1 USamuyeli 19
1 USawuli watshela indodana yakhe uJonathani kanye lezinceku zonke ukuba babulale uDavida. Kodwa uJonathani wayemthanda uDavida
Now Saul spoke to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, so that they would kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David very much.
2 ngakho wamxwayisa wathi, “Ubaba uSawuli udinga ithuba lokukubulala. Qaphela kusasa ekuseni; hamba uyecatsha uhlale khona.
And Jonathan revealed it to David, saying: “Saul, my father, is seeking to kill you. Because of this, I ask you, take care for yourself in the morning. And you should conceal yourself and remain in hiding.
3 Mina ngizaphuma ngiyekuma lobaba egangeni lapho okhona. Ngizakhuluma laye ngawe njalo ngizakutshela lokho engizakuthola.”
Then I, going out, will be standing beside my father in the field, where you will be. And I will speak about you to my father. And whatever I see, I will report to you.”
4 UJonathani wakhuluma kuhle ngoDavida kuSawuli uyise wathi kuye, “Inkosi kayingenzi okubi encekwini yayo uDavida, konanga lutho kuwe, njalo akwenzileyo kukusize kakhulu.
Then Jonathan spoke good things about David to his father Saul. And he said to him: “You should not sin, O king, against your servant David. For he has not sinned against you, and his works toward you are very good.
5 Wadela impilo yakhe ekubulaleni kwakhe umFilistiya. Uthixo wazuzela u-Israyeli ukunqoba okukhulu, lawe wakubona njalo wathaba. Pho kungani ungenza okubi emuntwini omsulwa njengoDavida ngokumbulala kungelasizatho na?”
And he took his life in his own hand, and struck down the Philistine. And the Lord wrought a great salvation for all of Israel. You saw it, and you rejoiced. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by killing David, who is without guilt?”
6 USawuli wamlalela uJonathani wasefunga isifungo lesi esithi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, uDavida kayikubulawa.”
And when Saul had heard this, being pleased by the voice of Jonathan, he swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”
7 Ngakho uJonathani wabiza uDavida wamtshela inkulumo yonke. Wamusa kuSawuli, uDavida wahlala loSawuli njengakuqala.
And so Jonathan called David, and he revealed to him all of these words. And Jonathan led in David to Saul, and he was before him, just as he had been yesterday and the day before.
8 Kwabuya kwaba lempi futhi, uDavida waphuma ukuyakulwa lamaFilistiya. Wawatshaya ngamandla amakhulu aze abaleka.
Then the war was stirred up again. And David went out and fought against the Philistines. And he struck them down with a great slaughter. And they fled from his face.
9 Kodwa umoya omubi owavela kuThixo wafika kuSawuli ehlezi endlini yakhe ephethe umkhonto wakhe ngesandla. Kwathi uDavida etshaya ichacho,
And the evil spirit from the Lord came to Saul, who was sitting in his house and holding a lance. And David was playing music with his hand.
10 uSawuli wazama ukumnamathisela emdulini ngomkhonto wakhe, kodwa uDavida wavika uSawuli wagwaza umduli ngomkhonto. Ngalobobusuku uDavida waphunyuka wabaleka.
And Saul attempted to fix David to the wall with the lance. But David turned aside from the face of Saul. And the lance failed to wound him, and it became fixed in the wall. And David fled, and so he was saved that night.
11 USawuli wathuma izithunywa endlini kaDavida ukuba bayilinde njalo bambulale ekuseni. Kodwa uMikhali, umkaDavida, wamxwayisa wathi, “Nxa ungabaleki ngalobubusuku ukuba uvikele impilo yakho kusasa uzabulawa.”
Therefore, Saul sent his guards to David’s house, so that they might watch for him, and so that he might be killed in the morning. And after Michal, his wife, had reported this to David, saying, “Unless you save yourself this night, tomorrow you will die,”
12 Ngakho uMikhali wehlisela uDavida phansi emkhuphe ngefasitela, wabaleka-ke waphepha.
she lowered him down through a window. Then he fled and went away, and he was saved.
