1 USamuyeli 28
1 Kwasekusithi ngalezonsuku amaFilisti abuthanisela impi amabutho awo ukuze alwe loIsrayeli. UAkishi wasesithi kuDavida: Yazi lokwazi ukuthi uzaphuma impi lami, wena labantu bakho.
Around that time the Philistines called up their armies to go to war against Israel. So Achish told David, “You do realize that you and your men must accompany me as part of the army.”
2 UDavida wasesithi kuAkishi: Sibili, wena uzakwazi ukuthi inceku yakho ingenzani. UAkishi wasesithi kuDavida: Ngakho, ngizakubeka ube ngumlindi wekhanda lami zonke izinsuku.
“That's fine!” David replied. “Then you yourself will discover what I, your servant, can do.” “That's fine too,” Achish responded. “I'll make you my bodyguard for life.”
3 USamuweli wayesefile, loIsrayeli wonke wayemlilele, bamngcwabela eRama, ngitsho emzini wakibo. USawuli wayebasusile-ke elizweni abalamadlozi labalumbayo.
By now Samuel had died, and all of Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his home town. Saul had got rid of mediums and spiritists from the country.
4 AmaFilisti asebuthana afika amisa inkamba eShunemi. USawuli wasebuthanisa uIsrayeli wonke, bamisa inkamba eGilibowa.
The Philistine armies gathered and set up camp at Shunem. Saul called up all the Israelite army and set up camp at Gilboa.
5 Lapho uSawuli ebona inkamba yamaFilisti, wesaba, lenhliziyo yakhe yathuthumela kakhulu.
When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was terrified, shaking with fear.
6 Lapho uSawuli ebuza eNkosini, iNkosi kayimphendulanga langamaphupho langeUrimi langabaprofethi.
He asked advice from the Lord, but the Lord didn't answer him either by dreams or by Urim or by prophets.
7 USawuli wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe: Ngidingelani owesifazana oledlozi ukuze ngiye kuye, ngibuze kuye. Inceku zakhe zasezisithi kuye: Khangela, kulowesifazana oledlozi eEndori.
So Saul told his officers, “Find me a woman who is a medium so I can go and ask her advice.” “There's a woman who is a medium at Endor,” his officers replied.
8 USawuli wasezifihla isimo, wagqoka ezinye izigqoko, wahamba, yena lamadoda amabili laye; basebefika kowesifazana ebusuku. Wathi: Akungivumisele ngedlozi, ungenyusele engizamutsho kuwe.
Saul disguised himself by wearing different clothes. He went with two of his men to the woman at night. Saul told her, “Bring up a spirit for me so I can ask some questions. I'll give you the name.”
9 Kodwa owesifazana wathi kuye: Khangela, wena uyazi ukuthi uSawuli wenzeni, ukuthi ubaqumile elizweni abalamadlozi labalumbayo. Pho, uwuthiyelani umphefumulo wami ukungibulala?
“Don't you know what Saul has done,” she replied. “He's got rid of the mediums and spiritists from the country. Are you trying to set a trap for me and get me killed?”
10 Kodwa uSawuli wafunga kuye ngeNkosi, esithi: Kuphila kukaJehova, isijeziso kasiyikuza kuwe ngaloludaba.
Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As the Lord lives, you won't be held guilty for doing this.”
11 Owesifazana wasesithi: Ngikwenyusele bani? Wasesithi: Ngenyusela uSamuweli.
“Who do you want me to bring up for you?” the woman asked. “Bring up Samuel,” he replied.
12 Lapho owesifazana ebona uSamuweli, wakhala ngelizwi elikhulu; owesifazana wasekhuluma kuSawuli esithi: Ungikhohliseleni? Ngoba unguSawuli.
But when the woman saw Samuel, she shouted loudly, and said to Saul, “Why have you tricked me? You're Saul!”
13 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Ungesabi; kodwa ubonani? Owesifazana wasesithi kuSawuli: Ngibona onkulunkulu besenyuka emhlabathini.
“Don't be scared,” The king told her. “What can you see?” “I see a god coming up out of the ground,” the woman replied.
