1 USamuyeli 25
1 Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wafa, kwathi u-Israyeli wonke wabuthana wamlilela; njalo bamngcwaba emzini wakhe eRama. Lapho-ke uDavida wehlela eNkangala yasePharani.
Now Samuel died. All Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah. Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.
2 Umuntu othile waseMawoni, owayelempahla khonale eKhameli, wayenothe kakhulu. Wayelenkulungwane yembuzi lezinkulungwane ezintathu zezimvu ayezigunda eKhameli.
There was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel. The man was very wealthy. He had three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel.
3 Ibizo lakhe lalinguNabhali lebizo lomkakhe lingu-Abhigeli. Wayengumfazi okhaliphileyo njalo emuhle, kodwa umkakhe, umʼKhalebi, wayelenhliziyo embi kwabanye abantu.
The man's name was Nabal, and the name of his wife was Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance. But the man was harsh and evil in his dealings. He was a descendant of the house of Caleb.
4 UDavida esenkangala wezwa ukuthi uNabhali wayegunda izimvu.
David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep.
5 Ngakho wathuma amajaha alitshumi wathi kuwo, “Hambani kuNabhali eKhameli limbingelele ngebizo lami.
So David sent ten young men. David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, go to Nabal, and greet him in my name.
6 Lithi kuye, ‘Impilo ende kuwe! Impilo enhle kanye labendlu yakho! Impilo enhle kukho konke okungokwakho!
You will say to him, 'Live in prosperity. Peace to you and peace to your house, and peace be to all that you have.
7 Khathesi ngizwa kuthiwa yisikhathi sokugunda izimvu. Lapho abelusi bakho babelathi, kasibaphathanga kubi, njalo isikhathi sonke beseKhameli akukho lutho olwacatshayo.
I hear that you have shearers. Your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing the whole time they were in Carmel.
8 Buza izinceku zakho zizakutshela. Ngakho ake ube lomusa ezinsizweni zami, njengoba size ngesikhathi somkhosi. Ake unike izinceku zakho lendodana yakho uDavida loba kuyini ongabatholela khona.’”
Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Now let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you have on hand to your servants and to your son David.'”
9 Kwathi abantu bakaDavida sebefikile, bamnika uNabhali umbiko lo ngebizo likaDavida. Emva kwalokho balinda.
When David's young men arrived, they said all of this to Nabal on David's behalf and then waited.
10 UNabhali waphendula izinceku zikaDavida wathi, “Ungubani uDavida lowo? Ingubani indodana kaJese leyo na? Ngalezizinsuku izinceku ezinengi ziyawabalekela amakhosi azo.
Nabal answered David's servants, “Who is David, and who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters.
11 Kungani kumele ngithathe isinkwa sami lamanzi, lenyama engiyihlabele abagundi bami, nginike abantu abavela lapho engingazi khona na?”
Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I do not know where?”
12 Abantu bakaDavida baphenduka babuyela emuva. Sebefikile babika amazwi wonke.
So David's young men turned away and came back, and told him everything that was said.
13 UDavida wasesithi ebantwini bakhe, “Hlomani ngezinkemba zenu!” Ngakho bahloma ngezinkemba zabo, loDavida wahloma ngeyakhe. Abantu ababengaba ngamakhulu amane bahamba loDavida, kwathi abangamakhulu amabili basala lempahla.
David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword.” So every man strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. About four hundred men followed after David, and two hundred stayed by the baggage.
14 Omunye wezinceku watshela umkaNabhali u-Abhigeli wathi, “UDavida wathuma izithunywa esenkangala ukuzabingelela inkosi yethu, kodwa yona yazithethisa.
But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife; he said, “David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he insulted them.
15 Ikanti abantu laba thina basiphatha kuhle. Kabazange basiphathe kubi, njalo isikhathi sonke sisegangeni phansi kwabo akulalutho olwacatshayo.
Yet the men were very good to us. We were not harmed and did not miss anything as long as we went with them when we were in the fields.
16 Emini lebusuku babengumduli osihonqolozelayo isikhathi sonke siselusela izimvu zethu phansi kwabo.
They were a wall to us both day and night, all the while we were with them tending the sheep.
17 Kucabange ubone ongakwenza ngoba ingozi iyalenga ngaphezu kwenkosi yethu labendlu yayo bonke. Ingumuntu omubi kangaka okungelamuntu ongakhuluma layo.”
