2 USamuyeli 15
1 Ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi u-Abhisalomu wazidingela inqola yempi lamabhiza kanye labantu abangamatshumi amahlanu ukuba ngabagijima phambi kwakhe.
Now after these things Absalom made himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
2 Wayevuka ekuseni kakhulu ame eceleni komgwaqo oya esangweni ledolobho. Kwakusithi loba ngubani ofikayo ukuyamangala icala enkosini ukuba liqunywe, u-Abhisalomu wayembiza athi, “Wena uvela kuliphi idolobho?” Wayephendula athi, “Inceku yakho ivela kwesinye sezizwana zako-Israyeli.”
And Absalom rising up early stood by the entrance of the gate, and when any man had business to come to the king’s judgment, Absalom called him to him, and said: Of what city art thou? He answered, and said: Thy servant is of such a tribe of Israel.
3 Lapho-ke u-Abhisalomu wayesithi kuye, “Khangela, okufunayo kuqondile njalo kufanele, kodwa akulammeli wenkosi ukuba akuzwe.”
And Absalom answered him: Thy words seem to me good and just. But there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee. And Absalom said:
4 U-Abhisalomu wayeqhubeka athi, “Sekuze kungathi ngabe ngabekwa ukuba ngumahluleli elizweni! Loba ngubani olensolo kumbe icala wayezakuza kimi ngibone ukuthi wahlulelwa kuhle.”
O that they would make me judge over the land, that all that have business might come to me, that I might do them justice.
5 Njalo kwakusithi umuntu angafika kuye akhothamele phansi phambi kwakhe, u-Abhisalomu wayeselula isandla sakhe ambambe amange.
Moreover when any man came to him to salute him, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 U-Abhisalomu waziphatha ngale indlela kubo bonke abako-Israyeli abaya enkosini ukuyacela ukwahlulelwa kuhle, ngalokho wakhanga inhliziyo zabantu abanengi ko-Israyeli.
And this he did to all Israel that came for judgment, to be heard by the king, and he enticed the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 Ekupheleni kweminyaka emine, u-Abhisalomu wathi enkosini, “Ngisake ngiye eHebhroni ukuyagcwalisa isifungo engasenzayo kuThixo.
And after forty years, Absalom said to king David: Let me go, and pay my vows which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.
8 Inceku yakho isahlala eGeshuri e-Aramu, yenza isifungo lesi: ‘Nxa uThixo engangibuyisela eJerusalema ngizamkhonza uThixo eHebhroni.’”
For thy servant made avow, when he was in Gessur of Syria, saying: If the Lord shall bring me again into Jerusalem I will offer sacrifice to the Lord.
9 Inkosi yathi kuye, “Hamba ngokuthula.” Ngakho waya eHebhroni.
And king David said to him: Go in peace. And he arose, and went to Hebron.
10 Emva kwalokho u-Abhisalomu wathuma izithunywa ezifihlakeleyo kuzozonke izizwana zako-Israyeli ukuba zithi, “Lingezwa nje ukukhala kwecilongo, tshonini lithi, ‘U-Abhisalomu uyinkosi eHebhroni!’”
And Absalom sent spies into all the tribes of Israel, saying: As soon as you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, say ye: Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
11 Abantu abangamakhulu amabili baseJerusalema babehambe lo-Abhisalomu. Babenxuswe njengezethekeli njalo behambe bekhululekile, bengazi lutho ngendaba leyo.
Now there went with Absalom two hundred men out of Jerusalem that were called, going with simplicity of heart, and knowing nothing of the design.
12 U-Abhisalomu esanikela imihlatshelo, wabiza u-Ahithofeli umGiloni, umeluleki kaDavida, ukuba eze evela eGilo, umuzi wakibo. Ngalokho icebo lomvukela laqina, labalandeli baka-Abhisalomu baqhubeka besanda.
Absalom also sent for Achitophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city Gilo. And while he was offering sacrifices, there was a strong conspiracy, and the people running together increased with Absalom.
