1 USamuyeli 25

1 USamuweli wasesifa; loIsrayeli wonke wahlangana, bamlilela, bamngcwabela endlini yakhe eRama. UDavida wasesukuma wehlela enkangala yeParani.

And Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together, and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

2 Kwakukhona-ke indoda eMahoni, lomsebenzi wayo wawuseKharmeli; lindoda-ke yayiyisikhulu esikhulu, yayilezimvu eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu lembuzi eziyinkulungwane, yayigunda izimvu zayo eKharmeli.

And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats; and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

3 Njalo ibizo laleyondoda lalinguNabali, lebizo lomkayo lalinguAbigayili. Njalo owesifazana wayelokuqedisisa okuhle, elesimo esihle, kodwa indoda yayilukhuni ilezenzo ezimbi; yayingeyakoKalebi.

Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail; and the woman was of good understanding, and of a beautiful form; but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

4 UDavida wasesizwa esenkangala ukuthi uNabali ugunda izimvu zakhe.

And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

5 UDavida wasethuma amajaha alitshumi, uDavida wathi emajaheni: Yenyukelani eKharmeli, liye kuNabali, limbuze impilo ebizweni lami,

And David sent ten young men, and David said unto the young men: 'Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name;

6 lizakutsho njalo: Impilakahle kayibe kuwe, ukuthula kakube kuwe, lokuthula kakube sendlini yakho, lokuthula kakube kukho konke olakho!

and thus ye shall say: All hail! and peace be both unto thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be unto all that thou hast.

7 Sengizwile-ke ukuthi ulabagundi; abelusi olabo-ke babelathi, kasibalimazanga, futhi kabaswelanga lutho zonke izinsuku beseKharmeli.

And now I have heard that thou hast shearers; thy shepherds have now been with us, and we did them no hurt, neither was there aught missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

8 Buza amajaha akho, azakutshela. Ngakho amajaha kawathole umusa emehlweni akho, ngoba sifike ngosuku oluhle. Akunike inceku zakho lendodana yakho uDavida lokho isandla sakho esizakuthola.

Ask thy young men, and they will tell thee; wherefore let the young men find favour in thine eyes; for we come on a good day; give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thy hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David.'

9 Kwathi amajaha kaDavida esefikile, akhuluma kuNabali ngokwalawomazwi wonke ebizweni likaDavida, aselinda.

And when David's young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

10 UNabali waseziphendula izinceku zikaDavida, wathi: Ngubani uDavida? Njalo ngubani indodana kaJese? Lamuhla zinengi inceku ezibalekayo, ileyo laleyo enkosini yayo.

And Nabal answered David's servants, and said: 'Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there are many servants now-a-days that break away every man from his master;

11 Pho, ngithathe isinkwa sami, lamanzi ami, lenyama yami engiyihlabele abagundi bami, ngikuphe abantu engingazi ukuthi bavela ngaphi?

shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they are?'

12 Amajaha kaDavida asephendukela endleleni yawo, abuyela, eza, ambikela njengawo wonke lamazwi.

So David's young men turned on their way, and went back, and came and told him according to all these words.

13 UDavida wasesithi ebantwini bakhe: Bhincani, ngulowo lalowo inkemba yakhe! Babhinca, ngulowo lalowo inkemba yakhe, loDavida laye wabhinca inkemba yakhe; kwasekusenyuka emva kukaDavida phose amadoda angamakhulu amane, kodwa angamakhulu amabili ahlala empahleni.

And David said unto his men: 'Gird ye on every man his sword.' And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.

14 Kodwa elinye ijaha lamajaha lamtshela uAbigayili umkaNabali lathi: Khangela, uDavida uthume izithunywa zivela enkangala ukubingelela inkosi yethu, kodwa yazithethisa.

But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying: 'Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he flew upon them.

15 Kanti labobantu basiphatha kuhle kakhulu, kasilimalanga, kasiswelanga lutho zonke izinsuku sihambisana labo, sisemmangweni.

But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we went with them, when we were in the fields;

16 Babengumduli kithi ebusuku kanye lemini, zonke izinsuku silabo seluse izimvu.

they were a wall unto us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

17 Khathesi-ke, yazi ubone ukuthi uzakwenzani; ngoba ububi buqunyelwe inkosi yethu lendlu yayo yonke; ngoba uyindodana kaBheliyali okungangokuthi kakho ongakhuluma laye.

Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is determined against our master, and against all his house; for he is such a base fellow, that one cannot speak to him.'

18 UAbigayili wasephangisa wathatha izinkwa ezingamakhulu amabili, lembodlela ezimbili zewayini, lezimvu ezinhlanu ezilungisiweyo, lamaseya amane amabele akhanzingiweyo, lamahlukuzo alikhulu ezithelo zevini ezonyisiweyo, lezinkwa ezingamakhulu amabili zomkhiwa, wakuthwalisa obabhemi.

Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

19 Wasesithi emajaheni akhe: Dlulani phambi kwami; khangelani, ngiyalilandela. Kodwa kamtshelanga umkakhe uNabali.

And she said unto her young men: 'Go on before me; behold, I come after you.' But she told not her husband Nabal.

20 Kwasekusithi esagade ubabhemi esehlela endaweni esithekileyo yentaba, khangela-ke, uDavida labantu bakhe behla behlangabezana laye; wasehlangana labo.

And it was so, as she rode on her ass, and came down by the covert of the mountain, that, behold, David and his men came down towards her; and she met them. —

21 Njalo uDavida wayethe: Isibili ngigcine ngeze konke lo ayelakho enkangala, kakwaze kwasweleka lutho kukho konke ayelakho. Usengibuyisele okubi ngokuhle.

Now David had said: 'Surely in vain have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him; and he hath returned me evil for good.

22 UNkulunkulu akenze njalo ezitheni zikaDavida, engezelele ngokunjalo, uba ngitshiya loyedwa kubo bonke alabo kuze kube sekuseni abachamela emdulini.

God do so unto the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light so much as one male.' —

23 Lapho uAbigayili ebona uDavida, waphangisa wehla kubabhemi, wathi mbo ngobuso bakhe phansi phambi kukaDavida, wakhothamela emhlabathini.

And when Abigail saw David, she made haste, and alighted from her ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed down to the ground.

24 Wawela enyaweni zakhe wathi: Lobububi kabube phezu kwami mina, nkosi yami; incekukazi yakho ake ikhulume endlebeni zakho, uzwe amazwi encekukazi yakho.

And she fell at his feet, and said: 'Upon me, my lord, upon me be the iniquity; and let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid.

25 Inkosi yami ake inganaki lowomuntu kaBheliyali, uNabali; ngoba njengebizo lakhe unjalo; uNabali libizo lakhe, lobuthutha bukuye. Kodwa mina, incekukazi yakho, kangiwabonanga amajaha enkosi yami owawathumayo.

Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this base fellow, even Nabal; for as his name is, so is he: Nabal is his name, and churlishness is with him; but I thy handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

26 Ngakho-ke, nkosi yami, kuphila kukaJehova, lokuphila komphefumulo wakho, njengoba iNkosi ikunqandile ukungena ngokuchitha igazi, lokuziphindisela ngesandla sakho, ngalokho-ke kazibe njengoNabali izitha zakho lalabo abadinga ububi enkosini yami.

Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for thyself with thine own hand, now therefore let thine enemies, and them that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

27 Manje-ke, lesisibusiso incekukazi yakho esilethe enkosini yami kasinikwe amajaha ahamba esiya le lale emanyathelweni enkosi yami.

And now this present which thy servant hath brought unto my lord, let it be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

28 Akuthethelele isiphambeko sencekukazi yakho; ngoba iNkosi izakwenzela lokwenzela inkosi yami indlu eqinileyo, ngoba inkosi yami ilwa izimpi zeNkosi, lobubi kabutholwanga kuwe kusukela ensukwini zakho.

Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fighteth the battles of the LORD; and evil is not found in thee all thy days.

29 Loba kusukuma umuntu ukukuxotsha lokudinga impilo yakho, kodwa umphefumulo wenkosi yami uzabotshelwa emqulwini wabaphilayo leNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho; kodwa umphefumulo wezitha zakho izawujikijela kungathi uphume phakathi kwesavutha.

And though man be risen up to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul, yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.

