1 USamuyeli 27
1 Kodwa uDavida wacabanga wathi, “Ngolunye lwalezi insuku uSawuli uzangibulala. Into engcono engingayenza yikubalekela elizweni lamaFilistiya. Lapho-ke uSawuli uzadela ukungidinga loba kungaphi ko-Israyeli, njalo ngizaphunyuka esandleni sakhe.”
David said in his heart, “I will now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel. So I will escape out of his hand.”
2 Ngakho uDavida labantu abangamakhulu ayisithupha basuka laye baya ku-Akhishi indodana kaMawokhi inkosi yaseGathi.
David arose and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
3 UDavida labantu bakhe bahlala eGathi lo-Akhishi. Umuntu ngamunye wayelabendlu yakhe, uDavida elabomkakhe ababili: u-Ahinowama waseJezerili lo-Abhigeli waseKhameli, umfelokazi kaNabhali.
David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal’s wife.
4 Kwathi uSawuli esetsheliwe ukuthi uDavida wayebalekele eGathi kasamdinganga futhi.
Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, so he stopped looking for him.
5 UDavida wasesithi ku-Akhishi, “Nxa ngithole umusa emehlweni akho ngabela indawo komunye wemizi yasemaphandleni, ukuze ngiyehlala khona. Inceku yakho ingahlalelani lawe edolobheni lobukhosi na?”
David said to Achish, “If now I have found favour in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”
6 Ngakho ngalelolanga u-Akhishi wamnika iZikhilagi, njalo seyaba ngeyamakhosi akoJuda kusukela lapho.
Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.
7 UDavida wahlala elizweni lamaFilistiya umnyaka lezinyanga ezine.
The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
8 UDavida labantu bakhe basuka bayahlasela amaGeshuri, amaGirizi kanye lama-Amaleki. (Kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo abantu laba babehlale elizweni elalifika eShuri kanye laseGibhithe.)
David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land who were of old, on the way to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.
9 Lapho uDavida ehlasele indawo, wayengatshiyi ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila, kodwa wayethatha izimvu lenkomo, obabhemi lamakamela, kanye lezigqoko. Wabuyela ku-Akhishi.
David struck the land, and saved no man or woman alive, and took away the sheep, the cattle, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing. Then he returned, and came to Achish.
10 Lapho u-Akhishi embuza esithi, “Lamhla ubuyehlasela ngaphi na?” UDavida wayesithi, “Besimelane leNegebi yakoJuda,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yaseJerameli,” loba athi, “Besimelane leNegebi yama-Kheni.”
Achish said, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.”
11 Katshiyanga ndoda kumbe umfazi ephila ukuba asiwe eGathi ngoba wacabanga wathi, “Bangasiceba bathi, ‘Lokhu yikho okwenziwe nguDavida.’” Lokhu yikho ayekwenza sonke isikhathi sokuhlala kwakhe elizweni lamaFilistiya.
David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring them to Gath, saying, “Lest they should tell about us, saying, ‘David did this, and this has been his way all the time he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”
12 U-Akhishi wayemthemba uDavida njalo wazitshela wathi, “Usezondakala kangaka ebantwini bakibo, ama-Israyeli, usezakuba yinceku yami kuze kube nininini.”
Achish believed David, saying, “He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him. Therefore he will be my servant forever.”
