2 USamuyeli 23
1 La-ke ngamazwi okucina kaDavida. UDavida indodana kaJese wathi, lomuntu ophakanyiselwe phezulu, ogcotshiweyo kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe, lomhlabeleli omnandi wakoIsrayeli, wathi:
Now these are the last words of David— David son of Jesse, the man who was highly honored, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
2 UMoya weNkosi wakhuluma ngami, lelizwi lakhe lisolimini lwami.
“The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue.
3 UNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli wathi, iDwala likaIsrayeli lakhuluma kimi lathi: Obusa abantu uzakuba ngolungileyo, ebusa ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu.
The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, 'The one who rules righteously over men, who rules in the fear of God.
4 Njalo uzakuba njengokukhanya kwekuseni ekuphumeni kwelanga, ikuseni engelamayezi, njengohlaza emhlabathini ngokukhanya emva kwezulu.
He will be like the morning light when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs up from the earth through bright sunshine after rain.
5 Lanxa indlu yami ingenjalo kuNkulunkulu, kube kanti wenzile lami isivumelwano esilaphakade, esimiswe kuhle ezintweni zonke, lesigcinekileyo, ngoba lonke usindiso lwami lesiloyiso sikuso, lanxa engasikhulisi.
Indeed, is my family not like this before God? Has he not made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and sure in every way? Does he not increase my salvation and fulfill my every desire?
6 Kodwa abakaBheliyali bonke banjengameva alahliweyo, ngoba engelakuthathwa ngesandla;
But the worthless will all be like thorns to be thrown away, because they cannot be gathered by one's hands.
7 kodwa umuntu owathintayo uzazihlomisa ngensimbi langoluthi lomkhonto, azatshiswa lokutshiswa ngomlilo kuleyondawo.
The man who touches them must use an iron tool or the shaft of a spear. They must be burned up where they lie.'”
8 La ngamabizo amaqhawe uDavida ayelawo: UJoshebi-Bashebeti umTahekemoni, inhloko yezinduna; nguye uAdino umEzini, ngenxa yabangamakhulu ayisificaminwembili ababulawa ngasikhathi sinye.
These are the names of David's mighty men: Jeshbaal the Hachmonite was the leader of the mighty men. He killed eight hundred men on one occasion.
9 Lemva kwakhe kwakuloEleyazare indodana kaDodo indodana kaAhohi, owamaqhawe amathathu ayeloDavida, ekudeleleni kwabo amaFilisti ayebuthanele khona impi, lapho amadoda akoIsrayeli esenyukile,
After him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. He was with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered together to do battle, and when the men of Israel had retreated.
10 yena wasukuma watshaya amaFilisti saze sadinwa isandla sakhe, lesandla sakhe sanamathela enkembeni. INkosi yasisenza usindiso olukhulu ngalolosuku; abantu basebebuya emva kwakhe ukuzaphanga kuphela.
Eleazar stood and fought the Philistines until his hand became weary and his hand stiffened to the grip of his sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day. The army returned after Eleazar, only to strip the bodies.
11 Lemva kwakhe kwakuloShama indodana kaAge umHarari. AmaFilisti ayebuthene aba lixuku, lapho okwakukhona isiqinti sensimu sigcwele amalentili; njalo abantu babaleka ebusweni bamaFilisti,
After him was Shammah son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together where there was a field of lentils, and the army fled from them.
12 kodwa wajama phakathi kwesiqinti, wasivikela, wawatshaya amaFilisti. INkosi yenza-ke usindiso olukhulu.
But Shammah stood in the middle of the field and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about a great victory.
13 Abathathu ezinhlokweni ezingamatshumi amathathu basebesehla, bafika kuDavida ebhalwini lweAdulamu ngesikhathi sokuvuna; lexuku lamaFilisti lalimise inkamba esihotsheni seRefayimi.
Three of the thirty soldiers went down to David at harvest time, to the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14 Langalesosikhathi uDavida wayesenqabeni, lebutho lenqaba lamaFilisti laliseBhethelehema ngalesosikhathi.
At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established at Bethlehem.
