2 USamuyeli 19

1 UJowabi watshelwa kwathiwa, “Inkosi iyakhala ililela u-Abhisalomu.”

And it was told Joab, —Lo! the king, is weeping and mourning over Absolom.

2 Njalo kulolonke ibutho ukunqoba kwamhlalokho kwaguqulelwa ekulileni, ngoba ngalolosuku amabutho ezwa kuthiwa, “Inkosi ilusizi ngendodana yayo.”

So the victory, on that day, was turned into mourning, with all the people, —for the people heard, on that day, saying, The king is distressed for his son.

3 Ngalolosuku abantu bangena benyenya edolobheni njengabantu abalenhloni bengena benyenya lapho bebaleka empini.

And the people stole away, on that day, to go into the city, —as people steal away who are put to shame, 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, muffled his face, and the king made outcry, with a loud voice, —O my son Absolom, O Absolom, 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.

Then came Joab unto the king, in the house, —and said—Thou hast, to-day, covered with shame the faces of all thy servants, who have rescued thy life to-day, and the lives of thy sons and thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy 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.

by loving them who hated thee, and hating them who loved thee, —for thou hast declared, to-day, that, nothing to thee, are princes or servants, for I perceive, to-day, that, if, Absolom, had lived, and, all we, to-day had died, that, then, it had been right in thine eyes.

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, rise—go forth, and speak unto the heart of thy servants, —for, by Yahweh, have I sworn, that, if thou do not go forth, not a man shall tarry with thee to-night, and this will be to thee, a greater misfortune, than all the misfortune that hath come upon thee from thy 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.

So the king arose, and took his seat in the gate, —and, to all the people, was it told, saying—Lo! the king, is sitting in the gate. Then came all the people before the king, but, Israel, had fled every man to his home.

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 it came to pass that all the people were reproaching one another, throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, —the king, delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and, he, rescued us out of the hand of the Philistines, but, now, he hath fled out of the land, away from Absolom;

10 njalo u-Abhisalomu, esamgcobayo ukuba asibuse, ufile empini. Ngakho kungani lingatsho lutho ngokubuyisa inkosi na?”

and, Absolom, whom we anointed over us, hath died in the battle. Now, therefore, why are, ye, silent as to bringing back the king?

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 unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Wherefore should ye be behindhand, in bringing back the king unto his home, —seeing that, the speech of all Israel, hath come unto the king, regarding his home?

12 Lingabafowethu, inyama yami legazi lami. Ngakho kungani lisiba ngabokucina ukubuyisa inkosi?’

Mine own brethren, are ye, my bone and my flesh, are ye, —wherefore then should ye be behindhand in bringing 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, unto Amasa, shall ye say, Art not, thou, my bone and my flesh? So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if thou become not, prince of the army, before me continually, instead of Joab.

14 Wazuza ukusekelwa ngabantu bonke bakoJuda kwangathi babengumuntu munye. Bathumela ilizwi enkosini besithi, “Buya, wena kanye labantu bakho bonke.”

Thus bowed he the heart of all the men of Judah, as one man, —and they sent unto the king, Return, thou, and all thy servants.

15 Ngakho inkosi yabuyela yahamba yaze yayafika eJodani. Ngalesosikhathi abantu bakoJuda basebefikile eGiligali ukuze baphume bayehlangabeza inkosi bayilethe ngaphetsheya kweJodani.

Then the king returned, and came as far as the Jordan, —and, Judah, came to Gilgal, to go and meet the king, to escort the king over the Jordan.

16 UShimeyi indodana kaGera, umBhenjamini waseBhahurimi, wehla ngokuphangisa labantu bakoJuda ukuyahlangabeza inkosi uDavida.

Then hastened Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, —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, a thousand men, were with him, out of Benjamin, Ziba also, servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants, with him, —and they went through the 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

But the ferry-boat kept crossing, to bring over the household of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And, Shimei, son of Gera, fell down before the king, when he had passed over the 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 he said unto the king—Let not my lord impute to me iniquity, neither do thou remember the perverseness of thy servant, on the day that thou wentest out, my lord O king, from Jerusalem, that the king should lay it upon 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 thy servant doth know, that, I, sinned, —lo! therefore, I have arrived to-day, as the first of all the house of Joseph, to come down to meet my lord the king.

21 Lapho-ke u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya wathi, “UShimeyi akumelanga abulawe ngenxa yalokhu na? Wathuka ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.”

Then responded Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and said, For this, shall not Shimei be put to death, for that he cursed the Anointed of Yahweh?

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?”

But David said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, for ye would become to me, to-day, a very traitor! Shall there, to-day, be put to death a man in Israel? for do I not know, that, to-day, I, am king over Israel?

23 Ngakho inkosi yathi kuShimeyi, “Kawuyikufa.” Njalo inkosi yamthembisa ngokufunga.

Then said the king unto Shimei—Thou shalt not die. And the king sware 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, son of Saul, came down to meet the king, —he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor, his clothes, had he washed, from the day the king departed, until the day that he entered in peace.