14 Wasesithi kuye: Sinjani isimo sakhe? Wasesithi: Kwenyuka ixhegu elembethe isembatho. Lapho uSawuli esesazi ukuthi nguSamuweli, wakhothama ngobuso emhlabathini, wakhonza.
“What does he look like?” Saul asked. “An old man is coming up,” she replied. “He has a robe wrapped around him” Saul thought it must be Samuel, and he bowed facedown in respect.
15 USamuweli wasesithi kuSawuli: Ungikhathazeleni ngokungenyusa? USawuli wasephendula wathi: Ngibandezelekile kakhulu, ngoba amaFilisti alwa lami, loNkulunkulu usukile kimi, kasangiphenduli, langesandla sabaprofethi langamaphupho. Ngakho ngikubizile ukuthi ungazise ukuthi ngenzeni.
Samuel said to Saul, “Why are you bothering me by bringing me up?” “I'm in terrible trouble,” Saul replied. “The Philistines are attacking me, and God has abandoned me. He doesn't answer me anymore, either by prophets or by dreams. That's why I have called you up so you tell me what to do.”
16 USamuweli wasesithi: Pho, ubuzelani kimi, lokhu iNkosi isisukile kuwe, yaba yisitha sakho?
“Why come and ask me when the Lord has abandoned you and has become your enemy?” Samuel asked.
17 INkosi isizenzele njengokukhuluma kwayo ngesandla sami; iNkosi isidabule umbuso usuka esandleni sakho, yawunika umakhelwane wakho, uDavida.
“The Lord has done to you exactly what he said through me, for Lord has ripped the kingdom from you and has given it to your neighbor, David.
18 Njengoba ungalilalelanga ilizwi leNkosi, futhi ungenzanga ukuvutha kolaka lwayo kumaAmaleki, ngakho iNkosi yenzile linto kuwe lamuhla.
The Lord has done this to you today because you did not do what the Lord commanded and you did not execute his furious anger on the Amalekites.
19 Futhi iNkosi izanikela uIsrayeli laye kanye lawe esandleni samaFilisti; kusasa-ke wena lamadodana akho lizakuba lami. Lenkamba yakoIsrayeli iNkosi izayinikela esandleni samaFilisti.
The Lord will hand over Israel and you yourself to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will die and be with me. The Lord will also hand over the Israelite army of Israel to the Philistines.”
20 USawuli wasehle edilikela emhlabathini, ngokuphelela kobude bakhe, wesaba kakhulu ngenxa yamazwi kaSamuweli, njalo kwakungelamandla kuye, ngoba wayengadlanga kudla usuku lonke lobusuku bonke.
Saul collapsed face down on the ground, terrified at what Samuel had said. He had no strength, because he hadn't eaten anything all that day and night.
21 Owesifazana wasesiza kuSawuli, wabona ukuthi wethukile kakhulu, wathi kuye: Khangela, incekukazi yakho ililalele ilizwi lakho, ngifakile umphefumulo wami esandleni sami, ngalalela amazwi owakhulume kimi.
The woman came over to Saul and saw that he was absolutely terrified. She told him, “Look, sir, I did what you asked. I risked my life and did what you told me.
22 Ngakho-ke lawe akulalele ilizwi lencekukazi yakho, ngifake phambi kwakho ucezwana lwesinkwa ukuze udle, ukuze amandla abe kuwe nxa uhamba indlela yakho.
Now please do what I tell you. Let me bring you a little bit of food. Eat it, and you'll have the strength to go on your way.”
23 Kodwa wala wathi: Kangiyikudla. Kodwa inceku zakhe kanye lowesifazana bamcindezela; waselalela ilizwi labo. Wasesukuma emhlabathini, wahlala embhedeni.
But he refused, saying, “I can't eat anything.” But his men and the woman encouraged him to eat, and he did what they said. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24 Njalo owesifazana wayelethole elinonileyo endlini; waphangisa walihlaba; wathatha impuphu, wayixova, wabhaka isinkwa esingelamvubelo ngayo;
The woman had a fattened calf at the house, and she quickly went and slaughtered it. She also got some flour, kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread.
25 wasisondeza phambi kukaSawuli laphambi kwenceku zakhe; badla. Basukuma bahamba ngalobobusuku.
She served the meal to Saul and his men, and they ate it. Then they got up and left, the same night.
