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.”
Siku zile Wafilisti wakakusanya majeshi yao ili kupigana vita dhidi ya Israeli. Akishi akamwambia Daudi, “Lazima ujue kuwa wewe pamoja na watu wako mtafuatana nami kwenda vitani.”
2 UDavida wathi, “Lapho-ke uzazibonela okungenziwa yinceku yakho.” U-Akhishi wathi, “Kulungile, ngizakwenza ube ngumlindi wami impilo yakho yonke.”
Daudi akasema, “Ndipo wewe mwenyewe utakapojionea jambo ambalo mtumishi wako anaweza kufanya.” Akishi akamjibu Daudi, “Vyema sana, mimi nitakufanya uwe mlinzi wangu daima.”
3 Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wayesewafa, njalo u-Israyeli wonke wayemlilele wamgcwaba emzini wakibo eRama. USawuli wayesewaxotsha zonke izanuse labemimoya elizweni.
Wakati huo Samweli alikuwa amekufa, nao Israeli wote walikuwa wamemwombolezea na kumzika kwenye mji wake mwenyewe huko Rama. Sauli alikuwa amewafukuza waaguzi na wachawi.
4 AmaFilistiya abuthana eza amisa izihonqo zawo eShunemi, lapho uSawuli wabutha ama-Israyeli wonke wamisa izihonqo eGilibhowa.
Wafilisti wakakusanyika na kupiga kambi yao huko Shunemu, naye Sauli akawakusanya Waisraeli wote na kupiga kambi yao huko Gilboa.
5 USawuli ebona ibutho lamaFilistiya wesaba, inhliziyo yakhe yaba lokuthuthumela.
Sauli alipoona jeshi la Wafilisti, akaogopa; moyo wake ukajawa na hofu kuu.
6 Wabuza uThixo, kodwa uThixo kamphendulanga ngamaphupho loba nge-Urimi kumbe ngabaphrofethi.
Ndipo Sauli akauliza ushauri kwa Bwana, lakini Bwana hakumjibu kwa ndoto, wala kwa Urimu, wala kwa njia ya manabii.
7 USawuli wasesithi encekwini zakhe, “Ngidingelani owesifazane oyisanuse ukuze ngiyebuza kuye.” Bona bathi, “Kulomunye e-Endo.”
Basi Sauli akawaambia watumishi wake, “Nitafutieni mwanamke mwaguzi ili nimwendee, nipate kuuliza kwake.” Watumishi wake wakamwambia, “Yuko mwanamke mmoja huko Endori.”
8 Ngakho uSawuli waziguqula, wafaka ezinye izigqoko, kwathi ebusuku yena labantu ababili baya kulowomfazi. Wathi kuye, “Ngibuzela umoya, njalo ungilethele lowo engizamutsho.”
Hivyo Sauli akajigeuza kwa kuvaa mavazi mengine, naye usiku akiwa amefuatana na watu wawili wakaenda kwa huyo mwanamke. Akamwambia, “Nibashirie kwa uaguzi, unipandishie yule nitakayekutajia.”
9 Kodwa owesifazane wathi kuye, “Impela uyakwazi ukuthi uSawuli wenzeni. Useziqedile izanuse labemimoya elizweni. Kungani uthiya impilo yami ngomjibila ukuba ngibulawe na?”
Huyo mwanamke akamwambia, “Wewe unajua lile alilofanya Mfalme Sauli. Amewakatilia mbali waaguzi, wapiga ramli wote na wachawi katika nchi. Mbona umenitegea maisha yangu ili wapate kuniua?”
10 USawuli wafunga kuye ngoThixo wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, kawuyikujeziselwa lokhu.”
Sauli akamwapia huyo mwanamke kwa Jina la Bwana, akasema, “Kwa hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, hutaadhibiwa kwa ajili ya jambo hili.”
11 Owesifazane lowo wasesithi, “Ngikuvusele bani na?” Yena wathi, “Ngilethela uSamuyeli.”
Ndipo yule mwanamke akauliza, “Je unataka nikupandishie nani?” Sauli akasema, “Nipandishie Samweli.”
12 Kwathi owesifazane lowo ebona uSamuyeli, wakhala ngelizwi eliphezulu wasesithi kuSawuli, “Kungani ungikhohlisile na? Wena unguSawuli.”
Yule mwanamke alipomwona Samweli, alipiga yowe kwa sauti kuu, naye akamuuliza Sauli, “Mbona umenidanganya? Wewe ndiwe Sauli.”
13 Inkosi yasisithi, “Ungesabi. Kuyini okubonayo?” Owesifazane wathi, “Ngibona umoya ophuma phansi.”
Mfalme akamwambia, “Usiogope. Unaona nini?” Yule mwanamke akasema, “Naona mungu unapanda kutoka ardhini.”
