1 USamuyeli 26

1 AmaZifi aya kuSawuli eGibhiya athi kuye, “UDavida kacatshanga entabeni yaseHakhila, ekhangele eJeshimoni na?”

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?

2 Ngakho uSawuli waya eNkangala yaseZifi, elezinkulungwane ezintathu zabantu bakhe abakhethiweyo bako-Israyeli, ukuyadinga uDavida khona.

Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 USawuli wenza isihonqo phansi komgwaqo entabeni yaseHakhila ekhangele eJeshimoni, kodwa uDavida wahlala enkangala. Kwathi ebona ukuthi uSawuli wayesemlandele khonale,

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 wathuma inhloli wasekwazi ukuthi uSawuli wayefikile impela.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.

5 Ngakho uDavida wasuka waya lapho uSawuli ayemise khona wabona lapho okwakulele khona uSawuli lo-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, umlawuli webutho. USawuli wayelele phakathi kwesihonqo, ibutho lisezihonqweni limhanqile.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched: and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host: and Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people pitched round about him.

6 UDavida wasebuza u-Ahimeleki umHithi lo-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya, umfowabo kaJowabi, wathi, “Ngubani ozahamba lami phakathi kwesihonqo kuSawuli na?” U-Abhishayi wathi, “Ngizahamba lawe.”

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with thee.

7 Ngakho uDavida lo-Abhishayi baya ebuthweni ebusuku babona uSawuli elele ubuthongo phakathi kwesihonqo umkhonto wakhe ugwaze phansi eduzane lekhanda lakhe. U-Abhineri lamabutho babelele bemhanqile.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people lay round about him.

8 U-Abhishayi wasesithi kuDavida, “Lamhla uNkulunkulu unikele isitha sakho ezandleni zakho. Khathesi-ke kahle ngimgwazele phansi kanye nje ngomkhonto wami; kangiyi kugalela kabili.”

Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered up thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.

9 Kodwa uDavida wathi ku-Abhishayi, “Ungambulali. Ngubani ongabeka isandla kogcotshiweyo kaThixo angabi lecala na?”

And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can put forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?

10 Wasesithi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, uThixo yena ngokwakhe uzamtshaya; mhlawumbe isikhathi sakhe sizafika afe, loba aye empini abhubhe.

And David said, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle, and perish.

11 Kodwa uThixo kanqabele ukuba ngibeke isandla kogcotshiweyo kaThixo. Thatha umkhonto lesigxingi samanzi okuphansi kwekhanda lakhe, sihambe.”

The LORD forbid that I should put forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

12 Ngakho uDavida wathatha umkhonto lesigxingi samanzi okwakuphansi kwekhanda likaSawuli, basebehamba. Bonke babelele ngoba uThixo wayebehlisele ubuthongo obukhulu.

So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s head; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

13 UDavida wachaphela ngakwelinye icele wema phezu kwentatshana khatshana; kwakulebanga elibanzi phakathi kwabo.

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them:

14 Wamemeza ibutho lo-Abhineri indodana kaNeri, wathi, “Kanti kawungiphenduli, Abhineri na?” U-Abhineri waphendula wathi, “Ungubani wena omemeza inkosi na?”

and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saving, Answerest thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that criest to the king?

15 UDavida wathi, “Uyindoda, kawusiyo na? Njalo ngubani onjengawe ko-Israyeli na? Kungani ungayilindanga inkosi yakho na? Umuntu othile ufikile ukuba abulale inkosi yakho.

And David said to Abner, Art not thou a [valiant] man? and who is like thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

16 Okwenzileyo kakukuhle. Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ephila, wena labantu bakho lifanele ukufa, ngoba kaliyilindanga inkosi yenu, ogcotshiweyo kaThixo. Khangelani emaceleni enu. Ungaphi umkhonto wenkosi lesigxingi samanzi okube kuphansi kwekhanda layo na?”

This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’S anointed. And now, see, where the king’s spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.

17 USawuli walazi ilizwi likaDavida, wasesithi, “Yilizwi lakho lelo yini, Davida ndodana yami?” UDavida waphendula wathi, “Yebo yilo, nkosi, nkosi yami.”

And Saul knew David’s voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

18 Wengeza wathi, “Kanti kungani inkosi yami ixotshana lenceku yayo na? Kuyini engikwenzileyo, njalo licala bani engilalo na?

And he said, Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?

19 Khathesi-ke nkosi, nkosi yami, lalela amazwi enceku yakho. Nxa uThixo ekuqubule ukuba umelane lami, kamkele umhlatshelo. Kodwa nxa kwenziwe ngabantu, kabathukwe phambi kukaThixo! Khathesi sebengixotshile esabelweni sami elifeni likaThixo njalo bathi, ‘Hamba uyekhonza abanye onkulunkulu.’

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20 Ungenzi igazi lami lichithekele phansi khatshana lobukhona bukaThixo. Inkosi yako-Israyeli iphumile ukuzadinga insikizi njengomuntu ozingela isikhwehle ezintabeni.”

Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

21 Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi, “Ngenze isono. Buya Davida, ndodana yami. Ngenxa yokuthi ukhangele impilo yami njengegugu lamhla, kangiyikuzama futhi ukwenza okubi kuwe. Ngempela ngenze ubuwula njalo ngiphambanise kakhulu.”

Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

22 UDavida waphendula wathi, “Nanku umkhonto wenkosi. Wothi omunye wezinsizwa zakho keze ngapha azewuthatha.

And David answered and said, Behold the spear, O king! let then one of the young men come over and fetch it.

23 UThixo uyamnika umvuzo umuntu wonke ngenxa yokulunga kwakhe lokuthembeka kwakhe. UThixo ukunikele ezandleni zami lamhla, kodwa kade ngingeke ngibeke isandla kogcotshiweyo kaThixo.

And the LORD shall render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness: forasmuch as the LORD delivered thee into my hand today, and I would not put forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed.

24 Ngeqiniso njengoba ngiqakathekise ukuphila kwakho lamhla, sengathi kanjalo-ke uThixo angaqakathekisa ukuphila kwami angisindise kukho konke ukuhlupheka.”

And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him deliver me out of all tribulation.

25 Lapho-ke uSawuli wathi kuDavida, “Sengathi ungabusiseka, ndodana yami Davida; uzakwenza izinto ezinkulu njalo unqobe.” UDavida wasuka wazihambela, uSawuli wasebuyela ekhaya.

Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail. So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.