1 Kwakukho ndoda yakwaBhenjamin, igama lalinguKishe, unyana ka-Abhiyeli, unyana kaTserore, unyana kaBhekorati, unyana ka-Afiya, unyana womBhenjamin, indoda esisityebi.
2 Yayinonyana ogama linguSawule, umfo omtsha, omhle, ebekungekho mfo phakathi koonyana bakaSirayeli umhle kunaye; ethabathela emagxeni akhe anyuse, ubemde kubantu bonke.
3 Ke kaloku uKishe, uyise kaSawule, walahlekelwa ziimazi zakhe zamaesile. Wathi uKishe kuSawule unyana wakhe, Khawuthabathe omnye kubafana ahambe nawe, usuke uye kuzifuna iimazi zamaesile.
4 Wacanda kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim, wacanda nasezweni laseShalisha; abazifumana. Wacanda nasezweni laseShahalim, azabakho; wacanda nasezweni lakwaBhenjamin, abazifumana.
5 Bakufika ezweni lakwaTsufi, uSawule wathi kumfana obenaye, Hamba sibuye, hleze ubawo azincame iimazi zamaesile, abe nesithukuthezi ngathi.
6 Wathi ke yena kuye, Uyabona ke, kulo mzi kukho umntu kaThixo; ngumntu ozukileyo; konke akuthethayo kuyenzeka ngenene. Makhe siye khona ke, mhlawumbi angasibonisa indlela yethu esohamba ngayo.
7 Wathi uSawule kumfana lowo, Yabona, sihamba nje, siya kumnika ntoni na umntu lowo? Kuba isonka siphelile empahleni yethu; akukho sipho singasisa kumntu kaThixo. Into esinayo yintoni na?
8 Waphinda umfana wamphendula uSawule, wathi, Nanku kufumaneke esandleni sam isahlulo sesine seshekele yesilivere; ndosinika umntu kaThixo, asibonise indlela yethu.
9 Ngaphambili, kwaSirayeli, umntu xa aya kubuza kuThixo ubesithi, Hamba siye kwimboni; ngokuba onguprofeti namhla bekusithiwa yimboni ngenxa engaphambili.
10 Wathi uSawule kumfana lowo, Lihle ilizwi lakho; hamba siye. Bahamba baya kuloo mzi, apho umntu kaThixo wayekhona.
11 Bathi benyuka eqhineni lomzi, baqubisana nomthinjana, uphuma usiya kukha amanzi; bathi kuwo, Ikho na apha imboni?
12 Wabaphendula, wathi, Ikho, nantso phambi kwenu; khawulezani ngoku, kuba ifike namhlanje kulo mzi, ngokuba abantu banombingelelo namhla esigangeni;
13 xa ningena kulo mzi, noyifumana ingekenyuki iye kudla esigangeni; kuba abayi kudla abantu ingekafiki; ngokuba usikelelwa yiyo umbingelelo, baze badle emveni koko abamenyiweyo; nyukani ngoku, ngokuba noyifumana ngoku. Benyuka ke baya kuloo mzi.
14 Bakubona ukuba bayangena kuloo mzi, nanko uSamuweli ephuma equbisana nabo, eza kunyuka aye esigangeni.
15 Ke kaloku uYehova wayeyityhilele indlebe kaSamuweli ngosuku olungaphambi kokuza kukaSawule, esithi,
16 Ngeli xesha ngomso, ndiya kuthumela kuwe indoda yasezweni lakwaBhenjamin, ukuze uyithambise, ibe yinganga yabantu bam amaSirayeli, ibasindise abantu bam esandleni samaFilisti; ngokuba ndibabonile abantu bam; kuba ukukhala kwabo kufikile kum.
17 USamuweli wambona uSawule. UYehova wamphendula, wathi, Nantso loo ndoda ndibe ndithethe kuwe ngayo. Yiyo eya kuphatha ubukhosi phezu kwabantu bam.
18 Wasondela uSawule kuSamuweli esangweni, wathi, Khawundixelele, iphi na apha indlu yemboni?
19 USamuweli wamphendula uSawule, wathi, Ndim imboni; nyuka phambi kwam uye esigangeni, nidle nam namhla, ndikundulule ngomso, ndikuxelele konke okusentliziyweni yakho.
20 Ke iimazi zamaesile esekuntsuku ntathu namhla zikulahlekile, musa ukuyibekela kuzo intliziyo yakho; ngokuba zifunyenwe. Kokukabani na konke okunqwenelekayo kwaSirayeli? Asikokwakho na, nokwendlu yonke kayihlo?
21 Waphendula uSawule, wathi, AndingumBhenjamin yini na, wesizwe esincinanana kwaSirayeli? Nomzalwane wakowethu awuphantsi na emizalwaneni yonke yesizwe sakwaBhenjamin? Yini na ukuba uthethe ilizwi elinje kum?
22 USamuweli wamthabatha uSawule nomfana lowo, wabangenisa egumbini, wabanika indawo yobukhulu phakathi kwabamenyiweyo abo, bengamadoda akumashumi amathathu.
23 Wathi uSamuweli kumpheki, Ethe isabelo endakunikayo, ndathi kuwe, Sibeke.
24 Wawuzisa umlenze lowo nento ephezu kwawo, wabeka phambi koSawule. Wathi uSamuweli, Nantso into endikubekeleyo, ibekiwe phambi kwakho, yidla; ngokuba ibigcinelwe wena, ukuba ibe yeyeli xesha, kususela koko ndathi, Ndibamemile abantu. Wadla uSawule noSamuweli ngaloo mini.
25 Behla esigangeni apho, beza phakathi komzi; wathetha noSawule phezu kwendlu.
26 Bavuka kusasa; kwathi, xa kunyuka isifingo, uSamuweli wamemeza kuSawule phezu kwendlu, esithi, Vuka, ndikugoduse. Wavuka uSawule; baphuma baya phandle bobabini, yena noSamuweli.
27 Behlile, baya ekupheleni komzi, wathi uSamuweli kuSawule, Yitsho kumfana lo agqithele phambi kwethu (wagqitha ke); khawume wena ngoku, ndikuvise ilizwi likaThixo. |
