1 Samuel 15
1 And Samuel said to Saul: “The Lord sent me, so that I would anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the voice of the Lord.
USamuyeli wathi kuSawuli, “Mina yimi engathunywa nguThixo ukuthi ngikugcobe ukuba yinkosi yabantu bakhe u-Israyeli; ngakho-ke khathesi lalela ilizwi elivela kuThixo.
2 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I have taken account of all that Amalek has done to Israel, how he stood against him in the way, when he ascended from Egypt.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo uSomandla: ‘Ama-Amaleki ngizawajezisa ngenxa yalokhu akwenzayo ku-Israyeli lapho abacathamela ekuphumeni kwabo eGibhithe.
3 Now therefore, go and strike Amalek, and demolish all that is his. You shall not spare him, and you shall not covet anything out of the things that are his. Instead, kill from man even to woman, and little ones as well as infants, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
Khathesi hamba uyehlasela ama-Amaleki uqede du konke okungokwawo. Ungawayekeli; bulala amadoda labafazi, abantwana lensane, inkomo lezimvu, amakamela kanye labobabhemi.’”
4 And so, Saul instructed the people, and he numbered them like lambs: two hundred thousand foot soldiers, and ten thousand men of Judah.
Ngakho uSawuli wabiza abantu wababuthanisa eThelayimi, izinkulungwane ezimbili zebutho lezinyawo kanye lamadoda azinkulungwane ezilitshumi avela koJuda.
5 And when Saul had arrived as far as the city of Amalek, he placed ambushes at the torrent.
USawuli waya edolobheni lase-Amaleki bacathama edongeni.
6 And Saul said to the Kenite: “Go away, withdraw, and descend from Amalek. Otherwise, I will include you with him. For you showed mercy to all the sons of Israel, when they ascended from Egypt.” And so the Kenite withdrew from the midst of Amalek.
Wasesithi kumaKheni, “Sukani, tshiyani ama-Amaleki ukuze ngingaliqothuli kanye lawo; ngoba lina latshengisa umusa kuwo wonke ama-Israyeli ekuphumeni kwawo eGibhithe.” Ngakho amaKheni asuka kuma-Amaleki.
7 And Saul struck down Amalek, from Havilah even until you arrive at Shur, which is opposite the region of Egypt.
Lapho-ke uSawuli wahlasela ama-Amaleki umango wonke kusukela eHavila kusiya eShuri, empumalanga kweGibhithe.
8 And he apprehended Agag, the king of Amalek, alive. But all the common people he put to death with the edge of the sword.
Wathumba u-Agagi inkosi yama-Amaleki ephila, kodwa bonke abantu bakhe wabaqothula ngokupheleleyo, ngenkemba.
9 And Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the flocks of sheep, and of the herds, and the garments, and the rams, and all that was beautiful, and they were not willing to destroy them. Yet truly, whatever was vile or worthless, these they demolished.
Kodwa uSawuli lebutho kabambulalanga u-Agagi lezimvu ezinhle lenkomo, amathole anonileyo lamawundlu lakho konke okwakukuhle. Lokhu babengafisi ukukuqeda ngokupheleleyo, konke okwakuseyiseka lokungelasizo bakuqeda du.
10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying
Ilizwi likaThixo laselifika kuSamuyeli lisithi,
11 “It displeases me that I have appointed Saul as king. For he has forsaken me, and he has not fulfilled the work of my words.” And Samuel was greatly saddened, and he cried out to the Lord, all night long
“Ngilusizi ngokuthi ngibeke uSawuli waba yinkosi, ngoba usengifulathele njalo kalandelanga imilayo yami.” USamuyeli wakhathazeka, wakhuleka kuThixo bonke lobobusuku.
12 And when Samuel had risen while it was still dark, so that he might go to Saul in the morning, it was reported to Samuel that Saul had arrived at Carmel, and that he had erected for himself a triumphant arch. And, while returning, he had continued on and descended to Gilgal. Therefore, Samuel went to Saul. And Saul was offering a holocaust to the Lord, from the best of the spoils, which he had brought from Amalek.
USamuyeli wavuka ekuseni kakhulu ukuba ayebonana loSawuli, kodwa watshelwa ukuthi, “USawuli uye eKhameli. Uzibekele ilitshe lesikhumbuzo sakhe khonale wasephenduka esehlela eGiligali.”
13 And when Samuel had gone to Saul, Saul said to him: “You are the blessed of the Lord. I have fulfilled the word of the Lord.”
Kwathi uSamuyeli esemficile, uSawuli wathi, “Uthixo kakubusise! Sengikwenzile engikulaywe nguThixo.”
14 And Samuel said, “Then what is this voice of the flocks, which resounds in my ears, and of the herds, which I am hearing?”
Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Pho ukukhala kwezimvu ezindlebeni zami lokhu kuyini na? Kuyini ukubhonsa kwezinkomo lokhu engikuzwayo na?”
15 And Saul said: “They have brought these from Amalek. For the people spared the best of the sheep and of the herds, so that they might be immolated to the Lord your God. Yet truly, the remainder we have slain.”
USawuli waphendula wathi, “Amabutho azilethe zivela kuma-Amaleki; agcine izimvu ezinhle lenkomo ukuba azenze umhlatshelo kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, kodwa ezinye sizikhucule.”
16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Permit me, and I will reveal to you what the Lord has said to me this night.” And he said to him, “Speak.”
USamuyeli wathi kuSawuli, “Mana! Wothi ngikutshele okutshiwo nguThixo kimi ebusuku obedluleyo.” USawuli waphendula wathi, “Ngitshela.”
17 And Samuel said: “Was it not when you were little in your own eyes that you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you as king over Israel.