15 UDavida wasenxwanela, wathi: Hawu, kungathi omunye ubenganginathisa amanzi omthombo weBhethelehema ongasesangweni!
David was longing for water and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that is by the gate!”
16 Lawomaqhawe amathathu asefohla adabula enkambeni yamaFilisti, akha amanzi emthonjeni weBhethelehema owawungasesangweni, awathatha awaletha kuDavida. Kube kanti kathandanga ukuwanatha, kodwa wawathululela iNkosi.
So these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.
17 Wasesithi: Kakube khatshana lami, Nkosi, ukuthi ngenze lokho; kakusigazi yini labantu abahambe lempilo yabo engozini? Ngalokho kathandanga ukuwanatha. Lezizinto azenza lamaqhawe amathathu.
Then he said, “Yahweh, far be it from me, that I should do this. Should I drink the blood of men who have risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. These things were done by the three mighty.
18 Njalo uAbishayi, umfowabo kaJowabi indodana kaZeruya, wayeyinhloko yabathathu. Yena wasegiyela abangamakhulu amathathu ngomkhonto wakhe, ababuleweyo, wasesiba lebizo phakathi kwabathathu.
Abishai, brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was captain over the three. He once fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them. He was often mentioned along with the three soldiers.
19 Kahlonitshwanga kakhulu yini kulabathathu? Ngakho waba yinduna yabo; kodwa kafikanga kwabathathu abokuqala.
Was he not even more famous than the three? He was made their captain. However, his fame did not equal the fame of the three most famous soldiers.
20 UBhenaya-ke, indodana kaJehoyada, indodana yeqhawe, omkhulu ngezenzo, weKabhiseyeli. Yena watshaya ababili abanjengezilwane bakoMowabi; futhi wehla watshaya isilwane phakathi komgodi mhla weliqhwa elikhithikileyo.
Benaiah from Kabzeel was the son of Jehoiada; he was a strong man who did mighty feats. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion while it was snowing.
21 Yena wasetshaya indoda engumGibhithe, umuntu obukekayo; njalo umGibhithe wayelomkhonto esandleni sakhe; kodwa wehlela kuye elenduku, wawuhluthuna umkhonto esandleni somGibhithe, wambulala ngomkhonto wakhe.
Then he killed a very large Egyptian man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah fought against him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and then killed him with his own spear.
22 Lezizinto wazenza uBhenaya indodana kaJehoyada, waba lebizo phakathi kwamaqhawe amathathu.
Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.
23 Wayehlonipheka kulabangamatshumi amathathu, kodwa kafikanga kwabathathu. UDavida wasembeka phezu kwabalindi bakhe.
He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24 UAsaheli umfowabo kaJowabi wayephakathi kwabangamatshumi amathathu, uElihanani indodana kaDodo weBhethelehema,
The thirty included the following men: Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25 uShama umHarodi, uElika umHarodi,
Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 uHelezi umPaliti, uIra indodana kaIkheshi umThekhowa,
Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 uAbiyezeri umAnethothi, uMebunayi umHusha,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,
28 uZalimoni umAhohi, uMaharayi umNetofa,
Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;
29 uHelebi indodana kaBahana umNetofa, uIthayi indodana kaRibayi weGibeya wabantwana bakoBhenjamini,
Heleb son of Baanah, the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,
30 uBhenaya umPirathoni, uHidayi wezifuleni zeGahashi,
Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash.
31 uAbi-Aliboni umAraba, uAzimavethi umBahurimi,
Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 uEliyabha umShahaliboni, wamadodana kaJasheni, uJonathani,
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite;
33 uShama umHarari, uAhiyamu indodana kaSharari umHarari,
Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 uElifeleti indodana kaAhasibayi indodana yomMahaka, uEliyamu indodana kaAhithofeli umGilo,
Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 uHezirayi umKharmeli, uPaharayi umArabi,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 uIgali indodana kaNathani weZoba, uBani umGadi,
Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani from the tribe of Gad,
37 uZeleki umAmoni, uNaharayi umBherothi, umthwali wezikhali zikaJowabi indodana kaZeruya,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah,
38 uIra umIthiri, uGarebi umIthiri,
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 uUriya umHethi; bebonke babengamatshumi amathathu lesikhombisa.
Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.
