1 USamuyeli 26

1 AbeZifi basebesiza kuSawuli eGibeya besithi: UDavida kacatshi yini oqaqeni lweHakila phambi kweJeshimoni?

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?'

2 USawuli wasesukuma wehlela enkangala yeZifi elabantu abakhethiweyo bakoIsrayeli abayizinkulungwane ezintathu, ukuze adinge uDavida enkangala yeZifi.

Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 USawuli wasemisa inkamba oqaqeni lweHakila oluphambi kweJeshimoni endleleni, kodwa uDavida wahlala enkangala. Kwathi esebonile ukuthi uSawuli uyamlandela enkangala,

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 uDavida wasethuma izinhloli ukuze azi ukuthi uSawuli ufikile isibili.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.

5 UDavida wasesukuma wayafika endaweni lapho uSawuli amise khona inkamba; uDavida wayibona indawo lapho uSawuli alala khona, loAbhineri indodana kaNeri, induna yebutho lakhe. Njalo uSawuli wayelele enqabeni yezinqola, lesizwe sasimise amathente simhanqile.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay within the barricade, and the people pitched round about him.

6 UDavida wasephendula wakhuluma kuAhimeleki umHethi, lakuAbishayi indodana kaZeruya, umfowabo kaJowabi, esithi: Ngubani ozakwehlela lami kuSawuli enkambeni? UAbishayi wasesithi: Mina ngizakwehla lawe.

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying: 'Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?' And Abishai said: 'I will go down with thee.'

7 Ngakho uDavida loAbishayi bafika ebantwini ebusuku; khangela-ke, uSawuli wayelele ubuthongo enqabeni yezinqola, lomkhonto wakhe wawugxunyekiwe emhlabathini ngasekhanda lakhe, loAbhineri labantu babelele bemhanqile.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the barricade, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about him.

8 UAbishayi wasesithi kuDavida: UNkulunkulu uvalele isitha sakho esandleni sakho lamuhla; ngakho-ke ake ngimtshayele ngitsho emhlabathini kanye ngomkhonto, ngingakuphindi kuye.

Then said Abishai to David: 'God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.'

9 Kodwa uDavida wathi kuAbishayi: Ungamchithi; ngoba ngubani ongelulela isandla sakhe kogcotshiweyo weNkosi angabi lacala?

And David said to Abishai: 'Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?'

10 UDavida wathi futhi: Kuphila kukaJehova, kodwa iNkosi izamtshaya, loba kufike usuku lwakhe ukuthi afe, kumbe ehlele empini abhujiswe.

And David said: 'As the LORD liveth, nay, but the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle, and be swept away.

11 Kakube khatshana lami ngeNkosi ukwelulela isandla sami kogcotshiweyo weNkosi; kodwa khathesi ake uthathe umkhonto osemqamelweni wakhe, lesigxingi samanzi, sihambe.

The LORD forbid it me, that I should put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water and let us go.'

12 UDavida wasethatha umkhonto lesigxingi samanzi ekususa emqamelweni kaSawuli, bahamba. Njalo kakho owakubonayo, kakho owakwaziyo, kakho owavukayo, ngoba bonke babelele, ngoba ubuthongo obunzima beNkosi babubehlele.

So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

13 Lapho uDavida esechaphele ngaphetsheya, wema engqongeni yentaba khatshana; kwakukhona ummango omkhulu phakathi kwabo.

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them.

14 UDavida wasememeza ebantwini lakuAbhineri indodana kaNeri, esithi: Kawuphenduli yini, Abhineri? UAbhineri wasephendula esithi: Ungubani okhala enkosini?

And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: 'Answerest thou not, Abner?' Then Abner answered and said: 'Who art thou that criest to the king?'

15 UDavida wasesithi kuAbhineri: Kawusindoda yini? Njalo ngubani onjengawe koIsrayeli? Kungani-ke ungayilindanga inkosi yakho inkosi? Ngoba kufike omunye wabantu ukuchitha inkosi, inkosi yakho.

And David said to Abner: 'Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

16 Kayinhle into oyenzileyo. Kuphila kukaJehova, lingabantwana bokufa, ngoba kaliyilindanga inkosi yenu, ogcotshiweyo weNkosi. Khathesi-ke bona ukuthi ungaphi umkhonto wenkosi lesigxingi samanzi ebesingasemqamelweni wayo.

This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye deserve to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD'S anointed. And now, see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.'

17 USawuli waselinanzelela ilizwi likaDavida wathi: Yilizwi lakho lelo yini, ndodana yami, Davida? UDavida wasesithi: Yilizwi lami, nkosi yami, nkosi.

And Saul knew David's voice, and said: 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' And David said: 'It is my voice, my lord, O king.'

18 Wathi njalo: Inkosi yami ixotshanelani lenceku yayo? Ngoba ngenzeni? Kulobubi bani esandleni sami?

And he said: 'Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

19 Ngakho-ke, ake izwe inkosi yami, inkosi, amazwi enceku yayo. Uba iNkosi ikuqubula ukumelana lami, kayemukele umnikelo; kodwa uba kungabantwana babantu, kabaqalekiswe phambi kweNkosi; ngoba bangixotshile lamuhla ukuthi ngingazihlanganisi lelifa leNkosi, besithi: Hamba, ukhonze abanye onkulunkulu.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that hath stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the LORD, saying: Go, serve other gods.

20 Ngakho-ke igazi lami kalingaweli emhlabathini lisuke phambi kobuso beNkosi; ngoba inkosi yakoIsrayeli iphumele ukudinga indwebundwebu eyodwa, njengozingela ithendele ezintabeni.

Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.'

21 USawuli wasesithi: Ngonile; buya, ndodana yami Davida, ngoba kangisayikwenza ububi kuwe, ngenxa yokuthi umphefumulo wami ubuligugu emehlweni akho lamuhla. Khangela, ngenze ngobuphukuphuku, ngaduha kakhulu sibili.

Then said Saul: 'I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.'

22 UDavida wasephendula wathi: Khangela, umkhonto wenkosi! Kalichaphe elinye lamajaha, liwuthathe.

And David answered and said: 'Behold the king's spear! let then one of the young men come over and fetch it.

23 INkosi kayibuyisele kulowo lalowo ukulunga kwakhe lokuthembeka kwakhe; ngoba iNkosi ibikunikele esandleni sami lamuhla, kodwa kangithandanga ukwelulela isandla sami kogcotshiweyo weNkosi.

And the LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as the LORD delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed.

24 Khangela-ke, njengoba impilo yakho ibinkulu emehlweni ami lamuhla, ngokunjalo impilo yami ayibe nkulu emehlweni eNkosi, kayingophule ekuhluphekeni konke.

And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.'

25 USawuli wasesithi kuDavida: Kawubusiswe wena, ndodana yami Davida. Lawe uzakwenza isibili, lawe uzanqoba lokunqoba. UDavida wasehamba ngendlela yakhe, loSawuli wabuyela endaweni yakhe.

Then Saul said to David: 'Blessed be thou, my son David; thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail.' So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.