1 USamuyeli 24
1 Kwasekusithi uSawuli esebuyile ekulandeleni amaFilisti, bambikela besithi: Khangela, uDavida usenkangala yeEngedi.
After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
2 USawuli wasethatha amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezintathu akhethiweyo kuIsrayeli wonke, wayadinga uDavida labantu bakhe phezu kwamadwala amagogo.
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3 Wasefika ezibayeni zezimvu endleleni, lapho okwakulobhalu khona; uSawuli wasengena ukwembesa inyawo zakhe; uDavida labantu bakhe babehlezi-ke enhlangothini zobhalu.
Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.
4 Abantu bakaDavida basebesithi kuye: Khangela, usuku iNkosi ethi ngalo kuwe: Khangela, ngizanikela isitha sakho esandleni sakho, ukuthi wenze kuso njengokuhle emehlweni akho. UDavida wasesukuma, wasika ensitha umphetho wesembatho uSawuli ayelaso.
So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 Kwasekusithi emva kwalokho inhliziyo kaDavida yamtshaya, ngenxa yokuthi wayesike umphetho wesembatho uSawuli ayelaso.
Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
6 Wasesithi ebantwini bakhe: Kakube khatshana lami ngeNkosi ukuthi ngenze linto enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo weNkosi, ukwelulela isandla sami kuye, ngoba engogcotshiweyo weNkosi.
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
7 UDavida wabanqanda abantu bakhe ngalawomazwi, kabavumelanga ukuthi bamvukele uSawuli. USawuli wasesukuma waphuma ebhalwini, wahamba endleleni.
With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8 Emva kwalokho uDavida laye wasukuma waphuma ebhalwini, wamemeza emva kukaSawuli esithi: Nkosi yami nkosi! Lapho uSawuli enyemukula, uDavida wakhothama ngobuso emhlabathini, wakhonza.
After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence
9 UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: Ulalelelani amazwi abantu besithi: Khangela, uDavida udinga ukulinyazwa kwakho?
and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
10 Khangela, lamuhla amehlo akho abonile ukuthi iNkosi ibikunikele lamuhla esandleni sami ebhalwini; njalo besithi kangikubulale, kodwa ngakuhawukela, ngathi: Kangiyikwelulela isandla sami enkosini yami, ngoba ingogcotshiweyo weNkosi.
Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’
11 Futhi-ke, baba, bona, yebo bona umphetho wesembatho sakho esandleni sami; ngoba ekusikeni kwami umphetho wesembatho sakho, lokuthi kangikubulalanga, yazi ubone ukuthi kakukho ububi lesiphambeko esandleni sami, njalo kangonanga kuwe, kanti wena uzingela umphefumulo wami ukuwuthatha.
See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. See and know that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
12 INkosi kayahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, njalo iNkosi ingiphindiselele kuwe, kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
13 Njengokutsho kwesaga sabendulo esithi: Kwababi kuvela okubi; kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
14 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli iphume ukulandela bani? Uxotshana lobani? Emva kwenja efileyo, emva kwendwebundwebu eyodwa!
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
15 Ngakho iNkosi kayibe ngumahluleli, yahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, ibone, ilumele udaba lwami, ingikhulule esandleni sakho.
May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
16 Kwasekusithi uDavida eseqedile ukukhuluma lamazwi kuSawuli, uSawuli wathi: Yilizwi lakho lelo yini, ndodana yami, Davida? USawuli wasephakamisa ilizwi lakhe, wakhala inyembezi.
When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud
17 Wasesithi kuDavida: Ulungile kulami, ngoba wena ungivuze ngokuhle, kodwa mina ngikuvuze ngokubi.
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
18 Wena-ke utshengisile lamuhla ukuthi wenze okuhle ngami, ngoba lapho iNkosi ibinginikele esandleni sakho, kawungibulalanga.
And you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.
19 Ngoba nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uzasiyekela sihambe ngendlela enhle yini? Ngakho iNkosi ikuvuze ngokuhle ngokwenze kimi lamuhla.
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
20 Manje-ke, khangela, ngiyazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi isibili, lokuthi umbuso wakoIsrayeli uzaqiniswa esandleni sakho.
Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 Ngakho khathesi funga kimi ngeNkosi ukuthi kawuyikuyiquma inzalo yami emva kwami, lokuthi kawuyikulicitsha ibizo lami endlini kababa.
So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”
22 UDavida wasefunga kuSawuli, loSawuli waya endlini yakhe, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe benyukela enqabeni.
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
