1 Samuel 16
1 And the LORD said to Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
Uthixo wathi kuSamuyeli, “Koze kube nini ulilela uSawuli, lokhu mina ngimalile ekubeni yinkosi yako-Israyeli? Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha uhambe; ngiyakuthuma kuJese eBhethilehema. Sengikhethe enye yamadodana akhe ukuba yinkosi.”
2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul shall hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.
Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Ngingahamba kanjani na? USawuli uzakuzwa ngakho angibulale.” Uthixo wathi, “Thatha ithokazi uhambe lalo uthi, ‘Ngilande ukuzahlabela uThixo.’
3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint to me him whom I name to thee.
Biza uJese eze emhlatshelweni, mina ngizakutshengisa ozakwenza. Uzangigcobela lowo engizamphawula.”
4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
USamuyeli wenza lokho okwakutshiwo nguThixo. Kwathi efika eBhethilehema abadala bomuzi bamhlangabeza beqhaqhazela. Bambuza bathi, “Uza ngokuthula na?”
5 And he said, Peaceably: I have come to sacrifice to the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Ye, ngokuthula; ngilande ukuzanikela umhlatshelo kuThixo. Zingcweliseni lihambe lami emhlatshelweni.” Emva kwalokho wangcwelisa uJese lamadodana akhe wasebabizela emhlatshelweni.
6 And it came to pass, when they had come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him.
Ekufikeni kwabo uSamuyeli wabona u-Eliyabi wacabanga wathi, “Impela ogcotshiweyo kaThixo umi lapha phambi kukaThixo.”
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
Kodwa uThixo wathi kuSamuyeli, “Ungakhangeli isimo sakhe loba ubude bakhe, ngoba ngimalile. Uthixo kakhangeli izinto ezikhangelwa ngabantu. Abantu bakhangela isimo somuntu, kodwa uThixo ukhangela inhliziyo.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
UJese wabiza u-Abhinadabi wamdlulisa phambi kukaSamuyeli. Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Lalo uThixo kamkhethanga.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
UJese wedlulisa uShama eduzane, kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Layenalo uThixo kamkhethanga.”
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.
UJese wadlulisa amadodana akhe ayisikhombisa phambi kukaSamuyeli, kodwa uSamuyeli wathi kuye, “Laba uThixo kabakhethanga.”
11 And Samuel said to Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him: for we will not sit down till he hath come here.
Ngakho wabuza uJese wathi, “La yiwo wonke amadodana olawo na?” UJese waphendula wathi, “Kusekhona encinyane, kodwa yelusa izimvu.” USamuyeli wathi, “Thuma omunye ayembiza; kasiyikuhlala phansi aze afike.”
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and also of a beautiful countenance, and a good appearance. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
Ngakho wathuma omunye wayalethwa. Wayebomvana, ebukeka njalo elesimo esihle. Uthixo wasesithi, “Sukuma umgcobe; nguye.”
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day onward. So Samuel arose, and went to Ramah.
Ngakho uSamuyeli wathatha uphondo lwamafutha wamgcoba labanewabo bekhona; njalo kusukela ngalelolanga kusiya phambili, uMoya kaThixo wafika kuDavida ulamandla. Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli waya eRama.
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
Ngalesosikhathi uMoya kaThixo wawususukile kuSawuli, umoya omubi owavela kuThixo usumhlukuluza.
15 And Saul’s servants said to him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
Izinceku zikaSawuli zathi kuye, “Khangela, umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu uyakuhlukuluza.
16 Let our lord now command thy servants, who are before thee, to seek a man, who is a skilful player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
Akuthi inkosi yethu ilaye izinceku zayo ezilapha ukuba ziyidingele umuntu okwaziyo ukutshaya ichacho. Uzalitshaya lapho umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu ufika kuwe; uzakuzwa ngcono.”
17 And Saul said to his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
Ngakho uSawuli wathi ezincekwini zakhe, “Dingani umuntu otshaya kuhle limlethe kimi.”
18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a handsome person, and the LORD is with him.
Enye yezinceku zakhe yaphendula yathi, “Ngibone indodana kaJese waseBhethilehema ekwaziyo ukutshaya ichacho. Iyindoda elesibindi elibutho futhi. Ikhuluma kuhle njalo ilijaha elibukekayo. LoThixo uyivikele.”
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send to me David thy son, who is with the sheep.
USawuli wathuma izithunywa kuJese wathi, “Thumela kimi indodana yakho uDavida, owelusa izimvu.”
20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son to Saul.
Ngakho uJese wathatha ubabhemi ethwele izinkwa, umgodla wewayini lezinyane lembuzi wakuthumela lendodana yakhe uDavida kuSawuli.
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.
UDavida wafika kuSawuli wangena emsebenzini wakhe uSawuli wamthanda kakhulu, njalo uDavida waba ngomunye wabathwali bezikhali zakhe.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.
USawuli wathumela ilizwi kuJese, elithi, “Vumela uDavida ukuba ahlale emsebenzini wami, ngoba ngiyathokoza ngaye.”
23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Kwakusithi umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu ungafika kuSawuli, uDavida athathe ichacho lakhe alitshaye. Lapho-ke uSawuli wayephumula; ezwe ngcono, lomoya omubi usuke kuye.
