2 Samweli 9
1 Daudi akauliza, “Je, hakuna mtu hata mmoja wa nyumba ya Sauli aliyebaki ambaye naweza kumtendea wema kwa ajili ya Yonathani?”
UDavida wabuza wathi, “Kambe angabe ekhona yini osaseleyo endlini kaSawuli engingabonakalisa umusa wami kuye ngenxa kaJonathani na?”
2 Basi palikuwepo mtumishi wa nyumba ya Sauli aliyeitwa Siba. Wakamwita aje mbele ya Daudi, naye mfalme akamwambia, “Wewe ndiwe Siba?” Akamjibu, “Naam, mimi ndiye mtumishi wako.”
Ngalesosikhathi kwakulenceku yendlu kaSawuli eyayithiwa nguZibha. Bambiza ukuba abonane loDavida, inkosi yasisithi kuye, “Wena unguye uZibha na?” Waphendula wathi, “Yimi inceku yakho.”
3 Mfalme akauliza, “Je, hakuna yeyote ambaye amebaki wa nyumba ya Sauli ninayeweza kumwonyesha wema wa Mungu?” Siba akamjibu mfalme, “Bado yupo mwana wa Yonathani, yeye ni kiwete miguu yote.”
Inkosi yabuza yathi, “Kakho yini osaseleyo endlini kaSawuli engingabonakalisa kuye umusa kaNkulunkulu na?” UZibha wayiphendula inkosi wathi, “Isesekhona indodana kaJonathani; igogekile inyawo zombili.”
4 Mfalme akauliza, “Yuko wapi?” Siba akajibu, “Yuko nyumbani kwa Makiri mwana wa Amieli huko Lo-Debari.”
Inkosi yabuza yathi, “Ungaphi?” UZibha waphendula wathi, “Usendlini kaMakhiri indodana ka-Amiyeli eLo-Debhari.”
5 Basi Mfalme Daudi akamtaka aletwe kutoka Lo-Debari, kutoka nyumbani kwa Makiri mwana wa Amieli.
Ngakho inkosi uDavida wathumela ukuba ayethathwa eLo-Debhari endlini kaMakhiri indodana ka-Amiyeli.
6 Mefiboshethi mwana wa Yonathani, mwana wa Sauli, alipofika kwa Daudi, akainama kumpa mfalme heshima. Daudi akamwita, “Mefiboshethi!” Mefiboshethi akajibu, “Ndimi mtumishi wako.”
Kwathi uMefibhoshethi indodana kaJonathani, indodana kaSawuli, esefikile kuDavida, wakhothamela phansi emhlonipha. UDavida wasesithi, “Mefibhoshethi!” Waphendula wathi, “Yimi inceku yakho.”
7 Daudi akamwambia, “Usiogope, kwa maana hakika nitakutendea wema kwa ajili ya baba yako Yonathani. Nitakurudishia ardhi yote iliyokuwa mali ya Sauli baba yako, nawe daima utakula chakula mezani pangu.”
UDavida wathi kuye, “Ungesabi, ngoba impela ngizakutshengisa umusa ngenxa kayihlo uJonathani. Ngizawubuyisela kuwe wonke umhlaba owawungokayihlomkhulu uSawuli, njalo wena uzakudla etafuleni lami kokuphela.”
8 Mefiboshethi akasujudu akasema, “Mimi mtumishi wako ni nini hata uangalie mbwa mfu kama mimi?”
UMefibhoshethi wakhothama wathi, “Inceku yakho iyini na, ukuba unake inja efileyo njengami nje?”
9 Ndipo mfalme akamwita Siba mtumishi wa Sauli na kumwambia, “Nimempa mwana wa bwana wako kila kitu kilichokuwa mali ya Sauli na jamaa yake.
UDavida wabiza uZibha, inceku kaSawuli, wathi kuye, “Indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho sengiyinike konke okwakungokuka Sawuli labendlu yakhe.
10 Wewe, wanao na watumishi wako mtamlimia mashamba Mefiboshethi na kumletea mavuno, ili kwamba mwana wa bwana wako apate mahitaji yake. Naye Mefiboshethi mwana wa bwana wako atakula chakula mezani pangu daima.” (Siba alikuwa na wana kumi na watano, na watumishi ishirini.)
Wena lamadodana akho lezinceku zakho lizamlimela amasimu lilethe amabele ukuze indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho ibe lokudla. Njalo uMefibhoshethi indodana yendodana yenkosi yakho, izakudla etafuleni lami kokuphela.” (UZibha lo wayelamadodana alitshumi lanhlanu kanye lezinceku ezingamatshumi amabili.)
11 Ndipo Siba akamwambia mfalme, “Mtumishi wako atafanya chochote bwana wangu mfalme atakachoagiza mtumishi wake kufanya.” Basi Mefiboshethi akala chakula mezani pa Daudi kama mmoja wa wana wa mfalme.
UZibha wasesithi enkosini, “Inceku yakho izakwenza loba kuyini umhlekazi wami inkosi elaya inceku yayo ukuba ikwenze.” Ngakho uMefibhoshethi wadla etafuleni likaDavida njengomunye wamadodana enkosi.
12 Mefiboshethi alikuwa na mwanawe mdogo aliyeitwa Mika, nao watu wote wa nyumba ya Siba walikuwa watumishi wa Mefiboshethi.
UMefibhoshethi wayelendodana esengumfanyana eyayithiwa nguMikha, njalo bonke abendlu kaZibha babezinceku zikaMefibhoshethi.
13 Naye Mefiboshethi akaishi huko Yerusalemu, kwa sababu daima alikula mezani pa mfalme, naye alikuwa kiwete miguu yote.
Njalo uMefibhoshethi wayehlala eJerusalema, edlela etafuleni lenkosi kokuphela, njalo egogekile inyawo zombili.