13 Kwafika isithunywa kuDavida sathi, “Inhliziyo zabantu bako-Israyeli ziku-Abhisalomu.”
And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom.
14 UDavida wasesithi kuzozonke izikhulu zakhe ezazilaye eJerusalema, “Wozani! Kumele sibaleke, hlezi kungabi lamunye wethu ozaphepha ku-Abhisalomu. Kumele sisuke masinyane hlezi asixhume alethe incithakalo kithi njalo ahlasele idolobho ngenkemba.”
And David said to his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem: Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom: make haste to go out, lest he come and overtake us, and bring ruin upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
15 Izikhulu zenkosi zaphendula zathi, “Izinceku zakho zilungele ukwenza loba yini umhlekazi wethu inkosi akukhethayo.”
And the king’s servants said to him: Whatsoever our lord the king shall command, we thy servants will willingly execute.
16 Inkosi yaphuma labendlu yayo bonke beyilandela; kodwa yatshiya abafazi beceleni abalitshumi ukuba bagcine isigodlo.
And the king went forth, and all his household on foot: and the king left ten women his concubines to keep the house:
17 Ngakho inkosi yasuka, labantu bonke beyilandela, basebesima endaweni elibanga elithize.
And the king going forth and all Israel on foot, stood afar off from the house:
18 Bonke abantu bayo bayedlula, ndawonye lawo wonke amaKherethi lamaPhelethi, kanye lawo wonke amaGithi angamakhulu ayisithupha ayehambe layo kusukela eGathi ahamba phambi kwenkosi.
And all his servants walked by him, and the bands of the Cerethi, and the Phelethi, and all the Gethites, valiant warriors, six hundred men who had followed him from Geth on foot, went before the king.
19 Inkosi yasisithi ku-Ithayi umGithi, “Kungani uhamba lathi na? Buyela emuva uyehlala lenkosi u-Abhisalomu. Wena ungumuntu wezizweni, owaxotshwayo elizweni lakini.
And the king said to Ethai the Gethite: Why comest thou with us? return and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and art come out of thy own place.
20 Ufike izolo nje. Kambe sekungathi lamhla lokhu ngikwenze uzulazule lathi, mina ngingakwazi lalapho engingaya khona? Buyela emuva uthathe abantu bakini. Sengathi uThixo angakwenzela umusa lokuhle.”
Yesterday thou camest, and today shalt thou be forced to go forth with us? but I shall go whither I am going: return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee, and the Lord will shew thee mercy, and truth, because thou hast shewn grace and fidelity.
21 Kodwa u-Ithayi wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo ekhona, njalo njengoba umhlekazi wami inkosi, ephila, loba kungaphi lapho umhlekazi wami inkosi ezakuba ikhona, loba kusitsho ukuphila kumbe ukufa, inceku yakho izakuba khonapho.”
And Ethai answered the king, saying: As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth: in what place soever thou shalt be, my lord, O king, either in death, or in life, there will thy servant be.
22 UDavida wasesithi ku-Ithayi, “Qhubeka, hamba.” Ngakho u-Ithayi umGithi wahamba labantu bakhe bonke kanye lezimuli ezazilaye.
And David said to Ethai: Come, and pass over. And Ethai the Gethite passed, and all the men that were with him, and the rest of the people.
23 Ilizwe lonke lakhala kakhulu lapho abantu bonke besedlula. Inkosi yachapha isiHotsha saseKhidironi, abantu bonke bahamba beqonde enkangala.
And they all wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself went over the brook Cedron, and all the people marched towards the way that looketh to the desert.
24 UZadokhi laye wayekhona, labaLevi bonke ababelaye babethwele ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, njalo u-Abhiyathari wanikela imihlatshelo abantu bonke baze baphela ukusuka edolobheni.
And Sadoc the priest also came, and all the Levites with him carrying the ark of the covenant of God, and they set down the ark of God: and Abiathar went up, till all the people that was come out of the city had done passing.
