1 USamuyeli 24
1 Kwasekusithi uSawuli esebuyile ekulandeleni amaFilisti, bambikela besithi: Khangela, uDavida usenkangala yeEngedi.
And it came to pass when Saul had returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi.
2 USawuli wasethatha amadoda ayizinkulungwane ezintathu akhethiweyo kuIsrayeli wonke, wayadinga uDavida labantu bakhe phezu kwamadwala amagogo.
And Saul took three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon 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.
And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet; and David and his men were abiding 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.
And David's men said to him, Behold the day of which Jehovah said to thee, Behold, I will give thine enemy into thy hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good to thee. And David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly.
5 Kwasekusithi emva kwalokho inhliziyo kaDavida yamtshaya, ngenxa yokuthi wayesike umphetho wesembatho uSawuli ayelaso.
And it came to pass afterwards that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
6 Wasesithi ebantwini bakhe: Kakube khatshana lami ngeNkosi ukuthi ngenze linto enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo weNkosi, ukwelulela isandla sami kuye, ngoba engogcotshiweyo weNkosi.
And he said to his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing to my master, Jehovah's anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.
7 UDavida wabanqanda abantu bakhe ngalawomazwi, kabavumelanga ukuthi bamvukele uSawuli. USawuli wasesukuma waphuma ebhalwini, wahamba endleleni.
And David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of 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.
David also arose afterwards, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king! And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.
9 UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: Ulalelelani amazwi abantu besithi: Khangela, uDavida udinga ukulinyazwa kwakho?
And David said to Saul, Why dost thou listen to words of men, saying, Behold, David seeks thy hurt?
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 thine eyes have seen how that Jehovah had given thee this day into my hand in the cave; and they bade me kill thee; but [mine eye] spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is the anointed of Jehovah.
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.
And see, my father, yes, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand. For in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou liest in wait for my life to take it.
12 INkosi kayahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, njalo iNkosi ingiphindiselele kuwe, kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
Jehovah judge between me and thee, and Jehovah avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
13 Njengokutsho kwesaga sabendulo esithi: Kwababi kuvela okubi; kodwa isandla sami kasiyikumelana lawe.
As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; but my hand shall not be upon thee.
14 Inkosi yakoIsrayeli iphume ukulandela bani? Uxotshana lobani? Emva kwenja efileyo, emva kwendwebundwebu eyodwa!
After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a single flea.
15 Ngakho iNkosi kayibe ngumahluleli, yahlulele phakathi kwami lawe, ibone, ilumele udaba lwami, ingikhulule esandleni sakho.
Jehovah therefore shall be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and do me justice [in delivering me] out of thy hand.
16 Kwasekusithi uDavida eseqedile ukukhuluma lamazwi kuSawuli, uSawuli wathi: Yilizwi lakho lelo yini, ndodana yami, Davida? USawuli wasephakamisa ilizwi lakhe, wakhala inyembezi.
And as soon as David had ended speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17 Wasesithi kuDavida: Ulungile kulami, ngoba wena ungivuze ngokuhle, kodwa mina ngikuvuze ngokubi.
And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.
18 Wena-ke utshengisile lamuhla ukuthi wenze okuhle ngami, ngoba lapho iNkosi ibinginikele esandleni sakho, kawungibulalanga.
And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me, forasmuch as when Jehovah had delivered me up into thy hand, thou didst not kill me.
19 Ngoba nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uzasiyekela sihambe ngendlela enhle yini? Ngakho iNkosi ikuvuze ngokuhle ngokwenze kimi lamuhla.
For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore Jehovah reward thee good for that thou hast done to me this day.
20 Manje-ke, khangela, ngiyazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi isibili, lokuthi umbuso wakoIsrayeli uzaqiniswa esandleni sakho.
And now behold, I know that thou shalt certainly be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand.
21 Ngakho khathesi funga kimi ngeNkosi ukuthi kawuyikuyiquma inzalo yami emva kwami, lokuthi kawuyikulicitsha ibizo lami endlini kababa.
Swear now therefore to me by Jehovah, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.
22 UDavida wasefunga kuSawuli, loSawuli waya endlini yakhe, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe benyukela enqabeni.
And David swore to Saul. And Saul went home; and David and his men went up to the stronghold.
