1 USamuyeli 4
1 Ilizwi likaSamuyeli lafika ku-Israyeli wonke. Ngalesosikhathi abako-Israyeli baphuma ukuyakulwa lamaFilistiya. Abako-Israyeli bamisa e-Ebhenezeri, amaFilistiya e-Afekhi.
And the word of Samuel became known to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and encamped beside Eben-ha'ezer; and the Philistines encamped in Aphek.
2 AmaFilistiya ahlela amabutho awo ukuba ayohlangana labako-Israyeli, kwathi ekumemethekeni kwempi, u-Israyeli wehlulwa ngamaFilistiya, abulala abaphosa babe zinkulungwane ezine enkundleni yokulwela.
And the Philistines put themselves in battle-array against Israel; and the battle became general, and Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew on the battle-ground, in the field, about four thousand men.
3 Kwathi esebuyele ezihonqweni, abadala bako-Israyeli bathi, “Kungani uThixo esilethele ukwehlulwa lamhla phambi kwamaFilistiya na? Kasiyenithatha ibhokisi lesivumelwano sika Thixo eShilo, ukuze lihambe lathi lisisindise esandleni sezitha zethu.”
And when the people were come back into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistines? Let us bring over to us out of Shiloh the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that it may come in the midst of us, and deliver us out of the hand of our enemies.
4 Ngakho abantu bathuma amadoda eShilo, abuya lebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo uSomandla, ehlezi ebukhosini phakathi kwamakherubhi. Lamadodana ka-Eli amabili, uHofini loFinehasi, ayekhona lebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu.
So the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought away from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who dwelleth over the cherubim: and the two sons of 'Eli, Chophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 Kwathi lapho ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo lifika ezihonqweni, wonke u-Israyeli wenza umsindo omkhulu iphansi laze lanyikinyeka.
And it happened when the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, that all Israel set up a great shout, so that the earth trembled.
6 Esizwa ukuxokozela amaFilistiya abuza athi, “Utshoni umsindo wonke lo ezihonqweni zamaHebheru na?” Kwathi esezwile ukuthi ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo laselikhona ezihonqweni,
And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7 amaFilistiya esaba. Athi, “Unkulunkulu usefikile ezihonqweni. Siphakathi kohlupho. Akulanto enje eseyake yenzakala ngaphambili.
And the Philistines were afraid; for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for the like of this hath not been, yesterday or the day before.
8 Maye kithi! Ngubani ozasikhulula esandleni sabonkulunkulu laba abalamandla abatshaya amaGibhithe ngenhlobo zonke zezifo enkangala?
Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with every plague in the wilderness.
9 Qinani, maFilistiya! Wobani ngamadoda hlezi libe yizichaka zamaHebheru, njengalokhu ababeyikho kini. Wobani ngamadoda, lilwe!”
Be strong, and act like men, O Philistines, so that ye become not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been servants to you: therefore act like men, and fight.
10 Ngakho amaFilistiya alwa, abako-Israyeli behlulwa njalo amadoda wonke abalekela emathenteni awo. Ababulawayo babebanengi kakhulu; u-Israyeli walahlekelwa ngamabutho ezinyawo azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu.
And the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were smitten, and they fled every man unto his tent: and the defeat was very great; and there fell of Israel thirty thousand men on foot.
11 Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lathunjwa, lamadodana amabili ka-Eli, Hofini loFinehasi, afa.
And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of 'Eli, Chophni and Phinehas, died also.
12 Ngalelolanga umuntu wakoBhenjamini wagijima esuka empini waya eShilo, izigqoko zakhe zazidabukile elothuli ekhanda.
And there ran a man of Benjamin from the battlefield, and came to Shiloh on the same day, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head.
13 Ekufikeni kwakhe, kwakulo-Eli ehlezi esihlalweni eceleni komgwaqo, elindile, ngoba inhliziyo yakhe yayisesabela ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu. Kwathi umuntu lowo esengenile emzini wabika okwasekwenzakele, umuzi wonke waqhinqa isililo.
And when he came, lo, 'Eli was sitting upon a chair by the wayside watching; for his heart was anxious for the ark of God. And when the man came to tell it in the city, all the city cried out.
14 U-Eli wezwa umsindo wokukhala wabuza wathi, “Ukuxokozela lokhu kutshoni na?” Umuntu lowo watshitshela ku-Eli,
And when 'Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this multitude? And the man came in hastily, and told it to 'Eli.
15 owayeleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificamunwemunye munye lasificaminwembili mibili ubudala, njalo amehlo akhe ayesefiphele, engasaboni.
Now 'Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were fixed, so that he could not see.
16 Watshela u-Eli wathi, “Ngisanda kufika ngivela empini; ngibalekile kuyo ngalonaleli ilanga.” U-Eli wabuza wathi, “Kutheni ndodana yami?”
And the man said unto 'Eli, I am the person that came from the battlefield, and I myself fled from the battlefield today. And he said, What was it that took place, my son?
17 Umuntu owaletha umbiko waphendula wathi, “U-Israyeli ubalekile phambi kwamaFilistiya njalo ibutho lilahlekelwe kakhulu. Njalo lamadodana akho amabili, uHofini loFinehasi, afile njalo lebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lithunjiwe.”
And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath also been a great slaughter among the people, and also thy two sons, Chophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God hath been taken.
18 Kwathi esethinte ngebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, u-Eli wawa ngesiphundu esihlalweni sakhe eceleni kwesango. Intamo yakhe yephuka, wafa, ngoba wayesengumuntu omdala njalo emkhulu. Wayekhokhele u-Israyeli iminyaka engamatshumi amane.
And it came to pass, when he mentioned the ark of God, that he fell from off the chair backward by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken, and he died; for the man was old, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.
19 Umalukazana wakhe, umkaFinehasi, wayekhulelwe njalo esezabeletha. Kwathi esizwa izindaba zokuthi ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lalithunjiwe lokuthi uyisezala lomkakhe basebefile, wahelelwa wabeletha, kodwa wakhulelwa yibuhlungu bomhelo wakhe.
And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings concerning that the ark of God had been taken, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she sank down and gave birth; for her pains came suddenly upon her.
20 Esesifa, abesifazane ababembelethisa bathi kuye, “Ungalahli ithemba; uzele indodana.” Kodwa yena kaphendulanga loba anake.
And at the moment of her dying, the women that stood around her spoke [unto her], Fear not; for a son hast thou born. But she answered not, nor did she take it to heart.
21 Wametha ibizo umfana wathi ngu-Ikhabhodi, esithi, “Udumo lusukile ko-Israyeli” ngenxa yokuthunjwa kwebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lokufa kukayisezala kanye lomkakhe.
And she named the child I-chabod, saying, Glory is departed from Israel; because of the taking away of the ark of God, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 Wathi, “Udumo lusukile ko-Israyeli, ngoba ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lithunjiwe.”
And she said, Glory is departed from Israel; for the ark of God hath been taken away.
