2 USamuyeli 15
1 Kwasekusithi emva kwalokhu uAbisalomu wazilungisela izinqola lamabhiza, labantu abangamatshumi amahlanu begijima phambi kwakhe.
Then, after these things, Absalom obtained for himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men who went before him.
2 UAbisalomu wayesevuka ekuseni kakhulu eme eceleni kwendlela yesango; kwakusithi wonke umuntu olecala lomthetho eliya enkosini ukwahlulelwa, uAbisalomu ambize athi: Ungowawuphi umuzi? Lapho esithi: Inceku yakho ingowesinye sezizwe zakoIsrayeli;
And rising up in the morning, Absalom was standing beside the entrance of the gate. And when there was any man who had a dispute that might go before the king’s judgment, Absalom would call him to him, and would say, “Which city are you from?” And responding, he would say, “I am your servant, from a certain tribe of Israel.”
3 uAbisalomu abesesithi kuye: Bona, indaba zakho zinhle zilungile, kodwa kakho owenkosi ukuthi akuzwe.
And Absalom would answer him: “Your words seem good and just to me. But there is no one appointed by the king to hear you.” And Absalom would say:
4 UAbisalomu abesesithi: Kungathi ngabe ngibekwe umahluleli elizweni, ukuthi wonke umuntu olecala lomthetho lodaba angeza kimi, njalo bengizamlungisela.
“Who may appoint me judge over the land, so that all those who have a dispute might come to me, and I might judge justly.”
5 Kwakusithi lapho kusondela umuntu ukumkhothamela, elule isandla sakhe, ambambe, amange.
Then too, when a man would draw near to him, so that he might greet him, he would extend his hand, and taking hold of him, he would kiss him.
6 UAbisalomu wasesenza ngalindlela kuIsrayeli wonke, bona abeza enkosini ukwahlulelwa; ngalokho uAbisalomu wathumba inhliziyo yamadoda akoIsrayeli.
And he was doing this to all those of Israel arriving for judgment to be heard by the king. And he solicited the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kweminyaka engamatshumi amane uAbisalomu wathi enkosini: Ake ngiyekhokha isithembiso sami engasithembisa eNkosini eHebroni.
Then, after forty years, Absalom said to king David: “I should go and pay my vows, which I have vowed to the Lord at Hebron.
8 Ngoba inceku yakho yathembisa isithembiso ngisahlala eGeshuri eSiriya ngisithi: Uba iNkosi ingibuyisela lokungibuyisela eJerusalema, ngizayikhonza iNkosi.
For your servant made a vow, when he was in Geshur of Syria, saying: If the Lord will lead me back to Jerusalem, I will sacrifice to the Lord.”
9 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Hamba ngokuthula. Wasesukuma waya eHebroni.
And king David said to him, “Go in peace.” And he rose up and went away to Hebron.
10 Kodwa uAbisalomu wathuma izinhloli ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli esithi: Lapho lisizwa ukukhala kophondo, lizakuthi: UAbisalomu uyinkosi eHebroni!
Then Absalom sent scouts into all the tribes of Israel, saying: “As soon as you hear the blare of the trumpet, say: ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron.’”
11 Kwasekuhamba loAbisalomu amadoda angamakhulu amabili esuka eJerusalema, anxusiweyo, ahamba ebuqothweni bawo, njalo engazi lutho.
Now having been called, two hundred men from Jerusalem went forth with Absalom, going in simplicity of heart and being entirely ignorant of the plan.
12 UAbisalomu wasethumela wabiza uAhithofeli weGilo, umeluleki kaDavida, esuka emzini wakhe, eGilo, esahlaba imihlatshelo. Njalo ugobe lwaqina, labantu bahamba banda kuAbisalomu.
Absalom also summoned Ahithophel the Gilonite, a counselor of David, from his city, Giloh. And when he was immolating victims, a very strong oath was sworn, and the people, hurrying together, joined with Absalom.
