< 1 Amakhosi 2 >
1 Insuku zikaDavida zokuthi afe zasezisondela, waselaya uSolomoni indodana yakhe esithi:
As the day of David's death approached, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,
2 Sengihamba indlela yomhlaba wonke. Ngakho qina, ube yindoda,
“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.
3 ugcine imfanelo yeNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho, ukuhamba ngezindlela zayo, ukugcina izimiso zayo, imithetho yayo, lezahlulelo zayo, lobufakazi bayo, njengokubhaliweyo emlayweni kaMozisi, ukuze uphumelele kukho konke okwenzayo, laloba ngaphi lapho ophendukela khona,
Keep the commands of Yahweh your God to walk in his ways, to obey his statutes, his commandments, his decisions, and his covenant decrees, being careful to do what is written in the law of Moses, so you may prosper in all you do, wherever you go,
4 ukuze iNkosi iqinise ilizwi layo eyalikhuluma mayelana lami isithi: Uba amadodana akho eqaphelisa indlela yawo, ukuhamba ngobuqotho phambi kwami ngenhliziyo yonke yawo langomphefumulo wonke wawo, (isithi) kakuyikusweleka kuwe indoda esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaIsrayeli.
so that Yahweh may fulfill his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons carefully watch their conduct, to walk before me faithfully with all their heart and with all their soul, you will never cease to have a man on the throne of Israel.'
5 Futhi-ke wena uyakwazi ukuthi uJowabi indodana kaZeruya wenzani kimi, ukuthi wenzani kuzinduna ezimbili zamabutho akoIsrayeli, kuAbhineri indodana kaNeri, lakuAmasa indodana kaJetheri, owababulala wachitha igazi lempi ekuthuleni, wafaka igazi lempi ebhantini lakhe elalisekhalweni lwakhe lemanyathelweni asenyaweni zakhe.
You know also what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether, whom he killed. He shed the blood of war in peace and put the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the shoes on his feet.
6 Ngakho yenza njengenhlakanipho yakho, ungayekeli ikhanda lakhe elilezimvu lehlele engcwabeni ngokuthula. (Sheol )
Deal with Joab by the wisdom you have learned, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace. (Sheol )
7 Kodwa kumadodana kaBarizilayi umGileyadi wenze umusa, njalo kawabe phakathi kwabadla etafuleni lakho, ngoba ngokunjalo asondela kimi ekubalekeleni kwami ubuso bukaAbisalomu umfowenu.
However, show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.
8 Futhi khangela, kukhona kuwe uShimeyi indodana kaGera umBhenjamini weBahurimi, owangithuka ngesethuko esibuhlungu mhla ngisiya eMahanayimi; kodwa wehla ukungihlangabeza eJordani, ngasengifunga kuye ngeNkosi ngathi: Kangiyikukubulala ngenkemba.
Look, there is with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a violent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. Shimei came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.'
9 Ngakho-ke ungamyekeli abe ngongelacala, ngoba ungumuntu ohlakaniphileyo, ngoba uyakwazi ozakwenza kuye, njalo uzakwehlisela ikhanda lakhe eliyimpunga lilegazi engcwabeni. (Sheol )
Now therefore do not let him go free from punishment. You are a wise man, and you will know what you ought to do to him. You will bring his gray head down to the grave with blood.” (Sheol )
10 UDavida waselala laboyise, wangcwatshelwa emzini kaDavida.
Then David slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David.
11 Njalo insuku uDavida abusa ngazo phezu kukaIsrayeli zaziyiminyaka engamatshumi amane; eHebroni wabusa iminyaka eyisikhombisa, leJerusalema wabusa iminyaka engamatshumi amathathu lantathu.
The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years. He had reigned for seven years in Hebron and for thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12 USolomoni wasehlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida uyise, lombuso wakhe waqiniswa kakhulu.
Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
13 UAdonija indodana kaHagithi wasesiza kuBathisheba unina kaSolomoni; wasesithi: Ukuza kwakho kuyikuthula yini? Wasesithi: Ukuthula.
Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peacefully?” He replied, “Peacefully.”
14 Wathi: Ngilelizwi kuwe. Wasesithi: Khuluma.
Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” So she replied, “Speak.”
15 Wasesithi: Wena uyakwazi ukuthi umbuso wawungowami, lokuthi uIsrayeli wonke babebeke ubuso babo kimi ukuthi ngizabusa; kodwa umbuso waphendulwa, waba ngowomfowethu, ngoba waba ngowakhe uvela eNkosini.
