1 USamuyeli 16

1 Uthixo wathi kuSamuyeli, “Koze kube nini ulilela uSawuli, lokhu mina ngimalile ekubeni yinkosi yako-Israyeli? Gcwalisa uphondo lwakho ngamafutha uhambe; ngiyakuthuma kuJese eBhethilehema. Sengikhethe enye yamadodana akhe ukuba yinkosi.”

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

2 Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Ngingahamba kanjani na? USawuli uzakuzwa ngakho angibulale.” Uthixo wathi, “Thatha ithokazi uhambe lalo uthi, ‘Ngilande ukuzahlabela uThixo.’

Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 Biza uJese eze emhlatshelweni, mina ngizakutshengisa ozakwenza. Uzangigcobela lowo engizamphawula.”

Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

4 USamuyeli wenza lokho okwakutshiwo nguThixo. Kwathi efika eBhethilehema abadala bomuzi bamhlangabeza beqhaqhazela. Bambuza bathi, “Uza ngokuthula na?”

And Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling. And they said, "Is your visit peaceful, seer?"

5 USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Ye, ngokuthula; ngilande ukuzanikela umhlatshelo kuThixo. Zingcweliseni lihambe lami emhlatshelweni.” Emva kwalokho wangcwelisa uJese lamadodana akhe wasebabizela emhlatshelweni.

And he said, "Peaceful; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 Ekufikeni kwabo uSamuyeli wabona u-Eliyabi wacabanga wathi, “Impela ogcotshiweyo kaThixo umi lapha phambi kukaThixo.”

It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."

7 Kodwa uThixo wathi kuSamuyeli, “Ungakhangeli isimo sakhe loba ubude bakhe, ngoba ngimalile. Uthixo kakhangeli izinto ezikhangelwa ngabantu. Abantu bakhangela isimo somuntu, kodwa uThixo ukhangela inhliziyo.”

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For humans do not see as God sees, for humans look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

8 UJese wabiza u-Abhinadabi wamdlulisa phambi kukaSamuyeli. Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Lalo uThixo kamkhethanga.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

9 UJese wedlulisa uShama eduzane, kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Layenalo uThixo kamkhethanga.”

Then Jesse made Shimeah to pass by. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

10 UJese wadlulisa amadodana akhe ayisikhombisa phambi kukaSamuyeli, kodwa uSamuyeli wathi kuye, “Laba uThixo kabakhethanga.”

And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen these."

11 Ngakho wabuza uJese wathi, “La yiwo wonke amadodana olawo na?” UJese waphendula wathi, “Kusekhona encinyane, kodwa yelusa izimvu.” USamuyeli wathi, “Thuma omunye ayembiza; kasiyikuhlala phansi aze afike.”

Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" He said, "There remains yet the youngest, and look, he is keeping the sheep." Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him; for we will not sit down until he comes here."

12 Ngakho wathuma omunye wayalethwa. Wayebomvana, ebukeka njalo elesimo esihle. Uthixo wasesithi, “Sukuma umgcobe; nguye.”

And he sent and brought him in. And he was reddish brown, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for he is the one."

13 Ngakho uSamuyeli wathatha uphondo lwamafutha wamgcoba labanewabo bekhona; njalo kusukela ngalelolanga kusiya phambili, uMoya kaThixo wafika kuDavida ulamandla. Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli waya eRama.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 Ngalesosikhathi uMoya kaThixo wawususukile kuSawuli, umoya omubi owavela kuThixo usumhlukuluza.

Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.

15 Izinceku zikaSawuli zathi kuye, “Khangela, umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu uyakuhlukuluza.

Saul's servants said to him, "See now, an evil spirit from God troubles you.

16 Akuthi inkosi yethu ilaye izinceku zayo ezilapha ukuba ziyidingele umuntu okwaziyo ukutshaya ichacho. Uzalitshaya lapho umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu ufika kuwe; uzakuzwa ngcono.”

Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well, and it will give you relief."

17 Ngakho uSawuli wathi ezincekwini zakhe, “Dingani umuntu otshaya kuhle limlethe kimi.”

Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

18 Enye yezinceku zakhe yaphendula yathi, “Ngibone indodana kaJese waseBhethilehema ekwaziyo ukutshaya ichacho. Iyindoda elesibindi elibutho futhi. Ikhuluma kuhle njalo ilijaha elibukekayo. LoThixo uyivikele.”

Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a warrior, and articulate in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."

19 USawuli wathuma izithunywa kuJese wathi, “Thumela kimi indodana yakho uDavida, owelusa izimvu.”

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

20 Ngakho uJese wathatha ubabhemi ethwele izinkwa, umgodla wewayini lezinyane lembuzi wakuthumela lendodana yakhe uDavida kuSawuli.

And Jesse took a donkey and loaded it with an omer of bread, and a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

21 UDavida wafika kuSawuli wangena emsebenzini wakhe uSawuli wamthanda kakhulu, njalo uDavida waba ngomunye wabathwali bezikhali zakhe.

David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

22 USawuli wathumela ilizwi kuJese, elithi, “Vumela uDavida ukuba ahlale emsebenzini wami, ngoba ngiyathokoza ngaye.”

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight."

23 Kwakusithi umoya omubi ovela kuNkulunkulu ungafika kuSawuli, uDavida athathe ichacho lakhe alitshaye. Lapho-ke uSawuli wayephumula; ezwe ngcono, lomoya omubi usuke kuye.

It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.