2 USamuyeli 19

1 Kwasekubikwa kuJowabi kwathiwa: Khangela, inkosi uDavida iyakhala inyembezi, ililela uAbisalomu.

And it was told Joab, —Lo! the king, is weeping and mourning over Absolom.

2 Ukunqoba ngalolosuku kwasekusiba yisililo ebantwini bonke, ngoba abantu bezwa ngalolosuku kuthiwa: Inkosi idabukile ngenxa yendodana yayo.

So the victory, on that day, was turned into mourning, with all the people, —for the people heard, on that day, saying, The king is distressed for his son.

3 Abantu basebengena ngokunyenya emzini ngalolosuku njengabantu benyenya belenhloni bebaleka empini.

And the people stole away, on that day, to go into the city, —as people steal away who are put to shame, when they flee in battle.

4 Kodwa inkosi yagubuzela ubuso bayo, inkosi yakhala ngelizwi elikhulu yathi: Ndodana yami Abisalomu, Abisalomu, ndodana yami, ndodana yami!

But, the king, muffled his face, and the king made outcry, with a loud voice, —O my son Absolom, O Absolom, my son, my son!

5 UJowabi wasengena endlini enkosini wathi: Lamuhla uyangisile ubuso benceku zakho zonke ezisindise impilo yakho lamuhla lempilo yamadodana akho leyamadodakazi akho lempilo yabomkakho lempilo yabafazi bakho abancane.

Then came Joab unto the king, in the house, —and said—Thou hast, to-day, covered with shame the faces of all thy servants, who have rescued thy life to-day, and the lives of thy sons and thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

6 Uyabathanda abakuzondayo, uzonde abakuthandayo. Ngoba ukuveze obala lamuhla ukuthi izinduna lezinceku kazisilutho kuwe; ngoba ngiyananzelela lamuhla ukuthi uba uAbisalomu ubephila, njalo thina sonke besifile lamuhla, ukuthi bekungabe kulungile emehlweni akho.

by loving them who hated thee, and hating them who loved thee, —for thou hast declared, to-day, that, nothing to thee, are princes or servants, for I perceive, to-day, that, if, Absolom, had lived, and, all we, to-day had died, that, then, it had been right in thine eyes.

7 Ngakho-ke sukuma, uphume uyekhuluma enhliziyweni yezinceku zakho; ngoba ngifunga ngeNkosi, uba ungaphumi, sibili kakulamuntu ozahlala lawe ngalobubusuku. Lalokhu kuzakuba kubi kuwe kulakho konke okubi okukwehlele kusukela ebutsheni bakho kuze kube khathesi.

Now, therefore, rise—go forth, and speak unto the heart of thy servants, —for, by Yahweh, have I sworn, that, if thou do not go forth, not a man shall tarry with thee to-night, and this will be to thee, a greater misfortune, than all the misfortune that hath come upon thee from thy youth until now.

8 Inkosi yasisukuma, yahlala esangweni. Batshela bonke abantu bathi: Khangela, inkosi ihlezi esangweni; basebesiza abantu bonke phambi kwenkosi. UIsrayeli wayebaleke-ke, ngulowo lalowo waya emathenteni akhe.

So the king arose, and took his seat in the gate, —and, to all the people, was it told, saying—Lo! the king, is sitting in the gate. Then came all the people before the king, but, Israel, had fled every man to his home.

9 Njalo abantu bonke babephikisana ezizweni zonke zakoIsrayeli besithi: Inkosi yasikhulula esandleni sezitha zethu, njalo yona yasophula esandleni samaFilisti; kodwa khathesi isibalekile elizweni ngenxa kaAbisalomu.

And it came to pass that all the people were reproaching one another, throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, —the king, delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and, he, rescued us out of the hand of the Philistines, but, now, he hath fled out of the land, away from Absolom;

10 Kodwa uAbisalomu esamgcoba ukuthi abe phezu kwethu ufele empini. Pho-ke, lithuleleni ngokubuyisa inkosi?

and, Absolom, whom we anointed over us, hath died in the battle. Now, therefore, why are, ye, silent as to bringing back the king?

