1 USamuyeli 25

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

Samuel died; and all Israel gathered themselves together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house at Ramah. Then 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.

There was a man in Maon whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great. 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. This woman was intelligent and had a beautiful face; but the man was surly and evil in his doings. He was of the house of Caleb.

4 UDavida wasesizwa esenkangala ukuthi uNabali ugunda izimvu zakhe.

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,

David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go 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!

Tell him, ‘Long life to you! Peace be to you! Peace be to your house! Peace be to all that you have!

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

Now I have heard that you have shearers. Your shepherds have now been with us, and we didn’t harm them. Nothing was missing from them all the time 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 your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let the young men find favour in your eyes, for we come on a good day. Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and to your son David.’”

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

When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal all those words in the name of David, and waited.

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

Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days.

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

Shall I then take my bread, my water, and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who I don’t know where they come from?”

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 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.

David said to his men, “Every man put on his sword!” Every man put on his sword. David also put on his sword. About four hundred men followed David, and two hundred stayed 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 greet our master; and he insulted them.

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

But the men were very good to us, and we were not harmed, and we didn’t miss anything 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 to 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 you will do; for evil is determined against our master and against all his house, for he is such a worthless fellow that one can’t 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 hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two containers of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five seahs of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.

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

She said to her young men, “Go on before me. Behold, I am coming after you.” But she didn’t tell her husband, Nabal.

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

As she rode on her donkey, and came down hidden by the mountain, 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 I have kept all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that pertained to him. He has 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 to the enemies of David, and more also, if I leave of all that belongs to him by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”

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

When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got off her donkey, and fell before David on her face and bowed herself 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.

She fell at his feet and said, “On me, my lord, on me be the blame! Please let your servant speak in your ears. Hear the words of your servant.

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.

Please don’t let my lord pay attention to this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, didn’t see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

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 lives and as your soul lives, since the LORD has withheld you from blood guiltiness and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now therefore let your enemies and those who 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.

Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who 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.

Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord fights the LORD’s battles. Evil will not be found in you all your 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.

Though men may rise up to pursue you and to seek your soul, yet the soul of my lord will be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD your God. He will sling out the souls of your enemies as from a sling’s pocket.

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

It will come to pass, when the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you 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 grief to you, nor offence of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. When the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.”

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

David said to Abigail, “Blessed is the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me!

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

Blessed is your discretion, and blessed are you, who have kept me today from blood guiltiness, and from avenging myself with my 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 indeed, as the LORD the God of Israel lives, who has withheld me from harming you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely there wouldn’t have been left to Nabal by the morning light so much as one who urinates on a wall.”

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

So David received from her hand that which she had brought him. Then he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. Behold, I have listened to your voice and have granted your request.”

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.

Abigail came to Nabal; and behold, he held a feast in his house like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. Therefore she told him nothing until the morning light.

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

In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, 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.

About ten days later, the LORD struck 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.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed is the LORD, who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from evil. The LORD has returned the evildoing of Nabal on his own head.” David sent and spoke concerning Abigail, to take her to himself as wife.

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

When David’s servants had come to Abigail to Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you, to take you to him as wife.”

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

She arose and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, “Behold, your servant 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.

Abigail hurriedly arose and rode on a donkey with her five maids who 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 both became 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.