2 USamuyeli 1
1 Emva kokufa kukaSawuli, uDavida wabuya evela ekunqobeni ama-Amaleki wahlala eZikhilagi insuku ezimbili.
And so it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, and David had abode in Ziklag two days,
2 Ngosuku lwesithathu kwafika umuntu evela ezihonqweni zikaSawuli, izigqoko zakhe zidabukile njalo egcwele uthuli ekhanda lakhe. Kwathi esefikile kuDavida waziwisela phansi emhlonipha.
yea so it was, on the third day, that lo! a man came out of the camp, from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head, —and so it was, when he came in unto David, that he fell to the earth, and did homage.
3 UDavida wambuza wathi, “Uvela ngaphi?” Yena waphendula wathi, “Ngibalekile ezihonqweni zabako-Israyeli.”
And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel, am I escaped.
4 UDavida wabuza wathi, “Kutheni? Ngitshela.” Yena wathi, “Abantu babalekile empini. Inengi labo lifile. USawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani labo bafile?”
And David said unto him—How turned out the matter? tell me, I pray thee. And he said—The people have fled from the battle, yea moreover, many, of the people have fallen, and died, Yea moreover, Saul, and Jonathan his son, are dead.
5 UDavida wasesithi kulelojaha elamlethela umbiko, “Wazi njani ukuthi uSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani bafile?”
Then said David unto the young man who was telling him, —How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
6 Ijaha lelo lathi, “Kwenzakele ukuthi mina kade ngiphezu kweNtaba iGilibhowa ngabona uSawuli eyame umkhonto wakhe, izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza sebebanga kuye.
And the young man who was telling him said, It, so happened, that I was on Mount Gilboa, when lo! Saul, leaning upon his spear, and lo! the chariots and horsemen, hotly pursued him;
7 Uthe etshibilika wangibona, wasengibiza, mina ngathi, ‘Kuyini engingakwenza?’
so he turned behind him, and saw me, —and cried out unto me, and I said, Behold me!
8 Ungibuzile wathi, ‘Ungubani wena na?’ Ngiphendule ngathi, ‘NgingumʼAmaleki.’
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I said unto him, An Amalekite, am I.
9 Wasesithi kimi, ‘Sondela eduze ungibulale! Sengiseduze lokufa, kodwa ngisaphila.’
And he said unto me, I pray thee, take thy stand by me, and put me to death, for the cramp hath seized me, —even for as long as my life shall be in me.
10 Ngakho ngisondele kuye ngambulala, ngoba ngazile ukuthi emva kwalokho ubengeke aphile. Njalo ngithethe umqhele obusekhanda lakhe lesongo ebelisengalweni yakhe okuyikho engikulethe lapha enkosini yami.”
So I took my stand by him, and put him to death, for I perceived that he could not survive his fall, —so I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them in unto my lord, here.
11 Lapho-ke uDavida labantu bonke ababelaye babamba izigqoko zabo bazidabula.
Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them, —yea moreover, [so did] all the men who were with him.
12 Babakhalela, babalilela, babazilela kwaze kwahlwa uSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani kanye lebutho likaThixo lendlu ka-Israyeli, ngoba babebulewe ngenkemba.
And they lamented aloud, and wept, and fasted until the evening, —for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 UDavida wasesithi ejaheni elalimlethele umbiko, “Wena ungowangaphi na?” Lona laphendula lathi, “Ngiyindodana yezizweni, umʼAmaleki.”
And David said unto the young man who was telling him, Whence art thou? And he said, Son of a sojourner—an Amalekite, am I.
14 UDavida waselibuza esithi, “Kungani ungesabanga ukuphakamisa isandla sakho ukuba ubulale ogcotshiweyo kaThixo na?”
And David said unto him, —How wast thou not afraid to thrust forth thy hand, to destroy the Anointed of Yahweh?
15 UDavida wabiza omunye wabantu bakhe wathi, “Sondela umgongode!” Ngakho wamgongoda wafa.
So David called one of the young men, and said, —Go near—fall upon him. And he smote him, that he died.
16 Ngoba uDavida wayethe kuye, “Igazi lakho kalibe phezu kwekhanda lakho. Umlomo wakho ufakaze okubi ngawe lapho wena uthe, ‘Ngimbulele ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.’”
And David said unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, —for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.
17 UDavida walila isililo lesi ngoSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani,
Then chanted David this dirge, —over Saul and over Jonathan his son;
18 walaya ukuthi abantu bakoJuda basifundiswe isililo sedandili lesi (silotshiwe eNcwadini kaJashari):
and he thought to teach the sons of Judah [the song of] the Bow, —lo! it is written in the Book of the Upright: —
19 “Udumo lwakho, We Israyeli, lubulewe ezingqongweni zakho. Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe!
The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes—slain! How have fallen—the mighty!
20 Lingabokutsho eGathi, lingakumemezeli ezindleleni zase-Ashikheloni, hlezi amadodakazi amaFilistiya athabe, hlezi amadodakazi abangasokanga athokoze.
Do not tell it in Gath, Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, —lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the Uncircumcised triumph.
21 We zintaba zaseGilibhowa, kalingabi lamazolo loba izulu, kumbe amasimu athela amabele eminikelo. Ngoba khonapho ihawu leqhawe langcoliswa, ihawu likaSawuli, lingasagcotshwa ngamafutha.
Ye mountains in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, —for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed with oil.
22 Egazini lababuleweyo, enyameni yamaqhawe umtshoko kaJonathani kawuphendukanga, umtshoko kaSawuli kawuphendukanga ungasuthanga.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan ne’er drew back, —and, the sword of Saul, ne’er returned, empty.
23 USawuli loJonathani, ekuphileni babethandeka bengababukekayo, lekufeni kabehlukaniswanga. Babelesiqubu kulengqungqulu, belamandla kulezilwane.
Saul and Jonathan, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, —Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong!
24 Awu madodakazi ako-Israyeli, mlileleni uSawuli, owaligqokisa okubomvu lokuhle kakhulu, owacecisa izembatho zenu ngemiceciso yegolide.
Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, —who clothed you in crimson, [decked] with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel!
25 Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe empini! UJonathani ulele efile ezingqongweni zakho.
How have fallen the mighty, in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, on thy high places, slain!
26 Ngilusizi ngawe Jonathani, mfowethu; ubuthandeka kakhulu kimi. Ukungithanda kwakho kade kumangalisa, kumangalisa okudlula okwabesifazane.
I am distressed for thee, my brother, Jonathan! Delightful to me, exceedingly, —Wonderful, was thy love to me, passing the love of women.
27 Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe! Izikhali zempi zitshabalele!”
How have fallen the mighty, and perished the weapons of war!
