1 USamuyeli 22
1 UDavida wasuka eGathi wabalekela ebhalwini lwase-Adulami. Kwathi abafowabo labendlu kayise sebekuzwile, baya kuye khonale.
David therefore went from thence and fled to the cave of Odollam. And when his brethren, and all his father’s house had heard of it, they went down to him thither;
2 Bonke labo ababelosizi loba ababelemilandu kumbe ababelensolo babuthana kuye, wasesiba ngumkhokheli wabo. Abantu ababelaye babengaba zinkulungwane ezine.
And all that were in distress and oppressed with debt, and under affliction of mind gathered themselves unto him: and he became their prince, and there were with him about four hundred men.
3 Esuka lapho uDavida waya eMizipha kwelaseMowabi wathi enkosini ye-Mowabi, “Ungabavumela yini ubaba lomama ukuba bazehlala lawe ngize ngazi uNkulunkulu azangenzela khona na?”
And David departed from thence into Maspha of Moab: and he said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother tarry with you, I beseech thee, till I know what God will do for me.
4 Ngakho wabatshiya enkosini yaseMowabi njalo bahlala layo sonke isikhathi uDavida esenqabeni.
And he left them under the eyes of the king of Moab, and they abode with him all the days that David was in the hold.
5 Kodwa umphrofethi uGadi wathi kuDavida, “Ungahlali enqabeni. Yana elizweni lakoJuda.” Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya ehlathini laseHerethi.
And Gad the prophet said to David: Abide not in the hold, depart, and go into the land of Juda. And David departed, and came into the forest of Haret.
6 Ngalesosikhathi uSawuli wezwa ukuthi uDavida labantu bakhe babebonakele. Njalo uSawuli, ephethe umkhonto ngesandla, wayehlezi ngaphansi kwesihlahla somthamarisiki phezu koqaqa eGibhiya, lazozonke izikhulu zakhe zimi zimhanqile.
And Saul heard that David was seen, and the men that were with him. Now whilst Saul abode in Gabaa, and was in the wood, which is by Rama, having his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him,
7 USawuli wathi kuzo, “Lalelani bantu bakoBhenjamini! Kambe indodana kaJese izalipha lonke amasimu lezivini na? Kambe lonke izalenza libe ngabalawuli bezinkulungwane labalawuli bamakhulu na?
He said to his servants that stood about him: Hear me now, ye sons of Jemini: will the son of Isai give everyone of you fields, and vineyards, and make you all tribunes, and centurions:
8 Kungenxa yalokho lonke selicebe okubi ngami na? Kakho ongitshelayo nxa indodana yami isenza isivumelwano lendodana kaJese. Kakho owenu okhathazekayo ngami loba angitshele ukuthi indodana yami itshotshozela izinceku zami ukuba zingicathamele, njengalokhu ekwenzayo lamhla.”
That all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one to inform me, especially when even my son hath entered into league with the soil of Isai? There is not one of you that pitieth my case, nor that giveth me any information: because my son hath raised up my servant against me, plotting against me to this day.
9 Kodwa uDoyegi, umʼEdomi, owayemi lezikhulu zikaSawuli wathi, “Mina ngibone indodana kaJese isiya ku-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi eNobhi.
And Doeg the Edomite who stood by, and was the chief among the servants of Saul, answering, said: I saw the son of Isai, in Nobe with Achimelech the son of Achitob the priest.
10 U-Ahimeleki umbuzele kuThixo; waphinda wamnika ukudla lenkemba kaGoliyathi umFilistiya.”
And he consulted the Lord for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
11 Lapho-ke inkosi yathumela ilizwi lokubiza umphristi u-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi labo bonke abendlu kayise, ababengabaphristi eNobhi, yikho bonke baya enkosini.
Then the king sent to call for Achimelech the priest the son of Achitob, and all his father’s house, the priests that were in Nobe, and they came all of them to the king.
12 USawuli wasesithi, “Khathesi-ke lalela, ndodana ka-Ahithubi.” Waphendula wathi, “Yebo, nkosi yami.”
And Saul said to Achimelech: Hear, thou son of Achitob. He answered: Here I am, my lord.
