2 USamuyeli 19
1 UJowabi watshelwa kwathiwa, “Inkosi iyakhala ililela u-Abhisalomu.”
And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.
2 Njalo kulolonke ibutho ukunqoba kwamhlalokho kwaguqulelwa ekulileni, ngoba ngalolosuku amabutho ezwa kuthiwa, “Inkosi ilusizi ngendodana yayo.”
And the victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
3 Ngalolosuku abantu bangena benyenya edolobheni njengabantu abalenhloni bengena benyenya lapho bebaleka empini.
And the people got them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4 Inkosi yamboza ubuso bayo yakhala kakhulu isithi, “Oh ndodana yami Abhisalomu! Oh Abhisalomu, ndodana yami, ndodana yami!”
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5 UJowabi wayangena endlini enkosini wathi, “Lamhla ubayangisile bonke abantu bakho, abasanda kusindisa impilo yakho lempilo yamadodana akho lamadodakazi lempilo yabomkakho kanye labafazi bakho beceleni.
And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, which this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;
6 Uthanda abakuzondayo uzonde abakuthandayo. Ukwenze kwabasobala lamhla ukuthi abalawuli bebutho labantu babo kabasilutho kuwe. Ngiyabona ukuthi ubuzathokoza aluba u-Abhisalomu ubephila lamhla thina sonke sifile.
In that you love your enemies, and hate your friends. For you have declared this day, that you regard neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased you well.
7 Khathesi-ke phuma uyequnga abantu bakho isibindi. Ngiyafunga ngoThixo ukuthi nxa ungaphumi akulamuntu ozabe esele lawe kufika ukuhlwa. Lokhu kuzakuba kubi kakhulu kuwe kulayo yonke incithakalo eseyake yakwehlela kusukela ebutsheni bakho kuze kube khathesi.”
Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably to your servants: for I swear by the LORD, if you go not forth, there will not tarry one with you this night: and that will be worse to you than all the evil that befell you from your youth until now.
8 Ngakho inkosi yasukuma yahamba lesihlalo sayo esangweni. Abantu sebezwe kuthiwa, “Inkosi ihlezi esangweni,” bonke baya phambi kwayo. Ngalesosikhathi abako-Israyeli basebebalekele emizini yabo.
Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king does sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
9 Kuzozonke izizwana zako-Israyeli, abantu bonke babephikisana besithi, “Inkosi isisindisile esandleni sezitha zethu; yiyo eyasihlengayo esandleni samaFilistiya. Kodwa khathesi isibalekile elizweni ngenxa ka-Abhisalomu;
And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
10 njalo u-Abhisalomu, esamgcobayo ukuba asibuse, ufile empini. Ngakho kungani lingatsho lutho ngokubuyisa inkosi na?”
And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak you not a word of bringing the king back?
11 Inkosi uDavida wathumela ilizwi kuZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari, abaphristi esithi, “Buzani abadala bakoJuda ukuthi, ‘Kungani lisiba ngabokucina ekubuyiseleni inkosi esigodlweni sayo njengoba okukhulunywayo kulolonke elako-Israyeli sekufikile enkosini lapho ehlala khona na?
And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.
12 Lingabafowethu, inyama yami legazi lami. Ngakho kungani lisiba ngabokucina ukubuyisa inkosi?’
You are my brothers, you are my bones and my flesh: why then are you the last to bring back the king?
13 Njalo lithi ku-Amasa, ‘Wena kawusinyama yami legazi lami na? Sengathi uNkulunkulu angangijezisa, kube kanzima kakhulu, nxa ungasuye mlawuli webutho lami esikhundleni sikaJowabi, kusukela khathesi.’”
And say you to Amasa, Are you not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
14 Wazuza ukusekelwa ngabantu bonke bakoJuda kwangathi babengumuntu munye. Bathumela ilizwi enkosini besithi, “Buya, wena kanye labantu bakho bonke.”
And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word to the king, Return you, and all your servants.
