1 USamuyeli 11
1 Kwasekusenyuka uNahashi umAmoni, wamisa inkamba maqondana leJabeshi-Gileyadi; wonke amadoda eJabeshi asesithi kuNahashi: Yenza isivumelwano lathi, sizakusebenzela.
About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon [led his army across the Jordan River, and they] surrounded Jabesh [city] in [the] Gilead [region]. But all the men of Jabesh [went and] said to Nahash, “Make an agreement/treaty with us [not to kill us], and then we will let you rule us.”
2 Kodwa uNahashi umAmoni wathi kibo: Ngizasenza phezu kwalokhu isivumelwano lani, ukuze ngilikopole wonke amehlo awesokunene njalo ngehlisele uIsrayeli wonke ihlazo.
Nahash replied, “I will do that if you do one thing. Allow us to gouge out all the right eyes of your people. By doing that we will cause the people [in other countries] to despise all you Israeli people.”
3 Abadala beJabeshi basebesithi kuye: Siyekele okwensuku eziyisikhombisa ukuze sithume izithunywa kuwo wonke umngcele wakoIsrayeli. Uba-ke kungekho ongasisindisa, sizaphuma size kuwe.
The leaders of Jabesh replied, “Do not attack us for the next seven days. During that time, we will send messengers throughout Israel [to tell them what you are demanding]. If no one will help us, then we will (surrender to you/allow you to do to us whatever you want).”
4 Izithunywa zasezifika eGibeya kaSawuli, zalandisa amazwi endlebeni zabantu, labantu bonke baphakamisa ilizwi labo bakhala inyembezi.
[Being very confident that his army was very superior, Nahash agreed. So the leaders of Jabesh sent messengers throughout Israel]. When the messengers came to Gibeah, which was [the city] where Saul lived, and they told the people there about the situation, everyone started to cry.
5 Khangela-ke, uSawuli weza emva kwezinkabi evela emasimini, uSawuli wathi: Kwenze njani ebantwini ukuthi bakhale? Basebemtshela amazwi amadoda eJabeshi.
At that time, Saul was plowing in the field. When he returned home, he asked, “Why are all the people [crying]?” So they told him what the messengers from Jabesh had reported.
6 UMoya kaNkulunkulu wafika ngamandla phezu kukaSawuli lapho esizwa lawomazwi, lolaka lwakhe lwavutha kakhulu.
Then God’s Spirit came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry [because of what Nahash wanted to do].
7 Wasethatha inkabi ezimbili, waziquma zaba yiziqa, wazithumela kuwo wonke umngcele wakoIsrayeli ngesandla sezithunywa esithi: Ongaphumi alandele uSawuli alandele loSamuweli, kuzakwenziwanje enkabini zakhe. Ukwesaba iNkosi kwasekusehlela phezu kwabantu, baphuma njengamuntu munye.
He took two of his oxen [and killed them] and cut them into pieces. Then he sent messengers [carrying those pieces] throughout Israel to tell people this message: “Saul says that [he cut this ox in pieces, and that he] will do the same thing to the oxen of anyone who refuses to come with him and Samuel to fight [the army from Ammon]!” Then Yahweh caused all the people of Israel to be afraid of what Saul might do to them (OR, of what Yahweh might do to them) [if they did not go and help Saul]. So the men all gathered together.
8 Lapho ebabala eBezeki, abantwana bakoIsrayeli babe yizinkulungwane ezingamakhulu amathathu, lamadoda akoJuda eyizinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amathathu.
When Saul gave them all weapons at Bezek, he saw that there were 300,000 Israeli men there, as well as 30,000 men from the tribe of Judah.
9 Basebesithi kuzo izithunywa ezazifikile: Lizawatshela njalo amadoda eJabeshi-Gileyadi lithi: Kusasa lizakuba losindiso nxa ilanga selitshisa. Lapho izithunywa zifika zawatshela amadoda eJabeshi, athokoza.
So Saul sent messengers back to the people at Jabesh to tell them, “We will rescue/save you by noontime tomorrow.” When the people of Jabesh heard that message, they were very joyful/happy.
10 Ngakho amadoda eJabeshi athi: Kusasa sizaphumela kini, lenze kithi njengakho konke okulungileyo emehlweni enu.
Then the men of Jabesh told [Nahash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and then you can do to us whatever you want to.”
11 Kwasekusithi kusisa, uSawuli wamisa abantu ngezigaba ezintathu; bafika phakathi kwenkamba ngomlindo wekuseni; bamtshaya uAmoni lwaze lwatshisa usuku; kwasekusithi abaseleyo bahlakazeka, kwaze kwathi kakusalanga kibo ababili bendawonye.
But before the sun rose the next morning, Saul [and his army arrived. He] divided them into three groups. They rushed into the camp of the soldiers from Ammon, and attacked them. By noontime they had killed most of them, and those who were not killed scattered. Each of them who ran away ran away alone.
12 Abantu basebesithi kuSamuweli: Ngubani othe: USawuli uzabusa yini phezu kwethu? Baletheni labobantu ukuze sibabulale.
Then the people [of Jabesh] said to Samuel, “Where are those men who said that they did not want Saul to be our king? Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13 Kodwa uSawuli wathi: Kakuyikubulawa muntu ngalolusuku, ngoba lamuhla iNkosi yenze inkululeko koIsrayeli.
But Saul replied, “[No], we are not going to execute anyone today, because this is the day that Yahweh has saved us Israeli people. [It is a day to rejoice, not to kill anyone].”
14 USamuweli wasesithi ebantwini: Wozani siye eGiligali, sivuselele umbuso khona.
Then Samuel said to the people, “Let’s all go to Gilgal, and there we will again proclaim [that Saul is] our king.”
15 Bonke abantu basebesiya eGiligali, bambeka khona uSawuli waba yinkosi phambi kweNkosi eGiligali. Bahlaba khona imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula phambi kweNkosi, lalapho uSawuli lawo wonke amadoda akoIsrayeli bathokoza kakhulukazi.
So they went to Gilgal. There, knowing that Yahweh was watching, they proclaimed that Saul was their king. Then they offered sacrifices to enable them to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. And Saul and all the other Israeli people were very happy.
