1 USamuyeli 20
1 UDavida wabaleka eNayothi eRama waya kuJonathani wabuza wathi, “Kanti ngenzeni na? Icala lami ngelani na? Uyihlo ngimone kanjani, okwenza afune ukungibulala?”
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
2 UJonathani waphendula wathi, “Hatshi bo! Kawuyikufa! Khangela, ubaba kenzi lutho, olukhulu loba oluncane, engangitshelanga. Kungani engangifihlela lokhu na? Akunjalo!”
And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.
3 Kodwa uDavida wenza isifungo wathi, “Uyihlo ukwazi kakuhle ukuthi mina sengithole umusa kuwe njalo usezitshele wathi, ‘UJonathani akumelanga akwazi lokhu hlezi ezwe ubuhlungu.’ Ikanti ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona lanjengoba lawe ukhona, kulenyathelo elilodwa nje phakathi kwami lokufa.”
And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father knoweth well that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.
4 UJonathani wathi kuDavida, “Loba kuyini ofuna ukuthi ngikwenze, ngizakwenzela khona.”
Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee.
5 Ngakho uDavida wathi, “Khangela, kusasa kuledili lokuThwasa kweNyanga, njalo kumele ngidle lenkosi; kodwa yekela ngiyecatsha egangeni kuze kube kusihlwa phambi kwakusasa.
And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
6 Nxa uyihlo ezangiswela, mtshele uthi, ‘UDavida ucele imvumo kimi ngokutshiseka ukuba ake agijimele eBhethilehema, idolobho lakibo, ngoba umhlatshelo wesizwana sonke sakibo uyenziwa khona.’
If thy father miss me at all, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7 Angathi, ‘Kulungile,’ inceku yakho kayiyikuba sengozini. Kodwa angavuka ulaka woba leqiniso ukuthi uzimisele ukwenza okubi kimi.
If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.
8 Kodwa wena, bonakalisa isisa encekwini yakho ngoba uyenzise isivumelwano lawe phambi kukaThixo. Nxa ngilecala, ngibulala wena ngokwakho! Kungani ungiqhubela kuyihlo na?”
Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee: but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?
9 UJonathani wathi, “Hatshi bo! Kambe aluba bengilolwazi oluncane ukuthi ubaba uzimisele ukwenza okubi kuwe, kade ngingasoze ngikutshele na?”
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee: for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
10 UDavida wabuza wathi, “Ngubani ozangitshela nxa uyihlo ekuphendula kubi na?”
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?
11 UJonathani wathi, “Woza, kasiye egangeni.” Ngakho baya khonale bobabili.
And Jonathan said unto David, Come and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.
12 UJonathani wasesithi kuDavida, “Ngifunga ngoThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ngempela ubaba ngizakuba sengimzwile ngalesisikhathi ngomhlomunye! Nxa elomusa kuwe, kambe kangiyikuthumela ilizwi ngikwazise na?
And Jonathan said unto David, The LORD, the God of Israel, [be witness]; when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, [or] the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?
13 Kodwa nxa ubaba ehlose ukwenza okubi kuwe, uThixo kangijezise, kube nzima kakhulu, nxa ngingakwazisi njalo ngikususe kungekho ngozi. Sengathi uThixo angaba lawe njengoba kade elobaba.
The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
14 Kodwa ngibonise umusa ongapheliyo onjengokaThixo isikhathi sonke ngisaphila, ukuze ngingabulawa,
And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
15 njalo ungasusi umusa wakho kwabendlu yakwethu lanxa uThixo eseziqede du zonke izitha zikaDavida ebusweni bomhlaba.”
but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
16 Ngakho uJonathani wenza isivumelwano labendlu kaDavida, esithi, “Sengathi uThixo angazethesa amacala izitha zikaDavida.”
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying], And the LORD shall require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
17 UJonathani wabuya wamfungisa futhi uDavida isifungo sakhe ngenxa yothando lwakhe kuye, ngoba wayemthanda njengokuzithanda kwakhe.
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him: for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 UJonathani wasesithi kuDavida, “Kusasa kuledili lokuThwasa kweNyanga. Uzaswelakala ngoba isihlalo sakho sizabe singelamuntu.
Then Jonathan said unto him, Tomorrow is the new moon: and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
19 Phambi kwakusasa, sekuzakuhlwa, yana lapho owacatsha khona ekuqaliseni kwaloluhlupho, ulinde elitsheni e-Ezeli.
And when thou hast stayed three days, thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
20 Mina ngizatshokela imitshoko emithathu eceleni kwalo angathi ngitshokela kwengihlose kukho.
And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I shot at a mark.
21 Emva kwalokho ngizathuma umfana ngithi, ‘Hamba uyedinga imitshoko.’ Ngingathi kuye, ‘Khangela, imitshoko ingakuleli icele lakho, ilethe lapha,’ lapho-ke woza, ngoba ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, uphephile, akulangozi.