14 USawuli wathi, “Ukhangeleka njani?” Owesifazane wathi, “Kuphuma ixhegu eligqoke ingubo.” Lapho-ke uSawuli wakwazi ukuthi kwakunguSamuyeli, wakhothama wasesithi mbo phansi ngobuso.
Sauli akamuuliza, “Ni mfano wa nini?” Yule mwanamke akasema, “Ni mwanaume mzee amevaa joho anayepanda.” Ndipo Sauli akatambua kwamba ni Samweli. Sauli akasujudu kifudifudi, uso wake hadi ardhini.
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.”
Samweli akamuuliza Sauli, “Kwa nini unanitaabisha kwa kunipandisha juu?” Sauli akasema, “Mimi ninasumbuka sana, kwa maana Wafilisti wanapigana vita dhidi yangu, naye Mungu ameniacha. Hanijibu tena wala kwa njia ya manabii wala kwa ndoto. Kwa hiyo nimekuita wewe ili unijulishe la kufanya.”
16 USamuyeli wathi, “Ungibizelani, njengoba uThixo esekufulathele njalo esebe yisitha sakho na?
Samweli akamuuliza, “Kwa nini uniulize mimi, maadamu Bwana amekuacha na kuwa adui yako?
17 Uthixo usekwenzile lokhu akutsho ngaphambili ngami. Uthixo usewuhluthunile umbuso ezandleni zakho wawunika omunye wabomakhelwane bakho, uDavida.
Bwana ametenda lile alilotangulia kusema kupitia kwangu. Bwana ameurarua ufalme kutoka mikononi mwako, naye amempa mmoja wa jirani zako, yaani Daudi.
18 Ngenxa yokuthi uThixo kawumlalelanga kumbe wafeza ulaka lwakhe olwesabekayo kuma-Amaleki, uThixo wenze lokhu kuwe lamhla.
Kwa sababu wewe hukumtii Bwana, wala hukumtimizia ghadhabu yake kali juu ya Waamaleki, Bwana amekutendea mambo haya leo.
19 Uthixo uzanikela u-Israyeli kanye lawe kumaFilistiya, njalo kusasa wena lamadodana akho lizakuba lami. Uthixo uzanikela lebutho lako-Israyeli kumaFilistiya.”
Zaidi ya hayo, Bwana atawatia Israeli pamoja na wewe mikononi mwa Wafilisti, na kesho wewe na wanao mtakuwa pamoja nami. Bwana pia atalitia jeshi la Israeli mikononi mwa Wafilisti.”
20 Khonokho nje uSawuli wawela phansi wathi daca emhlabathini, esegcwele ukwesaba ngenxa yamazwi kaSamuyeli. Wayengaselamandla, ngoba wayengadlanga lutho ilanga lonke mhlalokho lobusuku bonke.
Papo hapo Sauli akaanguka chini, akajinyoosha, akiwa amejawa na hofu kwa ajili ya maneno ya Samweli. Nguvu zake zikamwishia kwa maana alikuwa hajala chochote mchana ule wote na usiku.
21 Kwathi owesifazane esesondele kuSawuli wabona ukuthi wayethuthumele kakhulu, wathi kuye, “Khangela, incekukazi yakho ikulalele. Ngibeke ukuphila kwami engozini ngenza lokho othe ngikwenze.
Yule mwanamke alipomwendea Sauli na kumwona amepatwa na hofu, akamwambia, “Tazama, mimi mtumishi wako mwanamke nimekutii. Nimeweka maisha yangu hatarini kwa kufanya kile ulichoniagiza nifanye.
22 Khathesi-ke ake ulalele incekukazi yakho uvume ukuba ngikuphe ukudla ukuze udle ube lamandla uzihambele.”
Sasa tafadhali isikilize sauti ya mtumishi wako, uniruhusu nikupatie chakula kidogo ule ili uwe na nguvu za kurejea ulikotoka.”
23 Yena wala wathi, “Kangiyikudla.” Kodwa abantu bakhe baphathisana lowesifazane ukumncenga, waze wabalalela. Wavuka phansi wahlala esihlalweni.
Akakataa, akisema, “Mimi sitaki kula.” Lakini watumishi wake wakaungana na yule mwanamke wakamsihi ale, naye akakubali. Basi akainuka hapo chini, akaketi juu ya kitanda.
24 Owesifazane wayelethole elinonisiweyo endlini, alihlaba khonokho nje. Wathatha impuphu yengqoloyi, wayivuba wenza isinkwa esingelamvubelo.
Yule mwanamke alikuwa na ndama aliyenona hapo nyumbani, akamchinja mara moja. Akachukua unga, akaukanda, akatengeneza mkate usio chachu.
25 Wasibeka phambi kukaSawuli labantu bakhe, badla. Ngalobobusuku bavuka bahamba.
Ndipo akamwandalia meza Sauli pamoja na watu wake, nao wakala. Usiku ule ule wakainuka na kwenda zao.