Therefore know this and consider what you will do, for evil is plotted against our master, and against his whole house. He is such a worthless fellow that one cannot reason with him.”
18 U-Abhigeli kasachithanga sikhathi. Wathatha izinkwa ezingamakhulu amabili, izikhumba ezimbili zewayini, izimvu ezinhlanu ezihlinziweyo, amagokoko amahlanu amabele akhanzingiweyo, amakhekhe alikhulu amagrebisi awonyisiweyo, lamakhulu amabili amakhekhe omkhiwa okhanyiweyo, wakuthwalisa obabhemi.
Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves, two bottles of wine, five sheep already prepared, five measures of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.
19 Wasesithi ezincekwini zakhe, “Hambani phambili; ngizalilandela.” Kodwa umkakhe uNabhali kamtshelanga.
She said to her young men, “Go on before me, and I will come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20 Wathi esiza egade ubabhemi wakhe phakathi kodonga lwentaba, wabona uDavida labantu bakhe besehla beqonde kuye, wasebahlangabeza.
As she rode on her donkey and came down by the cover of the mountain, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.
21 UDavida wayesanda kuthi, “Kakusizanga lutho konke ukugcina kwami impahla yomuntu lo enkangala ukuze kungabi lalutho lwakhe olulahlekayo. Ungibhadale okuhle ngokubi.
Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good.
22 Sengathi uNkulunkulu angaphatha uDavida kabuhlungu nxa ekuseni ngitshiya indoda eyodwa iphila kubo bonke abangabakhe!”
May God do so to me, David, and more also, if by the morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.”
23 U-Abhigeli esebone uDavida, wehla ngokuphangisa kubabhemi wakhe wakhothamela phansi phambi kukaDavida ubuso bakhe buthe mbo emhlabathini.
When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from her donkey and lay before David facedown and bowed herself to the ground.
24 Wawela ezinyaweni zakhe wathi, “Nkosi yami, insolo kayibe phezu kwami ngedwa. Ake uyivumele incekukazi yakho ikhulume lawe; zwana lokho incekukazi yakho efuna ukukutsho.
She lay at his feet and said, “On me alone, my master, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak to you, and listen to the words of your servant.
25 Sengathi inkosi yami ingayekela ukumnaka umuntu omubi lowana uNabhali. Ufuze ibizo lakhe, ibizo lakhe lithi Sithutha, njalo ubuwula buhamba laye. Kodwa-ke mina, incekukazi yakho, angizibonanga insizwa inkosi yami ezithumileyo.
Let not my master regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my master, whom you sent.
26 Khathesi njengoba uThixo ekugcinile, nkosi yami, ekuchithekeni kwegazi lasekuphindiseleni ngezandla zakho, ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ekhona lanjengoba lawe uphila, sengathi izitha zakho labo bonke abafuna ukwenza okubi kuwe nkosi yami bangaba njengoNabhali.
Now then, my master, as Yahweh lives, and as you live, since Yahweh has restrained you from bloodshed, and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now let your enemies, and those who seek to do evil to my master, be like Nabal.
27 Njalo isipho lesi, incekukazi yakho esilethe enkosini yami, kasiphiwe insizwa ezikulandelayo.
Now let this present that your servant has brought to my master be given to the young men who follow my master.
28 Ake uthethelele ukona kwencekukazi yakho, ngoba uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu impela uzakwenzela inkosi yami inzalo yamakhosi engapheliyo, ngoba ilwela izimpi zikaThixo. Akungabi lokona okutholwa kuwe kukho konke ukuphila kwakho.
Please forgive the trespass of your servant, for Yahweh will certainly make my master a sure house, because my master is fighting the battles of Yahweh; and evil will not be found in you so long as you live.
29 Lanxa omunye exotshana lawe ukuba akubulale, ukuphila kwenkosi yami, uThixo uNkulunkulu wakho uzakubophela kuqine elixheni labaphilayo. Kodwa ukuphila kwezitha zakho uzakuphosela khatshana kungathi kuphuma esikhwameni sesavutha.
Though men rise up to pursue you to take your life, yet the life of my master will be bound in the bundle of the living by Yahweh your God; and he will sling away the lives of your enemies, as from the pocket of a sling.
30 Lapho uThixo eseyenzele inkosi yami zonke izinto ezinhle azithembisayo mayelana layo, njalo eseyibekile ukuba ngumkhokheli wako-Israyeli,
Yahweh will have done for my master everything he promised you, and has appointed you leader over Israel.
