1 USamuyeli 18
1 Kwasekusithi eseqedile ukukhuluma loSawuli, umphefumulo kaJonathani wabotshelwa emphefumulweni kaDavida; uJonathani wasemthanda njengomphefumulo wakhe.
It happened, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
2 USawuli wasemthatha ngalolosuku, kaze amvumela ukubuyela endlini kayise.
Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father's house.
3 UJonathani loDavida basebesenza isivumelwano ngoba wamthanda njengomphefumulo wakhe.
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
4 UJonathani wasezikhulula ibhatshi ayeligqokile, walinika uDavida, lezembatho zakhe, kuze kube senkembeni yakhe, kuze kube sedandilini lakhe, njalo kuze kube sebhantini lakhe.
Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him, and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
5 UDavida wasephuma waya loba ngaphi lapho uSawuli amthuma khona, waziphatha ngenhlakanipho, uSawuli waze wambeka phezu kwamadoda empi. Njalo wayelungile emehlweni abantu bonke njalo lemehlweni ezinceku zikaSawuli.
Then Saul set him over the men of war, and David went out, succeeding wherever Saul sent him. And it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
6 Kwasekusithi ekufikeni kwabo, uDavida esebuye ekubulaleni umFilisti, abesifazana baphuma emizini yonke yakoIsrayeli, behlabela, begida, ukuhlangabeza uSawuli inkosi ngezigubhu, ngentokozo, langamachacho.
It happened as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
7 Abesifazana basebevumelana bedlala bathi: USawuli utshayile izinkulungwane zakhe, kodwa uDavida izinkulungwane zakhe ezingamatshumi.
The women sang one to another as they played, and said, "Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands."
8 USawuli wasethukuthela kakhulu, lalelolizwi lalilibi emehlweni akhe, wathi: Banike uDavida izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi, kodwa mina banginika izinkulungwane; usesalelwe ngumbuso kuphela.
Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him; and he said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?"
9 USawuli wasemqaphela uDavida kusukela kulolosuku kusiya phambili.
Saul viewed David with suspicion from that day and forward.
10 Kwasekusithi kusisa umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu wafika ngamandla phezu kukaSawuli, waprofetha phakathi kwendlu; uDavida wasetshaya ichacho ngesandla sakhe njengensuku ngensuku; njalo kwakulomkhonto esandleni sikaSawuli.
It happened on the next day, that a harmful spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
11 USawuli wasewuphosa umkhonto wathi: Ngizammbandakanya uDavida ngitsho emdulini. Kodwa uDavida wavika kabili esuka phambi kwakhe.
and Saul threw the spear; for he said, "I will pin David even to the wall." David escaped from his presence twice.
12 USawuli wayemesaba-ke uDavida ngoba iNkosi yayilaye, kodwa yayisisukile kuSawuli.
Saul was afraid of David, because Jehovah was with him, and had departed from Saul.
13 Ngakho uSawuli wasemsusa kuye, wambeka waba yinduna yakhe yabayizinkulungwane; njalo wayephuma engena phambi kwabantu.
Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 UDavida waseziphatha ngenhlakanipho endleleni zakhe zonke, leNkosi yayilaye.
David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and Jehovah was with him.
15 Lapho uSawuli ebona ukuthi waziphatha ngenhlakanipho enkulu, wamesaba.
When Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he stood in awe of him.
16 Kodwa uIsrayeli wonke loJuda bamthanda uDavida, ngoba wayephuma engena phambi kwabo.
But all Israel and Judah loved David; for he went out and came in before them.
17 USawuli wasesithi kuDavida: Khangela, indodakazi yami endala uMerabi, ngizakunika yona ibe ngumkakho; kuphela bana liqhawe kimi, ulwe izimpi zeNkosi. Ngoba uSawuli wathi: Isandla sami kasingabi phezu kwakhe, kodwa isandla samaFilisti kasibe phezu kwakhe.
Saul said to David, "Look, my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles." For Saul said, "Do not let my hand be on him, but let the hand of the Philistines be on him."
18 Kodwa uDavida wathi kuSawuli: Ngingubani mina? Lempilo yami iyini, losendo lukababa koIsrayeli, ukuthi ngibe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi?
David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"
19 Kodwa kwathi ngesikhathi uMerabi indodakazi kaSawuli ayezanikwa ngaso uDavida, wayesenikwe uAdriyeli umMehola ukuba ngumkakhe.
But it happened at the time when Merob, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
20 UMikhali indodakazi kaSawuli wamthanda-ke uDavida; basebemtshela uSawuli, lalolodaba lwaluqondile emehlweni akhe.
Mikal, Saul's daughter, loved David; and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
21 USawuli wasesithi: Ngizamnika yena ukuze abe ngumjibila kuye, lokuze isandla samaFilisti simelane laye. Ngakho uSawuli wathi kuDavida: Ngokwesibili uzakuba ngumkhwenyana wami lamuhla.
And Saul thought, "I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him." Therefore Saul said to David, "You shall this day be my son-in-law a second time."
22 USawuli waselaya inceku zakhe wathi: Khulumani loDavida ngensitha lithi: Khangela, inkosi iyathokoza ngawe, lazo zonke inceku zayo ziyakuthanda; ngakho-ke woba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi.
Then Saul commanded his servants, "Talk with David secretly, and say, 'Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. So now therefore be the king's son-in-law.'"
23 Izinceku zikaSawuli zasezikhuluma lawomazwi endlebeni zikaDavida. UDavida wasesithi: Kuyinto elula yini emehlweni enu ukuba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi, lokhu mina ngingumuntu ongumyanga lodelelekayo?
Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. David said, "Does it seems to you a little thing to be the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man, and insignificant?"
24 Lenceku zikaSawuli zamtshela zisithi: UDavida wakhuluma ngalindlela.
The servants of Saul told him, saying, "David spoke like this."
25 USawuli wasesithi: Lizakutsho njalo kuDavida lithi: Inkosi kayiloyisi lobolo, kodwa amajwabu aphambili alikhulu amaFilisti, ukuze kuphindiselwe ezitheni zenkosi. Kodwa uSawuli wacabanga ukwenza uDavida awe ngesandla samaFilisti.
Saul said, "You shall tell David, 'The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
26 Lapho inceku zakhe zimtshela uDavida lawomazwi, udaba lwalulungile emehlweni kaDavida ukuthi abe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi. Kodwa insuku zazingakagcwaliseki.
When his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. The days were not expired;
27 Ngakho uDavida wasukuma wahamba, yena labantu bakhe, basebetshaya phakathi kwamaFilisti amadoda angamakhulu amabili; uDavida waseletha amajwabu awo aphambili, wawasa enkosini ephelele ukuze abe ngumkhwenyana wenkosi. USawuli wasemnika uMikhali indodakazi yakhe ukuthi abe ngumkakhe.
and David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines one hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Mikal his daughter as wife.
28 USawuli wasebona wazi ukuthi iNkosi iloDavida, loMikhali indodakazi yakhe yamthanda.
When Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and that all Israel loved him,
29 Njalo uSawuli waya lokhu emesaba kakhulu uDavida; njalo uSawuli waba yisitha sikaDavida zonke izinsuku.
then he was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.
30 Iziphathamandla zamaFilisti zaseziphuma; kwasekusithi seziphumile uDavida waziphatha ngenhlakanipho okwedlula zonke izinceku zikaSawuli, laze laduma kakhulu ibizo lakhe.
Then the leaders of the Philistines went forth: and it happened, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was highly esteemed.