USamuyeli wasesithi, “Lanxa wazibona umncane, kawuzange ube yinhloko yezizwana zako-Israyeli na? Uthixo wakugcoba ukuba ube yinkosi ko-Israyeli.
18 And the Lord sent you on the way, and he said: ‘Go and put to death the sinners of Amalek. And you shall fight against them, even unto utter annihilation.’
Njalo wakuthuma emsebenzini, esithi, ‘Hamba uyeqothula abantu labayana ababi, ama-Amaleki, uvuse impi labo uze ubaqede du.’
19 Why then, did you not listen to the voice of the Lord? Instead, you turned to the spoils, and you did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”
Pho kungani ungalalelanga uThixo? Kungani uzithathele impango wenza okubi phambi kukaThixo na?”
20 And Saul said to Samuel: “On the contrary, I did listen to the voice of the Lord, and I walked in the way along which the Lord sent me, and I led back Agag, the king of Amalek, and I put to death Amalek.
USawuli wathi, “Kodwa mina ngimlalele uThixo. Ngihambile emsebenzini uThixo anginike wona. Ama-Amaleki ngiwaqede du, ngabuya lo-Agagi inkosi yawo.
21 But the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, as the first-fruits of those things that were slain, to immolate to the Lord their God at Gilgal.”
Amabutho athatha izimvu lenkomo empangweni, ezinhle zalezo ezazahlukaniselwe uNkulunkulu, ukuze zenziwe umhlatshelo kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho eGiligali.”
22 And Samuel said: “Does the Lord want holocausts and victims, and not instead that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifice. And to heed is greater than to offer the fat of rams.
Kodwa uSamuyeli waphendula wathi: “Kambe uThixo uthokozela iminikelo yokutshiswa lemihlatshelo ngokunjengokulalela ilizwi likaThixo na? Ukulalela kungcono kulomhlatshelo, lokukhathalela kungcono kulamahwahwa enqama.
23 Therefore, it is like the sin of paganism to rebel. And it is like the crime of idolatry to refuse to obey. For this reason, therefore, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has also rejected you from being king.”
Ngoba ukuhlamuka kufana lesono sokuhlahlula, lobuqholo bufana lobubi bokukhonza izithombe. Ngoba ilizwi likaThixo ulalile, usekwalile njengenkosi.”
24 And Saul said to Samuel: “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the word of the Lord, and your words, by fearing the people and obeying their voice.
USawuli wasesithi kuSamuyeli, “Ngenzile isono. Ngephule umlayo kaThixo leziqondiso zakho. Ngesabe abantu ngavumela okwabo.
25 But now, I beg you, to bear my sin, and to return with me, so that I may adore the Lord.”
Khathesi-ke ngiyakucela, thethelela isono sami ubuyele emuva lami, ukuze ngikhonze uThixo.”
26 And Samuel said to Saul: “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi kuye, “Angiyikubuyela emuva lawe. Ilizwi likaThixo ulalile, njalo uThixo usekwalile njengombusi wako-Israyeli!”
27 And Samuel turned away, so that he might depart. But Saul took hold of the edge of his cloak, and it tore.
Kwathi uSamuyeli ephenduka ukuba asuke, uSawuli wabamba umphetho wesembatho sakhe, sasesidabuka.
28 And Samuel said to him: “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel away from you this day. And he has delivered it to your neighbor, who is better than you are.
USamuyeli wathi kuye, “Uthixo usewudabule kuwe lamhla umbuso wako-Israyeli, njalo usewunike omunye wabomakhelwane bakho, lowo ongcono kulawe.
29 Moreover, the One who triumphs within Israel will not spare, and he will not be moved to repentance. For he is not a man, that he should repent.”
Yena oyiNkazimulo ka-Israyeli kaqambi manga kumbe aguqule ingqondo yakhe, ngoba kasumuntu ukuba aguqule ingqondo yakhe.”
30 Then he said: “I have sinned. But now, honor me before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and return with me, so that I may adore the Lord your God.”
USawuli waphendula wathi, “Ngenzile isono. Kodwa ake ungihloniphe phambi kwabadala babantu bami laphambi kuka-Israyeli; buyela lami, ukuze ngiyekhonza uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho.”
31 Therefore, Samuel turned again after Saul. And Saul adored the Lord.
Ngakho uSamuyeli wabuyela loSawuli wasekhonza uThixo.
32 And Samuel said, “Bring near to me Agag, the king of Amalek.” And Agag, very fat and trembling, was presented to him. And Agag said, “Does bitter death separate in this manner?”
USamuyeli wasesithi, “Ngilethelani u-Agagi inkosi yama-Amaleki.” U-Agagi waya kuye ngokwethemba ecabanga esithi, “Impela intukuthelo yokufa isiphelile.”
33 And Samuel said, “Just as your sword caused women to be without their children, so will your mother be without her children among women.” And Samuel cut him into pieces, before the Lord at Gilgal.
Kodwa uSamuyeli wathi, “Njengoba inkemba yakho yenze abesifazane baswela abantwana, ngokunjalo unyoko kazukuba lomntwana phakathi kwabesifazane.” USamuyeli wambulala u-Agagi phambi kukaThixo eGiligali.
34 Then Samuel went away to Ramah. But Saul ascended to his house at Gibeah.
Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wasuka waya eRama, kodwa uSawuli waya emzini wakhe eGibhiya yakoSawuli.
35 And Samuel did not see Saul any more, until the day of his death. Yet truly, Samuel mourned for Saul, because the Lord regretted that he had appointed him as king over Israel.
USamuyeli kwaze kwaba lusuku lokufa kwakhe engazange ayembona uSawuli futhi, lanxa uSamuyeli wamlilela uSawuli. Uthixo wakhathazeka ngokuthi wayenze uSawuli waba yinkosi yako-Israyeli.
