1 USamuyeli 24
1 Kwathi uSawuli esebuyile ekuxotsheni amaFilistiya watshelwa ukuthi, “UDavida useNkangala yase-Eni-Gedi.”
And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
2 Ngakho uSawuli wathatha abantu abazinkulungwane ezintantu abakhethwa ko-Israyeli waphuma ukuyadinga uDavida labantu bakhe eduze kwamadwala amaGogo.
Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
3 Wafika ezibayeni zezimvu endleleni; kwakulobhalu khonapho, yikho uSawuli wasengena phakathi ukuba aye ngaphandle. UDavida labantu bakhe babekhatshana emuva phakathi kobhalu.
And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
4 Abantu bathi, “Leli yilo ilanga uThixo akhuluma ngalo lapho wathi kuwe, ‘Ngizanikela izitha zakho ezandleni zakho ukuba uziphathe njengokufisa kwakho.’” UDavida wanyenya egaqa waquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.
And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 Muva uDavida wakhathazeka ngokuquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.
After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
6 Wathi ebantwini bakhe, “Uthixo kakwenqabele ukwenza into enje enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.”
And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
7 Ngala amazwi uDavida wabakhuza abantu bakhe akaze wabavumela ukuthi bahlasele uSawuli. USawuli waphuma ebhalwini wazihambela.
And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.
8 Lapho-ke uDavida waphuma ebhalwini wamemeza uSawuli esithi, “nkosi, nkosi yami!” Kwathi lapho uSawuli ekhangela emuva kwakhe, uDavida wakhothama waselala phansi ethe mbo phansi ngobuso.
And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,
9 Wathi kuSawuli, “Kungani ulalela nxa abantu besithi, ‘UDavida ujonge ukwenza okubi kuwe’?
And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Lamhla uzibonele ngamehlo akho ukuthi uThixo ukunikele ezandleni zami ebhalwini. Abanye bangikhuthaze ukuthi ngikubulale, kodwa ngikuphephisile, ngithe, ‘Angiyikuphakamisa isandla sami ngimelana lenkosi yami, ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaThixo.’
Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
11 Khangela, baba, khangela isiqa sesembatho sakho lesi esisesandleni sami! Ngisiqume emphethweni wesembatho sakho, kodwa kangikubulalanga. Ngakho zwisisa ubone ukuthi kangilacala lokwenza okubi loba ukuhlamuka. Kangonanga lutho kuwe, kodwa wena uyangizingela ufuna ukungibulala.
Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.
12 Sengathi uThixo angahlulela phakathi kwami lawe. Njalo sengathi uThixo angaphindisela ububi obenze kimi, kodwa esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.
The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
13 Njengoba isitsho sendulo sisitsho ukuthi, ‘Kwabenza okubi kuvela izenzo ezimbi,’ ngakho esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.
As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?
14 Inkosi yako-Israyeli iphume ukuyamelana lobani na? Ngubani oxotshana laye? Yinja efileyo na? Yindwebundwebu na?
After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
15 Sengathi uThixo angaba ngumahluleli wethu ahlulele phakathi kwethu. Sengathi angahlola injongo yami ayisekele; sengathi angangikhulula ngokungisindisa esandleni sakho.”
Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
16 Kwathi uDavida eseqedile ukutsho lokhu, uSawuli wabuza wathi, “Lelo yilizwi lakho, Davida ndodana yami na?” Wasekhala kakhulu.
And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 Wasesithi, “Wena ulungile kakhulu kulami. Ungiphathe kuhle, kodwa mina ngikuphathe kubi.
And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.
18 Usungitshelile khathesi nje okuhle okwenze kimi; uThixo unginikele ezandleni zakho, kodwa kawungibulalanga.
And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.
19 Kanje nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uyasiyekela sihambe singenziwanga lutho olubi na? Sengathi uThixo angakunika umvuzo omuhle ngenxa yendlela ongiphathe ngayo lamhla.
For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.
20 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi impela kanye lokuthi umbuso wako-Israyeli uzamiswa ezandleni zakho.
And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
21 Khathesi-ke funga kimi ngo Thixo ukuthi kawuyikubulala inzalo yami loba wesule ibizo lami kwabendlu kababa.”
Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
22 UDavida wafunga kuSawuli. Emva kwalokho uSawuli wabuyela ekhaya, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe baya enqabeni.
And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