13 Emva kwalokho uMikhali wathatha isithombe wasilalisa embhedeni, wasembesa ngengubo ebeke uboya bembuzi ekhanda.
Then Michal took a statue, and placed it on the bed. And she placed the pelt of a goat for the hair at its head. And she covered it with clothes.
14 USawuli esethume abantu ukuba bayethumba uDavida, uMikhali wathi, “Uyagula.”
And Saul sent attendants to seize David. And it was answered that he was sick.
15 USawuli wababuyisela abantu labo ukuba bayebona uDavida esithi kubo, “Mletheni kimi ngombheda wakhe ukuze ngimbulale.”
And again, Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him to me on the bed, so that he may be killed.”
16 Kodwa kwathi amadoda lawo engena, embhedeni kwakulesithombe, ekhanda kuloboya bembuzi.
And when the messengers had arrived, they found a likeness on the bed, with a goat pelt at its head.
17 USawuli wathi kuMikhali, “Kungani ungikhohlise kanje wabalekisa isitha sami ukuze siphephe?” UMikhali wathi kuye, “Uthe kimi, ‘Yekela ngibaleke. Ngingakubulalelani na?’”
And Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me in this way, and released my enemy, so that he may flee?” And Michal responded to Saul, “Because he said to me, ‘Release me, otherwise I will kill you.’”
18 UDavida esebaleke waphepha, waya kuSamuyeli eRama wamtshela konke okwakwenziwe nguSawuli kuye. Ngakho yena loSamuyeli baya eNayothi bahlala khona.
Now David was saved by fleeing, and he went to Samuel in Ramah. And he reported to him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went away and stayed at Naioth.
19 Ilizwi lafika kuSawuli lisithi: “UDavida useNayothi eRama.”
Then it was reported to Saul by some, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth, in Ramah.”
20 Ngakho wathuma abantu ukuba bayemthumba. Kodwa bathi bebona ixuku labaphrofethi liphrofitha, loSamuyeli emi khonapho njengomkhokheli wabo, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela ebantwini bakaSawuli labo baphrofetha.
Therefore, Saul sent officers to seize David. And when they had seen a company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel presiding over them, the Spirit of the Lord also came to them, and they also began to prophesy.
21 USawuli wakutshelwa lokho wasethuma abanye abantu, labo baphrofetha. USawuli wathuma abantu okwesithathu, labo futhi baphrofetha.
And when this was reported to Saul, he sent other messengers. But they also prophesied. And again, Saul sent messengers a third time. And they also prophesied. And Saul, being exceedingly angry,
22 Ekucineni, yena ngokwakhe wasuka waya eRama, wasesiya emgodini omkhulu eSekhu. Wabuza wathi, “USamuyeli loDavida bangaphi?” Bathi, “Le eNayothi eRama.”
also went to Ramah himself. And he went as far as the great cistern, which is in Socoh. And he inquired and said, “In which place are Samuel and David?” And it was told to him, “Behold, they are at Naioth, in Ramah.”
23 Ngakho uSawuli waya eNayothi eRama. Kodwa uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela lakuye, wahamba ephrofitha waze wayafika eNayothi.
And he went to Naioth, in Ramah, and the Spirit of the Lord came to him also. And he continued on, walking and prophesying, until he arrived at Naioth, in Ramah.
24 Wakhulula izigqoko zakhe laye waphrofitha uSamuyeli ekhona. Walala enjalo ilanga lonke lobusuku bonke. Yikho-nje abantu besithi, “Kanti uSawuli laye uphakathi kwabaphrofethi na?”
And he also took off his garments, and he prophesied with the others before Samuel. And he fell down naked, throughout that day and night. From this, too, is derived the proverb, “Could Saul also be among the prophets?”
