1 Samuel 14
1 And it came about, on a certain day, that Jonathan son of Saul said unto the young man bearing his armour: Come! and let us pass over unto the garrison of the Philistines, that is on the other side, yonder! but, to his father, he told it not.
Kwasekusithi ngolunye usuku, uJonathani indodana kaSawuli wathi emfaneni othwala izikhali zakhe: Woza sichaphele ebuthweni lenqaba yamaFilisti elingaphetsheya ngale. Kodwa kamtshelanga uyise.
2 Now, Saul, was tarrying in the uttermost part of Gibeah, under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron, —and, the people that were with him, were about six hundred men;
USawuli wayehlala-ke ephethelweni leGibeya ngaphansi kwesihlahla sepomegranati esiseMigironi; labantu ababelaye babengaphose babe ngamadoda angamakhulu ayisithupha;
3 and, Ahijah, son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, was priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod, —and, the people, knew not that Jonathan had departed.
loAhiya, indodana kaAhitubi, umfowabo kaIkabodi, indodana kaPhinehasi, indodana kaEli, umpristi weNkosi eShilo, wayembethe i-efodi. Kodwa abantu babengazi ukuthi uJonathani uhambile.
4 And, between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over up to the garrison of the Philistines, there was a crag of rock on the one side, and a crag of rock on the other side; and, the name of the one, was Bozez, and the name of the other, Seneh.
Laphakathi kwemikhandlo, lapho uJonathani ayezama ukuchapha khona ukuya ebuthweni lenqaba yamaFilisti, kwakuledwala elicijileyo nganeno, ledwala elicijileyo ngaphetsheya; njalo ibizo lelinye laliyiBozezi, lebizo lelinye laliyiSene.
5 The one crag, was a pillar on the north, over against Michmash, —and, the other, on the south, over against Geba.
Elinye iliwa laligxile enyakatho maqondana leMikimashi, lelinye ngeningizimu maqondana leGeba.
6 So Jonathan said unto the young man bearing his armour—Come! and let us cross over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised, peradventure, Yahweh may work by us, —for there is no restraint with Yahweh, to save by many, or by few.
UJonathani wasesithi emfaneni othwala izikhali zakhe: Woza sichaphele ebuthweni lenqaba elalaba abangasokanga; mhlawumbe iNkosi izasisebenzela, ngoba kakulasenqabelo eNkosini ukusindisa ngabanengi loba ngabalutshwana.
7 And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart, —decide for thyself (lo! I am with thee!), according to thine own heart.
Umthwali wezikhali zakhe wasesithi kuye: Yenza konke okusenhliziyweni yakho; phambuka, khangela ngilawe njengokwenhliziyo yakho.
8 Then said Jonathan, Lo! we, are crossing over unto the men, —and will discover ourselves unto them.
UJonathani wasesithi: Khangela, sizachaphela kulabobantu sizibonakalise kibo.
9 If, thus, they say unto us, Keep quiet until we get to you, then will we stand still where we are, and will not go up unto them;
Uba bekhuluma njalo kithi besithi: Manini mpo, size sifike kini; sizakuma-ke endaweni yethu, singenyukeli kibo.
10 but, if thus, they say, Come up unto us, then will we go up; for Yahweh hath delivered them into our hand, —This, then, is our sign.
Kodwa uba bekhuluma njalo kithi besithi: Yenyukelani kithi; sizakwenyuka-ke, ngoba iNkosi ibanikele esandleni sethu; lalokhu kuzakuba yisibonakaliso kithi.
11 So they two discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines, —and the Philistines said—Lo! Hebrews, coming forth out of the holes, wherein they had hidden themselves.
Ngakho bobabili bazibonakalisa ebuthweni lenqaba yamaFilisti; amaFilisti asesithi: Khangelani, amaHebheru asephuma emilindini abecatshe kiyo.
12 And the men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said—Come up unto us, and we will let you know a thing. Then said Jonathan unto his armour-bearer—Come up after me, for Yahweh hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
Amadoda ebutho lenqaba asephendula oJonathani lomthwali wezikhali zakhe athi: Yenyukelani kithi, sizalitshengisa ulutho. UJonathani wasesithi kumthwali wezikhali zakhe: Yenyuka ungilandele, ngoba iNkosi iwanikele esandleni sikaIsrayeli.
13 So Jonathan went up on his hands and on his feet, and, his armour-bearer, followed him, —and they fell before Jonathan, and, his armour-bearer, was slaying after him.
