1 USamuyeli 25
1 Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wafa, kwathi u-Israyeli wonke wabuthana wamlilela; njalo bamngcwaba emzini wakhe eRama. Lapho-ke uDavida wehlela eNkangala yasePharani.
Then Samuel died, and all of Israel gathered together, and they mourned him. And they buried him at his house in Ramah. And David, rising up, descended to the desert of Paran.
2 Umuntu othile waseMawoni, owayelempahla khonale eKhameli, wayenothe kakhulu. Wayelenkulungwane yembuzi lezinkulungwane ezintathu zezimvu ayezigunda eKhameli.
Now there was a certain man in the wilderness of Maon, and his possessions were at Carmel. And this man was exceedingly great. And three thousand sheep, and one thousand goats were his. And it happened that he was shearing his sheep at Carmel.
3 Ibizo lakhe lalinguNabhali lebizo lomkakhe lingu-Abhigeli. Wayengumfazi okhaliphileyo njalo emuhle, kodwa umkakhe, umʼKhalebi, wayelenhliziyo embi kwabanye abantu.
Now the name of this man was Nabal. And the name of his wife was Abigail. And she was a very prudent and beautiful woman. But her husband was hard-hearted, and very wicked, and malicious. And he was of the stock of Caleb.
4 UDavida esenkangala wezwa ukuthi uNabhali wayegunda izimvu.
Therefore, when David, in the desert, had heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep,
5 Ngakho wathuma amajaha alitshumi wathi kuwo, “Hambani kuNabhali eKhameli limbingelele ngebizo lami.
he sent ten young men, and he said to them: “Ascend to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name peacefully.
6 Lithi kuye, ‘Impilo ende kuwe! Impilo enhle kanye labendlu yakho! Impilo enhle kukho konke okungokwakho!
And you shall say: ‘Peace be to my brothers and to you, and peace to your house, and peace to whatever you have.
7 Khathesi ngizwa kuthiwa yisikhathi sokugunda izimvu. Lapho abelusi bakho babelathi, kasibaphathanga kubi, njalo isikhathi sonke beseKhameli akukho lutho olwacatshayo.
I have heard that your shepherds, who were with us in the desert, were shearing. We have never troubled them, nor was anything from the flock missing to them at any time, during the entire time that they have been with us in Carmel.
8 Buza izinceku zakho zizakutshela. Ngakho ake ube lomusa ezinsizweni zami, njengoba size ngesikhathi somkhosi. Ake unike izinceku zakho lendodana yakho uDavida loba kuyini ongabatholela khona.’”
Question your servants, and they will tell you. Now therefore, may your servants find favor in your eyes. For we have arrived on a good day. Whatever your hand will find, give it to your servants and to your son David.’”
9 Kwathi abantu bakaDavida sebefikile, bamnika uNabhali umbiko lo ngebizo likaDavida. Emva kwalokho balinda.
And when the servants of David had arrived, they spoke to Nabal all these words in the name of David. And then they were silent.
10 UNabhali waphendula izinceku zikaDavida wathi, “Ungubani uDavida lowo? Ingubani indodana kaJese leyo na? Ngalezizinsuku izinceku ezinengi ziyawabalekela amakhosi azo.
But Nabal, responding to the servants of David, said: “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Today, servants who are fleeing from their lords are increasing.
11 Kungani kumele ngithathe isinkwa sami lamanzi, lenyama engiyihlabele abagundi bami, nginike abantu abavela lapho engingazi khona na?”
Therefore, shall I take my bread, and my water, and the meat of the cattle that I have slain for my shearers, and give it to men, when I do not know where they are from?”
12 Abantu bakaDavida baphenduka babuyela emuva. Sebefikile babika amazwi wonke.
And so the servants of David traveled back along their way. And returning, they went and reported to him all the words that he had said.
