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