1 Samuweli 19

₁Sawula wakhuluma kuJonathani, indvodzana yakhe, nakuto tonkhe tinceku takhe kutsi tibulale Davide. Kodvwa Jonathani abemtsandza kakhulu Davide, ₂ngako wecwayisa Davide, watsi: “Babe Sawula ufuna kukubulala. Ubocaphela kusasa ekuseni, ubohamba uyewuhlala emasitseleni, ubhace khona. ₃Mine ngitawuphuma ngiyekuma nababe lena esigangeni, lapho utawube ubhace khona. Ngitawukhuluma ngawe kuye, ngitawube sengiyakwatisa kutsi ngitfoleni.”

₄Jonathani wakhuluma lokuhle ngaDavide kuyise Sawula, watsi: “Inkhosi ayingenti lutfo lolubi kulenceku yayo lenguDavide; kute lakone ngako, kodvwa loko lakwentile kube lusito lolukhulu kuwe. ₅Watsatsa kuphila kwakhe wakuphatsa ngesandla sakhe, nakabulala lomFilisti. Simakadze waba nekuncoba lokukhulu ancobela sive sema-Israyeli, nawe futsi wakubona loko wajabula. Pho, ufunelani kubulala Davide ngaphandle kwesono?”

₆Sawula walalela Jonathani, waze watsatsa nasi sifungo: “Ngifunga kuphila kwaSimakadze, Davide angeke abulawe.”

₇Jonathani wabita Davide wamtjela yonkhe ingcoco yakhe neyise. Jonathani wabe sewutsatsa Davide wamletsa kuyise Sawula; Davide waphindze waba naSawula njengakucala.

₈Kwaphindze kwesuka imphi, naDavide waphuma wayakulwa nemaFilisti. Wawagadla kamatima, aze abaleka embikwakhe.

₉Kodvwa umoya lomubi lowawuphuma kuSimakadze wehlela etikwaSawula asehleti endlini yakhe, aphetse sikhali ngesandla sakhe. Watsi Davide asamdlalela ihabhu yakhe, ₁₀Sawula wetama kumgwaza amhlanganise nelubondza ngalesikhali sakhe, kodvwa Davide wavika, sikhali saSawula sagwaza lubondza. Davide wabaleka kulobo busuku.

₁₁Sawula watfumela emadvodza endlini yaDavide kutsi ayekumgadza, bese ayambulala ekuseni. Kodvwa Mikhali, umkaDavide, wecwayisa Davide watsi: “Nawungabaleki uyewubhaca lamuhla ebusuku, utawubulawa ekuseni kusasa.” ₁₂Ngako Mikhali wakhipha Davide, wamehlisa ngelifasitelo, wabaleka. ₁₃Mikhali wabe sewutsatsa sithico semndeni wakhe wasilalisa embhedzeni, enhloko yaso wasimbonya ngengutjana leyayakhiwe ngeboya bembuti, wasembesa ngengubo. ₁₄Watsi kube Sawula atfumele emadvodza kutsi ayewulandza Davide ngenkhani, Mikhali wawatjela watsi: “Uyagula.”

₁₅Sawula lamadvodza waphindze wawancandzekisa wawabuyisela kuDavide, watsi: “Mletseni lapha kimi ngalowo mbhedze wakhe, khona ngitembulala.” ₁₆Kodvwa atsi lamadvodza nakangena, akhandza lesithico silaliswe embhedzeni, enhloko yaso kunaleyo ngutjana leyayentiwe ngeboya bembuti.

₁₇Sawula wakhuluma kuMikhali, watsi: “Ungilutseleni kanjena wahambisa lesitsa sami, sabaleka?”

Mikhali wamtjela watsi: “Utsite kimi: ‘Ase ngihambe. Sengingakubulalelani?’ ”

₁₈Watsi kube Davide abaleke, waya kuSamuweli eRama, wafike wamtjela konkhe loko Sawula labesakwente kuye. Yena naSamuweli bahamba baya eNayothi, bafike bahlala lapho. ₁₉Livi lefika kuSawula litsi: “Davide sewuseNayothi, eRama.” ₂₀Ngako Sawula wavele watfumela emadvodza kutsi ayekumtsatsa ngenkhani. Kodvwa atsi nakabona sicumbi sebaphrofethi sihhungulekile siphrofetha, naSamuweli akanye naso angumholi waso, Moya waNkulunkulu wehlela kulamadvodza akaSawula; nawo ahhunguleka aphrofetha. ₂₁Kwatsi kube Sawula atjelwe ngaloko, waphindze watfumela lamanye emadvodza; nawo futsi ahhunguleka aphrofetha. Sawula waphindze kwesitsatfu watfumela emadvodza, nawo ahhunguleka aphrofetha. ₂₂Ekugcineni, naye cobo lwakhe, Sawula wahamba waya eRama emtfonjeni lomkhulu waseSeku. Wafike wabuta watsi: “Baphi boSamuweli naDavide?”

Lomunye umuntfu waphendvula watsi: “BaseNayothi, eRama.”

₂₃Ngako Sawula wahamba waya eNayothi, eRama. Moya waNkulunkulu wehlela etikwakhe, naye wahhunguleka, wahamba asaphrofetha, waze wefika eNayothi. ₂₄Naye wakhumula tingubo takhe, asahhungulekile njengalaba labanye, naye waphrofetha embikwaSamuweli. Walala angcunu, lonkhe lilanga nebusuku bakhona. Ngiko nje bantfu baze batsi: “Kantsi naSawula sewusemkhatsini webaphrofethi yini?”