13 UDavida wasesithi ebantwini bakhe, “Hlomani ngezinkemba zenu!” Ngakho bahloma ngezinkemba zabo, loDavida wahloma ngeyakhe. Abantu ababengaba ngamakhulu amane bahamba loDavida, kwathi abangamakhulu amabili basala lempahla.
Then David said to his servants, “Let each one gird his sword.” And each one girded his sword. And David also girded his sword. And about four hundred men followed David. But two hundred remained behind with the supplies.
14 Omunye wezinceku watshela umkaNabhali u-Abhigeli wathi, “UDavida wathuma izithunywa esenkangala ukuzabingelela inkosi yethu, kodwa yona yazithethisa.
Then it was reported to Abigail, the wife of Nabal, by one of his servants, saying: “Behold, David has sent messengers from the desert, so that they might speak kindly to our lord. But he turned them away.
15 Ikanti abantu laba thina basiphatha kuhle. Kabazange basiphathe kubi, njalo isikhathi sonke sisegangeni phansi kwabo akulalutho olwacatshayo.
These men were good enough to us, and were not troublesome. Neither did we ever lose anything, during the entire time that we conversed with them in the desert.
16 Emini lebusuku babengumduli osihonqolozelayo isikhathi sonke siselusela izimvu zethu phansi kwabo.
They were a wall to us, as much in the night as in the day, during all the days that we were with them, pasturing the sheep.
17 Kucabange ubone ongakwenza ngoba ingozi iyalenga ngaphezu kwenkosi yethu labendlu yayo bonke. Ingumuntu omubi kangaka okungelamuntu ongakhuluma layo.”
For this reason, consider and realize what you should do. For evil has been decided against your husband and against your house. And he is a son of Belial, so that no one is able to speak to him.”
18 U-Abhigeli kasachithanga sikhathi. Wathatha izinkwa ezingamakhulu amabili, izikhumba ezimbili zewayini, izimvu ezinhlanu ezihlinziweyo, amagokoko amahlanu amabele akhanzingiweyo, amakhekhe alikhulu amagrebisi awonyisiweyo, lamakhulu amabili amakhekhe omkhiwa okhanyiweyo, wakuthwalisa obabhemi.
And so Abigail hurried, and she took two hundred loaves, and two vessels of wine, and five cooked sheep, and five measures of cooked grain, and one hundred clusters of dried grapes, and two hundred masses of dried figs, and she set them upon donkeys.
19 Wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe, “Hambani phambili; ngizalilandela.” Kodwa umkakhe uNabhali kamtshelanga.
And she said to her servants: “Go before me. Behold, I will follow after your back.” But she did not reveal it to her husband, Nabal.
20 Wathi esiza egade ubabhemi wakhe phakathi kodonga lwentaba, wabona uDavida labantu bakhe besehla beqonde kuye, wasebahlangabeza.
And when she had climbed on a donkey, and was descending to the base of the mountain, David and his men were descending to meet her. And she met them.
21 UDavida wayesanda kuthi, “Kakusizanga lutho konke ukugcina kwami impahla yomuntu lo enkangala ukuze kungabi lalutho lwakhe olulahlekayo. Ungibhadale okuhle ngokubi.
And David said: “Truly, in vain have I preserved all that was his in the wilderness, so that nothing perished out of all that belonged to him. And he has repaid evil to me for good.
22 Sengathi uNkulunkulu angaphatha uDavida kabuhlungu nxa ekuseni ngitshiya indoda eyodwa iphila kubo bonke abangabakhe!”
May God do these things, by the enemies of David, and may he add these other things, if I leave behind until morning, out of all that belongs to him, anything that urinates against a wall.”
23 U-Abhigeli esebone uDavida, wehla ngokuphangisa kubabhemi wakhe wakhothamela phansi phambi kukaDavida ubuso bakhe buthe mbo emhlabathini.
Then, when Abigail had seen David, she hurried and descended from the donkey. And she fell upon her face before David, and she reverenced on the ground.