Adonijah said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel expected me to be king. But things changed, and the kingdom was given to my brother, for it was his from Yahweh.
16 Khathesi-ke, ngicela isicelo esisodwa kuwe, ungafulathelisi ubuso bami. Wasesithi kuye: Khuluma.
Now I have one request of you, and do not turn away from my face.” Bathsheba said to him, “Speak.”
17 Wasesithi: Ake ukhulume loSolomoni inkosi (ngoba kayikufulathelisa ubuso bakho) ukuthi anginike uAbishagi umShunami abe ngumkami.
He said, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not turn away from your face, so that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
18 UBathisheba wasesithi: Kulungile; mina ngizakukhulumela enkosini.
Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak to the king.”
19 Ngakho uBathisheba wasesiya enkosini uSolomoni ukukhulumela uAdonija kuyo. Inkosi yasisukuma ukumhlangabeza, yakhothama kuye, yahlala esihlalweni sayo sobukhosi, yathi kubekelwe unina wenkosi isihlalo sobukhosi; wasehlala ngakwesokunene sayo.
Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat down on his throne and had a throne brought for the king's mother. She sat at his right hand.
20 Wasesithi: Ngicela isicelo esisodwa esincinyane kuwe, ungafulathelisi ubuso bami. Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Cela, mama, ngoba kangiyikufulathelisa ubuso bakho.
Then she said, “I wish to ask one small request of you, for you will not turn away from my face.” The king answered her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not turn away from your face.”
21 Wasesithi: UAbishagi umShunami kanikwe uAdonija umfowenu abe ngumkakhe.
She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.”
22 Inkosi uSolomoni yasiphendula yathi kunina: Usumcelelelani uAdonija uAbishagi umShunami? Umcelele lombuso, ngoba ungumfowethu omdala kulami, yebo yena loAbhiyatha umpristi loJowabi indodana kaZeruya.
King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Why do you not ask the kingdom for him also, for he is my elder brother—for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah?”
23 Inkosi uSolomoni yasifunga ngeNkosi isithi: Kenze njalo uNkulunkulu kimi lokunjalo engezelele, uba uAdonija engakhulumanga lelilizwi emelene lempilo yakhe.
Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.
24 Ngakho-ke, kuphila kukaJehova ongimisileyo wangibeka esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida ubaba, wangenzela indlu njengokukhuluma kwakhe, isibili lamuhla uAdonija uzabulawa.
Now therefore as Yahweh lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah will be put to death today.”
25 Inkosi uSolomoni yasithuma ngesandla sikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, owamsukelayo, wasesifa.
So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Benaiah found Adonijah and put him to death.
26 LakuAbhiyatha umpristi inkosi yathi: Yana eAnathothi emasimini akho, ngoba ungumuntu wokufa; kodwa lamuhla kangiyikukubulala ngoba wawuthwala umtshokotsho weNkosi uJehova phambi kukaDavida ubaba, langoba wahlupheka kukho konke ubaba ahlupheka ngakho.
Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields. You are worthy of death, but I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord Yahweh before David my father and suffered in every way my father suffered.”
27 Ngakho uSolomoni wamxotsha uAbhiyatha ekubeni ngumpristi weNkosi, ukugcwalisa ilizwi leNkosi eyalikhuluma mayelana lendlu kaEli eShilo.
So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill the word of Yahweh, which he had spoken concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.
28 Kwathi umbiko ufika kuJowabi, ngoba uJowabi wayephenduke walandela uAdonija lanxa wayengaphendukanga walandela uAbisalomu, uJowabi wabalekela ethenteni leNkosi, wabamba impondo zelathi.
The news came to Joab, for Joab had supported Adonijah, though he had not supported Absalom. So Joab fled to the tent of Yahweh and took hold of the horns of the altar.
29 Kwasekubikelwa inkosi uSolomoni ukuthi uJowabi usebalekele ethenteni leNkosi, khangela-ke, useceleni kwelathi. USolomoni wasethuma uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada esithi: Hamba umsukele.
It was told King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of Yahweh and was now beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, execute him.”
30 Ngakho uBhenaya waya ethenteni leNkosi, wathi kuye: Itsho njalo inkosi: Phuma! Kodwa wathi: Hatshi, kodwa ngizafela lapha. UBhenaya wasebuyisela ilizwi enkosini, esithi: Utsho njalo uJowabi, ungiphendule njalo.
So Benaiah came to the tent of Yahweh and said to him, “The king says, 'Come out.'” Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah returned to the king, saying, “Joab said he wanted to die at the altar.”
