2 USamuyeli 11
1 Kwathi entwasa, ngesikhathi amakhosi ayesiyakulwa ngaso impi, uDavida wathuma uJowabi elabantu benkosi lebutho lonke lako-Israyeli. Baqothula ama-Amoni basebevimbezela iRabha. Kodwa uDavida wasala eJerusalema.
At the return of the year, at the time when kings go out, David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.
2 Ngelinye ilanga kusihlwa uDavida wavuka embhedeni wakhe wahambahamba phezu kophahla lwesigodlo. Esephahleni wabona owesifazane egeza. Owesifazane lowo wayemuhle kakhulu,
At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.
3 uDavida wasethuma umuntu ukuyabuza ngaye. Umuntu lowo wathi, “Kanti lo kasuBhathishebha, indodakazi ka-Eliyami umka-Uriya umHithi na?”
David sent and enquired after the woman. One said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, Uriah the Hittite’s wife?”
4 UDavida wathuma izithunywa ukuyamthatha. Weza kuye, wembatha laye. (Owesifazane lo wayezihlambulule ekungcoleni kwakhe.) Emva kwalokho wabuyela ekhaya.
David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.
5 Owesifazane lowo wathatha isisu, wasethumela ilizwi kuDavida, esithi, “Sengilesisu.”
The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
6 Ngakho uDavida wathumela ilizwi leli kuJowabi elithi: “Ngilethela u-Uriya umHithi.” UJowabi wamthumela kuDavida.
David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David.
7 U-Uriya esefikile kuye, uDavida wambuza ukuthi uJowabi wayenjani, amabutho ayenjani kanye lokuthi impi yayiqhubeka njani.
When Uriah had come to him, David asked him how Joab did, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.
8 UDavida wasesithi ku-Uriya, “Yehlela endlini yakho ugeze inyawo zakho.” Ngakho u-Uriya wasuka esigodlweni, walandelwa yisipho esavela enkosini esasala sithunyelwa kuye.
David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him.
9 Kodwa u-Uriya walala entubeni yesigodlo lezinceku zonke zenkosi yakhe akaze aya endlini yakhe.
But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and didn’t go down to his house.
10 Kwathi uDavida esetsheliwe ukuthi, “U-Uriya kayanga ekhaya,” wambuza wathi, “Angithi usanda kufika nje uvela khatshana? Kungani ungayanga ekhaya?”
When they had told David, saying, “Uriah didn’t go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Haven’t you come from a journey? Why didn’t you go down to your house?”
11 U-Uriya wathi kuDavida, “Ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaThixo lo-Israyeli loJuda kuhlezi emathenteni, inkosi yami uJowabi kanye labantu benkosi yami bamise egangeni. Pho ngingaya kanjani endlini ukuyakudla, lokunatha ngilale lomkami futhi na? Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uphila, mina angiyikwenza into enjalo!”
Uriah said to David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah, are staying in tents; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open field. Shall I then go into my house to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing!”
12 UDavida wasesithi kuye, “Hlala lapha elinye ilanga futhi, kusasa ngizakubuyisela emuva.” Ngakho u-Uriya wahlala eJerusalema lolosuku kanye lolwalandelayo.
David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next day.
13 Esecelwe nguDavida, wadla wanatha laye, uDavida wasemdakisa. Kodwa kusihlwa u-Uriya waphuma wayalala ecansini lakhe phakathi kwezinceku zenkosi yakhe; akayanga ekhaya.
When David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. At evening, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but didn’t go down to his house.
14 Ekuseni uDavida walobela uJowabi incwadi wayiphathisa u-Uriya.
In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
15 Kuyo wayelobe ukuthi, “U-Uriya mbeke kuviyo eliphambili lapho impi evutha khona kakhulu. Lapho-ke khumukani kuye ukuze acakazelwe phansi afe.”
He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck and die.”
16 Ngakho kwathi uJowabi idolobho eselivimbezele, wabeka u-Uriya lapho ayesazi khona ukuthi yikho okwakulabavikeli abalamandla kakhulu.
When Joab kept watch on the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew that valiant men were.
17 Kwathi abantu bakulelodolobho sebephumile ukuba balwe loJowabi, abanye babantu ebuthweni likaDavida bafa; u-Uriya umHithi laye futhi wafa.
The men of the city went out and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of David’s servants; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
18 UJowabi wathumela uDavida umbiko opheleleyo ngempi.
Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
19 Walaya isithunywa wathi: “Lapho usuqedile ukwethulela inkosi umbiko wempi,
and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,
20 ulaka lwenkosi lungavutha, ibe isibuza isithi, ‘Kungani lisondele eduzane kangaka ledolobho ukuba lilwe? Kalazanga yini ukuthi kade bengatshoka imitshoko besemdulini?
it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?
21 Ngubani obulele u-Abhimelekhi indodana kaJerubhi-Bheshethi na? Owesifazane obephezu komduli kamjikijelanga ngembokodo, wayafela eThebhezi na? Kungani lisondele eduzane kangaka lomduli?’ Ingakubuza lokhu, uthi kuyo, ‘Lenceku yakho u-Uriya umHithi ifile.’”
Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
22 Isithunywa sasuka sahamba, kwathi sesifikile samtshela uDavida konke uJowabi ayesithume ukuba siyekutsho.
So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23 Isithunywa sathi kuDavida, “Abantu basikhulele, baphuma bazasihlasela etshatshalazini, kodwa sibadudulele emuva entubeni yedolobho.
The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field; and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.
24 Lapho-ke abemitshoko batshoke izinceku zakho besemdulini, kwathi abanye abantu benkosi bafa. Lenceku yakho, u-Uriya umHithi ifile.”
The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”
25 UDavida watshela isithunywa wathi, “Yitsho lokhu kuJowabi: ‘Ungakhathazwa yilokhu; inkemba idla omunye njengoba isidla omunye. Qinisa ukuhlasela idolobho, ulichithe.’ Yitsho lokhu ukuba umise isibindi uJowabi.”
Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”
26 Kwathi umka-Uriya esezwile ukuthi umkakhe usefile, wamlilela.
When Uriah’s wife heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
27 Kwathi isikhathi sokulila sesiphelile, uDavida wamletha endlini yakhe, wasesiba ngumkakhe wamzalela indodana. Kodwa into eyenziwa nguDavida yathukuthelisa uThixo.
When the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
