/challenged the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered for the battle. The [other] Israeli soldiers retreated,
Yena elandelwa ngu-Eliyazari indodana kaDodo umʼAhohi. Njengomunye wamaqhawe amathathu, wayeloDavida lapho bechothoza amaFilistiya ayebuthanele impi ePhasi Damimi. Lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlehlela emuva,
10 but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that [his hand cramped and] he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the [other] Israeli soldiers returned [to where Eleazar was], and stripped off the [armor from the men whom he had] killed.
kodwa yena wajama wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya isandla sakhe saze sadinwa sanamathela enkembeni. Ngalelolanga uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu. Amabutho abuyela ku-Eleyazari ukuyahlubula abafileyo kuphela nje.
11 The third one of the greatest warriors was Shammah, the son of Agee from [the clan/town of] Harar. One time the Philistia soldiers gathered at Lehi [town], where there was a field full of lentils/peas [that they wanted to steal]. The other Israeli soldiers ran away from the Philistia troops,
Phansi kwakhe kwakuloShama indodana ka-Ageye umHarari. Kwathi amaFilistiya eseqoqene endaweni eyayilezindumba ezinengi, amabutho ako-Israyeli awabalekela.
12 but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistia soldiers [steal the crops], and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.
Kodwa uShama wajama phakathi kwensimu. Wayivikela wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya, uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu.
13 Altogether there were 30 special warriors among David’s soldiers. Once, when it was almost time to harvest [the crops], three of those 30 men went down to Adullam Cave, where David was [staying]. A group of men from the Philistia army had set up their tents in Rephaim Valley [near Jerusalem].
Ngesikhathi sokuvuna, abathathu ezinduneni ezingamatshumi amathathu baya kuDavida ebhalwini lwase-Adulami, lapho ibutho lamaFilistiya lalimise eSigodini saseRefayi.
14 David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.
Ngalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, iviyo lamabutho amaFilistiya laliseBhethilehema.
15 [One day] David very much wanted [some water] to drink, and said “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!”
UDavida womela amanzi wasesithi, “Oh, sengathi kungaba lomuntu ongangikhela amanzi okunatha emthonjeni oseduze lesango laseBhethilehema!”
16 So his three greatest warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out [on the ground] as an offering to Yahweh.
Ngakho amaqhawe amathathu adabula phakathi kwamaviyo amaFilistiya, akha amanzi emthonjeni eduze lesango laseBhethilehema ahamba lawo kuDavida. Kodwa wala ukuwanatha, esikhundleni salokho wawathela phambi kukaThixo.
17 He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.
Wathi, “Akungenzeki, Oh Thixo, ukuba ngenze lokhu. Akusigazi labantu abahambe befake ukuphila kwabo engozini na?” UDavida kawanathanga. Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zalawomabutho womathathu.
18 Abishai, Joab’s [younger] brother, was the leader of the 30 [greatest warriors]. [One day] he fought against 300 men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous.
U-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi indodana kaZeruya wayeyinduna yabaThathu labo. Waphakamisela umkhonto wakhe phezu kwabangamakhulu amathathu, ababulalayo, ngakho waba lodumo njengabaThathu.
19 He was the most famous of the thirty greatest warriors, and he became their leader/commander, but he was not one of the three greatest warriors.
Kahlonitshwanga kakhulu kulabaThathu na? Waba ngumlawuli wabo, loba engazange abe phakathi kwabo.
20 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from Kabzeel [town], also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people-group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling, and killed a lion there.
UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayeliqhawe elilesibindi laseKhabhizeli, elenza izenzo zobuqhawe obukhulu. Wabulala amaqhawe amaMowabi amabili ayezintshantshu ekulweni. Wake wangena emgodini wabulala isilwane mhla kulongqwaqwane.
21 He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah [had only] his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
Njalo wabulala umGibhithe owayemkhulu kakhulu. Lanxa umGibhithe lowo wayephethe umkhonto, uBhenaya wamhlasela ngenduku. Wawuhluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.
22 Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.
Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada; laye futhi wayedume njengamaqhawe amathathu.
23 He was more honored than the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but not as famous as the three greatest warriors. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.
Wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abangamaTshumi Amathathu, kodwa wayengabalwa kanye labaThathu. UDavida wambeka ukuba abe ngumphathi wabalindi bakhe.
24 [These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
Phakathi kwabangamatshumi amathathu labo kwakuyilaba: U-Asaheli umfowabo kaJowabi, u-Elihanani indodana kaDodo waseBhethilehema,
25 Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];
uShama umHarodi, u-Elika umHarodi,
26 Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];
uHelezi umPhalithi, u-Ira indodana ka-Ikheshi waseThekhowa,
27 Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];
u-Abhiyezeri wase-Anathothi, uSibhekhayi umHushathi,
28 Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];
uZalimoni umʼAhohi, uMaharayi umNethofa,
29 Heleb, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah [town]; Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah [town] in [the land that belonged to] the tribe of Benjamin;
uHeledi indodana kaBhana umNethofa, u-Ithayi indodana kaRibhayi owaseGibhiya koBhenjamini,
30 Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];
uBhenaya umPhirathoni, uHidayi wasezindongeni zaseGashi,
31 Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];
u-Abhi-Alibhoni umʼAribhathi, u-Azimavethi umBharihumi,
32 Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;
u-Eliyaba umShalibhoni, amadodana kaJasheni, uJonathani
33 Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];
indodana kaShama umHarari, u-Ahiyamu indodana kaSharari umHarari,
34 Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];
u-Elifelethi indodana ka-Ahasibhayi umʼMahakhathi, u-Eliyami indodana ka-Ahithofeli umGiloni,
35 Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];
uHeziro umKhameli, uPharayi umʼAribhi,
36 Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;
u-Igali indodana kaNathani waseZobha, indodana kaHagiri,
37 Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];
uZelekhi umʼAmoni, uNaharayi umBherothi, owayethwala izikhali zikaJowabi, indodana kaZeruya,
38 Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];
u-Ira umʼIthira, uGarebhi umʼIthiri
39 Uriah, [Bathsheba’s husband], from the Heth people-group. Altogether, there were 37 famous soldiers, [but some of them had died and their names were not included].
kanye lo-Uriya umHithi. Bebonke babengamatshumi amathathu lesikhombisa.
