1 USamuyeli 21
1 UDavida waya eNobhi ku-Ahimeleki umphristi. U-Ahimeleki wathuthumela ekuhlanganeni kwakhe laye, wasebuza esithi, “Kungani uwedwa na? Kungani kungekho olawe na?”
And David cometh in to Nob, unto Ahimelech the priest, and Ahimelech trembleth at meeting David, and saith to him, 'Wherefore [art] thou thyself alone, and no man with thee?'
2 UDavida waphendula u-Ahimeleki umphristi wathi, “Inkosi ingiphathise udaba oluthize, wathi kimi, ‘Akungabikhona ozakwazi ngenjongo yakho langalokho okuthunyiweyo.’ Abantu bami ngibatshele ukuba bahlangane lami endaweni ethize.
And David saith to Ahimelech the priest, 'The king hath commanded me a matter, and he saith unto me, Let no man know anything of the matter about which I am sending thee, and which I have commanded thee; and the young men I have caused to know at such and such a place;
3 Manje-ke, kuyini olakho? Ngipha izinkwa ezinhlanu, loba kuyini ongakuthola.”
and now, what is there under thy hand? five loaves give into my hand, or that which is found.'
4 Kodwa umphristi waphendula uDavida wathi, “Kangilasinkwa esejwayelekileyo; kodwa-ke kulesinkwa esingcwelisiweyo lapha kodwa kuya ngokuthi amadoda abezigcinile esifazaneni na.”
And the priest answereth David, and saith, 'There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the youths have been kept only from women.'
5 UDavida waphendula wathi, “Impela abesifazane babevinjelwe kithi, njengenjwayelo lapho ngiphuma. Imizimba yamadoda ingcwele lasemikhankasweni engengcwele. Pho ingaba njalo okungakanani lamhla!”
And David answereth the priest, and saith to him, 'Surely, if women have been restrained from us as heretofore in my going out, then the vessels of the young men are holy, and it [is] a common way: and also, surely to-day it is sanctified in the vessel.'
6 Ngakho umphristi wamnika isinkwa esingcwelisiweyo ngoba kwakungelasinkwa lapho ngaphandle kwesinkwa esiNgcwele sikaThixo esasisuswe phambi kukaThixo kwasekubekwa esitshisayo endaweni yaso ngosuku esasuswa ngalo.
And the priest giveth to him the holy thing, for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence which is turned aside from the presence of Jehovah to put hot bread in the day of its being taken away.
7 Ngalolosuku omunye wezinceku zikaSawuli wayekhonapho, ekhonza phambi kukaThixo; wayenguDoyegi umʼEdomi, induna yabelusi bakaSawuli.
And there [is] a man of the servants of Saul on that day detained before Jehovah, and his name [is] Doeg the Edomite, chief of the shepherds whom Saul hath.
8 UDavida wabuza u-Ahimeleki wathi, “Kawulamkhonto kumbe inkemba lapha na? Kangizanga lenkemba yami loba nje esinye isikhali, ngoba umsebenzi wenkosi ubungophuthumayo.”
And David saith to Ahimelech, 'And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? for neither my sword nor my vessels have I taken in my hand, for the matter of the king was urgent.'
9 Umphristi waphendula wathi, “Inkemba kaGoliyathi umFilistiya owambulalayo eSigodini sase-Ela, ilapha; igoqelwe ngelembu ngemva kwesembatho semahlombe. Nxa uyifuna, ithathe; kakukho enye inkemba lapha ngaphandle kwaleyo.” UDavida wasesithi, “Kayikho enjengayo; ngipha yona.”
And the priest saith, 'The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst smite in the valley of Elah, lo, it is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod, if it thou dost take to thyself, take; for there is none other save it in this [place].' And David saith, 'There is none like it — give it to me.'
10 Ngalolosuku uDavida wabalekela uSawuli waya ku-Akhishi inkosi yaseGathi.
And David riseth and fleeth on that day from the face of Saul, and cometh in unto Achish king of Gath;
11 Kodwa izinceku zika-Akhishi zathi kuye, “Lo kasuDavida inkosi yelizwe na? Kasuye yini abahlabela ngaye emigidweni yabo besithi: ‘USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane zakhe’?”
and the servants of Achish say unto him, 'Is not this David king of the land? is it not of this one they sing in dances, saying, 'Saul smote among his thousands, and David among his myriads?'
12 UDavida wawagcina amazwi la enhliziyweni yakhe wamesaba kakhulu u-Akhishi inkosi yaseGathi.
And David layeth these words in his heart, and is exceedingly afraid of the face of Achish king of Gath,
13 Ngakho wazenza ophambeneyo kubo; njalo kwathi lapho ekubo wenza njengomuntu ohlanyayo, edwebadweba ezivalweni zesango njalo wayekela lendenda zehlela endevini zakhe.
and changeth his behaviour before their eyes, and feigneth himself mad in their hand, and scribbleth on the doors of the gate, and letteth down his spittle unto his beard.
14 U-Akhishi wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe, “Khangelani umuntu lo! Uphambene! Kungani limletha kimi na?
And Achish saith unto his servants, 'Lo, ye see a man acting as a madman; why do ye bring him in unto me?
15 Lithi ngiziswele yini inhlanya lize lilethe umuntu lo lapha ukuba aqhubeke kanje phambi kwami na? Umuntu lo kumele angene endlini yami na?”
A lack of madmen [have] I, that ye have brought in this one to act as a madman by me! doth this one come in unto my house?'