31 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Yenza njengokutsho kwakhe, umsukele, umngcwabe; ukuze ususe kimi lendlini kababa igazi elingelacala uJowabi alichithayo.
The king said to him, “Do as he has said. Kill him and bury him so that you may take away from me and from my father's house the blood that Joab shed without cause.
32 Njalo iNkosi izabuyisela igazi lakhe ekhanda lakhe, owasukela amadoda amabili ayelungile engcono kulaye, wawabulala ngenkemba, ubaba uDavida engazi: UAbhineri indodana kaNeri induna yebutho lakoIsrayeli, loAmasa indodana kaJetheri induna yebutho lakoJuda.
May Yahweh return his blood on his own head, because he attacked two men more righteous and better than himself and killed them with the sword, Abner son of Ner, the captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, the captain of the army of Judah, without my father David knowing it.
33 Ngakho igazi labo lizabuyela ekhanda likaJowabi lekhanda lenzalo yakhe kuze kube nininini; kodwa kuDavida lenzalweni yakhe, lendlini yakhe, lembusweni wakhe, kuzakuba lokuthula kuze kube nininini okuvela eNkosini.
So may their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But to David and his descendants, and to his house, and to his throne, may there be peace forever from Yahweh.”
34 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wasesenyuka, wamsukela wambulala; wasengcwatshelwa endlini yakhe enkangala.
Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and attacked Joab and killed him. He was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
35 Inkosi yasibeka uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada esikhundleni sakhe phezu kwebutho, loZadoki umpristi inkosi yambeka esikhundleni sikaAbhiyatha.
The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and he put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.
36 Inkosi yasithuma yabiza uShimeyi, yathi kuye: Zakhele indlu eJerusalema, uhlale khona, ungaphumi lapho uye ngaphi langaphi.
Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not go out from there to any other place.
37 Ngoba kuzakuthi mhla uphumayo, uchaphe isifula iKidroni, yazi lokwazi ukuthi uzakufa lokufa; igazi lakho lizakuba phezu kwekhanda lakho.
For on the day you go out, and pass over the Kidron Valley, know you for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your own head.”
38 UShimeyi wasesithi enkosini: Lelolizwi lihle; njengokutsho kwenkosi yami, inkosi, inceku yakho izakwenza njalo. UShimeyi wasehlala eJerusalema insuku ezinengi.
So Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. As my master the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.
39 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu inceku ezimbili zikaShimeyi zabalekela kuAkishi indodana kaMahaka inkosi yeGathi. Basebebikela uShimeyi besithi: Khangela, inceku zakho ziseGathi.
But at the end of three years, two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maacah, the king of Gath. So they told Shimei, saying, “See, your servants are in Gath.”
40 Wasesukuma uShimeyi, wabophela isihlalo kubabhemi wakhe, waya eGathi kuAkishi ukudinga inceku zakhe; uShimeyi wahamba waletha inceku zakhe zivela eGathi.
Then Shimei arose, saddled his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to seek his servants. He went and brought his servants back from Gath.
41 Kwasekubikelwa uSolomoni ukuthi uShimeyi wayesukile eJerusalema waya eGathi, njalo wabuyela.
When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,
42 Inkosi yasithuma yabiza uShimeyi yathi kuye: Kangikufungisanga yini ngeNkosi, ngafakaza kuwe ngathi: Mhla uphumayo ukuya ngaphi langaphi yazi lokwazi ukuthi uzakufa lokufa? Wasusithi kimi: Lihle ilizwi engilizwileyo.
the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by Yahweh and testify to you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any other place, you will surely die'? Then you said to me, 'What you say is good.'
43 Pho, kungani ungasigcinanga isifungo seNkosi lomlayo engakulaya ngawo?
Why then have you not kept your oath to Yahweh and the command that I gave you?”
44 Inkosi yasisithi kuShimeyi: Wena uyazi bonke ububi inhliziyo yakho ebaziyo owabenza kuDavida ubaba; ngakho iNkosi izabuyisela ububi bakho phezu kwekhanda lakho.
The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to my father David. Therefore Yahweh will return your wickedness on your own head.
45 Kodwa inkosi uSolomoni ibusisiwe, lesihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida sizaqiniswa phambi kweNkosi kuze kube nininini.
But King Solomon will be blessed and the throne of David will be established before Yahweh forever.”
46 Ngakho inkosi yalaya uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, owaphuma wamsukela waze wafa. Ngakho umbuso waqiniswa esandleni sikaSolomoni.
Then the king gave a command to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He went out and put Shimei to death. So the rule was well established in Solomon's hand.