UJonathani wasekhwela ngezandla zakhe langenyawo zakhe, lomthwali wezikhali zakhe emva kwakhe. Asesiwa phambi kukaJonathani, lomthwali wezikhali zakhe wawabulala emva kwakhe.
14 And the first smiting wherewith Jonathan and his armour-bearer smote, was about twenty men, —within, as it were, half a furrow’s length of a yoke of land.
Ukutshaya kokuqala atshaya ngakho uJonathani lomthwali wezikhali zakhe kwakungaba phose ngamadoda angamatshumi amabili, ensimini elingana lengxenye yendima yesipani.
15 And there came to be a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the outposts and the spoilers, they too, trembled, —and the earth quaked, so it became a preternatural trembling.
Kwasekusiba khona ukuthuthumela enkambeni, egangeni, laphakathi kwabantu bonke; ibutho lenqaba labachithi labo bathuthumela, lomhlaba wanyikinyeka, kwasekusiba yikuthuthumela okukhulu.
16 And the scouts of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and lo! the camp, melted away, hither and thither.
Abalindi bakaSawuli eGibeya yakoBhenjamini basebebona ukuthi, khangela, ixuku lancibilika lihamba litshayelana phansi.
17 Then said Saul unto the people who were with him: Number, I pray you, and see who hath departed from us. So they numbered; and lo! Jonathan and his armour-bearer were missing.
USawuli wasesithi ebantwini ababelaye: Ake libale, libone ukuthi ngubani osuke kithi. Kwathi sebebalile, khangela, uJonathani lomthwali wezikhali zakhe babengekho.
18 Then said Saul unto Ahijah, Bring near the ark of God; for the ark of God was, on that day, in the midst of the sons of Israel.
USawuli wasesithi kuAhiya: Letha lapha umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu. Ngoba umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu ngalolosuku wawukubantwana bakoIsrayeli.
19 And it came to pass, as soon as Saul had spoken unto the priest, that, the tumultuous noise that was in the camp of the Philistines, went on and on, increasing. Then said Saul unto the priest, —Withdraw thy hand.
Kwasekusithi uSawuli esakhuluma lompristi, umsindo owawusenkambeni yamaFilisti waqhubeka wanda. USawuli wasesithi kumpristi: Buyisela isandla sakho.
20 And Saul and all the people that were with him gathered themselves together, and came as far as the host, —and lo! the sword of every man was against his fellow, an exceeding great confusion.
USawuli labo bonke abantu ababelaye basebebizelwa ndawonye bafika empini, khangela-ke, inkemba yalowo lalowo yayimelene lomakhelwane wakhe, isiyaluyalu esikhulu kakhulu.
21 And, the Hebrews who had aforetime belonged to the Philistines, who had come up with them in the host, even they, turned round so as to be with Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan.
LamaHebheru ayelamaFilisti njengakuqala, enyukela lawo enkambeni inhlangothi zonke, ngitsho lawo aphenduka ukuthi abe loIsrayeli owayeloSawuli loJonathani.
22 And, all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves throughout the hill country of Ephraim, heard that the Philistines had fled, and, they also, followed hard after them in the battle.
Kwathi amadoda wonke akoIsrayeli ayecatshe entabeni yakoEfrayimi esezwile ukuthi amaFilisti ayabaleka, ngitsho lawo awanamathela ewalandela empini.
23 Thus did Yahweh, on that day, save Israel, —and, the battle, passed over by Beth-aven.
Ngokunjalo iNkosi yamsindisa uIsrayeli ngalolosuku; lempi yedlulela eBeti-Aveni.
24 Now, the men of Israel, were tired out on that day, —yet had Saul bound the people by an oath, saying—Cursed, be the man that eateth food until the evening, and I be avenged upon mine enemies. So none of the people had tasted food.
Amadoda akoIsrayeli asekhathala ngalolosuku, ngoba uSawuli wafungisa abantu esithi: Kaqalekiswe umuntu odla ukudla kuze kube ntambama, ukuze ngiziphindiselele ezitheni zami. Ngakho kakho ebantwini owanambitha ukudla.
25 And, all the land, had entered into the forest, —and there was honey upon the face of the ground.
Bonke abelizwe basebefika ehlathini; njalo kwakuloluju phezu kobuso bomhlabathi.
26 So the people came into the forest, and lo! there were streams of honey, —but no man reached his hand to his mouth, because the people revered the oath.