13 Kwasekufika isithunywa kuDavida, sisithi: Inhliziyo yabantu bakoIsrayeli ilandela uAbisalomu.
Then a messenger went to David, saying, “With their whole heart, all of Israel is following Absalom.”
14 Wasesithi uDavida ezincekwini zakhe zonke ezazilaye eJerusalema: Sukumani, sibaleke, ngoba kasilakuphepha ebusweni bukaAbisalomu. Phangisani ukuhamba, hlezi aphangise asifice, asehlisele okubi, atshaye umuzi ngobukhali benkemba.
And David said to his servants, who were with him in Jerusalem: “Rise up, let us flee! For otherwise there will be no escape for us from the face of Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest perhaps, upon arriving, he may seize us, and force ruin upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15 Izinceku zenkosi zasezisithi enkosini: Njengakho konke inkosi, inkosi yami, ekukhethayo, khangela, nanzi inceku zakho.
And the servants of the king said to him, “Everything whatsoever that our lord the king will command, we your servants shall carry out willingly.”
16 Yasiphuma inkosi, layo yonke indlu yayo iyilandela. Inkosi yasitshiya abafazi abalitshumi, abafazi abancane, ukuze balinde indlu.
Therefore, the king departed, with his entire household on foot. And the king left behind ten women of the concubines to care for the house.
17 Yasiphuma inkosi, labo bonke abantu beyilandela; bema endlini ekhatshana.
And having gone forth on foot, the king and all of Israel stood at a distance from the house.
18 Lazo zonke inceku zayo zedlula eceleni kwayo, njalo wonke amaKerethi lawo wonke amaPelethi lawo wonke amaGiti, amadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha, eza amlandela evela eGati, edlula phambi kwenkosi.
And all his servants were walking beside him. And the legions of the Cerethites and Phelethites, and all the Gittites, powerful fighters, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath on foot, were preceding the king.
19 Inkosi yasisithi kuIthayi umGiti: Lawe uhambelani lathi? Buyela uhlale lenkosi, ngoba ungowezizweni njalo ungumxotshwa endaweni yakho.
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why do you come with us? Return and live with the king. For you are a stranger, and you departed from your own place.
20 Ufike izolo; pho, lamuhla ngikuzulazulise ngokuhamba lathi, njengoba ngiya lapho engiya khona? Buyela ubuyisele abafowenu. Umusa leqiniso kakube lawe.
You arrived yesterday. And today should you be compelled to go away with us? For I should go to the place where I am going. But you should return, and lead your own brothers back with you. And the Lord will show mercy and truth to you, because you have shown grace and faith.”
21 Kodwa uIthayi wayiphendula inkosi wathi: Kuphila kukaJehova, njalo kuphila kwenkosi yami, inkosi, isibili kuleyondawo lapho inkosi yami, inkosi, ezakuba kiyo, loba kusekufeni loba kusekuphileni, lalapho izakuba khona inceku yakho.
And Ittai responded to the king, by saying, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, in whatever place you will be, my lord the king, whether in death or in life, your servant will be there.”
22 UDavida wasesithi kuIthayi: Hamba, uchaphe. UIthayi umGiti wasechapha kanye labantu bakhe bonke labantwanyana ababelaye.
And David said to Ittai, “Come, and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all the men who were with him, and the rest of the multitude.
23 Ilizwe lonke lakhala inyembezi ngelizwi elikhulu, njalo abantu bonke bachapha. Inkosi yasichapha isifula iKidroni, labantu bonke bachapha, ngasendleleni yenkangala.
And they all wept with a great voice, and all the people passed over. The king also passed over the torrent Kidron. And all the people advanced opposite the way which looks out toward the desert.
24 Njalo khangela, uZadoki laye lawo wonke amaLevi elaye, bethwele umtshokotsho wesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu, bawubeka phansi umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu; uAbhiyatha wasesenyuka, abantu bonke baze baphela ukudlula bephuma emzini.
Now Zadok the priest also went, and all the Levites went with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God. And Abiathar went up, until all the people who had departed from the city had gone by.