31 inkosi yami kayiyikuba lesazela somthwalo ohloniphisayo sokuchithwa kwegazi esingaswelekiyo loba esokuphindisela. Njalo lapho uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu eselethele inkosi yami ukuphumelela, uyikhumbule incekukazi yakho.”
This will not be a staggering burden for you—that you have poured out innocent blood, or because my master attempted to rescue himself. For when Yahweh will do good for my master, remember your servant.”
32 UDavida wasesithi ku-Abhigeli, “Kadunyiswe uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, okuthumileyo lamhla ukuzabonana lami.
David said to Abigail, “May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be blessed, he who sent you to meet me today.
33 Sengathi ungabusiswa ngenxa yokwahlulela kwakho okuhle lokuvimbela kwakho ekuchitheni igazi lamhla kanye lasekuphindiseleni kwami ngezandla zami.
Your wisdom is blessed and you are blessed, because you have kept me today from bloodshed and from avenging myself with my own hand!
34 Ngoba, ngeqiniso elinjengoba uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, ekhona, yena ongivimbele ekwenzeni okubi kuwe, aluba kawufikanga masinyane ukuzabonana lami, akukho lamunye owesilisa ongokaNabhali obezasala ephila ekudabukeni kokusa.”
For in truth, as Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, he who has kept me from hurting you, unless you had hurried to come meet me, there would certainly have not been left to Nabal so much as one male baby by morning.”
35 Emva kwalokho uDavida wamukela esandleni sika-Abhigeli lokho ayemlethele khona wasesithi, “Buyela ekhaya ngokuthula. Ngiwazwile amazwi akho ngasivuma isicelo sakho.”
So David received from her hand what she had brought him; he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house; see, I have listened to your voice and have accepted you.”
36 U-Abhigeli esebuyele kuNabhali, wayesendlini eledili elinjengelenkosi. Wayejabula njalo edakwe kakhulu. Ngakho u-Abhigeli kamtshelanga lutho kwaze kwasa.
Abigail went back to Nabal; behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.
37 Kwathi ekuseni, uNabhali engasadakwanga, umkakhe wamtshela zonke lezizinto, watshaywa luvalo woma qha.
It came about in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, that his wife told him these things; his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.
38 Emva kwensuku ezazingaba litshumi, uThixo wamtshaya uNabhali wafa.
It came about ten days later that Yahweh attacked Nabal so that he died.
39 Kwathi uDavida esizwa ukuthi uNabhali wayefile, wathi, “Kabongwe uThixo, yena osekele injongo yami yokumelana loNabhali ngenxa yokungeyisa. Uvimbele inceku yakhe ekwenzeni okubi njalo wehlisela uNabhali izenzo zakhe ezimbi phezu kwelakhe ikhanda.” Emva kwalokho uDavida wathumela ilizwi ku-Abhigeli emcela ukuba abe ngumkakhe.
When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “May Yahweh be blessed, who has taken up the cause of my insult from the hand of Nabal and has kept back his servant from evil. He has turned Nabal's evil action back on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her to himself as wife.
40 Izinceku zakhe zaya eKhameli zathi ku-Abhigeli, “UDavida usithume kuwe ukuba sizekuthatha ukuze ube ngumkakhe.”
When David's servants had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her and said, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.”
41 U-Abhigeli wathi mbo phansi ngobuso, wathi, “Nansi incekukazi yakho, ilungele ukukusebenzela lokugezisa inyawo zezinceku zenkosi yami.”
She arose, bowed herself with her face to the ground, and said, “See, your female servant is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my master.”
42 U-Abhigeli waphanga wagada ubabhemi, ephelekezelwa yizisebenzikazi zakhe ezinhlanu, wahamba lezithunywa zikaDavida wasesiba ngumkakhe.
Abigail hurried and arose, and rode on a donkey with five servant girls of hers who followed her; and she followed David's messengers and became his wife.
43 UDavida wayethethe njalo u-Ahinowama waseJezerili, bobabili-ke baba ngomkakhe.
Now David had also taken Ahinoam of Jezreel as a wife; both of them became his wives.
44 Kodwa uSawuli, indodakazi yakhe uMikhali, umkaDavida, wayeseyinike uPhalithiyeli indodana kaLayishi, owayengowaseGalimi.
Also, Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Paltiel son of Laish, who was of Gallim.