24 Wawela ezinyaweni zakhe wathi, “Nkosi yami, insolo kayibe phezu kwami ngedwa. Ake uyivumele incekukazi yakho ikhulume lawe; zwana lokho incekukazi yakho efuna ukukutsho.
And she fell at his feet, and she said: “May this iniquity be upon me, my lord. I beg you, let your handmaid speak to your ears, and listen to the words of your servant.
25 Sengathi inkosi yami ingayekela ukumnaka umuntu omubi lowana uNabhali. Ufuze ibizo lakhe, ibizo lakhe lithi Sithutha, njalo ubuwula buhamba laye. Kodwa-ke mina, incekukazi yakho, angizibonanga insizwa inkosi yami ezithumileyo.
Let not my lord, the king, I beseech you, set his heart upon this iniquitous man, Nabal. For in accord with his name, he is senseless, and foolishness is with him. But I, your handmaid, did not see your servants, my lord, whom you had sent.
26 Khathesi njengoba uThixo ekugcinile, nkosi yami, ekuchithekeni kwegazi lasekuphindiseleni ngezandla zakho, ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ekhona lanjengoba lawe uphila, sengathi izitha zakho labo bonke abafuna ukwenza okubi kuwe nkosi yami bangaba njengoNabhali.
Now therefore, my lord, as your soul lives, and as the Lord lives, who has kept your hand to yourself, and has prevented you from coming to blood: now, let your enemies be like Nabal, and like all those who are seeking evil for my lord.
27 Njalo isipho lesi, incekukazi yakho esilethe enkosini yami, kasiphiwe insizwa ezikulandelayo.
Because of this, accept this blessing, which your handmaid has brought to you, my lord. And give it to the young men who follow you, my lord.
28 Ake uthethelele ukona kwencekukazi yakho, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu impela uzakwenzela inkosi yami inzalo yamakhosi engapheliyo, ngoba ilwela izimpi zikaThixo. Akungabi lokona okutholwa kuwe kukho konke ukuphila kwakho.
Forgive the iniquity of your handmaid. For the Lord will surely make for you, my lord, a faithful house, because you, my lord, fight the battles of the Lord. Therefore, let no evil be found in you all the days of your life.
29 Lanxa omunye exotshana lawe ukuba akubulale, ukuphila kwenkosi yami, uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho uzakubophela kuqine elixheni labaphilayo. Kodwa ukuphila kwezitha zakho uzakuphosela khatshana kungathi kuphuma esikhwameni sesavutha.
For if a man, at any time, will rise up, pursuing you and seeking your life, the life of my lord will be preserved, as if in the sheave of the living, with the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies will be spun around, as if with the force of a whirling sling.
30 Lapho uThixo eseyenzele inkosi yami zonke izinto ezinhle azithembisayo mayelana layo, njalo eseyibekile ukuba ngumkhokheli wako-Israyeli,
Therefore, when the Lord will have done for you, my lord, all the good that he has spoken about you, and when he will have appointed you as leader over Israel,
31 inkosi yami kayiyikuba lesazela somthwalo ohloniphisayo sokuchithwa kwegazi esingaswelekiyo loba esokuphindisela. Njalo lapho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu eselethele inkosi yami ukuphumelela, uyikhumbule incekukazi yakho.”
this will not be for you a regret or a scruple of the heart, my lord, that you had shed innocent blood, or had taken revenge for yourself. And when the Lord will have done well for my lord, you shall remember your handmaid.”
32 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhigeli, “Kadunyiswe uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okuthumileyo lamhla ukuzabonana lami.
And David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me. And blessed is your eloquence.
33 Sengathi ungabusiswa ngenxa yokwahlulela kwakho okuhle lokuvimbela kwakho ekuchitheni igazi lamhla kanye lasekuphindiseleni kwami ngezandla zami.
