2 Samuweli 17

₁Emvakwaloko Ahithofeli wakhuluma ku-Absalomu, watsi: “Angikhetse emabutfo lati-12 000, lamhla nje ebusuku, ngisukele Davide, ngimcoshe. ₂Ngitamkhandzanisa nyalo asedziniwe, futsi ajabhile; ngimetfuse, lonkhe lelibutfo lakhe litawubhedvuka, libaleke. Ngitawubulala lenkhosi kuphela, ₃bese ngibuya nabo bonkhe labantfu bakhe ngibaletse kuwe, njengamakoti abuyela endvodzeni yakhe. Kufa kwemuntfu munye lomfunako kutabe kusho kubuya kwabo bonkhe; bonkhe laba labanye ngeke bentiwe lutfo.” ₄Lelisu labonakala lilungile ku-Absalomu, nakubo bonkhe baholi baka-Israyeli.

₅Kodvwa Absalomu watsi: “Bitani naHushayi, um-Akhi, sitekuva kutsi yena utsini kuloku.” ₆Watsi kube efike Hushayi, Absalomu watsi: “Ahithofeli ubeka nasi seluleko. Kufanele sikwente yini loku lakushoko? Nangabe akukalungi, sinike seluleko sakho.”

₇Hushayi waphendvula watsi: “Leseluleko lesibekwe ngu-Ahithofeli asikalungi kwanyalo. ₈Uyamati uyihlo kanye nalamadvodza akakhe kutsi tingwazi, besabeka njengelibhele lesiganga nalemukwe emazinyane alo. Ngaphandle nje kwaloko, babe wakho ngunsukuwansuku, ngukadzebona, angeke alale emkhatsini walamabutfo akhe ebusuku. ₉Nyalo nje sewubhace emgedzeni lotsite nome kulenye indzawo. Nakungahle kube nguye logadla kucala kulamabutfo akho, wonkhe umuntfu loyivako leyo ndzaba angavele atsi: ‘Licobe lavungula emabutfweni lahamba na-Absalomu.’ ₁₀Lapho-ke ngisho nengwazi lenenhlitiyo lenjengeyelibhubesi itawuncibilika ngenca yekwesaba, ngobe wonkhe um-Israyeli uyati kutsi babe wakho yingwazi yelucobo, nekutsi laba labanaye ngemadvodza sibili, anesibindzi.

₁₁“Ngako mine ngikweluleka ngitsi: Onkhe ema-Israyeli kusukela kaDani kuze kuyewuphuma eBherisheba, ngebunyenti bawo angangesihlabatsi saselwandle, akabutselwe lapha kuwe, wena cobo lwakho uwahole niye emphini. ₁₂Lapho-ke siyawumhlasela, nome ngabe ukuphi lapho angatfolakala khona, futsi siyawumtselekela njengematolo ehlela emhlabatsini. Kute loyawuphunyula asale aphila, yena kanye nalamadvodza lahamba nawo. ₁₃Nakadvudvulekela edolobheni lelitsite, wonkhe um-Israyeli uyawuta netindophi kulelo dolobha bese silidvonsela phansi esihosheni, kuze kungatfolwa ngisho nelucetu lwalo.”

₁₄Absalomu kanye nawo onkhe emadvodza aka-Israyeli batsi: “Leseluleko saHushayi, um-Akhi, sincono kunalesa sa-Ahithofeli.” Loku kwentiwa kutsi Simakadze abecondze kuswabisa leseluleko sa-Ahithofeli, kuze ehlisele bubi ku-Absalomu.