And, behold, I will send the lad, [saying], Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee: take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as the LORD liveth.
22 Kodwa ngingathi emfaneni, ‘Khangela, imitshoko ingale kwakho,’ lapho-ke kumele uhambe, ngoba uThixo uthe suka uhambe.
But if I say thus unto the boy, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee: go thy way; for the LORD hath sent thee away.
23 Njalo mayelana lalindaba esiyikhulumileyo mina lawe, khumbula ukuthi uThixo ungufakazi phakathi kwakho lami nini lanini.”
And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between thee and me for ever.
24 Ngakho uDavida wacatsha egangeni, njalo kwathi idili lokuThwasa kweNyanga selifikile, inkosi yahlala phansi yadla.
So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to eat meat.
25 Yayihlezi endaweni yayo yezikhathi zonke phansi komduli, maqondana loJonathani, u-Abhineri ehlezi eduze loSawuli, kodwa indawo kaDavida yayingelamuntu.
And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul’s side: but David’s place was empty.
26 USawuli katshongo lutho mhlalokho, ngoba wacabanga wathi, “Mhlawumbe kulento ethile eyehlele kuDavida yamenza waba ngongahlambulukanga ngokomkhuba, ngeqiniso kahlambulukanga.”
Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.
27 Kodwa ngelanga elilandelayo, ilanga lesibili lenyanga, indawo kaDavida yayingelamuntu futhi. Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi endodaneni yakhe uJonathani, “Kungani indodana kaJese ingezanga ekudleni, izolo kumbe lamuhla na?”
And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, [which was] the second [day], that David’s place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither yesterday, nor today?
28 UJonathani waphendula wathi, “UDavida ucele imvumo kimi ngokutshiseka ukuba aye eBhethilehema.
And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem:
29 Uthe, ‘Ngivumela ngihambe ngoba abendlu yakwethu balomkhosi womhlatshelo edolobheni njalo umnewethu ungilaye ukuba ngibe khona. Nxa ngithole umusa kuwe, ngivumela ngihambe ngiyebona abafowethu.’ Yikho-nje engezanga ukuzakudla lenkosi.”
and he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me [to be there]: and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king’s table.
30 Ulaka lukaSawuli lwavutha kuJonathani wathi kuye, “Wena ndodana yomfazi olihlongandlebe lolenkani! Uthi kangazi yini ukuthi wena ususekelane lendodana kaJese okulihlazo kuwe njalo okulihlazo lakunyoko owakuzalayo na?
Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of a perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother’s nakedness?
31 Nxa indodana kaJese isekhona kulo umhlaba, wena kawuyikuma kumbe umbuso wakho. Ngakho thumela ilizwi umlethe kimi, ngoba umele afe!”
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
32 UJonathani wabuza uyise wathi, “Kungani kumele abulawe? Wenzeni na?”
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?
33 Kodwa uSawuli waphosa umkhonto wakhe kuye ukuba ambulale. Ngakho uJonathani wakwazi ukuthi uyise wayehlose ukubulala uDavida.
And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to put David to death.
34 UJonathani wasuka etafuleni ethukuthele kakhulu; ngosuku lwesibili lwedili kazange adle, ngoba wayebuhlungu ngehlazo uyise ayephatha ngalo uDavida.
So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35 Ekuseni uJonathani waphuma waya egangeni ukuyahlangana loDavida. Wayelomfana omncinyane,
And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
36 njalo wathi emfaneni, “Gijima uyedobha imitshoko engiyitshokayo.” Umfana esagijima, watshokela umtshoko ngale kwakhe.
And he said unto his lad, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37 Kwathi umfana esefike lapho umtshoko kaJonathani owawuwele khona, uJonathani wamemeza wathi, “Umtshoko kawukho ngale kwakho na?”
And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee?
38 Wabuye wamemeza wathi, “Phangisa! Ukhawuleze! Ungemi!” Umfana wadobha umtshoko wabuyela enkosini yakhe.
And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan’s lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39 (Umfana wayengazi lutho ngakho konke lokhu; kusazi uJonathani loDavida kuphela.)
But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 Emva kwalokho uJonathani wanika umfana izikhali zakhe wathi, “Hamba, zithwale ubuyele lazo edolobheni.”
And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
41 Umfana esehambile uDavida wasukuma eceleni langaseningizimu kwelitshe, wakhothama kathathu phambi kukaJonathani, ubuso bakhe bukhangele phansi. Emva kwalokho bangana, bakhala bendawonye kodwa uDavida wakhala kakhulu.
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of [a place] toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
42 UJonathani wasesithi kuDavida, “Hamba ngokuthula, ngoba sifungelane ubungane omunye komunye ebizweni likaThixo sisithi, ‘Uthixo ungufakazi phakathi kwami lawe, laphakathi kwenzalo yakho leyami nini lanini.’” UDavida wasesuka, loJonathani wasebuyela edolobheni.
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.
