Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli 24:1-22
24 USawuli wathi esevela kulwa lamaFilisti bamtshela bathi: “UDavida usenkangala yase-Eni-gedi!”+
2 Ngakho uSawuli wathatha amadoda angu-3 000 akhethwe kulo lonke elako-Israyeli wasehamba lawo esiyadinga uDavida labantu bakhe emadwaleni ahlala amagogo.*
3 Wathi efika ezibayeni ezakhiwe ngamatshe ezaziseceleni komgwaqo, wabona ubhalu khonapho wasengena esithi kahle azincede, kanti uDavida lamadoda ayelaye bahlezi emuva phakathi kobhalu.+
4 Amadoda ayeloDavida athi kuye: “Lamuhla uJehova uthi kuwe, ‘Nansi isitha sakho, ngisinikela esandleni sakho.+ Yenza loba yini oyibona iqondile.’” Ngakho uDavida wasukuma wanyenya wayasika umphetho wejazi likaSawuli elingelamikhono.
5 Kodwa esekwenzile lokho inhliziyo yakhe yamhlupha* kakhulu+ ngoba wayesike umphetho wejazi likaSawuli elingelamikhono.
6 UDavida watshela amadoda ayelawo wathi: “Angisoze ngenze into enjalo enkosini yami ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaJehova. UJehova ngeke athokoze ngitsho nxa ngingahlasela ogcotshiweyo kaJehova.”+
7 Ngakho uDavida wawakhuza amadoda ayelawo ngamazwi la futhi kazange awavumele ukuthi ahlasele uSawuli. USawuli waphuma ebhalwini wahamba.
8 UDavida laye waphuma ebhalwini wasememeza uSawuli wathi: “Nkosi yami!”+ USawuli wathi ethalaza, uDavida waguqa wathi mbo phansi ngobuso.
9 UDavida wasesithi kuSawuli: “Kungani ubalalela abantu abathi, ‘UDavida ufuna ukukulimaza’?+
10 Lamuhla uzibonele ngawakho ukuthi uJehova ubekunikele ezandleni zami ngesikhathi usebhalwini. Kodwa omunye uthe esithi ngikubulale+ ngakuzwela kakhulu ngathi, ‘Angisoze ngiphakamise isandla sami ngilimaze inkosi yami ngoba ingogcotshiweyo kaJehova.’+
11 Khangela baba, nanku umphetho wejazi lakho elingelamikhono ngiwuthwele. Ngisike umphetho wejazi lakho kodwa angizange ngikubulale. Usuzibonele lawe futhi usukwazi ukuthi angikuhlamukeli lokuthi angifuni kukulimaza. Angikonelanga lutho+ kodwa wena uyangizingela ufuna ukungibulala.+
12 UJehova kahlulele phakathi kwami lawe+ njalo uJehova kangiphindiselele ngenxa yalokho ongenze khona.+ Kodwa mina angisoze ngilwe lawe.+
13 Angithi lesaga sakudala sithi, ‘Kwababi yikho okuvela khona izinto ezimbi,’ yikho mina angisoze ngilwe lawe.
14 Kambe inkosi yako-Israyeli isingaze ixotshanisane lami? Kanti mina ngiyini? Ngizifananela lenja efileyo lokuyisibungu okuncane+ nje.
15 UJehova kabe ngumahluleli, ahlulele phakathi kwami lawe. Uzayihlola indaba yami angilwele+ njalo uzangahlulela angikhulule esandleni sakho.”
16 UDavida wathi eqeda ukumtshela amazwi la, uSawuli wathi: “Lilizwi lakho leli yini ndodana yami Davida?”+ USawuli wasiqhinqa isililo.
17 Wasesithi kuDavida: “Ulungile kulami ngoba ungiphathe kuhle kodwa mina ngikubuyisela ngokubi.+
18 Lamuhla usungitshele okuhle okwenzileyo ngokungangibulali lanxa uJehova ubenginikele esandleni sakho.+
19 Ngubani kambe othi angabona isitha sakhe asiyekele sizihambele engasilimazanga? UJehova uzakwenzela okuhle+ ngenxa yalokho ongenzele khona lamuhla.
20 Khathesi sengikwazi ukuthi uzakuba yinkosi loba sekutheni+ lokuthi umbuso wako-Israyeli uzaqhubeka usesandleni sakho kokuphela.
21 Yikho funga kimi ngoJehova+ ukuthi awusoze utshabalalise izizukulwane zami lokuthi awusoze wesule ibizo lami endlini kababa.”+
22 UDavida wasefunga kuSawuli. Ngemva kwalokho uSawuli wabuyela emzini wakhe,+ kodwa uDavida labantu bakhe baya endaweni evikelekileyo.+
