1 USamuyeli 18
1 Emva kokuba uDavida eseqedile ukukhuluma loSawuli, uJonathani waba moya munye loDavida, wamthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe.
[And it came to pass when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David and David loved him ] [as his own soul. ]
2 Kusukela ngalolosuku uSawuli wahlala loDavida akaze amvumela ukubuyela endlini kayise.
[And Saul took him in that day, and did not suffer him to return to his father's house. ]
3 Njalo uJonathani wenza isivumelwano loDavida ngoba wayemthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe.
[And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. ]
4 UJonathani wakhupha isembatho ayesigqokile wasinika uDavida, lebhatshi lakhe, lenkemba yakhe, idandili lakhe kanye lebhanti lakhe.
[And Jonathan stripped himself of his ] [upper garment, and gave it to David, and his mantle and all he had upon him, even to his sword and to his bow, and to his girdle. ]
5 Loba kuyini uSawuli amthuma ukuba akwenze, uDavida wakwenza ngokuphumelela uSawuli waze wamnika isikhundla esikhulu ebuthweni. Lokhu kwathokozisa abantu bonke, kanye lezikhulu zikaSawuli.
[And David went out withersoever Saul sent him, and ] [acted wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was pleasing in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul. ]
6 Kwathi abantu sebebuyela ekhaya emva kokuba uDavida esebulele umFilistiya, abesifazane baphuma kuyo yonke imizi yako-Israyeli bahlangabeza inkosi uSawuli ngokuhlabela lokugida, ngezingoma zokuthokoza lamagedla kanye lemitshingo.
And there came out women in dances to meet David out of all the cities of Israel, with timbrels, and with rejoicing, and with cymbals.
7 Ekugideni kwabo bahlabela besithi: “USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane zakhe.”
And the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 USawuli wazonda kakhulu, amazwi la amthukuthelisa. Wacabanga wathi, “Badumisa uDavida ngamatshumi ezinkulungwane, kodwa mina ngezinkulungwane kuphela nje. Kuyini okunye angakuzuza ngaphandle kombuso na?”
And it seemed evil in the eyes of Saul concerning this matter, and he said, To David they have given ten thousands, and to me they have given thousands. [And what more can he have but the kingdom? ]
9 Kusukela ngalelolanga kusiya phambili uSawuli wakhangela uDavida ngelihlo elilomhawu.
[And Saul eyed David from that day and onward. ]
10 Ngelanga elalandelayo umoya omubi wavela kuNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kukaSawuli ngamandla. Wayephrofetha endlini yakhe, lapho uDavida wayetshaya ichacho njengenjwayelo yakhe. USawuli wayephethe umkhonto ngesandla sakhe,
[And it came to pass] [on the morrow that an evil spirit from God fell upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David was playing on the harp with his hand, according to his daily custom. And Saul’s spear was in his hand. ]
11 wawuphosa esithi, “UDavida ngizambambanisa lomduli.” Kodwa uDavida wavika kwaze kwaba kabili.
[And Saul took his spear and said, I will smite David even to the wall. But David escaped twice from his presence. ]
12 USawuli wayemesaba uDavida ngoba uThixo wayeloDavida kodwa esemdelile uSawuli.
And Saul was alarmed on account of David.
13 Ngakho wamsusa uDavida kuye wamenza umlawuli wabantu abayinkulungwane; njalo uDavida wakhokhela amabutho ekuhlaseleni kwawo.
And he removed him from him, and made him a captain of a thousand for himself; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 Kukho konke akwenzayo waphumelela kakhulu, ngoba uThixo wayelaye.
And David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 Kwathi uSawuli ebona ukuphumelela kwakhe, wamesaba.
And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
16 Kodwa wonke u-Israyeli loJuda wamthanda uDavida, ngoba wabakhokhela ekuhlaseleni kwabo.
And all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before the people.
17 USawuli wasesithi kuDavida, “Nansi indodakazi yami endala uMerabi; ngizakwendisela yona ukuba ibe ngumkakho; wena ungisebenzele ngesibindi kuphela njalo ulwe izimpi zikaThixo.” Ngoba uSawuli wakhuluma yedwa wathi, “Kangiyikumphakamisela isandla. AmaFilistiya kawenze lokho!”
