2 USamuyeli 23
1 La ngamazwi okucina kaDavida: “Umbono kaDavida indodana kaJese, umbono womuntu owaphakanyiswa ngoPhezukonke, umuntu owagcotshwa nguNkulunkulu kaJakhobe, umhlabeleli wezingoma ka-Israyeli:
Now these are the last words of David— David son of Jesse, the man who was highly honored, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
2 Umoya kaThixo wakhuluma ngami, ilizwi lakhe lalisolimini lwami.
“The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue.
3 UNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli wakhuluma, iDwala lika-Israyeli lathi kimi: ‘Lapho umuntu ebusa abantu ngokulunga, lapho ebusa ngokwesaba uNkulunkulu,
The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, 'The one who rules righteously over men, who rules in the fear of God.
4 unjengokukhanya kwekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga ekuseni okungelamayezi, njengokukhanya emva kokuna kwezulu okumilisa utshani emhlabathini.’
He will be like the morning light when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs up from the earth through bright sunshine after rain.
5 Indlu yami kayifanelanga kuNkulunkulu na? Kanje kenzanga lami isivumelwano esingapheliyo esalungiswayo saqiniswa izigaba zonke na? Kambe kazukuphumelelisa ukusindiswa kwami angiphe konke engikufisayo na?
Indeed, is my family not like this before God? Has he not made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and sure in every way? Does he not increase my salvation and fulfill my every desire?
6 Kodwa abantu ababi bonke bazaphoselwa eceleni njengameva, angabuthwayo ngesandla.
But the worthless will all be like thorns to be thrown away, because they cannot be gathered by one's hands.
7 Loba ngubani othinta ameva usebenzisa insimbi loba uluthi lomkhonto; ayatshiswa ngomlilo khonapho akhona.”
The man who touches them must use an iron tool or the shaft of a spear. They must be burned up where they lie.'”
8 La ngamabizo amaqhawe kaDavida: UJoshebi-Bhasishebethi umThakemoni wayeyinduna yabaThathu, waphakamisela abantu abangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili umkhonto wakhe, ababulalayo ekuhlaseleni kunye.
These are the names of David's mighty men: Jeshbaal the Hachmonite was the leader of the mighty men. He killed eight hundred men on one occasion.
9 Yena elandelwa ngu-Eliyazari indodana kaDodo umʼAhohi. Njengomunye wamaqhawe amathathu, wayeloDavida lapho bechothoza amaFilistiya ayebuthanele impi ePhasi Damimi. Lapho-ke abantu bako-Israyeli bahlehlela emuva,
After him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. He was with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered together to do battle, and when the men of Israel had retreated.
10 kodwa yena wajama wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya isandla sakhe saze sadinwa sanamathela enkembeni. Ngalelolanga uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu. Amabutho abuyela ku-Eleyazari ukuyahlubula abafileyo kuphela nje.
Eleazar stood and fought the Philistines until his hand became weary and his hand stiffened to the grip of his sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day. The army returned after Eleazar, only to strip the bodies.
11 Phansi kwakhe kwakuloShama indodana ka-Ageye umHarari. Kwathi amaFilistiya eseqoqene endaweni eyayilezindumba ezinengi, amabutho ako-Israyeli awabalekela.
After him was Shammah son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together where there was a field of lentils, and the army fled from them.
12 Kodwa uShama wajama phakathi kwensimu. Wayivikela wawacakazela phansi amaFilistiya, uThixo waletha ukunqoba okukhulu.
But Shammah stood in the middle of the field and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about a great victory.
13 Ngesikhathi sokuvuna, abathathu ezinduneni ezingamatshumi amathathu baya kuDavida ebhalwini lwase-Adulami, lapho ibutho lamaFilistiya lalimise eSigodini saseRefayi.
Three of the thirty soldiers went down to David at harvest time, to the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14 Ngalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, iviyo lamabutho amaFilistiya laliseBhethilehema.
At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established at Bethlehem.
15 UDavida womela amanzi wasesithi, “Oh, sengathi kungaba lomuntu ongangikhela amanzi okunatha emthonjeni oseduze lesango laseBhethilehema!”
David was longing for water and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that is by the gate!”
