2 USamuyeli 20
1 Ngalesosikhathi kwenzakala ukuthi umxabanisi owayethiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri umBhenjamini abekhona. Wakhalisa icilongo waklabalala esithi, “Kasilasabelo kuDavida, kasilangxenye endodaneni kaJese! Umuntu wonke ethenteni lakhe, Oh Israyeli!”
And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite; and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, Israel.
2 Ngakho bonke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlubuka kuDavida balandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri. Kodwa abantu bakoJuda babambelela enkosini yabo umango wonke kusukela eJodani kusiya eJerusalema.
Then all the men of Israel went up from after David, following Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clave to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3 UDavida esebuyele esigodlweni sakhe eJerusalema, wathatha abafazi bakhe beceleni abalitshumi ayebatshiye begcine isigodlo wababeka endlini elindwayo. Wabanika ababekuswela, kodwa kembathanga labo. Babehlala bevalelwe kuze kube lusuku lokufa kwabo, baphila njengabafelokazi.
And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in a house of confinement and maintained them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4 Inkosi yasisithi ku-Amasa, “Biza abantu bakoJuda beze kimi phakathi kwensuku ezintathu, lawe ube lapha wena ngokwakho.”
And the king said to Amasa, Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and do thou attend here.
5 Kodwa u-Amasa eseyebiza uJuda, wathatha isikhathi eside kulaleso inkosi eyayimisele sona.
So Amasa went to call together [the men of] Judah; but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhishayi, “Khathesi uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri uzasenzela umonakalo odlula owenziwa ngu-Abhisalomu. Thatha abantu benkosi yakho umlandele, hlezi athole amadolobho avikelweyo aphunyuke kithi.”
And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom. Take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fortified cities and escape our sight.
7 Ngakho abantu bakaJowabi lamaKherethi lamaPhelethi kanye lamaqhawe wonke alamandla baphuma belawulwa ngu-Abhishayi. Bahamba besuka eJerusalema belandela uShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8 Kwathi besesedwaleni elikhulu eGibhiyoni, u-Amasa wayabahlangabeza. UJowabi wayegqoke ibhatshi lakhe lempi, phezu kwalo, ekhalweni lwakhe, kubophe ibhanti lilomhedla esikhwameni sawo. Esahamba esiya phambili, umhedla wawela ngaphandle kwesikhwama sawo.
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. And Joab was girded with his coat, his dress, and upon it was the girdle of the sword which was fastened on his loins in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out.
9 UJowabi wasesithi ku-Amasa, “Unjani, mfowethu?” UJowabi wasebamba u-Amasa ngendevu ngesandla sakhe sokudla wasemanga.
And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou well, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
10 U-Amasa kawunanzelelanga umhedla owawuphethwe nguJowabi, uJowabi wasemgwaza esiswini sakhe, amathumbu akhe ahutshukela phandle emhlabathini. Lanxa engasagwazwanga futhi, u-Amasa wafa. Emva kwalokho uJowabi lomfowabo u-Abhishayi baxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
And Amasa had taken no notice of the sword that was in Joab's hand: so he smote him with it in the belly and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. And Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11 Omunye wabantu bakaJowabi wema phansi kuka-Amasa wathi, “Lowo othanda uJowabi, lalowo ongokaDavida, kalandele uJowabi!”
And one of Joab's young men stood by [Amasa] and said, He that favours Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab.
12 U-Amasa walala ezibhixeka egazini lakhe phakathi komgwaqo, umuntu lowo wabona ukuthi amabutho wonke afika ame khonapho. Kwathi esenanzelele ukuthi umuntu wonke owafika ku-Amasa wema, wamhudula emsusa emgwaqweni wamusa egangeni, waphosela isembatho phezu kwakhe.
Now Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by stood still.
13 Emva kokuba u-Amasa esesusiwe emgwaqweni, abantu bonke bedlula loJowabi ukuyaxotshana loShebha indodana kaBhikhiri.
When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri,
14 UShebha wadabula phakathi kwazo zonke izizwana zako-Israyeli kusiya e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha laphakathi kwesabelo sonke samaBikiri, aqoqanayo amlandela.
who went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth-Maacah, and all the Berim; and they gathered together, and went also after him.
15 Wonke amabutho ayeloJowabi afika amvimbezela uShebha e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha. Bakha idundulu lokuvimbezela elalifika edolobheni njalo laleyame izinqaba zangaphandle. Besagqula umduli ukuba bawudilize,
And they came and besieged him in Abel-Beth-Maacah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it was raised in the trench; and all the people that were with Joab sapped the wall, to throw it down.
16 owesifazane ohlakaniphileyo wamemeza esedolobheni wathi, “Lalelani! Lalelani! Tshelani uJowabi eze lapha ukuze ngikhulume laye.”
And a wise woman cried out of the city, Hear, hear: say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
17 Wahamba esiya kuye, wasembuza esithi, “UnguJowabi na?” Yena waphendula wathi, “Nginguye.” Wasesithi, “Lalela okuzatshiwo yincekukazi yakho.” Wathi, “Ngilalele.”
And he came near to her; and the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he said, I [am he]. And she said to him, Listen to the words of thy handmaid. And he said, I am listening.
18 Owesifazane waqhubeka wathi, “Kudala babejwayele ukuthi, ‘Funani impendulo e-Abheli-Bhethi-Mahakha,’ lokho kwakuyiqeda indaba.
And she spoke saying, They were wont to speak in old time saying, Just inquire in Abel; and so they ended.
19 Thina singabathuleyo labathembekileyo ko-Israyeli. Wena uzama ukudiliza idolobho elingunina ko-Israyeli. Kungani ufuna ukuginya ilifa likaThixo na?”
I am peaceable [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of Jehovah?
20 UJowabi waphendula wathi, “Akusikho lokho! Akusikho lokho ukuginya loba ukudiliza!
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21 Akunjalo. Umuntu othiwa nguShebha indodana kaBhikhiri, owaselizweni lezintaba lako-Efrayimi, uphakamisele inkosi isandla sakhe emelana layo, emelana loDavida. Mletheni umuntu lowo, ngisuke edolobheni.” Owesifazane wathi kuJowabi “Ikhanda lakhe lizaphoswa kuwe lisuka emdulini.”
The matter is not so; but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David: give up him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.
22 Emva kwalokho owesifazane lowo waya ebantwini bonke leseluleko sakhe esikhaliphileyo, baquma ikhanda likaShebha indodana kaBhikhiri baliphosela kuJowabi. Ngakho wakhalisa icilongo, abantu bakhe bachitheka besuka edolobheni, lowo lalowo ebuyela emzini wakhe. UJowabi wabuyela enkosini eJerusalema.
Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 UJowabi wayephethe lonke ibutho lako-Israyeli; uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada ephethe amaKherethi lamaPhelethi;
And Joab was over all the host of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;
24 u-Adoniramu wayephethe izibhalwa; uJehoshafathi indodana ka-Ahiludi wayengumbhali;
and Adoram was over the levy; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;
25 uSheva engumabhalane; uZadokhi lo-Abhiyathari bengabaphristi;
and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
26 u-Ira umJayiri engumphristi kaDavida.
and Ira also, the Jairite, was David's chief ruler.