25 Esefikile evela eJerusalema ukuzahlangabeza inkosi, inkosi yambuza yathi, “Kungani ungahambanga lami, Mefibhoshethi?”

And it came to pass, when he entered Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest thou not 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 said, My lord, O king, my servant, betrayed me, —for thy servant said—I will even saddle me mine ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king, for, lame, is thy servant.

27 Njalo usehlinikeze inceku yakho kuwe mhlekazi nkosi yami. Mhlekazi wami, inkosi injengengilosi kaNkulunkulu; ngakho yenza lokho okukuthokozisayo.

And he hath slandered thy servant, unto my lord the king, —but, my lord the king, is as a messenger of God, do therefore what is good in thine own 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, when all the house of my father were nothing better than dead men, unto my lord the king, then didst thou set thy servant among them that used to eat at thy table, —what then have I further, by way of right, or to cry out any further unto the king?

29 Inkosi yathi kuye, “Usakhulumelani okunye? Ngiyalilaya wena loZibha ukuba lahlukaniselane amasimu.”

Then the king said unto him, Wherefore shouldst thou speak any further of thine affairs? I have said—Thou and Ziba, shall share the land.

30 UMefibhoshethi wathi enkosini, “Kathathe konke, njengoba khathesi umhlekazi wami usefikile ekhaya kungekho ngozi.”

And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Even the whole, let him take, —now that my lord the king hath entered, in peace, into his own house.

31 UBhazilayi umGiliyadi laye wehla evela eRogelimi ukuyachapha iJodani elenkosi lokuyayivalelisela khona.

And, Barzillai the Gileadite, came down from Rogelim, —and passed, with the king, over the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.

32 UBhazilayi wayesengumuntu omdala, eseleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili. Wayenike inkosi ukudla ekuhlaleni kwayo eMahanayimi, ngoba wayengumuntu onothe kakhulu.

Now, Barzillai, was very aged, eighty years old, —and, he himself, had sustained the king, throughout his sojourn in Mahanaim, for he was, an exceeding great man.

33 Inkosi yathi kuBhazilayi, “Chaphela ngaphetsheya lami uyehlala lami eJerusalema ngizakupha okuswelayo.”

So then the king said unto Barzillai, —Thou, come over with me, and I will sustain thee with me, in Jerusalem.

34 Kodwa uBhazilayi wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Mingaki eminye iminyaka engisezayiphila, ukuba ngiye eJerusalema lenkosi na?

But Barzillai said unto the king, —Like unto what, are the days of the years of my life, that I should come 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?

Eighty years old, am I to-day—could I discern between good and bad? or could thy servant taste what I might eat, and what I might drink? or could I hearken any more to the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore, then, should thy servant yet be a burden unto my lord the king?

36 Inceku yakho izachaphela ngaphetsheya kweJodani lenkosi ummangwana omfitshane, pho kungani inkosi kumele ingiphe umvuzo ongaka na?

Just a little way, will thy servant pass over the Jordan with the king, —but wherefore should the king recompense me with this 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 thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father, and my mother. But here is thy servant Chimham—let him pass over with my lord the king, and do unto him that which may be good in thine eyes.

38 Inkosi yasisithi, “UKhimihami uzachaphela ngaphetsheya lami, njalo ngizamenzela okukuthokozisayo. Njalo loba yini oyifuna kimi ngizakwenzela yona.”

Then said the king, With me, shall Chimham pass over, and, I, will do unto him that which shall be good in thine eyes, —and, whatsoever thou shalt choose to lay upon me, I will do for thee.

39 Ngakho abantu bonke bachapha iJodani, inkosi yasichaphela ngaphetsheya. Inkosi yamanga uBhazilayi yambusisa, uBhazilayi wasebuyela emzini wakhe.

And, when all the people had passed over the Jordan, then, the king, passed over, —and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place.

40 Kwathi inkosi ichaphela eGiligali, uKhimihami wachapha layo. Wonke amabutho akoJuda lengxenye yamabutho ako-Israyeli ayeyichaphisile inkosi.

And the king passed over to Gilgal, and, Chimham, passed over with him, —and, all the people of Judah, escorted the king, yea moreover, 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?”

Then lo! all the men of Israel, were coming unto the king, —and they said unto the king—Why did our brethren the men of Judah steal thee away, and escort the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

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 made answer unto the men of Israel—Because the king is, near of kin, unto us, wherefore, then, is it, that ye are angry over this matter? Have we, eaten, at the king’s cost? or hath he, bestowed any gifts, on us?

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—Ten parts, have we in the king, therefore, even in David, have we more right than ye. Why, then, made ye light of us, so that our word was not heard first as to bringing back our king? And, the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer than, the words of the men of Israel.