2 USamuyeli 1
1 Emva kokufa kukaSawuli, uDavida wabuya evela ekunqobeni ama-Amaleki wahlala eZikhilagi insuku ezimbili.
After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
2 Ngosuku lwesithathu kwafika umuntu evela ezihonqweni zikaSawuli, izigqoko zakhe zidabukile njalo egcwele uthuli ekhanda lakhe. Kwathi esefikile kuDavida waziwisela phansi emhlonipha.
On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.
3 UDavida wambuza wathi, “Uvela ngaphi?” Yena waphendula wathi, “Ngibalekile ezihonqweni zabako-Israyeli.”
“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.
4 UDavida wabuza wathi, “Kutheni? Ngitshela.” Yena wathi, “Abantu babalekile empini. Inengi labo lifile. USawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani labo bafile?”
“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5 UDavida wasesithi kulelojaha elamlethela umbiko, “Wazi njani ukuthi uSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani bafile?”
Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 Ijaha lelo lathi, “Kwenzakele ukuthi mina kade ngiphezu kweNtaba iGilibhowa ngabona uSawuli eyame umkhonto wakhe, izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza sebebanga kuye.
“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.
7 Uthe etshibilika wangibona, wasengibiza, mina ngathi, ‘Kuyini engingakwenza?’
When he turned around and saw me, he called out and I answered, ‘Here I am!’
8 Ungibuzile wathi, ‘Ungubani wena na?’ Ngiphendule ngathi, ‘NgingumʼAmaleki.’
‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9 Wasesithi kimi, ‘Sondela eduze ungibulale! Sengiseduze lokufa, kodwa ngisaphila.’
Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’
10 Ngakho ngisondele kuye ngambulala, ngoba ngazile ukuthi emva kwalokho ubengeke aphile. Njalo ngithethe umqhele obusekhanda lakhe lesongo ebelisengalweni yakhe okuyikho engikulethe lapha enkosini yami.”
So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Lapho-ke uDavida labantu bonke ababelaye babamba izigqoko zabo bazidabula.
Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
12 Babakhalela, babalilela, babazilela kwaze kwahlwa uSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani kanye lebutho likaThixo lendlu ka-Israyeli, ngoba babebulewe ngenkemba.
They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 UDavida wasesithi ejaheni elalimlethele umbiko, “Wena ungowangaphi na?” Lona laphendula lathi, “Ngiyindodana yezizweni, umʼAmaleki.”
And David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner,” he answered. “I am an Amalekite.”
14 UDavida waselibuza esithi, “Kungani ungesabanga ukuphakamisa isandla sakho ukuba ubulale ogcotshiweyo kaThixo na?”
So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
15 UDavida wabiza omunye wabantu bakhe wathi, “Sondela umgongode!” Ngakho wamgongoda wafa.
Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.
16 Ngoba uDavida wayethe kuye, “Igazi lakho kalibe phezu kwekhanda lakho. Umlomo wakho ufakaze okubi ngawe lapho wena uthe, ‘Ngimbulele ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.’”
For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
17 UDavida walila isililo lesi ngoSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani,
Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,
18 walaya ukuthi abantu bakoJuda basifundiswe isililo sedandili lesi (silotshiwe eNcwadini kaJashari):
and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:
19 “Udumo lwakho, We Israyeli, lubulewe ezingqongweni zakho. Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe!
“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
20 Lingabokutsho eGathi, lingakumemezeli ezindleleni zase-Ashikheloni, hlezi amadodakazi amaFilistiya athabe, hlezi amadodakazi abangasokanga athokoze.
Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 We zintaba zaseGilibhowa, kalingabi lamazolo loba izulu, kumbe amasimu athela amabele eminikelo. Ngoba khonapho ihawu leqhawe langcoliswa, ihawu likaSawuli, lingasagcotshwa ngamafutha.
O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22 Egazini lababuleweyo, enyameni yamaqhawe umtshoko kaJonathani kawuphendukanga, umtshoko kaSawuli kawuphendukanga ungasuthanga.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 USawuli loJonathani, ekuphileni babethandeka bengababukekayo, lekufeni kabehlukaniswanga. Babelesiqubu kulengqungqulu, belamandla kulezilwane.
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 Awu madodakazi ako-Israyeli, mlileleni uSawuli, owaligqokisa okubomvu lokuhle kakhulu, owacecisa izembatho zenu ngemiceciso yegolide.
O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.
25 Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe empini! UJonathani ulele efile ezingqongweni zakho.
How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 Ngilusizi ngawe Jonathani, mfowethu; ubuthandeka kakhulu kimi. Ukungithanda kwakho kade kumangalisa, kumangalisa okudlula okwabesifazane.
I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
27 Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe! Izikhali zempi zitshabalele!”
How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished!”