25 Inkosi yasisithi kuZadokhi, “Buyisela ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu edolobheni. Ngingathola umusa emehlweni kaThixo, uzangibuyisela emuva enze ukuba ngilibone futhi kanye lendawo yakhe yokuhlala.
And the king said to Sadoc: Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will bring me again, and he will shew me it, and his tabernacle.
26 Kodwa angathi, ‘Kangithokozi ngawe,’ lapho-ke ngizilungisele; kenze kimi loba kuyini okukhanya kulungile kuye.”
But if he shall say to me: Thou pleasest me not: I am ready, let him do that which is good before him.
27 Inkosi yabuya yathi kuZadokhi umphristi, “Uyazwisisa na? Buyela emuva edolobheni ngokuthula, lendodana yakho u-Ahimazi loJonathani indodana ka-Abhiyathari. Wena lo-Abhiyathari hambani lamadodana enu.
And the king said to Sadoc the priest: O seer, return into the city in peace: and let Achimaas thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you.
28 Mina ngizakuma emazibukweni enkangala kuze kufike ilizwi elivela kini lingazisa.”
Behold I will lie hid in the plains of the wilderness, till there come word from you to certify me.
29 Ngakho uZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari balibuyisela eJerusalema ibhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu lahlala khona.
So Sadoc and Abiathar carried back the ark of God into Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
30 Kodwa uDavida waqhubeka ekhwela iNtaba yama-Oliva, ehamba ekhala; ikhanda lakhe lalimboziwe njalo ebhadula ngezinyawo. Bonke abantu ababelaye labo bamboza amakhanda abo njalo bakhwela bekhala.
But David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, going up and weeping, walking barefoot, and with his head covered, and all the people that were with them, went up with their heads covered weeping.
31 UDavida wayetshelwe ukuthi, “U-Ahithofeli uphakathi kwabahlamuki lo-Abhisalomu.” Ngakho uDavida wakhuleka wathi, “Oh, Thixo phendula ukululeka kuka-Ahithofeli kube yibuthutha.”
And it was told David that Achitophel also was in the conspiracy with Absalom, and David said: Infatuate, O Lord, I beseech thee, the counsel of Achitophel.
32 Kwathi uDavida esefikile engqongeni, lapho abantu ababejayele ukukhonzela khona uNkulunkulu, uHushayi umʼArikhi wayekhonapho ukuba amhlangabeze, isembatho sakhe sidabukile njalo elothuli ekhanda.
And when David was come to the top of the mountain, where he was about to adore the Lord, behold Chusai the Arachite, came to meet him with his garment rent and his head covered with earth.
33 UDavida wathi kuye, “Ungahamba lami, uzakuba ngumthwalo onzima kimi.
And David said to him: If thou come with me, thou wilt be a burden to me:
34 Kodwa nxa ubuyela edolobheni uyekuthi ku-Abhisalomu, ‘Ngizakuba yinceku yakho, awu nkosi, ngangiyinceku kayihlo kudala, kodwa khathesi ngizakuba yinceku yakho,’ lapho-ke ungangisiza ngokufubisa izeluleko zika-Ahithofeli.
But if thou return into the city, and wilt say to Absalom: I am thy servant, O king: as I have been thy father’s servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitophel.
35 Abaphristi uZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari kabayikuba khonale lawe na? Batshele konke okuzwayo esigodlweni senkosi.
And thou hast with thee Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests: and what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Sadoc and Abiathar the priests.
36 Amadodana abo amabili, u-Ahimazi indodana kaZadokhi loJonathani indodana ka-Abhiyathari, akhonale kanye labo. Bathumele kimi ngakho konke okuzwayo.”
And there are with them their two sons Achimaas the son of Sadoc, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar: and you shall send by them to me every thing that you shall hear.
37 Ngakho umngane kaDavida uHushayi wafika eJerusalema khonapho u-Abhisalomu laye engena edolobheni.
Then Chusai the friend of David went into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
