2 USamuyeli 15
1 Kwasekusithi emva kwalokhu uAbisalomu wazilungisela izinqola lamabhiza, labantu abangamatshumi amahlanu begijima phambi kwakhe.
After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run 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;
Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgement, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”
3 uAbisalomu abesesithi kuye: Bona, indaba zakho zinhle zilungile, kodwa kakho owenkosi ukuthi akuzwe.
Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”
4 UAbisalomu abesesithi: Kungathi ngabe ngibekwe umahluleli elizweni, ukuthi wonke umuntu olecala lomthetho lodaba angeza kimi, njalo bengizamlungisela.
Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”
5 Kwakusithi lapho kusondela umuntu ukumkhothamela, elule isandla sakhe, ambambe, amange.
It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.
6 UAbisalomu wasesenza ngalindlela kuIsrayeli wonke, bona abeza enkosini ukwahlulelwa; ngalokho uAbisalomu wathumba inhliziyo yamadoda akoIsrayeli.
Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 Kwasekusithi ekupheleni kweminyaka engamatshumi amane uAbisalomu wathi enkosini: Ake ngiyekhokha isithembiso sami engasithembisa eNkosini eHebroni.
At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.
8 Ngoba inceku yakho yathembisa isithembiso ngisahlala eGeshuri eSiriya ngisithi: Uba iNkosi ingibuyisela lokungibuyisela eJerusalema, ngizayikhonza iNkosi.
For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’”
9 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Hamba ngokuthula. Wasesukuma waya eHebroni.
The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
10 Kodwa uAbisalomu wathuma izinhloli ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli esithi: Lapho lisizwa ukukhala kophondo, lizakuthi: UAbisalomu uyinkosi eHebroni!
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”
11 Kwasekuhamba loAbisalomu amadoda angamakhulu amabili esuka eJerusalema, anxusiweyo, ahamba ebuqothweni bawo, njalo engazi lutho.
Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything.
12 UAbisalomu wasethumela wabiza uAhithofeli weGilo, umeluleki kaDavida, esuka emzini wakhe, eGilo, esahlaba imihlatshelo. Njalo ugobe lwaqina, labantu bahamba banda kuAbisalomu.
Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.
13 Kwasekufika isithunywa kuDavida, sisithi: Inhliziyo yabantu bakoIsrayeli ilandela uAbisalomu.
A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after 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.
David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise! Let’s flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down evil on 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.
The king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.”
16 Yasiphuma inkosi, layo yonke indlu yayo iyilandela. Inkosi yasitshiya abafazi abalitshumi, abafazi abancane, ukuze balinde indlu.
The king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.
17 Yasiphuma inkosi, labo bonke abantu beyilandela; bema endlini ekhatshana.
The king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.
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.
All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before 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 also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner and also an exile. Return to your own place.
20 Ufike izolo; pho, lamuhla ngikuzulazulise ngokuhamba lathi, njengoba ngiya lapho engiya khona? Buyela ubuyisele abafowenu. Umusa leqiniso kakube lawe.
Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”
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.
Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there also.”
22 UDavida wasesithi kuIthayi: Hamba, uchaphe. UIthayi umGiti wasechapha kanye labantu bakhe bonke labantwanyana ababelaye.
David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.
23 Ilizwe lonke lakhala inyembezi ngelizwi elikhulu, njalo abantu bonke bachapha. Inkosi yasichapha isifula iKidroni, labantu bonke bachapha, ngasendleleni yenkangala.
All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over towards the way of the wilderness.
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.
Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God’s ark; and Abiathar went up until all the people finished passing out of the city.
25 Inkosi yasisithi kuZadoki: Buyisela umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu emzini. Uba ngizathola umusa emehlweni eNkosi, izangibuyisa ingitshengise wona kanye lendawo yayo yokuhlala.
The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favour in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation;
26 Kodwa uba isitsho njalo, ithi: Kangithokozi ngawe; khangela ngilapha, kayenze kimi njengokuhle emehlweni ayo.
but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”
27 Inkosi yasisithi kuZadoki umpristi: Ungumboni yini? Buyela emzini ngokuthula, loAhimahazi indodana yakho loJonathani indodana kaAbhiyatha, amadodana enu womabili elani.
The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28 Bona, ngizalinda emazibukweni enkangala, kuze kufike ilizwi elivela kini lokungibikela.
Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
29 Ngakho uZadoki loAbhiyatha bawubuyisela umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu eJerusalema, bahlala khona.
Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried God’s ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed 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.
David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31 Kwasekubikwa kuDavida kwathiwa: UAhithofeli uphakathi kwabakugobe loAbisalomu. UDavida wasesithi: Nkosi, ake enze icebo likaAhithofeli libe yibuthutha.
Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is amongst the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”
32 Kwasekusithi uDavida esefike engqongeni lapho ayekhonza khona uNkulunkulu, khangela, uHushayi umArki wamhlangabeza, isembatho sakhe sidatshuliwe, lenhlabathi isekhanda lakhe.
When David had come to the top, where God was worshipped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.
33 UDavida wasesithi kuye: Uba usedlula lami, uzakuba ngumthwalo kimi.
David said to him, “If you pass on with me, then 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 tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then will you defeat for me 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.
Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell 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.
Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.”
37 UHushayi umngane kaDavida wasefika emzini, loAbisalomu wafika eJerusalema.
So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
