1 USamuyeli 13
1 USawuli waba yinkosi eleminyaka engamatshumi amathathu ubudala bakhe, njalo wabusa u-Israyeli iminyaka engamatshumi amane lambili.
When he began to reign, Saul was the son of one year, and he reigned over Israel for two years.
2 USawuli wakhetha abantu abazinkulungwane ezintathu ko-Israyeli; abazinkulungwane ezimbili babelaye eMikhimashi laselizweni lezintaba eleBhetheli, njalo abayinkulungwane babeloJonathani eGibhiya koBhenjamini. Bonke abasalayo wababuyisela emakhaya abo.
And Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and at mount Bethel. Then one thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But the remainder of the people, he sent back, each one to his own tent.
3 UJonathani wahlasela inkamba yamabutho amaFilistiya eGebha, njalo amaFilistiya akuzwa lokho. Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi kakukhaliswe icilongo kulolonke ilizwe wathi, “AmaHebheru kawezwe!”
And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines, which was in Gibeah. And when the Philistines had heard about it, Saul sounded the trumpet over all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews listen.”
4 Ngakho u-Israyeli wonke wayizwa indaba yokuthi: “USawuli usehlasele inkamba yamabutho amaFilistiya, njalo u-Israyeli khathesi useyisinengiso kumaFilistiya.” Njalo abantu babizwa ukuba bayehlanganyela loSawuli eGiligali.
And all of Israel heard this report, that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines. And Israel raised himself up against the Philistines. Then the people cried out to Saul at Gilgal.
5 AmaFilistiya abuthana ukuthi alwe lo-Israyeli ngezinqola zempi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu, labatshayeli bazo abazinkulungwane eziyisithupha kanye lamabutho ayemanengi njengetshebetshebe ekhunjini lolwandle. Ahamba ayamisa eMikhimashi, empumalanga kweBhethi-Aveni.
And the Philistines gathered to do battle against Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and the remainder of the common people, who were very many, like the sand that is on the shore of the sea. And ascending, they encamped at Michmash, toward the east of Bethaven.
6 Kwathi abantu bako-Israyeli bebona ukuthi umumo wabo wawusumubi lokuthi ibutho labo lalincindezelwe kanzima, bacatsha ezimbalwini lasemajukujukwini, laphakathi kwamadwala, emilindini lasemigodini.
And when the men of Israel had seen themselves to be in a narrowed position, they hid themselves in caves, and in out of the way places, and in rocks, and in hollows, and in pits (for the people were distressed).
7 Amanye amaHebheru aze achaphela elizweni lakoGadi kanye leGiliyadi. USawuli wasala eGiligali, njalo wonke amabutho ayelaye ayeqhuqha ngenxa yokwesaba.
Then some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan, into the land of Gad and Gilead. And while Saul was still at Gilgal, the entire people who followed him were terrified.
8 Walinda insuku eziyisikhombisa, isikhathi esasimiswe nguSamuyeli; kodwa uSamuyeli kezanga eGiligali; yikho abantu bakaSawuli baqalisa ukuchitheka.
But he waited for seven days, in accord with what was agreed with Samuel. But Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, for the people were scattering away from him.
9 Ngakho wathi, “Ngilethelani umnikelo wokutshiswa leminikelo yobuzalwane.” USawuli wanikela umnikelo wokutshiswa.
Therefore, Saul said, “Bring me the holocaust and the peace offerings.” And he offered the holocaust.
10 Kwathi khonokho nje eqeda ukunikela umnikelo wokutshiswa, uSamuyeli wafika, uSawuli waphuma wayambingelela.
And when he had completed the offering of the holocaust, behold, Samuel arrived. And Saul went out to meet him, so that he might greet him.
11 USamuyeli wabuza wathi, “Kuyini osukwenzile na?” USawuli waphendula wathi, “Kuthe ngibona abantu sebechitheka, lokuthi kawufikanga ngesikhathi esimisiweyo, kanye lokuthi amaFilistiya abebuthana eMikhimashi,
And Samuel said to him, “What have you done?” Saul responded: “Since I saw that the people were scattering away from me, and you had not arrived after the agreed upon days, and yet the Philistines had gathered together at Michmash,
12 ngacabanga ngathi, ‘Khathesi amaFilistiya azakuzangihlasela eGiligali, njalo kangicelanga umusa kuThixo.’ Ngakho ngizwe ngincindezeleka ukuba nginikele umnikelo wokutshiswa.”