25 Inkosi yasisithi kuZadoki: Buyisela umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu emzini. Uba ngizathola umusa emehlweni eNkosi, izangibuyisa ingitshengise wona kanye lendawo yayo yokuhlala.
And the king said to Zadok: “Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will lead me back. And he will show it to me in his tabernacle.
26 Kodwa uba isitsho njalo, ithi: Kangithokozi ngawe; khangela ngilapha, kayenze kimi njengokuhle emehlweni ayo.
But if he will say to me, ‘You are not pleasing,’ I am ready. Let him do whatever is good in his own sight.”
27 Inkosi yasisithi kuZadoki umpristi: Ungumboni yini? Buyela emzini ngokuthula, loAhimahazi indodana yakho loJonathani indodana kaAbhiyatha, amadodana enu womabili elani.
And the king said to Zadok the priest: “O seer, return into the city in peace. And let your son Ahimaaz, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, your two sons, be with you.
28 Bona, ngizalinda emazibukweni enkangala, kuze kufike ilizwi elivela kini lokungibikela.
Behold, I will hide in the plains of the desert, until word from you may arrive to inform me.”
29 Ngakho uZadoki loAbhiyatha bawubuyisela umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema, bahlala khona.
Therefore, Zadok and Abiathar carried back the ark of God into Jerusalem, and they remained there.
30 UDavida wasesenyuka ngomqanso wemihlwathi, esenyuka ekhala inyembezi, embomboze ikhanda lakhe, wahamba engelamanyathela; labo bonke abantu ababelaye bambomboza, ngulowo lalowo ikhanda lakhe, benyuka, besenyuka bekhala inyembezi.
But David ascended to the Mount of Olives, climbing and weeping, advancing with bare feet and with his head covered. Moreover, all the people who were with him ascended, weeping with their heads covered.
31 Kwasekubikwa kuDavida kwathiwa: UAhithofeli uphakathi kwabakugobe loAbisalomu. UDavida wasesithi: Nkosi, ake enze icebo likaAhithofeli libe yibuthutha.
Then it was reported to David that Ahithophel also had joined in swearing with Absalom. And David said, “O Lord, I beg you, to uncover the foolishness of the counsel of Ahithophel.”
32 Kwasekusithi uDavida esefike engqongeni lapho ayekhonza khona uNkulunkulu, khangela, uHushayi umArki wamhlangabeza, isembatho sakhe sidatshuliwe, lenhlabathi isekhanda lakhe.
And when David had ascended to the summit of the mountain, where he was going to adore the Lord, behold Hushai the Archite met him, with his garment torn and his head covered with soil.
33 UDavida wasesithi kuye: Uba usedlula lami, uzakuba ngumthwalo kimi.
And David said to him: “If you come with me, you will be a burden to me.
34 Kodwa uba ubuyela emzini uthi kuAbisalomu: Ngizakuba yinceku yakho, nkosi; kade ngiyinceku kayihlo, kodwa khathesi sengizakuba yinceku yakho; khona uzangichithela icebo likaAhithofeli.
But if you return to the city, and you say to Absalom, ‘I am your servant, O king; just as I have been the servant of your father, so too will I be your servant,’ you will destroy the counsel of Ahithophel
35 Njalo kabakho yini kanye lawe lapho oZadoki loAbhiyatha abapristi? Ngakho kuzakuthi yonke indaba oyizwayo endlini yenkosi, uyitshele oZadoki loAbhiyatha abapristi.
And you have with you the priests Zadok and Abiathar. And any word whatsoever that you will hear from the house of the king, you shall reveal it to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests.
36 Khangela, kukhona lapho kanye labo amadodana abo amabili, uAhimahazi okaZadoki, loJonathani okaAbhiyatha; njalo uzathumela ngesandla sabo kimi yonke into ozayizwa.
Now with them are their two sons Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar. And you shall send to me by them every word that you will have heard.”
37 UHushayi umngane kaDavida wasefika emzini, loAbisalomu wafika eJerusalema.
Therefore, Hushai, the friend of David, went into the city. And Absalom also entered into Jerusalem.