16 Ngakho amaqhawe amathathu adabula phakathi kwamaviyo amaFilistiya, akha amanzi emthonjeni eduze lesango laseBhethilehema ahamba lawo kuDavida. Kodwa wala ukuwanatha, esikhundleni salokho wawathela phambi kukaThixo.
So these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.
17 Wathi, “Akungenzeki, Oh Thixo, ukuba ngenze lokhu. Akusigazi labantu abahambe befake ukuphila kwabo engozini na?” UDavida kawanathanga. Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zalawomabutho womathathu.
Then he said, “Yahweh, far be it from me, that I should do this. Should I drink the blood of men who have risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. These things were done by the three mighty.
18 U-Abhishayi umfowabo kaJowabi indodana kaZeruya wayeyinduna yabaThathu labo. Waphakamisela umkhonto wakhe phezu kwabangamakhulu amathathu, ababulalayo, ngakho waba lodumo njengabaThathu.
Abishai, brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was captain over the three. He once fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them. He was often mentioned along with the three soldiers.
19 Kahlonitshwanga kakhulu kulabaThathu na? Waba ngumlawuli wabo, loba engazange abe phakathi kwabo.
Was he not even more famous than the three? He was made their captain. However, his fame did not equal the fame of the three most famous soldiers.
20 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wayeliqhawe elilesibindi laseKhabhizeli, elenza izenzo zobuqhawe obukhulu. Wabulala amaqhawe amaMowabi amabili ayezintshantshu ekulweni. Wake wangena emgodini wabulala isilwane mhla kulongqwaqwane.
Benaiah from Kabzeel was the son of Jehoiada; he was a strong man who did mighty feats. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion while it was snowing.
21 Njalo wabulala umGibhithe owayemkhulu kakhulu. Lanxa umGibhithe lowo wayephethe umkhonto, uBhenaya wamhlasela ngenduku. Wawuhluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.
Then he killed a very large Egyptian man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah fought against him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and then killed him with his own spear.
22 Lezi zaziyizenzo zobuqhawe zikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada; laye futhi wayedume njengamaqhawe amathathu.
Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.
23 Wayehlonitshwa kakhulu ukwedlula bonke abangamaTshumi Amathathu, kodwa wayengabalwa kanye labaThathu. UDavida wambeka ukuba abe ngumphathi wabalindi bakhe.
He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24 Phakathi kwabangamatshumi amathathu labo kwakuyilaba: U-Asaheli umfowabo kaJowabi, u-Elihanani indodana kaDodo waseBhethilehema,
The thirty included the following men: Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25 uShama umHarodi, u-Elika umHarodi,
Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 uHelezi umPhalithi, u-Ira indodana ka-Ikheshi waseThekhowa,
Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 u-Abhiyezeri wase-Anathothi, uSibhekhayi umHushathi,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,
28 uZalimoni umʼAhohi, uMaharayi umNethofa,
Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;
29 uHeledi indodana kaBhana umNethofa, u-Ithayi indodana kaRibhayi owaseGibhiya koBhenjamini,
Heleb son of Baanah, the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,
30 uBhenaya umPhirathoni, uHidayi wasezindongeni zaseGashi,
Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash.
31 u-Abhi-Alibhoni umʼAribhathi, u-Azimavethi umBharihumi,
Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 u-Eliyaba umShalibhoni, amadodana kaJasheni, uJonathani
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite;
33 indodana kaShama umHarari, u-Ahiyamu indodana kaSharari umHarari,
Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 u-Elifelethi indodana ka-Ahasibhayi umʼMahakhathi, u-Eliyami indodana ka-Ahithofeli umGiloni,
Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 uHeziro umKhameli, uPharayi umʼAribhi,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 u-Igali indodana kaNathani waseZobha, indodana kaHagiri,
Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani from the tribe of Gad,
37 uZelekhi umʼAmoni, uNaharayi umBherothi, owayethwala izikhali zikaJowabi, indodana kaZeruya,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah,
38 u-Ira umʼIthira, uGarebhi umʼIthiri
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 kanye lo-Uriya umHithi. Bebonke babengamatshumi amathathu lesikhombisa.
Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.
