1 USamuyeli 18
1 Emva kokuba uDavida eseqedile ukukhuluma loSawuli, uJonathani waba moya munye loDavida, wamthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe.
When he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 Kusukela ngalolosuku uSawuli wahlala loDavida akaze amvumela ukubuyela endlini kayise.
Saul took him that day, and wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more.
3 Njalo uJonathani wenza isivumelwano loDavida ngoba wayemthanda njengoba ezithanda yena ngokwakhe.
Then 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.
Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.
5 Loba kuyini uSawuli amthuma ukuba akwenze, uDavida wakwenza ngokuphumelela uSawuli waze wamnika isikhundla esikhulu ebuthweni. Lokhu kwathokozisa abantu bonke, kanye lezikhulu zikaSawuli.
David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. It was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
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.
As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
7 Ekugideni kwabo bahlabela besithi: “USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane zakhe.”
The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain 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?”
Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?”
9 Kusukela ngalelolanga kusiya phambili uSawuli wakhangela uDavida ngelihlo elilomhawu.
Saul watched David from that day and forward.
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,
On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
11 wawuphosa esithi, “UDavida ngizambambanisa lomduli.” Kodwa uDavida wavika kwaze kwaba kabili.
and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
12 USawuli wayemesaba uDavida ngoba uThixo wayeloDavida kodwa esemdelile uSawuli.
Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and had departed from Saul.
13 Ngakho wamsusa uDavida kuye wamenza umlawuli wabantu abayinkulungwane; njalo uDavida wakhokhela amabutho ekuhlaseleni kwawo.
Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 Kukho konke akwenzayo waphumelela kakhulu, ngoba uThixo wayelaye.
David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
15 Kwathi uSawuli ebona ukuphumelela kwakhe, wamesaba.
When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
16 Kodwa wonke u-Israyeli loJuda wamthanda uDavida, ngoba wabakhokhela ekuhlaseleni kwabo.
But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
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!”
Saul said to David, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him.”
18 Kodwa uDavida wathi kuSawuli, “Ngingubani mina labendlu yakwethu bayini, loba isizwana sikababa ko-Israyeli, ukuba ngibe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi na?”
David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?”
19 Kodwa kwathi isikhathi sesifikile esokuba uMerabi, indodakazi kaSawuli, aphiwe uDavida, waphiwa u-Adiriyeli waseMehola ukuba abe ngumkakhe.
But at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
20 Ngalesosikhathi uMikhali, indodakazi kaSawuli, wayemthanda uDavida, njalo kwathi uSawuli bemtshela ngakho, wathaba.
Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 Wacabanga wathi, “Ngizamnika yena ukuba abe ngumjibila kuye lokuze isandla samaFilistiya simelane laye.” Ngakho uSawuli wathi kuDavida, “Khathesi usulethuba lesibili lokuba ngumkhwenyana wami.”
Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall today be my son-in-law.”
22 USawuli walaya inceku zakhe wathi, “Khulumani loDavida ngasese lithi, ‘Khangela, inkosi iyathokoza ngawe, lenceku zayo zonke ziyakuthanda; ngakho woba ngumkhwenyana wayo.’”
Saul commanded his servants, “Talk with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore be 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.”
Saul’s servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and little known?”
24 Kwathi izinceku zikaSawuli sezimtshelile okwakutshiwo nguDavida,
The servants of Saul told him, saying, “David spoke like this.”
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.
Saul said, “Tell David, ‘The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul thought he would make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 Kwathi inceku sezimtshelile uDavida izinto lezi, wathokoza ukuba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi. Ngakho kwathi isikhathi esasibekiwe singakedluli,
When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the deadline,
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.
David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as wife.
28 Kwathi uSawuli ebona ukuthi uThixo wayeloDavida kanye lokuthi indodakazi yakhe, uMikhali, yayimthanda uDavida,
Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.
29 uSawuli wabuye wamesaba kakhulu, njalo waba yisitha sakhe impilo yakhe yonke.
Saul was even more afraid of David; and Saul was David’s enemy continually.
30 Abalawuli bamaFilistiya baqhubeka besiyakulwa izimpi, njalo izikhathi zonke bephuma, uDavida waba lokuphumelela okwedlula ezinye izikhulu zikaSawuli, lebizo lakhe laba lodumo.
Then the princes of the Philistines went out; and as often as they went out, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