11 Inkosi uDavida yasithuma kuZadoki lakuAbhiyatha abapristi, isithi: Khulumani labadala bakoJuda lithi: Kungani lingabokucina ukubuyisela inkosi endlini yayo? (Ngoba inkulumo kaIsrayeli wonke ifike enkosini endlini yayo.)

And, King David, sent unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Wherefore should ye be behindhand, in bringing back the king unto his home, —seeing that, the speech of all Israel, hath come unto the king, regarding his home?

12 Lingabafowethu, lilithambo lami lenyama yami; ngakho kungani lingabokucina ukubuyisa inkosi?

Mine own brethren, are ye, my bone and my flesh, are ye, —wherefore then should ye be behindhand in bringing back the king?

13 Lithi-ke kuAmasa: Angithi ulithambo lami lenyama yami? UNkulunkulu kenze njalo kimi engezelele ngokunjalo, uba ungayikuba yinduna yebutho phambi kwami zonke izinsuku esikhundleni sikaJowabi.

And, unto Amasa, shall ye say, Art not, thou, my bone and my flesh? So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if thou become not, prince of the army, before me continually, instead of Joab.

14 Wasethobisa inhliziyo yabantu bonke bakoJuda, njengamuntu munye; basebethuma enkosini besithi: Buyela wena lazo zonke inceku zakho.

Thus bowed he the heart of all the men of Judah, as one man, —and they sent unto the king, Return, thou, and all thy servants.

15 Inkosi yasibuyela yafika eJordani; uJuda wasesiza eGiligali ukuyahlangabeza inkosi, ukuchaphisa inkosi iJordani.

Then the king returned, and came as far as the Jordan, —and, Judah, came to Gilgal, to go and meet the king, to escort the king over the Jordan.

16 UShimeyi indodana kaGera umBhenjamini, owaseBahurimi, wasephangisa wehla labantu bakoJuda ukuhlangabeza inkosi uDavida,

Then hastened Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, —and came down, with the men of Judah, to meet King David.

17 labantu abayinkulungwane bakoBhenjamini belaye, loZiba inceku yendlu kaSawuli, lamadodana akhe alitshumi lanhlanu, lenceku zakhe ezingamatshumi amabili belaye. Basebephangisa baya eJordani phambi kwenkosi.

And, a thousand men, were with him, out of Benjamin, Ziba also, servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants, with him, —and they went through the Jordan, before the king.

18 Kwasekuchapha isikepe sokuchapha ukuchaphisa abendlu yenkosi lokwenza okulungileyo emehlweni ayo. UShimeyi indodana kaGera wasewela phansi phambi kwenkosi ekuchapheni kwayo iJordani.

But the ferry-boat kept crossing, to bring over the household of the king, and to do what was good in his eyes. And, Shimei, son of Gera, fell down before the king, when he had passed over the Jordan;

19 Wasesithi enkosini: Inkosi yami ingangibaleli isiphambeko, futhi ungakhumbuli lokho inceku yakho eyaphambeka ngakho mhla inkosi yami, inkosi, iphuma eJerusalema, ukuthi inkosi ikubeke enhliziyweni yayo.

and he said unto the king—Let not my lord impute to me iniquity, neither do thou remember the perverseness of thy servant, on the day that thou wentest out, my lord O king, from Jerusalem, that the king should lay it upon his heart.

20 Ngoba inceku yakho iyazi ukuthi mina ngonile; khangela-ke, ngifikile lamuhla ngingowokuqala wendlu yonke kaJosefa ukwehla ukuhlangabeza inkosi yami, inkosi.

For thy servant doth know, that, I, sinned, —lo! therefore, I have arrived to-day, as the first of all the house of Joseph, to come down to meet my lord the king.

21 Kodwa uAbishayi indodana kaZeruya waphendula wathi: UShimeyi kayikubulawa yini ngalokhu, ngoba wathuka ogcotshiweyo weNkosi?

Then responded Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and said, For this, shall not Shimei be put to death, for that he cursed the Anointed of Yahweh?

