1 Amakhosi 2
1 Insuku zikaDavida zokuthi afe zasezisondela, waselaya uSolomoni indodana yakhe esithi:
Now the days of David came near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,
2 Sengihamba indlela yomhlaba wonke. Ngakho qina, ube yindoda,
“I am going the way of all the earth. You 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,
and keep the instruction of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself.
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.
Then Yahweh may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children are careful of their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you,’ he said, ‘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.
“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist and in his sandals that were on his feet.
6 Ngakho yenza njengenhlakanipho yakho, ungayekeli ikhanda lakhe elilezimvu lehlele engcwabeni ngokuthula. (Sheol h7585)
Do therefore according to your wisdom, and don’t let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
7 Kodwa kumadodana kaBarizilayi umGileyadi wenze umusa, njalo kawabe phakathi kwabadla etafuleni lakho, ngoba ngokunjalo asondela kimi ekubalekeleni kwami ubuso bukaAbisalomu umfowenu.
But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for so 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.
“Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he 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 h7585)
Now therefore don’t hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.” (Sheol h7585)
10 UDavida waselala laboyise, wangcwatshelwa emzini kaDavida.
David slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city.
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 reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12 USolomoni wasehlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sikaDavida uyise, lombuso wakhe waqiniswa kakhulu.
Solomon sat on David his father’s throne; and his kingdom was firmly established.
13 UAdonija indodana kaHagithi wasesiza kuBathisheba unina kaSolomoni; wasesithi: Ukuza kwakho kuyikuthula yini? Wasesithi: Ukuthula.
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably.
14 Wathi: Ngilelizwi kuwe. Wasesithi: Khuluma.
He said moreover, I have something to tell you.” She said, “Say on.”
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.
He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom is turned around, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from Yahweh.
16 Khathesi-ke, ngicela isicelo esisodwa kuwe, ungafulathelisi ubuso bami. Wasesithi kuye: Khuluma.
Now I ask one petition of you. Don’t deny me.” She said to him, “Say on.”
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 tell you ‘no’), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”
18 UBathisheba wasesithi: Kulungile; mina ngizakukhulumela enkosini.
Bathsheba said, “All right. I will speak for you 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 up to meet her and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne and caused a throne to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on 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 ask one small petition of you; don’t deny me.” The king said to her, “Ask on, my mother, for I will not deny you.”
21 Wasesithi: UAbishagi umShunami kanikwe uAdonija umfowenu abe ngumkakhe.
She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as 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 his mother, “Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the 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, “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 my father David’s throne, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.”
25 Inkosi uSolomoni yasithuma ngesandla sikaBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, owamsukelayo, wasesifa.
King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell on him, so that he died.
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.
To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the Lord Yahweh’s ark before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.”
27 Ngakho uSolomoni wamxotsha uAbhiyatha ekubeni ngumpristi weNkosi, ukugcwalisa ilizwi leNkosi eyalikhuluma mayelana lendlu kaEli eShilo.
So Solomon thrust Abiathar out from being priest to Yahweh, that he might fulfill Yahweh’s word which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 Kwathi umbiko ufika kuJowabi, ngoba uJowabi wayephenduke walandela uAdonija lanxa wayengaphendukanga walandela uAbisalomu, uJowabi wabalekela ethenteni leNkosi, wabamba impondo zelathi.
This news came to Joab; for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he didn’t follow Absalom. Joab fled to Yahweh’s Tent, and held onto 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.
King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to Yahweh’s Tent; and behold, he is by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall on 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.
Benaiah came to Yahweh’s Tent, and said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” He said, “No; but I will die here.” Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”
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, and fall on him, and bury him, that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.
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.
Yahweh will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David didn’t know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.
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 their blood will return on the head of Joab and on the head of his offspring forever. But for David, for his offspring, for his house, and for his throne, there will be peace forever from Yahweh.”
34 UBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada wasesenyuka, wamsukela wambulala; wasengcwatshelwa endlini yakhe enkangala.
Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him, and killed him; and 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 the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army; and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.
36 Inkosi yasithuma yabiza uShimeyi, yathi kuye: Zakhele indlu eJerusalema, uhlale khona, ungaphumi lapho uye ngaphi langaphi.
The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and live there, and don’t go anywhere else.
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 brook Kidron, know 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.
Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.
39 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kweminyaka emithathu inceku ezimbili zikaShimeyi zabalekela kuAkishi indodana kaMahaka inkosi yeGathi. Basebebikela uShimeyi besithi: Khangela, inceku zakho ziseGathi.
At the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. They told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your slaves are in Gath.”
40 Wasesukuma uShimeyi, wabophela isihlalo kubabhemi wakhe, waya eGathi kuAkishi ukudinga inceku zakhe; uShimeyi wahamba waletha inceku zakhe zivela eGathi.
Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his slaves; and Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.
41 Kwasekubikelwa uSolomoni ukuthi uShimeyi wayesukile eJerusalema waya eGathi, njalo wabuyela.
Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again.
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, “Didn’t I adjure you by Yahweh and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and walk anywhere else, you shall surely die’? You said to me, ‘The saying that I have heard is good.’
43 Pho, kungani ungasigcinanga isifungo seNkosi lomlayo engakulaya ngawo?
Why then have you not kept the oath of Yahweh and the commandment that I have instructed you with?”
44 Inkosi yasisithi kuShimeyi: Wena uyazi bonke ububi inhliziyo yakho ebaziyo owabenza kuDavida ubaba; ngakho iNkosi izabuyisela ububi bakho phezu kwekhanda lakho.
The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. 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 David’s throne will be established before Yahweh forever.”
46 Ngakho inkosi yalaya uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, owaphuma wamsukela waze wafa. Ngakho umbuso waqiniswa esandleni sikaSolomoni.
So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