15 Ngakho inkosi yabuyela yahamba yaze yayafika eJodani. Ngalesosikhathi abantu bakoJuda basebefikile eGiligali ukuze baphume bayehlangabeza inkosi bayilethe ngaphetsheya kweJodani.
So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
16 UShimeyi indodana kaGera, umBhenjamini waseBhahurimi, wehla ngokuphangisa labantu bakoJuda ukuyahlangabeza inkosi uDavida.
And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17 Wayelabantu bakoBhenjamini abayinkulungwane, kanye loZibha, isikhonzi sabendlu kaSawuli, lamadodana akhe alitshumi lanhlanu kanye lezinceku ezingamatshumi amabili. Baphangisa ukuya eJodani lapho inkosi eyayikhona.
And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
18 Bachapha ezibukweni ukuze bahambise abendlu yenkosi ngaphetsheya lokwenza loba kuyini ekufunayo. UShimeyi indodana kaGera esechaphe iJodani, waziwisela phansi wathi bhazalala phambi kwenkosi
And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
19 wathi kuyo, “Inkosi kayingangenzi olecala. Ungakhumbuli okubi okwenziwa yinceku yakho mhlekazi wami ngosuku inkosi eyasuka ngalo eJerusalema. Sengathi inkosi ingakwesula engqondweni yayo.
And said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do you remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20 Ngoba mina nceku yakho ngiyakwazi ukuthi ngenza isono, kodwa lamhla ngize lapha njengowakuqala kuyo yonke indlu kaJosefa ukuzahlangabeza umhlekazi wami, inkosi.”
For your servant does know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21 Lapho-ke u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya wathi, “UShimeyi akumelanga abulawe ngenxa yalokhu na? Wathuka ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.”
But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?
22 UDavida waphendula wathi, “Kuyini lina lami esihlanganyela kukho, lina madodana kaZeruya? Ngalelilanga lina selibe yizitha zami! Kufanele kube lomuntu obulawayo ko-Israyeli lamhla na? Kangazi yini ukuthi lamhla ngiyinkosi yako-Israyeli?”
And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23 Ngakho inkosi yathi kuShimeyi, “Kawuyikufa.” Njalo inkosi yamthembisa ngokufunga.
Therefore the king said to Shimei, You shall not die. And the king swore to him.
24 UMefibhoshethi, indodana yendodana kaSawuli, laye wehla ukuyahlangabeza inkosi. Wayengazigezanga inyawo zakhe kumbe agele indevu zakhe loba agezise izigqoko zakhe kusukela ngelanga inkosi eyasuka ngalo kwaze kwaba lilanga eyabuya ngalo isindile.
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
25 Esefikile evela eJerusalema ukuzahlangabeza inkosi, inkosi yambuza yathi, “Kungani ungahambanga lami, Mefibhoshethi?”
And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why went not you with me, Mephibosheth?
26 Yena wathi, “Mhlekazi wami, nkosi, njengoba mina nceku yakho ngiqhula, ngathi, ‘Ngizabophela isihlalo kubabhemi wami ngigade phezu kwaso, ukuze ngihambe lenkosi yami.’ Kodwa uZibha inceku yami wangikhohlisa.
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for your servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because your servant is lame.
27 Njalo usehlinikeze inceku yakho kuwe mhlekazi nkosi yami. Mhlekazi wami, inkosi injengengilosi kaNkulunkulu; ngakho yenza lokho okukuthokozisayo.
And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in your eyes.
28 Bonke abenzalo kababamkhulu kabafanelanga lutho kodwa ukubulawa ngumhlekazi wami inkosi, kodwa inceku yakho uyiphe indawo phakathi kwalabo abadla etafuleni lakho. Ngakho ngilelungelo bani lokukhalaza njalo enkosini?”
For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet did you set your servant among them that did eat at your own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more to the king?
29 Inkosi yathi kuye, “Usakhulumelani okunye? Ngiyalilaya wena loZibha ukuba lahlukaniselane amasimu.”
And the king said to him, Why speak you any more of your matters? I have said, You and Ziba divide the land.