22 UDavida wasesithi: Ngilani lani, madodana kaZeruya, ukuthi libe yisitha kimi lamuhla? Kuzabulawa umuntu lamuhla koIsrayeli yini? Ngoba kangazi yini ukuthi lamuhla ngiyinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli?

But David said, What have I in common with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, for ye would become to me, to-day, a very traitor! Shall there, to-day, be put to death a man in Israel? for do I not know, that, to-day, I, am king over Israel?

23 Inkosi yasisithi kuShimeyi: Kawuyikufa. Inkosi yasifunga kuye.

Then said the king unto Shimei—Thou shalt not die. And the king sware to him.

24 UMefiboshethi indodana kaSawuli wasesehla ukuhlangabeza inkosi. Wayengalungisanga inyawo zakhe, engalungisanga lendevu zakhe, engawatshanga lezigqoko zakhe, kusukela mhla inkosi ihamba kwaze kwaba mhla ibuya ngokuthula.

And, Mephibosheth, son of Saul, came down to meet the king, —he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor, his clothes, had he washed, from the day the king departed, until the day that he entered in peace.

25 Kwasekusithi esefikile eJerusalema ukuhlangabeza inkosi, inkosi yathi kuye: Kungani ungahambanga lami, Mefiboshethi?

And it came to pass, when he entered Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest thou not with me, Mephibosheth.

26 Wasesithi: Nkosi yami, nkosi, inceku yami yangikhohlisa; ngoba inceku yakho yathi: Ngizazibophelela isihlalo kubabhemi ukuze ngimgade, ngihambe lenkosi, ngoba inceku yakho iyaqhula.

And he said, My lord, O king, my servant, betrayed me, —for thy servant said—I will even saddle me mine ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king, for, lame, is thy servant.

27 Njalo iyihlebile inceku yakho enkosini yami, inkosi; kodwa inkosi yami, inkosi, injengengilosi kaNkulunkulu; ngakho yenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho.

And he hath slandered thy servant, unto my lord the king, —but, my lord the king, is as a messenger of God, do therefore what is good in thine own eyes.

28 Ngoba yonke indlu kababa ibingesilutho ngaphandle kokuba ngabantu bokufa phambi kwenkosi yami, inkosi; loba kunjalo wayibeka inceku yakho phakathi kwabadla etafuleni lakho. Pho, ngiselalungelo bani ukuthi ngibuye ngikhale enkosini?

For, when all the house of my father were nothing better than dead men, unto my lord the king, then didst thou set thy servant among them that used to eat at thy table, —what then have I further, by way of right, or to cry out any further unto the king?

29 Inkosi yasisithi kuye: Usakhulumelani ngendaba zakho? Ngithe: Wena loZiba lizakwehlukaniselana insimu.

Then the king said unto him, Wherefore shouldst thou speak any further of thine affairs? I have said—Thou and Ziba, shall share the land.

30 UMefiboshethi wasesithi enkosini: Yebo, kayithathe yonke, lokhu inkosi yami, inkosi, isibuyile endlini yayo ngokuthula.

And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Even the whole, let him take, —now that my lord the king hath entered, in peace, into his own house.

31 UBarizilayi umGileyadi wasesehla evela eRogelimi, wachapha iJordani kanye lenkosi ukuyiphelekezela phetsheya kweJordani.

And, Barzillai the Gileadite, came down from Rogelim, —and passed, with the king, over the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.

32 UBarizilayi wayesemdala kakhulu, eleminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili; yena wayisekela inkosi ekuhlaleni kwayo eMahanayimi, ngoba wayengumuntu omkhulu kakhulu.

Now, Barzillai, was very aged, eighty years old, —and, he himself, had sustained the king, throughout his sojourn in Mahanaim, for he was, an exceeding great man.

33 Inkosi yasisithi kuBarizilayi: Chapha kanye lami wena, ngizakusekela lami eJerusalema.

So then the king said unto Barzillai, —Thou, come over with me, and I will sustain thee with me, in Jerusalem.

