1 USamuyeli 18
1 Kwasekusithi eseqedile ukukhuluma loSawuli, umphefumulo kaJonathani wabotshelwa emphefumulweni kaDavida; uJonathani wasemthanda njengomphefumulo wakhe.
When he had finished speaking to Saul, 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 wouldn’t let him go home to his father’s house any more.
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 with his clothing, even including his sword, his bow, and his sash.
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.
David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely; and Saul set him over the men of war. 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.
As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, 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 to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and 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. He said, “They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?”
9 USawuli wasemqaphela uDavida kusukela kulolosuku kusiya phambili.
Saul watched David 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.
On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle 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 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 the LORD 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 his presence, 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 the LORD 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, “Behold, my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you as wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul said, “Don’t 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 at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as wife.
20 UMikhali indodakazi kaSawuli wamthanda-ke uDavida; basebemtshela uSawuli, lalolodaba lwaluqondile emehlweni akhe.
Michal, 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.
Saul said, 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 a second time, “You shall today be my son-in-law.”
22 USawuli waselaya inceku zakhe wathi: Khulumani loDavida ngensitha lithi: Khangela, inkosi iyathokoza ngawe, lazo zonke inceku zayo ziyakuthanda; ngakho-ke woba ngumkhwenyana wenkosi.
Saul commanded his servants, “Talk with David secretly, and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. 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 seem to you a light thing to be the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and little known?”
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, “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 he would 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. Before the deadline,
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.
David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. Then 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 Michal his daughter as wife.
28 USawuli wasebona wazi ukuthi iNkosi iloDavida, loMikhali indodakazi yakhe yamthanda.
Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David; and Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him.
29 Njalo uSawuli waya lokhu emesaba kakhulu uDavida; njalo uSawuli waba yisitha sikaDavida zonke izinsuku.
Saul was even more afraid of David; and 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 princes of the Philistines went out; and as often as they went out, David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.