30 UMefibhoshethi wathi enkosini, “Kathathe konke, njengoba khathesi umhlekazi wami usefikile ekhaya kungekho ngozi.”
And Mephibosheth said to the king, Yes, let him take all, for as much as my lord the king is come again in peace to his own house.
31 UBhazilayi umGiliyadi laye wehla evela eRogelimi ukuyachapha iJodani elenkosi lokuyayivalelisela khona.
And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
32 UBhazilayi wayesengumuntu omdala, eseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili. Wayenike inkosi ukudla ekuhlaleni kwayo eMahanayimi, ngoba wayengumuntu onothe kakhulu.
Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
33 Inkosi yathi kuBhazilayi, “Chaphela ngaphetsheya lami uyehlala lami eJerusalema ngizakupha okuswelayo.”
And the king said to Barzillai, Come you over with me, and I will feed you with me in Jerusalem.
34 Kodwa uBhazilayi wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Mingaki eminye iminyaka engisezayiphila, ukuba ngiye eJerusalema lenkosi na?
And Barzillai said to the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
35 Khathesi ngileminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili ubudala. Ngingabe ngisawutsho yini umahluko phakathi kokuhle lokungekuhle na? Inceku yakho ingabe isakunambitha ekudlayo lekunathayo na? Ngingabe ngisawezwa amazwi abahlabeleli besilisa labesifazane na? Kungani inceku yakho kumele ibe ngomunye umthwalo njalo kumhlekazi wami, inkosi na?
I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?
36 Inceku yakho izachaphela ngaphetsheya kweJodani lenkosi ummangwana omfitshane, pho kungani inkosi kumele ingiphe umvuzo ongaka na?
Your servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
37 Yekela inceku yakho ibuyele, ukuze ngiyefela emzini wakithi eduze lengcwaba likababa lomama. Kodwa nansi inceku yakho uKhimihami. Kachaphele ngaphetsheya lomhlekazi inkosi yami. Menzele lokho okukuthokozisayo.”
Let your servant, I pray you, turn back again, that I may die in my own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.
38 Inkosi yasisithi, “UKhimihami uzachaphela ngaphetsheya lami, njalo ngizamenzela okukuthokozisayo. Njalo loba yini oyifuna kimi ngizakwenzela yona.”
And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you: and whatever you shall require of me, that will I do for you.
39 Ngakho abantu bonke bachapha iJodani, inkosi yasichaphela ngaphetsheya. Inkosi yamanga uBhazilayi yambusisa, uBhazilayi wasebuyela emzini wakhe.
And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.
40 Kwathi inkosi ichaphela eGiligali, uKhimihami wachapha layo. Wonke amabutho akoJuda lengxenye yamabutho ako-Israyeli ayeyichaphisile inkosi.
Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
41 Masinyane bonke abantu bako-Israyeli baya enkosini bathi kuyo, “Kungani abafowethu, abantu bakoJuda, bentshontshe inkosi yethu bayisa ngaphetsheya kweJodani yona labendlu yayo kanye labantu bonke na?”
And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?
42 Bonke abantu bakoJuda baphendula abantu bako-Israyeli bathi, “Lokhu sikwenzile ngoba inkosi ilobuhlobo obuseduze kakhulu lathi. Kulicaphula ngani lokho? Sike sadla olunye ulutho lwenkosi na? Sike sazithathela enye into na?”
And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: why then be you angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or has he given us any gift?
43 Abantu bako-Israyeli basebephendula abantu bakoJuda besithi, “Thina silezabelo ezilitshumi enkosini, njalo ngaphandle kwalokho thina silelungelo elikhulu kulelenu ngoDavida. Pho kungani lisidelela? Kasibanga ngabokuqala na ukukhuluma ngokubuyisa inkosi yethu?” Kodwa abantu bakoJuda baphendula ngamazwi alukhuni kakhulu kulawabantu bako-Israyeli.
And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than you: why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