And blessed are you, who prevented me today from going to blood, and from taking revenge for myself with my own hand.
34 Ngoba, ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ekhona, yena ongivimbele ekwenzeni okubi kuwe, aluba kawufikanga masinyane ukuzabonana lami, akukho lamunye owesilisa ongokaNabhali obezasala ephila ekudabukeni kokusa.”
But instead, as the Lord God of Israel lives, he has prevented me from doing evil to you. But if you had not come quickly to meet me, there would not have been left to Nabal by the morning light, anything that urinates against a wall.”
35 Emva kwalokho uDavida wamukela esandleni sika-Abhigeli lokho ayemlethele khona wasesithi, “Buyela ekhaya ngokuthula. Ngiwazwile amazwi akho ngasivuma isicelo sakho.”
Then David received from her hand all that she had brought to him. And he said to her: “Go in peace to your own house. Behold, I have heeded your voice, and I have honored your face.”
36 U-Abhigeli esebuyele kuNabhali, wayesendlini eledili elinjengelenkosi. Wayejabula njalo edakwe kakhulu. Ngakho u-Abhigeli kamtshelanga lutho kwaze kwasa.
Then Abigail went to Nabal. And behold, he was holding a feast for himself in his house, like the feast of a king. And the heart of Nabal was cheerful. For he was greatly inebriated. And she did not reveal a word to him, small or great, until morning.
37 Kwathi ekuseni, uNabhali engasadakwanga, umkakhe wamtshela zonke lezizinto, watshaywa luvalo woma qha.
Then, at first light, when Nabal had digested his wine, his wife revealed to him these words, and his heart died within himself, and he became like a stone.
38 Emva kwensuku ezazingaba litshumi, uThixo wamtshaya uNabhali wafa.
And after ten days had passed, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.
39 Kwathi uDavida esizwa ukuthi uNabhali wayefile, wathi, “Kabongwe uThixo, yena osekele injongo yami yokumelana loNabhali ngenxa yokungeyisa. Uvimbele inceku yakhe ekwenzeni okubi njalo wehlisela uNabhali izenzo zakhe ezimbi phezu kwelakhe ikhanda.” Emva kwalokho uDavida wathumela ilizwi ku-Abhigeli emcela ukuba abe ngumkakhe.
And when David had heard that Nabal was dead, he said: “Blessed is the Lord, who has judged the case of my reproach at the hand of Nabal, and who has preserved his servant from evil. And the Lord has repaid the malice of Nabal upon his own head.” Then David sent and he spoke with Abigail, so that he might take her to himself as wife.
40 Izinceku zakhe zaya eKhameli zathi ku-Abhigeli, “UDavida usithume kuwe ukuba sizekuthatha ukuze ube ngumkakhe.”
And David’s servants went to Abigail at Carmel, and they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you, so that he might take you to himself as wife.”
41 U-Abhigeli wathi mbo phansi ngobuso, wathi, “Nansi incekukazi yakho, ilungele ukukusebenzela lokugezisa inyawo zezinceku zenkosi yami.”
And rising up, she reverenced prone on the ground, and she said, “Behold, let your servant be a handmaid, to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
42 U-Abhigeli waphanga wagada ubabhemi, ephelekezelwa yizisebenzikazi zakhe ezinhlanu, wahamba lezithunywa zikaDavida wasesiba ngumkakhe.
And Abigail rose up and hurried, and she climbed upon a donkey, and five girls went with her, her attendants. And she followed the messengers of David, and she became his wife.
43 UDavida wayethethe njalo u-Ahinowama waseJezerili, bobabili-ke baba ngomkakhe.
Moreover, David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. And both of them were his wives.
44 Kodwa uSawuli, indodakazi yakhe uMikhali, umkaDavida, wayeseyinike uPhalithiyeli indodana kaLayishi, owayengowaseGalimi.
Then Saul gave his daughter Michal, the wife of David, to Palti, the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
