1 USamuyeli 29
1 AmaFilistiya aqoqela wonke amabutho awo e-Afekhi, kwathi u-Israyeli wamisa emthonjeni weJezerili.
Now the Philistines collected all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which [is] in Jezreel.
2 Kwathi ababusi bamaFilistiya befola lamabutho abo angamakhulu lazinkulungwane, uDavida labantu bakhe babefola emuva lo-Akhishi.
And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish.
3 Umlawuli wamaFilistiya wabuza wathi, “AmaHebheru la-ke?” U-Akhishi waphendula wathi, “Kanti lo kasuDavida yini owayeyisikhulu sikaSawuli inkosi yako-Israyeli na? Usebe lami okudlula umnyaka, njalo kusukela mhla etshiya uSawuli kuze kube khathesi, angikaboni sici kuye.”
Then said the princes of the Philistines, What [do] these Hebrews [here]? And Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, [Is] not this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who hath been with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell [to me] to this day?
4 Kodwa abalawuli bamaFilistiya bamthukuthelela bathi kuye, “Buyisela umuntu lo emuva, ukuze abuyele endaweni owamabela yona. Akumelanga aye empini lathi, hlezi asiphendukele lapho sekulwiwa. Angawuthola ngcono kanjani futhi umusa wenkosi yakhe kulokuthatha amakhanda abantu bakithi na?
And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make this man return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he should be an adversary to us: for with what would he reconcile himself to his master? [would it] not [be] with the heads of these men?
5 Kasuyenalo yini uDavida abahlabela ngaye emigidweni yabo besithi: ‘USawuli ubulele izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavida ubulele amatshumi ezinkulungwane zakhe’?”
[Is] not this David, of whom they sung one to another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
6 Ngakho u-Akhishi wabiza uDavida wathi kuye, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, ubuthembekile, njalo kade ngingathokoza ukuba lawe usebenze lami empini. Kusukela ngelanga owafika ngalo kimi kuze kube khathesi, angibonanga sici kuwe, kodwa ababusi kabakufuni.
Then Achish called David, and said to him, Surely, [as] the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host [is] good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee from the day of thy coming to me to this day: nevertheless the lords favor thee not.
7 Ngakho phenduka uhambe ngokuthula; ungenzi lutho oluzacunula ababusi bamaFilistiya.”
Therefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines.
8 UDavida wabuza wathi, “Kanti ngenzeni na? Kuyini okubi okubone encekwini yakho kusukela ngelanga engafika ngalo kuwe kuze kube khathesi na? Kungani ngingeze ngayakulwa lezitha zenkosi yami na?”
And David said to Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant, so long as I have been with thee to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king.
9 U-Akhishi waphendula wathi, “Ngiyakwazi ukuthi ube uthokozisa emehlweni ami njengengilosi kaNkulunkulu; kodwa-ke abalawuli bamaFilistiya sebethe, ‘Kafanelanga ukuhamba lathi empini.’
And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou [art] good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding, the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
10 Ngakho vuka ekuseni, kanye lezinceku zenkosi yakho ezeza lawe, lisuke ekuseni lapho kuqalisa ukukhanya.”
Wherefore now rise early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye shall have risen early in the morning, and have light, depart.
11 Ngakho uDavida labantu bakhe bavuka ekuseni kakhulu ukuba babuyele elizweni lamaFilistiya, kwathi amaFilistiya aya eJezerili.
So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
