2 USamuyeli 3

1 Kwakukhona-ke impi isikhathi eside phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida; kodwa uDavida waya eqina, kodwa indlu kaSawuli yaya isiba buthakathaka.

Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. But David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

2 Kwasekuzalelwa uDavida amadodana eHebroni; lezibulo lakhe lalinguAmnoni kaAhinowama umJizereyelikazi;

Now sons were born to David in Hebron. And his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel;

3 leyesibili yakhe yayinguKileyabi kaAbigayili umkaNabali umKharmeli; eyesithathu yayinguAbisalomu indodana kaMahaka indodakazi kaTalimayi, inkosi yeGeshuri;

and his second, Daluiah, of Abigail of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

4 leyesine yayinguAdonija indodana kaHagithi; leyesihlanu yayinguShefathiya indodana kaAbithali;

and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah, of Abital;

5 leyesithupha yayinguIthereyamu kaEgila, umkaDavida. Laba bazalelwa uDavida eHebroni.

and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

6 Kwasekusithi kuselempi phakathi kwendlu kaSawuli lendlu kaDavida, uAbhineri waziqinisa endlini kaSawuli.

And it came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner was gaining power in the house of Saul.

7 Njalo uSawuli wayelomfazi omncane, obizo lakhe lalinguRizipha indodakazi kaAya; uIshiboshethi wasesithi kuAbhineri: Ungeneleni emfazini omncane kababa?

Now Saul had a secondary wife, named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaal son of Saul said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's secondary wife?"

8 UAbhineri wasethukuthela kakhulu ngenxa yamazwi kaIshiboshethi, wathi: Ngilikhanda lenja yini mina ongokaJuda? Lamuhla ngenzela indlu kaSawuli uyihlo umusa, kubafowabo, lakubangane bakhe, kangikunikelanga esandleni sikaDavida, ukuthi ungibeka icala ngowesifazana lamuhla?

Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ishbaal, and said, "Am I a dog's head that belongs to Judah? Until today, is it for myself that I have been doing all these things, showing loyalty to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David? And yet you charge me this day with a fault concerning this woman.

9 UNkulunkulu enze njalo kuAbhineri, engezelele ngokunjalo kuye, ngeqiniso, njengoba iNkosi ifungile kuDavida, qotho, ngizakwenza njalo kuye,

God do so to Abner, and more also, if, as the LORD has sworn to David, I do not do even so to him;

10 ukudlulisa umbuso usuka endlini kaSawuli, lokumisa isihlalo sobukhosi sikaDavida phezu kukaIsrayeli laphezu kukaJuda, kusukela koDani kuze kufike eBherishebha.

to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba."

11 Njalo wayengelakumphendula uAbhineri ngalizwi futhi, ngoba wayemesaba.

And Ishbaal could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

12 UAbhineri wasethuma izithunywa kuDavida esikhundleni sakhe, esithi: Ngelikabani ilizwe? Esithi: Yenza isivumelwano sakho lami; khangela-ke, isandla sami sizakuba lawe ukuphendulela uIsrayeli wonke kuwe.

Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, "Whose is the land?" and saying, "Make your alliance with me, and look, my hand shall be with you, to bring all Israel around to you."

13 Wasesithi: Kulungile; mina ngizakwenza isivumelwano lawe, kodwa yinye into engiyifuna kuwe, ngeyokuthi kawuyikubona ubuso bami, ngaphandle kokuthi ulethe kuqala uMikhali indodakazi kaSawuli, lapho usizabona ubuso bami.

He said, "Good. I will make a covenant with you, but one thing I require of you. That is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Mikal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face."

14 UDavida wasethuma izithunywa kuIshiboshethi indodana kaSawuli, esithi: Nginika umkami uMikhali engamgana ngamajwabu aphambili alikhulu amaFilisti.

David sent messengers to Ishbaal, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Mikal, whom I betrothed to myself for one hundred foreskins of the Philistines."

15 UIshiboshethi wasethumela, wamthatha endodeni yakhe, kuPalitiyeli indodana kaLayishi.

Ishbaal sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish.

16 Kodwa indoda yakhe yahamba laye, ihamba ikhala inyembezi ngemva kwakhe kwaze kwaba seBahurimi. UAbhineri wasesithi kuyo: Hamba, buyela. Yasibuyela.

Her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go. Return." So he returned.

17 UAbhineri wasesiba lenkulumo labadala bakoIsrayeli esithi: Ngezikhathi ezidlulileyo lalifuna uDavida ukuthi abe yinkosi phezu kwenu.

Abner advised the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time you have wanted David to be king over you.

18 Khathesi-ke, kwenzeni, ngoba iNkosi ikhulumile ngoDavida ukuthi: Ngesandla senceku yami uDavida ngizakhulula abantu bami uIsrayeli esandleni samaFilisti lesandleni sazo zonke izitha zabo.

Now then do it, for the LORD has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.'"

19 UAbhineri wasekhuluma futhi endlebeni zakoBhenjamini; uAbhineri njalo wasesiyakhuluma endlebeni zikaDavida eHebroni konke okwakukuhle emehlweni akoIsrayeli lemehlweni endlu yonke yakoBhenjamini.

And Abner also spoke privately to the sons of Benjamin. And Abner also spoke privately to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to the whole house of Benjamin.