Lapho abantu bengena ehlathini, khangela, uluju lwathonta; kodwa kakho loyedwa owasa isandla sakhe emlonyeni wakhe, ngoba abantu besaba isifungo.
27 But, Jonathan, heard not his father putting the people on oath, so he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honey-copse, —and brought back his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened.
Kodwa uJonathani wayengezwanga lapho uyise efungisa abantu; ngakho welula isihloko somqwayi owawusesandleni sakhe, wasigxamuza ehlangeni lwenyosi, wasesisa isandla sakhe emlonyeni wakhe, lamehlo akhe aqaqabuka.
28 Then responded one from among the people, and said—With an oath, did thy father charge the people, saying—Cursed, be the man that eateth food to-day! And so the people were faint.
Omunye wabantu wasephendula wathi: Uyihlo ubafungisile lokubafungisa abantu esithi: Uqalekisiwe umuntu odla ukudla lamuhla. Abantu basebephele amandla.
29 Then said Jonathan: My father hath afflicted the land, —See, I pray you, how my own eyes have been brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
UJonathani wasesithi: Ubaba ulihluphile ilizwe; ake libone ukuthi amehlo ami aseqaqabuke njani, ngoba nginambithe ingcosana yaloluluju.
30 How much more if haply the people had, eaten freely, to-day of the spoil of their enemies, which they found? for, now, would not the smiting of the Philistines have been, mighty?
Kudlula kangakanani aluba abantu bebedlile lokudla lamuhla okwempango yezitha zabo abayitholayo? Ngoba khathesi ukubulala kakubanga kukhulu phakathi kwamaFilisti.
31 Howbeit they smote the Philistines on that day from Michmash to Aijalon, —but the people became exceeding faint.
Basebetshaya amaFilisti ngalolosuku kusukela eMikimashi kuze kube seAjaloni. Abantu basebephele amandla kakhulu.
32 And the people darted greedily upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and felled them to the ground, —and the people did eat, with the blood.
Abantu basebetheleka empangweni; bathatha izimvu, lezinkabi, lamathole enkomo, bakuhlabela emhlabathini; abantu bakudla kanye legazi.
33 And they told Saul, saying, Lo! the people, are sinning against Yahweh, by eating with the blood. And he said—Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me, here, a great stone.
Basebemtshela uSawuli besithi: Khangela, abantu bayona eNkosini ngokudla kanye legazi. Wasesithi: Lenze ngokungathembeki; giqelani kimi ilitshe elikhulu lamuhla.
34 And Saul said—Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them—Bring near unto me every man his ox, and every man his lamb, and slay them here, and then eat, so shall ye not sin against Yahweh, by eating with the blood. And all the people brought near—every man that which was in his hand, that night, and they slew them there.
USawuli wasesithi: Zihlakazeni phakathi kwabantu lithi kibo: Sondezani kimi, ngulowo lalowo inkabi yakhe, langulowo lalowo imvu yakhe, lizihlabele lapha, lidle; njalo lingoni eNkosini ngokudla kanye legazi. Ngakho bonke abantu basondeza, ngulowo lalowo inkabi yakhe ngesandla sakhe ngalobobusuku, bazihlaba khona.
35 And Saul built an altar unto Yahweh, —the same, was the first altar that he built unto Yahweh.
USawuli waseyakhela iNkosi ilathi; kwakulilathi lokuqala alakhela iNkosi.
36 Then said Saul—Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and make of them a prey until the morning light, and let us not leave of them, a man. And they said, All that is good in thine eyes, do! Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
USawuli wasesithi: Asehleni silandele amaFilisti ebusuku, siwaphange kuze kube yikukhanya kokusa, singatshiyi lamuntu kiwo. Basebesithi: Yenza konke okuhle emehlweni akho. Kodwa umpristi wathi: Asisondeleni lapha kuNkulunkulu.
37 So Saul asked of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not, that day.
USawuli wasebuza kuNkulunkulu wathi: Ngehle ngilandele amaFilisti yini? Uzawanikela esandleni sikaIsrayeli yini? Kodwa kamphendulanga ngalolosuku.
38 Then said Saul, Come near hither, all ye chiefs of the people, —and get to know and see, wherein, hath been this sin, to-day.
USawuli wasesithi: Sondelani lapha lonke bakhokheli babantu, lazi libone ukuthi lesisono sikukuphi lamuhla.
39 For, by the life of Yahweh, who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, yet shall he, die. But there was none ready to answer him, of all the people.
