Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 24:1-22
24 Kwathi nje lapho uSawule esebuyile ukuyojaha amaFilisti, bambikela bathi: “UDavide usehlane lase-Eni-gedi.” +
2 Ngakho uSawule wathatha amadoda ekhethelo angu-3 000 ku-Israyeli wonke, wahamba wayofuna uDavide namadoda ayekanye naye emaweni okuhlala kuwo izimbuzi zezintaba.
3 USawule wafika ezibayeni zezimvu ezenziwe ngamatshe eceleni kwendlela, lapho kwakukhona khona umhume. Wangena kuwo eyozikhulula,* kuyilapho uDavide namadoda ayekanye naye behlezi emuva impela kulowo mhume. +
4 Amadoda ayekanye noDavide athi kuye: “Lolu usuku uJehova athi ngalo kuwe, ‘Nginikela isitha sakho esandleni sakho, + ungenza noma yini ebonakala ilungile emehlweni akho.’ ” Ngakho uDavide wasukuma wasika ngokunyenya umphetho wejazi likaSawule elingenamikhono.
5 Kodwa ngemva kwalokho inhliziyo* kaDavide yayilokhu imshaya + ngenxa yokuthi wayesike umphetho wejazi likaSawule elingenamikhono.
6 Wathi emadodeni ayekanye naye: “Kuyinto engacabangeki emehlweni kaJehova, ukuba ngenze into enjalo enkosini yami, ogcotshiwe kaJehova, ngokwelulela isandla sami kuyo, ngoba nguJehova oyigcobile.” +
7 Ngakho uDavide wawanqanda* amadoda ayekanye naye ngala mazwi, akawavumelanga ukuba ahlasele uSawule. USawule yena waphuma emhumeni waqhubeka nendlela yakhe.
8 Kamuva uDavide wasukuma waphuma emhumeni wamemeza uSawule, wathi: “Nkosi yami!” + Lapho uSawule ebheka emuva, uDavide waguqa, wakhothama ubuso bakhe bubheke phansi.
9 UDavide wathi kuSawule: “Kungani ulalela abantu lapho bethi, ‘Qaphela! UDavide ufuna ukukulimaza’? +
10 Namuhla uzibonele ngawakho indlela uJehova akunikele ngayo esandleni sami emhumeni. Kodwa lapho omunye ethi angikubulale, + ngikuhawukele ngathi, ‘Ngeke ngelulele isandla sami enkosini yami, ngoba nguJehova oyigcobile.’ +
11 Bheka baba, nawu umphetho wejazi lakho elingenamikhono esandleni sami; angikubulalanga lapho ngisika umphetho wejazi lakho elingenamikhono. Manje uyazibonela futhi uyaqonda ukuthi angihlosile ukukulimaza noma ukumelana nawe, angikonanga ngalutho, + kuyilapho wena uzingela ukuphila kwami ukuze ungibulale. +
12 Kwangathi uJehova angahlulela phakathi kwami nawe, + futhi kwangathi uJehova angangiphindiselela kuwe, + kodwa esami isandla ngeke simelane nawe. +
13 Kunjengoba nje isaga sasendulo sisho, ‘Okubi kuvela kwababi,’ ngakho esami isandla ngeke simelane nawe.
14 Inkosi yakwa-Israyeli izingela bani? Ngingubani nje mina? Ngiyafana nje nenja efile. Ngiyafana nje nezeze. +
15 Kwangathi uJehova angaba umahluleli, uzokwahlulela phakathi kwami nawe, uzobona angimele kule ndaba, + angahlulele bese engikhulula esandleni sakho.”
16 Kwathi lapho uDavide eqeda ukusho la mazwi kuSawule, uSawule wathi: “Yizwi lakho yini lelo Davide ndodana yami?” + USawule wakhala kakhulu.
17 Wathi kuDavide: “Wena ulunge ngaphezu kwami, ngoba ungiphathe kahle kodwa mina ngikubuyisele ngokubi. +
18 Namuhla uzibonisile izenzo zakho ezinhle kimi ngokungangibulali lapho uJehova enginikela esandleni sakho. +
19 Yimuphi umuntu okungathi ethola isitha sakhe asidedele sihambe engasilimazanga? UJehova uyokuvuza ngokuhle + ngenxa yalokho okwenze kimi namuhla.
20 Manje ngiyazi ukuthi nakanjani uzobusa njengenkosi, + nokuthi umbuso wakwa-Israyeli uyoqhubeka usesandleni sakho.
21 Manje funga uJehova kimi + ukuthi ngeke uyiqothule inzalo* yami ngemva kokufa kwami nokuthi ngeke ulesule igama lami endlini kababa.” +
22 Ngakho uDavide wafunga kuSawule, ngemva kwalokho uSawule wahamba waya ekhaya. + Kodwa uDavide namadoda ayekanye naye, bakhuphukela endaweni okunzima ukuyifinyelela. +
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ NgesiHebheru, “eyombesa izinyawo zakhe.”
^ Noma, “unembeza.”
^ Noma kungaba, “wawahlakaza.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “imbewu.”
