2 Samuweli 16:1-23
16 Lapho uDavide ngokwakhe esewelele ngaphesheya kancane kwesiqongo,+ nango uZiba+ isikhonzi sikaMefibhosheti+ emhlangabeza enezimbongolo+ ezimbili ziboshelwe futhi zithwele izinkwa+ ezingamakhulu amabili namaqebelengwane ayikhulu amagilebhisi omisiwe+ nemigodla eyikhulu yezithelo zasehlobo+ nembiza enkulu yewayini.+
2 Khona-ke inkosi yathi kuZiba: “Usho ukuthini ngalezi zinto?”+ UZiba wathi: “Izimbongolo ngezokuba kugibele abendlu yenkosi, isinkwa nemigodla yezithelo zasehlobo ngokwezinsizwa+ ukuba zidle, iwayini ngelokuba okhathele+ ehlane+ aphuze.”
3 Inkosi manje yathi kuye: “Iphi indodana yenkosi yakho?”+ UZiba waphendula wathi enkosini: “Ihleli eJerusalema; ngoba ithé, ‘Namuhla indlu ka-Israyeli izobuyisela kimi ubukhosi bukababa.’”+
4 Khona-ke inkosi yathi kuZiba: “Bheka! Kungokwakho konke okungokukaMefibhosheti.”+ UZiba wathi: “Ngikhothama+ phansi. Mangithole umusa emehlweni akho, nkosi yami nkosi.”
5 INkosi uDavide yaze yafika eBhahurimi,+ futhi bheka! kwakuphuma khona umuntu womndeni wendlu kaSawule, igama lakhe kwakunguShimeyi,+ indodana kaGera, ephuma futhi eqalekisa njengoba ephuma.+
6 Waqala ukujikijela uDavide nazo zonke izinceku zeNkosi uDavide ngamatshe; bonke abantu nawo wonke amadoda anamandla babekwesokunene nakwesobunxele sakhe.
7 Yilokhu uShimeyi ayekusho njengoba ayeqalekisa: “Phuma, phuma, wena muntu onecala legazi+ ongelusizo lwalutho!+
8 UJehova ubuyisele phezu kwakho lonke icala legazi lendlu kaSawule obusé esikhundleni sakhe njengenkosi; futhi uJehova unikela ubukhosi esandleni sika-Absalomu indodana yakho. Manje usenhlekeleleni, ngoba ungumuntu onecala legazi!”+
9 Ekugcineni u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruya+ wathi enkosini: “Kungani le nja efile+ kufanele iqalekise inkosi yami inkosi?+ Ngicela ungivumele ngiwele ngishumpule ikhanda lakhe.”+
10 Kodwa inkosi yathi: “Ngihlangene ngani nani,+ madodana kaZeruya na?+ Ngakho myekeni aqalekise,+ ngoba uJehova ngokwakhe uthé kuye,+ ‘Qalekisa uDavide!’ Ngakho ubani okufanele athi, ‘Kungani wenzé ngaleyo ndlela?’”+
11 UDavide waqhubeka wathi ku-Abhishayi nazo zonke izinceku zakhe: “Bhekani, indodana yami siqu, ephume ezibilinini zami, ifuna umphefumulo wami;+ kakhulu kangakanani-ke manje umBhenjamini!+ Myekeni aqalekise, ngoba uJehova usho kanjalo kuye!
12 Mhlawumbe uJehova uzobona+ ngeso lakhe, futhi uJehova uzongibuyisela ubuhle esikhundleni sesiqalekiso sakhe kulolu suku.”+
13 Ngalokho uDavide namadoda ayekanye naye baqhubeka behamba ngendlela, kuyilapho uShimeyi ehamba ohlangothini lwentaba, ehamba elinganisene naye ukuze aqalekise;+ futhi wayelokhu ejikijela amatshe njengoba ayelinganisene naye, ephonsa nothuli oluningi.+
14 Ekugcineni inkosi nabo bonke abantu ababenayo bafika bekhathele. Ngakho bazihlumelela lapho.+
15 Kepha u-Absalomu kanye nabo bonke abantu, amadoda akwa-Israyeli, bangena eJerusalema;+ u-Ahithofeli+ wayekanye naye.
16 Kwathi ngokushesha nje lapho uHushayi+ umArikhi,+ umngane kaDavide,+ engena ku-Absalomu, uHushayi wathi ku-Absalomu: “Mayiphile inkosi!+ Mayiphile inkosi!”
17 U-Absalomu waphendula wathi kuHushayi: “Lona umusa wakho wothando kumngane wakho, akunjalo? Kungani ungahambanga nomngane wakho?”+
18 Ngakho uHushayi wathi ku-Absalomu: “Cha; lowo uJehova amkhethile kanye nalesi sizwe nawo wonke amadoda akwa-Israyeli, ngizoba ngowakhe, futhi ngizohlala naye.
19 Futhi ngokwesibili kumelwe ngisho ukuthi, Ngubani mina engizomkhonza? Akumelwe yini ngikhonze phambi kwendodana yakhe? Njengoba nje ngakhonza phambi kukayihlo, ngizokhonza kanjalo phambi kwakho.”+
20 Kamuva u-Absalomu wathi ku-Ahithofeli: “Madoda, ake nivele neseluleko.+ Sizokwenzenjani?”
21 Khona-ke u-Ahithofeli wathi ku-Absalomu: “Lala nezancinza zikayihlo,+ azishiye ngemuva ukuba zinakekele indlu.+ Wonke u-Israyeli ngokuqinisekile uzozwa ukuthi uzenze waba nephunga elibi+ kuyihlo,+ futhi izandla+ zabo bonke abakanye nawe ngokuqinisekile zizoba namandla.”
22 Ngakho bamgxumekela itende u-Absalomu ophahleni,+ u-Absalomu walala nezancinza zikayise+ phambi kwamehlo ka-Israyeli wonke.+
23 Iseluleko sika-Ahithofeli, ayeluleka ngaso ngalezo zinsuku, sasinjengalapho umuntu ebuza izwi kuNkulunkulu weqiniso. Sasinjalo sonke iseluleko+ sika-Ahithofeli+ kuDavide naku-Absalomu.