Ngoba kuphila kukaJehova owasindisa uIsrayeli, lanxa kungaba kuJonathani indodana yami, isibili uzakufa lokufa. Kodwa kakho loyedwa owamphendulayo ebantwini bonke.
40 Then said he unto all Israel—Ye, shall be on one side, and, I and Jonathan my son, will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, What is good in thine eyes, do!
Wasesithi kuIsrayeli wonke: Banini nganxanye lina, mina-ke loJonathani indodana yami sizakuba nganxanye. Abantu basebesithi kuSawuli: Yenza okuhle emehlweni akho.
41 And Saul said unto Yahweh—O God of Israel! now set forth the truth. Then were, Jonathan and Saul, taken, and, the people, escaped.
Ngakho uSawuli wathi eNkosini uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli: Phana opheleleyo. UJonathani loSawuli basebebanjwa, kodwa abantu baphunyuka.
42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me, and Jonathan my son. Then was, Jonathan, taken.
USawuli wasesithi: Yenzani inkatho yokuphosa phakathi kwami loJonathani indodana yami. UJonathani wasebanjwa.
43 And Saul said unto Jonathan, Come tell me, what thou hast done. So Jonathan told him, and said, I, just tasted, with the end of the staff that was in my hand, a little honey, here I am—I must die!
USawuli wasesithi kuJonathani: Ngitshela okwenzileyo. UJonathani wasemtshela wathi: Oqotho nginambithe ngesihloko somqwayi obusesandleni sami imbijana yoluju; khangela ngilapha, sengizakufa!
44 Then said Saul: So, may God do, and, so, may he add, surely thou must, die, Jonathan!
USawuli wasesithi: UNkulunkulu kenze njalo langokunjalo engezelele; ngoba uzakufa lokufa, Jonathani.
45 But the people said unto Saul—Shall, Jonathan, die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! By the life of Yahweh, there shall not fall a hair of his head to the ground, for, with God, hath he wrought this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not.
Kodwa abantu bathi kuSawuli: Uzakufa yini uJonathani, owenze lolusindiso olukhulu koIsrayeli? Kakube khatshana! Kuphila kukaJehova, kakuyikuwela emhlabathini lolulodwa unwele lwekhanda lakhe, ngoba usebenze loNkulunkulu lamuhla. Ngakho abantu bamhlenga uJonathani ukuthi angafi.
46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, —and, the Philistines, departed unto their own place.
USawuli wasesenyuka esuka ekulandeleni amaFilisti; amaFilisti asesiya endaweni yawo.
47 And, Saul, took possession of the kingdom over Israel, —and made war round about against all his enemies—against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and, whomsoever he turned against, he was victorious.
USawuli wasethatha ubukhosi phezu kukaIsrayeli, walwa emelene lezitha zakhe zonke inhlangothi zonke, emelene loMowabi, njalo emelene labantwana bakoAmoni, njalo emelene loEdoma, njalo emelene lamakhosi eZoba, njalo emelene lamaFilisti; laloba ngaphi lapho aphendukela khona wayejezisa.
48 Then made he ready a force, and smote the Amalekites, —and delivered Israel out of the hand of such as plundered them.
Wenza ngobuqhawe wasetshaya amaAmaleki, wakhulula uIsrayeli esandleni somphangi wakhe.
49 And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua, —and, the names of his two daughters, were, the name of the firstborn, Merab, and, the name of the younger, Michal, —
Lamadodana kaSawuli ayengoJonathani loIshivi, loMaliki-Shuwa; lamabizo amadodakazi akhe amabili yila: Ibizo lezibulo lalinguMerabi, lebizo lencinyane linguMikhali.
50 and, the name of Saul’s wife, was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, —and the name of the prince of his host, Abner, son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.
Lebizo lomkaSawuli lalinguAhinowama indodakazi kaAhimahazi; lebizo lenduna yebutho lakhe lalinguAbhineri indodana kaNeri, uyise omncinyane kaSawuli.
51 And, Kish, was Saul’s father, and, Ner, Abner’s father, was son of Abiel.
Njalo uKishi wayenguyise kaSawuli, loNeri uyise kaAbhineri wayeyindodana kaAbiyeli.
52 And the war was severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul, —and, whensoever Saul saw any mighty man, or any son of valour, he drew him unto himself.
Njalo kwakukhona impi enzima lamaFilisti zonke izinsuku zikaSawuli; lapho uSawuli ebona indoda elamandla loba iqhawe, wayezibuthela yona.