13 USawuli wasesithi kuye, “Kungani licebe okubi ngami, wena lendodana kaJese, wayinika isinkwa lenkemba njalo wayibuzela kuNkulunkulu, okwenze yangihlamukela njalo yangicathamela, njengalokhu ekwenzayo lamhla na?”
And Saul said to him: Why have you conspired against me, thou, and the son of Isai, and thou hast given him bread and a sword, and hast consulted the Lord for him, that he should rise up against me, continuing a traitor to this day.
14 U-Ahimeleki waphendula wathi, “Ngubani kuzozonke izinceku zakho othembeke njengoDavida, umkhwenyana wenkosi, induna yabakulindayo njalo lohlonitshwa kakhulu endlini yakho na?
And Achimelech answering the king, said: And who amongst all thy servants is so faithful as David, who is the king’s son in law, and goeth forth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thy house?
15 Ngalelolanga ngangiqala ukumbuzela kuNkulunkulu na? Hatshi impela! Inkosi kayingethesi inceku yakho icala loba omunye wabendlu kayise, ngoba inceku yakho kayazi lutho lakancane ngodaba lonke lolu.”
Did I begin today to consult the Lord for him? far be this from me: let not the king suspect such a thing against his servant, or any one in all my father’s house: for thy servant knew nothing of this matter, either little or great.
16 Kodwa inkosi yathi, “Ngeqiniso uzakufa, Ahimeleki, wena labo bonke abendlu kayihlo.”
And the king said: Dying thou shalt die, Achimelech, thou and all thy father’s house.
17 Inkosi yasilaya abalindi ababephansi kwayo yathi, “Phendukani libulale abaphristi bakaThixo ngoba labo basekele uDavida. Babekwazi ukuthi uyabaleka, kodwa kabangitshelanga.” Kodwa izikhulu zenkosi zazingafuni ukuphakamisa izandla ukuba zigalele abaphristi bakaThixo.
And the king said to the messengers that stood about him: Turn, and kill the priests of the Lord, for their hand is with David, because they knew that he was fled, and they told it not to me. And the king’s servants would not put forth their hands against the priests of the Lord.
18 Ngakho inkosi yalaya uDoyegi yathi, “Phenduka ugalele abaphristi!” UDoyegi umʼEdomi waphenduka wabagongoda. Mhlalokho wabulala abantu abangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili lanhlanu ababegqoka izembatho zemahlombe ezelineni.
And the king said to Doeg: Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and fell upon the priests and slew in that day eighty-five men that wore the linen ephod.
19 Wabuye wahlasela iNobhi ngenkemba, umuzi wabaphristi, lamadoda ayo kanye labesifazane, abantwana bayo lensane, lenkomo zayo, obabhemi kanye lezimvu.
And Nobe the city of the priests he smote with the edge of his sword, both men and women, children, and sucklings, and ox and ass, and sheep with the edge of the sword.
20 Kodwa u-Abhiyathari, indodana ka-Ahimeleki indodana ka-Ahithubi, waphunyuka wabaleka wayamanyana loDavida.
But one of the sons of Achimelech the son of Achitob, whose name was Abiathar, escaped, and fled to David,
21 Watshela uDavida ukuthi uSawuli wayebulele abaphristi bakaThixo.
And told him that Saul had slain the priests of the Lord.
22 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhiyathari, “Ngaloluyana usuku, lapho uDoyegi umʼEdomi wayekhona, ngakwazi ukuthi uzamtshela ngempela uSawuli. Ngilecala lokufa kwabendlu kayihlo bonke.
And David said to Abiathar: I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there, that without doubt he would tell Saul: I have been the occasion of the death of all the souls of thy father’s house.
23 Hlala lami; ungesabi; umuntu ofuna ukukubulala lami futhi ufuna ukungibulala. Uvikelekile nxa ulami.”
Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life, seeketh thy life also, and with me thou shalt be saved.