20 Ngakho uAbhineri wafika kuDavida eHebroni elamadoda angamatshumi amabili; uDavida wasesenzela uAbhineri lamadoda ayelaye idili.

So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. David made Abner and the men who were with him a feast.

21 UAbhineri wasesithi kuDavida: Ngizasukuma ngihambe, ngibuthanise uIsrayeli wonke enkosini yami, inkosi, ukuze benze isivumelwano lawe, lokuthi ubuse kukho konke umphefumulo wakho okufisayo. UDavida waseyekela uAbhineri ukuthi ahambe, wasehamba ngokuthula.

Abner said to David, "I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires." David sent Abner away; and he left in peace.

22 Khangela-ke, izinceku zikaDavida loJowabi bafika bevela ekuhlaseleni beza belempango enkulu. Kodwa uAbhineri wayengekho kuDavida eHebroni, ngoba wayemyekele ukuthi ahambe, wahamba ngokuthula.

Look, the servants of David and Joab were returning from a raid, and brought in a great spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he left in peace.

23 Esefikile uJowabi lebutho lonke elalilaye, bamtshela uJowabi besithi: UAbhineri indodana kaNeri ubefikile enkosini, imyekele wahamba; wahamba ngokuthula.

When Joab and all the army who was with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son of Ner came to David, and he has sent him away, and he left in peace."

24 UJowabi wasesiya enkosini, wathi: Wenzeni? Khangela, uAbhineri ubefikile kuwe; pho, umyekeleleni ukuthi ahambe, wahamba lokuhamba?

Then Joab came to the king, and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away? Now he has gone.

25 Uyamazi uAbhineri indodana kaNeri ukuthi ulande ukukukhohlisa, lokwazi ukuphuma kwakho lokungena kwakho, lokwazi konke okwenzayo.

You know the evil ways of Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do."

26 Esephumile uJowabi kuDavida wathuma izithunywa ukulandela uAbhineri, ezambuyisa emthonjeni weSira; kodwa uDavida wayengakwazi lokho.

When Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David did not know it.

27 UAbhineri esebuyile eHebroni, uJowabi wamphambulela eceleni phakathi kwesango ukuze akhulume laye ngasese; wasemtshaya lapho kubambo lwesihlanu waze wafa, ngenxa yegazi likaAsaheli umfowabo.

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him quietly, and struck him there in the abdomen, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28 Kwathi uDavida esekuzwile emva kwalokho wathi: Mina lombuso wami kasilacala phambi kweNkosi kuze kube nininini ngegazi likaAbhineri indodana kaNeri.

Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD now and forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.

29 Kalihlale phezu kwekhanda likaJowabi lendlini yonke kayise. Kakungaqunywa endlini kaJowabi ogobhozayo, kumbe umlephero, kumbe odondolozelayo, kumbe owa ngenkemba, kumbe oswela ukudla.

May it whirl over the head of Joab, and on all his father's house. Let there not fail from the house of Joab one who has an issue, or who is a leper, or who leans on a staff, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."

30 Ngokunjalo uJowabi loAbishayi umfowabo bambulala uAbhineri, ngoba wayebulele umfowabo uAsaheli eGibeyoni empini.

So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

31 UDavida wasesithi kuJowabi lakubo bonke abantu ababelaye: Dabulani izigqoko zenu, libhince amasaka, lilile phambi kukaAbhineri. Inkosi uDavida yasilandela ithala.

David said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, and clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner." And King David followed the coffin.

32 UAbhineri basebemngcwabela eHebroni; inkosi yasiphakamisa ilizwi layo yakhala inyembezi engcwabeni likaAbhineri, labantu bonke bakhala inyembezi.

They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

33 Inkosi yamenzela uAbhineri isililo yathi: Afe uAbhineri njengokufa kwesithutha yini?

The king lamented for Abner, and said, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?

34 Izandla zakho bezingabotshwanga, lenyawo zakho bezingafakwanga emaketaneni; njengowela phambi kwabantu ababi uwile. Bonke abantu basebephinda bemkhalela inyembezi.

Your hands were not bound in chains, your feet were not put into fetters. As a man falls before the ruthless, so you fell." All the people wept again over him.

35 Bonke abantu basebesiza ukumenza uDavida ukuthi adle ukudla kusesemini; kodwa uDavida wafunga esithi: Kenze njalo uNkulunkulu kimi engezelele ngokunjalo, uba nginambitha ukudla loba okunye nje lingakatshoni ilanga.

Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down."

36 Kwathi bonke abantu bekunanzelela, kwaba kuhle emehlweni abo; njengakho konke eyakwenzayo inkosi, kwaba kuhle emehlweni abo bonke abantu.

All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people.

37 Ngoba bonke abantu loIsrayeli wonke bazi ngalolosuku ukuthi kwakungeyisikho okwenkosi ukubulala uAbhineri indodana kaNeri.

So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to kill Abner the son of Ner.

38 Inkosi yasisithi encekwini zayo: Kalazi yini ukuthi kuwe induna lomkhulu koIsrayeli lamuhla?

The king said to his servants, "Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?

39 Lami lamuhla ngibuthakathaka, njalo ngigcotshwe ngaba yinkosi; lalamadoda, amadodana kaZeruya, alukhuni kulami. INkosi izavuza umenzi wobubi njengobubi bakhe.

I am this day weak, though anointed king. And these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too brutal for me. May the LORD reward the evildoer according to his wickedness."