₁₅Hushayi watjela boSadoki na-Abiyatha, baphristi, watsi: “Ahithofeli abeseluleke Absalomu nemadvodza aka-Israyeli ngaloku nangaloku, kodvwa mine ngibeluleke kutsi abente kutsi nekutsi. ₁₆Manje-ke phutfumisani umbiko masinyane nitjele Davide, nitsi: ‘Ungacali ulale lapha enkambu ebusuku, lapho ehlane, yewelela ngesheya nome kanjani; ngaphandle kwaloko, inkhosi kanye nabo bonkhe bantfu bayo, batawubhujiswa lamuhla nje.’ ”

₁₇BoJonathani na-Ahimasi babehlala e-Eni Rogeli. Sisebenti lesasiyintfombatana sasifanele siyewubatjela, bona-ke bese bayawutjela inkhosi Davide, ngobe bebangeke baze bacale babonakale bangena edolobheni. ₁₈Ngalelinye lilanga babonwa ngulomunye umfana, wase utjela Absalomu. Ngako besuka bobabili babaleka bayawubhaca endlini yalomunye umuntfu eBhahurimu. Bekunemgodzi ebaleni lalomuti walomuntfu, ngako bangena kuwo babhaca. ₁₉Umfati walendvodza watsatsa kwekumbonya, wambonya ngako emnyango walomgodzi wase usakata tinhlavu etikwalokwekumbonya, kwabate lowatiko ngaloko.

₂₀Tindvuna taka-Absalomu tatsi natifika kulomfati walendvodza, tambuta tatsi: “Baphi bo-Ahimasi naJonathani?”

Lomfati watiphendvula watsi: “Bewelele ngesheya kwalomfudlana.”

Letindvuna tabafuna, kodvwa atizange tibatfole; tagcina tibuyele emuva eJerusalema.

₂₁Tatsi nase tihambile letindvuna, bo-Ahimasi naJonathani bavumbuka lapha emgodzini, bahamba bayawubika enkhosini Davide. Batjela Davide loko bekwelulekwe ngu-Ahithofeli ngaye batsi: “Phutfumani newelele ngesheya kwemfula masinyane. Ahithofeli abeluleke kutsi nekutsi ngawe.” ₂₂Ngako Davide kanye nemabutfo akhe bavele bacala bewelela ngesheya kwemfula iJordane; kwatsi kudzabuka kusa, babe sebewele bonkhe baphelela.

₂₃Ahithofeli watsi kube abone kutsi seluleko sakhe abakasilandzeli, wabophela imbongolo yakhe, waphuma, wabanga ekhaya kakhe lelalisedolobheni lakubo. Wacala walungisa kahle tonkhe tintfo tasemndenini wakakhe, wase uyatikhunga, wafa; wangcwatjwa edlizeni leyise.

₂₄Davide wahamba waze wefika edolobheni laseMahanayimu. Ngaleso sikhatsi Absalomu kanye nemphi yakhe bese bakhuphukele ngesheya kwemfula iJordane. ₂₅Absalomu abesabeke Amasa kutsi abe yindvuna yemabutfo akhe esikhundleni saJowabe. Amasa abengumsa walenye nje indvodza lekwakutsiwa nguJetheri libito layo, yayingum-Israyeli; unina wa-Amasa bekungu-Abigayili, indvodzakati yaNahashi, dzadzewaboSeruya, unina waJowabe. ₂₆Bo-Absalomu nalama-Israyeli akakhe bafike bemisa eveni lakaGileyadi.

₂₇Kwatsi Davide nakefika eMahanayimu, boShobi, umsa waNahashi waseRabha yema-Amoni, naMakhire, umsa wa-Amiyeli waseLo Dabari, naBhazilayi, umGileyadi waseRogelimu, ₂₈baletsa kwekulala, netitja, netintfo letibunjwe ngelibumba. Baze baletsa ngisho kolo kanye nebhali, fulaha kanye nembasha, emabhontjisi kanye nemalentili, ₂₉neluju lwetinyosi, nemasi, netimvu, nashizi lophuma elubisini lwetinkhomo, bakuletsela Davide kanye nebantfu bakakhe kutsi batekudla. Ngobe batsi: “Labantfu sebafile yindlala nakudzinwa, nekoma kwakulelihlane.”