30 Kwasekusithi, lapho iNkosi isikwenzile enkosini yami njengakho konke okuhle ekukhulume ngawe, isikumisile waba ngumbusi phezu kukaIsrayeli,

And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that He hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee prince over Israel;

31 kakungabi yisikhubekiso kuwe lokukhubekiswa kwenhliziyo enkosini yami, ngokuthi uchithe igazi ngeze, lokuthi inkosi yami iziphindisele. Lapho iNkosi isiyenzele okuhle inkosi yami, khumbula incekukazi yakho.

that this shall be no stumbling-block unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood without cause, or that my lord hath found redress for himself. And when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thy handmaid.'

32 UDavida wasesithi kuAbigayili: Kayibusiswe iNkosi, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, ekuthumileyo lamuhla ukungihlangabeza.

And David said to Abigail: 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent thee this day to meet me;

33 Futhi kakubusiswe ukuqedisisa kwakho, ubusiswe lawe onginqandileyo lamuhla ukuze ngingangeni ekuchitheni igazi lokuziphindisela ngesandla sami.

and blessed be thy discretion, and blessed be thou, that hast kept me this day from bloodguiltiness, and from finding redress for myself with mine own hand.

34 Ngoba ngeqiniso, kuphila kukaJehova uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, onginqandileyo ukuze ngingenzi ububi kuwe, ngoba uba ubungaphangisanga weza ukungihlangabeza, sibili, bekungayikusala loyedwa kuNabali kuze kube sekukhanyeni kwekuseni ochamela emdulini.

For in very deed, as the LORD, the God of Israel, liveth, who hath withholden me from hurting thee, except thou hadst made haste and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light so much as one male.'

35 UDavida wasesemukela esandleni sakhe lokho amlethele khona. Wasesithi kuye: Yenyukela ngokuthula endlini yakho; bona, ngililalele ilizwi lakho, ngibemukele ubuso bakho.

So David received of her hand that which she had brought him; and he said unto her: 'Go up in peace to thy house; see, I have hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.'

36 UAbigayili wasefika kuNabali, khangela-ke, wayeledili endlini yakhe, njengedili lenkosi. Lenhliziyo kaNabali yathokoza phakathi kwakhe, njalo wayedakwe kwedlulisa; ngakho kamtshelanga lutho, oluncinyane loba olukhulu, kwaze kwaba sekukhanyeni kwekuseni.

And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken; wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

37 Kwasekusithi ekuseni lapho iwayini seliphumile kuNabali, lomkakhe esemtshele lezizinto, inhliziyo yakhe yafa phakathi kwakhe, wasesiba njengelitshe.

And it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.

38 Kwasekusithi phose emva kwensuku ezilitshumi iNkosi yamtshaya uNabali, wasesifa.

And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote Nabal, so that he died.

39 UDavida esezwile ukuthi uNabali usefile wathi: Kayibusiswe iNkosi emele udaba lwehlazo lami esandleni sikaNabali, yavimbela inceku yayo ebubini; iNkosi yabuyisela-ke ububi bukaNabali ekhanda lakhe. UDavida wasethuma, wakhuluma loAbigayili ukuthi amthathe abe ngumkakhe.

And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said: 'Blessed be the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and hath kept back His servant from evil; and the evil-doing of Nabal hath the LORD returned upon his own head.' And David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

40 Lapho izinceku zikaDavida zifika kuAbigayili eKharmeli, zakhuluma laye zisithi: UDavida usithumile kuwe ukukuthatha ube ngumkakhe.

And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke unto her, saying: 'David hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to him to wife.'

41 Wasesukuma, wakhothama ngobuso emhlabathini, wathi: Khangela, incekukazi yakho kayibe yisigqili sokugezisa inyawo zenceku zenkosi yami.

And she arose, and bowed down with her face to the earth, and said: 'Behold, thy handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.'

42 UAbigayili wasephangisa esukuma, wagada ubabhemi, lentombi zakhe ezinhlanu ezazimphelekezela, walandela izithunywa zikaDavida, waba ngumkakhe.

And Abigail hastened, and arose, and rode upon an ass, with five damsels of hers that followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

43 UDavida wathatha loAhinowama weJizereyeli, labo bobabili baba ngomkakhe.

David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they became both of them his wives.

44 Ngoba uSawuli wayenike uMikhali indodakazi yakhe, umkaDavida, kuPaliti indodana kaLayishi owayengoweGalimi.

Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.