1 USamuyeli 24
1 Kwathi uSawuli esebuyile ekuxotsheni amaFilistiya watshelwa ukuthi, “UDavida useNkangala yase-Eni-Gedi.”
And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, 'Lo, David [is] in the wilderness of En-gedi.'
2 Ngakho uSawuli wathatha abantu abazinkulungwane ezintantu abakhethwa ko-Israyeli waphuma ukuyadinga uDavida labantu bakhe eduze kwamadwala amaGogo.
And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the wild goats,
3 Wafika ezibayeni zezimvu endleleni; kwakulobhalu khonapho, yikho uSawuli wasengena phakathi ukuba aye ngaphandle. UDavida labantu bakhe babekhatshana emuva phakathi kobhalu.
and he cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there [is] a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.
4 Abantu bathi, “Leli yilo ilanga uThixo akhuluma ngalo lapho wathi kuwe, ‘Ngizanikela izitha zakho ezandleni zakho ukuba uziphathe njengokufisa kwakho.’” UDavida wanyenya egaqa waquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.
And the men of David say unto him, 'Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which [is] on Saul — gently.
5 Muva uDavida wakhathazeka ngokuquma umphetho wesembatho sikaSawuli.
And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul,
6 Wathi ebantwini bakhe, “Uthixo kakwenqabele ukwenza into enje enkosini yami, ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.”
and he saith to his men, 'Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord — to the anointed of Jehovah — to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].'
7 Ngala amazwi uDavida wabakhuza abantu bakhe akaze wabavumela ukuthi bahlasele uSawuli. USawuli waphuma ebhalwini wazihambela.
And David subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;
8 Lapho-ke uDavida waphuma ebhalwini wamemeza uSawuli esithi, “nkosi, nkosi yami!” Kwathi lapho uSawuli ekhangela emuva kwakhe, uDavida wakhothama waselala phansi ethe mbo phansi ngobuso.
and David riseth afterwards, and goeth out from the cave, and calleth after Saul, saying, 'My lord, O king!' And Saul looketh attentively behind him, and David boweth — face to the earth — and doth obeisance.
9 Wathi kuSawuli, “Kungani ulalela nxa abantu besithi, ‘UDavida ujonge ukwenza okubi kuwe’?
And David saith to Saul, 'Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?
10 Lamhla uzibonele ngamehlo akho ukuthi uThixo ukunikele ezandleni zami ebhalwini. Abanye bangikhuthaze ukuthi ngikubulale, kodwa ngikuphephisile, ngithe, ‘Angiyikuphakamisa isandla sami ngimelana lenkosi yami, ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaThixo.’
Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and [one] said to slay thee, and [mine eye] hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].
11 Khangela, baba, khangela isiqa sesembatho sakho lesi esisesandleni sami! Ngisiqume emphethweni wesembatho sakho, kodwa kangikubulalanga. Ngakho zwisisa ubone ukuthi kangilacala lokwenza okubi loba ukuhlamuka. Kangonanga lutho kuwe, kodwa wena uyangizingela ufuna ukungibulala.
'And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it!
12 Sengathi uThixo angahlulela phakathi kwami lawe. Njalo sengathi uThixo angaphindisela ububi obenze kimi, kodwa esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.
'Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;
13 Njengoba isitsho sendulo sisitsho ukuthi, ‘Kwabenza okubi kuvela izenzo ezimbi,’ ngakho esami isandla kasiyikukuthinta.
as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee.
14 Inkosi yako-Israyeli iphume ukuyamelana lobani na? Ngubani oxotshana laye? Yinja efileyo na? Yindwebundwebu na?
'After whom hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? — after a dead dog! after one flea!
15 Sengathi uThixo angaba ngumahluleli wethu ahlulele phakathi kwethu. Sengathi angahlola injongo yami ayisekele; sengathi angangikhulula ngokungisindisa esandleni sakho.”
And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.'
16 Kwathi uDavida eseqedile ukutsho lokhu, uSawuli wabuza wathi, “Lelo yilizwi lakho, Davida ndodana yami na?” Wasekhala kakhulu.
And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.
17 Wasesithi, “Wena ulungile kakhulu kulami. Ungiphathe kuhle, kodwa mina ngikuphathe kubi.
And he saith unto David, 'More righteous thou [art] than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee evil;
18 Usungitshelile khathesi nje okuhle okwenze kimi; uThixo unginikele ezandleni zakho, kodwa kawungibulalanga.
and thou hast declared to-day how that thou hast done good with me, how that Jehovah shut me up into thy hand, and thou didst not slay me,
19 Kanje nxa umuntu efica isitha sakhe, uyasiyekela sihambe singenziwanga lutho olubi na? Sengathi uThixo angakunika umvuzo omuhle ngenxa yendlela ongiphathe ngayo lamhla.
and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst to me this day.
20 Ngiyakwazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi impela kanye lokuthi umbuso wako-Israyeli uzamiswa ezandleni zakho.
'And, now, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood in thy hand;
21 Khathesi-ke funga kimi ngo Thixo ukuthi kawuyikubulala inzalo yami loba wesule ibizo lami kwabendlu kababa.”
and, now, swear to me by Jehovah — thou dost not cut off my seed after me, nor dost thou destroy my name from the house of my father.'
22 UDavida wafunga kuSawuli. Emva kwalokho uSawuli wabuyela ekhaya, kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe baya enqabeni.
And David sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.