34 Kodwa uBarizilayi wasesithi enkosini: Zingaki insuku zeminyaka yempilo yami ukuthi ngenyukele eJerusalema lenkosi?

But Barzillai said unto the king, —Like unto what, are the days of the years of my life, that I should come up with the king, to Jerusalem.

35 Lamuhla ngileminyaka engamatshumi ayisificaminwembili; ngingehlukanisa phakathi kokuhle lokubi yini? Inceku yakho inganambitha engikudlayo lengikunathayo yini? Ngingabe ngisawezwa yini amazwi amadoda ahlabelayo lawabesifazana abahlabelayo? Kungani-ke inceku yakho isizakuba ngumthwalo enkosini yami, inkosi?

Eighty years old, am I to-day—could I discern between good and bad? or could thy servant taste what I might eat, and what I might drink? or could I hearken any more to the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore, then, should thy servant yet be a burden unto my lord the king?

36 Inceku yakho izake ichaphe iJordani ingcosana nje kanye lenkosi; kungani-ke inkosi izangenanisa ngomvuzo ongaka?

Just a little way, will thy servant pass over the Jordan with the king, —but wherefore should the king recompense me with this reward?

37 Ngiyakuncenga, yekela inceku yakho ibuyele, ukuze ngifele emzini wami eduze lengcwaba likababa lelikamama. Kodwa khangela, inceku yakho uKhimihamu, kayichaphe lenkosi yami, inkosi, uyenzele okulungileyo emehlweni akho.

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father, and my mother. But here is thy servant Chimham—let him pass over with my lord the king, and do unto him that which may be good in thine eyes.

38 Inkosi yasisithi: UKhimihamu uzachapha lami; njalo mina ngizamenzela okulungileyo emehlweni ami, lakho konke okufunayo kimi ngizakwenzela khona.

Then said the king, With me, shall Chimham pass over, and, I, will do unto him that which shall be good in thine eyes, —and, whatsoever thou shalt choose to lay upon me, I will do for thee.

39 Bonke abantu basebechapha iJordani, lenkosi yachapha, inkosi yamanga uBarizilayi, yambusisa, wasebuyela endaweni yakhe.

And, when all the people had passed over the Jordan, then, the king, passed over, —and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place.

40 Inkosi yasisedlulela eGiligali, loKhimihamu wedlula layo; labo bonke abantu bakoJuda bayidlulisela phambili inkosi, futhi lengxenye yesizwe sakoIsrayeli.

And the king passed over to Gilgal, and, Chimham, passed over with him, —and, all the people of Judah, escorted the king, yea moreover, half the people of Israel.

41 Khangela-ke, bonke abantu bakoIsrayeli beza enkosini bathi enkosini: Abafowethu, abantu bakoJuda, bakuntshontsheleni, bachaphisa inkosi lendlu yayo iJordani labo bonke abantu bakaDavida belaye?

Then lo! all the men of Israel, were coming unto the king, —and they said unto the king—Why did our brethren the men of Judah steal thee away, and escort the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

42 Bonke abantu bakoJuda basebephendula amadoda akoIsrayeli bathi: Ngoba inkosi iyisihlobo sethu; pho-ke, lithukuthelelani ngalindaba? Sike sadlani okwenkosi? Kumbe isinike isipho yini?

And all the men of Judah made answer unto the men of Israel—Because the king is, near of kin, unto us, wherefore, then, is it, that ye are angry over this matter? Have we, eaten, at the king’s cost? or hath he, bestowed any gifts, on us?

43 Njalo amadoda akoIsrayeli aphendula amadoda akoJuda, athi: Silengxenye ezilitshumi enkosini, futhi lakuDavida silelungelo okwedlula lina. Pho, lasidelelelani ukuthi ilizwi lethu lingabi ngelokuqala ukubuyisa inkosi yethu? Kodwa ilizwi lamadoda akoJuda lalilukhuni kulelizwi lamadoda akoIsrayeli.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said—Ten parts, have we in the king, therefore, even in David, have we more right than ye. Why, then, made ye light of us, so that our word was not heard first as to bringing back our king? And, the words of the men of Judah, were fiercer than, the words of the men of Israel.