[And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to thee to Wife, only be thou to me a mighty man and fight the wars of the Lord. And Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be upon him. ]
18 Kodwa uDavida wathi kuSawuli, “Ngingubani mina labendlu yakwethu bayini, loba isizwana sikababa ko-Israyeli, ukuba ngibe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi na?”
[And David said to Saul, Who am I, and What is the life of my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son—in-law? ]
19 Kodwa kwathi isikhathi sesifikile esokuba uMerabi, indodakazi kaSawuli, aphiwe uDavida, waphiwa u-Adiriyeli waseMehola ukuba abe ngumkakhe.
[But it came to pass at the time when Merob Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given to Israel the Mothulathite to wife. ]
20 Ngalesosikhathi uMikhali, indodakazi kaSawuli, wayemthanda uDavida, njalo kwathi uSawuli bemtshela ngakho, wathaba.
And Melchol the daughter of Saul loved David; and it was told Saul, and the thing was pleasing in his eyes.
21 Wacabanga wathi, “Ngizamnika yena ukuba abe ngumjibila kuye lokuze isandla samaFilistiya simelane laye.” Ngakho uSawuli wathi kuDavida, “Khathesi usulethuba lesibili lokuba ngumkhwenyana wami.”
And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a stumbling-block to him. Now the hand of the Philistines was against Saul.
22 USawuli walaya inceku zakhe wathi, “Khulumani loDavida ngasese lithi, ‘Khangela, inkosi iyathokoza ngawe, lenceku zayo zonke ziyakuthanda; ngakho woba ngumkhwenyana wayo.’”
And Saul charged his servants, saying, Speak ye privately to David, saying, Behold, the king delights in thee, and all his servants love thee, and do thou becomes the king's son-in-law.
23 Zawatsho amazwi la kuDavida kodwa uDavida wathi, “Licabanga ukuthi kuyinto encane ukuba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi na? Mina ngingumuntukazana njalo ongeladumo.”
And the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David; and David said, [Is it] a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the king? Whereas I [am] an humble man, an not honourable?
24 Kwathi izinceku zikaSawuli sezimtshelile okwakutshiwo nguDavida,
And the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words, which David spoke.
25 uSawuli waphendula wathi, “Alibokuthi kuDavida, ‘Inkosi kayifuni enye inhlawulo yamalobolo ngaphandle kwamajwabu ezitho zangaphambili zamaFilistiya alikhulu, ukuba iphindisele ezitheni zayo.’” Icebo likaSawuli lalingelokuthi uDavida afe ebulawa ngamaFilistiya.
And Saul said, Thus shall ye speak to David, The king wants no gift but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the kings enemies. Now Saul thought to cast him into the hands of the Philistines.
26 Kwathi inceku sezimtshelile uDavida izinto lezi, wathokoza ukuba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi. Ngakho kwathi isikhathi esasibekiwe singakedluli,
And the servants of Saul report these words to David, and David was well pleased to become the son-in-law to the king.
27 uDavida labantu bakhe basuka bayabulala amaFilistiya angamakhulu amabili. Weza lamajwabu emiphambili yawo waqhubela inkosi inani elipheleleyo ukuze abe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi. USawuli wamendisela-ke indodakazi yakhe uMikhali ukuba ngumkakhe.
And David arose, and went, he and his men, and smote among the Philistines a hundred men: and he brought their foreskins, and he becomes the king's son-in-law, and [Saul] gives him Melchol his daughter to wife.
28 Kwathi uSawuli ebona ukuthi uThixo wayeloDavida kanye lokuthi indodakazi yakhe, uMikhali, yayimthanda uDavida,
And Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved him.
29 uSawuli wabuye wamesaba kakhulu, njalo waba yisitha sakhe impilo yakhe yonke.
And he was yet more afraid of David.
30 Abalawuli bamaFilistiya baqhubeka besiyakulwa izimpi, njalo izikhathi zonke bephuma, uDavida waba lokuphumelela okwedlula ezinye izikhulu zikaSawuli, lebizo lakhe laba lodumo.
[And the chief of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass that from ] [the suficiency of their expedition David acted Wisely above all the servants of Saul; and his name was honoured exceedingly. ]
