1 USamuyeli 28
1 Ngalezonsuku amaFilistiya aqoqa amabutho awo ukuba alwe lo-Israyeli. U-Akhishi wathi kuDavida, “Kumele uzwisise ukuthi wena labantu bakho lizahamba lami empini.”
And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered together their armies to be prepared for war against Israel: and Achis said to David: Know thou now assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to the war, thou, and thy men.
2 UDavida wathi, “Lapho-ke uzazibonela okungenziwa yinceku yakho.” U-Akhishi wathi, “Kulungile, ngizakwenza ube ngumlindi wami impilo yakho yonke.”
And David said to Achis: Now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achis said to David: And I will appoint thee to guard my life for ever.
3 Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wayesewafa, njalo u-Israyeli wonke wayemlilele wamgcwaba emzini wakibo eRama. USawuli wayesewaxotsha zonke izanuse labemimoya elizweni.
Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramatha his city. And Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land.
4 AmaFilistiya abuthana eza amisa izihonqo zawo eShunemi, lapho uSawuli wabutha ama-Israyeli wonke wamisa izihonqo eGilibhowa.
And the Philistines were gathered together, and came and camped in Sunam: and Saul also gathered together all Israel, and came to Gelboe.
5 USawuli ebona ibutho lamaFilistiya wesaba, inhliziyo yakhe yaba lokuthuthumela.
And Saul saw the army of the Plilistines, and was afraid, and his heart was very much dismayed.
6 Wabuza uThixo, kodwa uThixo kamphendulanga ngamaphupho loba nge-Urimi kumbe ngabaphrofethi.
And he consulted the Lord, and he answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by priests, nor by prophets.
7 USawuli wasesithi encekwini zakhe, “Ngidingelani owesifazane oyisanuse ukuze ngiyebuza kuye.” Bona bathi, “Kulomunye e-Endo.”
And Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman that hath a divining spirit, and I will go to her, and inquire by her. And his servants said to him: There is a woman that hath a divining spirit at Endor.
8 Ngakho uSawuli waziguqula, wafaka ezinye izigqoko, kwathi ebusuku yena labantu ababili baya kulowomfazi. Wathi kuye, “Ngibuzela umoya, njalo ungilethele lowo engizamutsho.”
Then he disguised himself: and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said to her: Divine to me by thy divining spirit, and bring me up him whom I shall tell thee.
9 Kodwa owesifazane wathi kuye, “Impela uyakwazi ukuthi uSawuli wenzeni. Useziqedile izanuse labemimoya elizweni. Kungani uthiya impilo yami ngomjibila ukuba ngibulawe na?”
And the woman said to him: Behold thou knowest all that Saul hath done, and how he hath rooted out the magicians and soothsayers from the land: why then dost thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to be put to death?
10 USawuli wafunga kuye ngoThixo wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, kawuyikujeziselwa lokhu.”
And Saul swore unto her by the Lord, saying: As the Lord liveth there shall no evil happen to thee for this thing.
11 Owesifazane lowo wasesithi, “Ngikuvusele bani na?” Yena wathi, “Ngilethela uSamuyeli.”
And the woman said to him: Whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.
12 Kwathi owesifazane lowo ebona uSamuyeli, wakhala ngelizwi eliphezulu wasesithi kuSawuli, “Kungani ungikhohlisile na? Wena unguSawuli.”
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and said to Saul: Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
13 Inkosi yasisithi, “Ungesabi. Kuyini okubonayo?” Owesifazane wathi, “Ngibona umoya ophuma phansi.”
And the king said to her: Fear not: what hast thou seen? And the woman said to Saul: I saw gods ascending out of the earth.
14 USawuli wathi, “Ukhangeleka njani?” Owesifazane wathi, “Kuphuma ixhegu eligqoke ingubo.” Lapho-ke uSawuli wakwazi ukuthi kwakunguSamuyeli, wakhothama wasesithi mbo phansi ngobuso.
And he said to her: What form is he of? And she said: An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul understood that it was Samuel, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground, and adored.
15 USamuyeli wasesithi kuSawuli, “Ungikhathazelani ngokungivusa na?” USawuli wathi, “Mina ngiphakathi kohlupho olukhulu. AmaFilistiya alwa lami, njalo uNkulunkulu usengifulathele. Kasangiphenduli, ngabaphrofethi loba ngamaphupho. Ngakho ngibize wena ukuba ungitshele ukuthi ngenzeni.”
And Samuel said to Saul: Why hast thou disturbed my rest, that I should be brought up? And Saul said, I am in great distress: for the Philistines fight against me, and God is departed from me, and would not hear me, neither by the hand of prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest shew me what I shall do.
16 USamuyeli wathi, “Ungibizelani, njengoba uThixo esekufulathele njalo esebe yisitha sakho na?
And Samuel said: Why askest thou me, seeing the Lord has departed from thee, and is gone over to thy rival:
17 Uthixo usekwenzile lokhu akutsho ngaphambili ngami. Uthixo usewuhluthunile umbuso ezandleni zakho wawunika omunye wabomakhelwane bakho, uDavida.
For the Lord will do to thee as he spoke by me, and he will rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and will give it to thy neighbour David:
18 Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo kawumlalelanga kumbe wafeza ulaka lwakhe olwesabekayo kuma-Amaleki, uThixo wenze lokhu kuwe lamhla.
Because thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, neither didst thou execute the wrath of his indignation upon Amalec. Therefore hath the Lord done to thee what thou sufferest this day.
19 Uthixo uzanikela u-Israyeli kanye lawe kumaFilistiya, njalo kusasa wena lamadodana akho lizakuba lami. Uthixo uzanikela lebutho lako-Israyeli kumaFilistiya.”
And the Lord also will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines: and tomorrow thou and thy sons shall be with me: and the Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.
20 Khonokho nje uSawuli wawela phansi wathi daca emhlabathini, esegcwele ukwesaba ngenxa yamazwi kaSamuyeli. Wayengaselamandla, ngoba wayengadlanga lutho ilanga lonke mhlalokho lobusuku bonke.
And forthwith Saul fell all along on the ground, for he was frightened with the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day.
21 Kwathi owesifazane esesondele kuSawuli wabona ukuthi wayethuthumele kakhulu, wathi kuye, “Khangela, incekukazi yakho ikulalele. Ngibeke ukuphila kwami engozini ngenza lokho othe ngikwenze.
And the woman came to Saul (for he was very much troubled) and said to him: Behold thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand: and I hearkened unto the words which thou spokest to me.
22 Khathesi-ke ake ulalele incekukazi yakho uvume ukuba ngikuphe ukudla ukuze udle ube lamandla uzihambele.”
Now therefore hear thou also the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set before thee a morsel of bread, that thou mayest eat and recover strength, and be able to go on thy journey.
23 Yena wala wathi, “Kangiyikudla.” Kodwa abantu bakhe baphathisana lowesifazane ukumncenga, waze wabalalela. Wavuka phansi wahlala esihlalweni.
But he refused, and said: I will not eat. But his servants and the woman forced him, and at length hearkening to their voice, he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed.
24 Owesifazane wayelethole elinonisiweyo endlini, alihlaba khonokho nje. Wathatha impuphu yengqoloyi, wayivuba wenza isinkwa esingelamvubelo.
Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she made haste and killed it: and taking meal kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread,
25 Wasibeka phambi kukaSawuli labantu bakhe, badla. Ngalobobusuku bavuka bahamba.
And set it before Saul, and before his servants. And when they had eaten they rose up, and walked all that night.
