1 USamuyeli 24
1 Kwathi uSawuli esebuyile ekuxotsheni amaFilistiya watshelwa ukuthi, “UDavida useNkangala yase-Eni-Gedi.”
AND it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.
2 Ngakho uSawuli wathatha abantu abazinkulungwane ezintantu abakhethwa ko-Israyeli waphuma ukuyadinga uDavida labantu bakhe eduze kwamadwala amaGogo.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the 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 by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides 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 men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily.
5 Muva uDavida wakhathazeka ngokuquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.
And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
6 Wathi ebantwini bakhe, “Uthixo kakwenqabele ukwenza into enje enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.”
And he said unto his men, The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.
7 Ngala amazwi uDavida wabakhuza abantu bakhe akaze wabavumela ukuthi bahlasele uSawuli. USawuli waphuma ebhalwini wazihambela.
So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and 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.
David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9 Wathi kuSawuli, “Kungani ulalela nxa abantu besithi, ‘UDavida ujonge ukwenza okubi kuwe’?
And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, 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 thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for 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, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.
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 avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
13 Njengoba isitsho sendulo sisitsho ukuthi, ‘Kwabenza okubi kuvela izenzo ezimbi,’ ngakho esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
14 Inkosi yako-Israyeli iphume ukuyamelana lobani na? Ngubani oxotshana laye? Yinja efileyo na? Yindwebundwebu na?
After whom is the king of Israel come out? 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.”
The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
16 Kwathi uDavida eseqedile ukutsho lokhu, uSawuli wabuza wathi, “Lelo yilizwi lakho, Davida ndodana yami na?” Wasekhala kakhulu.
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that 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 righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
18 Usungitshelile khathesi nje okuhle okwenze kimi; uThixo unginikele ezandleni zakho, kodwa kawungibulalanga.
And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.
19 Kanje nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uyasiyekela sihambe singenziwanga lutho olubi na? Sengathi uThixo angakunika umvuzo omuhle ngenxa yendlela ongiphathe ngayo lamhla.
For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.
20 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi impela kanye lokuthi umbuso wako-Israyeli uzamiswa ezandleni zakho.
And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
21 Khathesi-ke funga kimi ngo Thixo ukuthi kawuyikubulala inzalo yami loba wesule ibizo lami kwabendlu kababa.”
Swear now therefore unto me by the Lord, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house.
22 UDavida wafunga kuSawuli. Emva kwalokho uSawuli wabuyela ekhaya, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe baya enqabeni.
And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