I said: ‘Now the Philistines will descend to me at Gilgal. And I have not appeased the face of the Lord.’ Compelled by necessity, I offered the holocaust.
13 USamuyeli wathi, “Wenze ubuthutha. Kawuwugcinanga umlayo uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho akupha wona; aluba ubukwenzile lokho, ubezamisa umbuso wakho phezu kuka-Israyeli kokuphela.
And Samuel said to Saul: “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the commandments of the Lord your God, which he instructed to you. And if you had not acted in this way, the Lord would, here and now, have prepared your kingdom over Israel forever.
14 Kodwa umbuso wakho kawuyikuqhubeka; uThixo usedinge indoda emthandayo ngenhliziyo yakhe wambeka ukuba ngumbusi wabantu bakhe, ngoba wena kawuwugcinanga umlayo kaThixo.”
But by no means shall your kingdom rise up any more. The Lord has sought for himself a man according to his own heart. And him the Lord has instructed to be the leader over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord has instructed.”
15 Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wasuka eGiligali waya eGibhiya koBhenjamini, uSawuli wasebala abantu ababelaye. Babengaba ngamakhulu ayisithupha.
Then Samuel rose up and ascended from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And the remainder of the people ascended after Saul, to meet the people who were fighting against them, going from Gilgal into Gibeah, to the hill of Benjamin. And Saul took a census of the people, who had been found to be with him, about six hundred men.
16 USawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani kanye labantu ayelabo babehlala eGibhiya koBhenjamini, amaFilistiya emise izihonqo eMikhimashi.
And Saul, and his son Jonathan, and the people who had been found to be with them, were at Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines had settled in at Michmash.
17 Amaqembu abahlaseli aphuma ezihonqweni zamaFilistiya ngezigaba ezintathu. Elinye laqonda e-Ofira eduze leShuwali,
And three companies went out from the camp of the Philistines, in order to plunder. One company was traveling toward the way of Ophrah, to the land of Shual.
18 elinye laqonda eBhethi-Horoni, kwathi elesithathu laqonda endaweni esemngceleni ngaphezu kweSigodi saseZebhoyimi malungana lenkangala.
Then another entered along the way of Beth-horon. But the third turned itself to the way of the border, overhanging the valley of Zeboim, opposite the desert.
19 Akulamkhandi wensimbi owayengatholakala kulolonke elako-Israyeli, ngoba amaFilistiya ayethe, “Mhlawumbe amaHebheru azakwenza izinkemba kumbe imikhonto.”
Now there was no worker of iron to be found in all the land of Israel. For the Philistines had been cautious, lest perhaps the Hebrews might make swords or spears.
20 Ngakho u-Israyeli wonke waya kumaFilistiya ukuyalola amakhuba akhe, lamamatoki, lamahloka kanye amasikela.
Therefore, all of Israel descended to the Philistines, so that each man could sharpen his plowshare, or pick axe, or hatchet, or hoe.
21 Imbadalo yokulolisa amakhuba lamamatoki yayingokubili kokuthathu kweshekeli, njalo ingokukodwa kokuthathu kweshekeli ukulola amafologwe lamahloka kanye lokucijisa izijujo.
For their plow blades, and pick axes, and pitch forks, and axes had become blunt, and even the handles needed to be repaired.
22 Ngakho ngosuku lwempi akulabutho elaliloSawuli loJonathani elalilenkemba kumbe umkhonto esandleni salo; uSawuli loJonathani kuphela yibo ababelakho.
And when the day of battle had arrived, there was found neither sword nor spear in the hand of the entire people who were with Saul and Jonathan, except for Saul and his son Jonathan.
23 Ngalesisikhathi amaFilistiya ayesephume aya emkhandlwini waseMikhimashi.
Then the army of the Philistines went out in order to go across Michmash.
