1 UDavide waya eNobhi kuAhimeleki, umbingeleli. UAhimeleki wamkhawulela uDavide egubha, wathi kuye, Yini na ukuba uze wedwa, kungekho ndoda ihamba nawe.
2 Wathi uDavide kuAhimeleki, umbingeleli, Ukumkani undiwisele umthetho ngento, wathi kum, Makungabikho mntu wazi ni yani ngale nto ndikuthumayo, ndikuwiseleyo umthetho ngayo; ke abafana ndibayalele ekuthini nasekuthini.
3 Kaloku kukho ntoni na phantsi kwesandla sakho? Ndinike esandleni izonka zibe zihlanu, nokuba yintoni efumanekayo.
4 Umbingeleli wamphendula uDavide, wathi kuye, Akukho sonka sisesabantu bonke phantsi kwesandla sam; sesingcwele sodwa isonka esikhoyo; ukuba abafana bathe kodwa bazigcina kubafazi.
5 UDavide wamphendula umbingeleli, wathi kuye, Inene abafazi bathintelekile ukuza kuthi ezi ntsuku zontathu; ekuphumeni kwam ibingcwele impahla yabafana; nokuba ibiyindlela yabantu bonke, yosuka ingcwaliswe yimpahla le namhla.
6 Umbingeleli wamnika ke esingcwele; ngokuba bekungekho zonka khona ezingezizo zokubonisa, ezibe zisuswe phambi koYehova, ukuba kumiswe izonka ezishushu ngemini yokuthatyathwa kwazo.
7 Ke kaloku kwaye kuvalelwe khona indoda yakubakhonzi bakaSawule ngaloo mini phambi koYehova, egama belinguDowegi umEdom, inganga yabalusi bakaSawule.
8 Wathi uDavide kuAhimeleki, Akukho ntshuntshe nakrele na apha phantsi kwesandla sakho? Kuba ikrele lam kwaneentonga zam andiziphathanga; ngokuba umcimbi kakumkani ungxamisekile.
9 Wathi umbingeleli, Ikrele likaGoliyati umFilisti, owambulala entilini kaEla, nali lisongelwe engutyeni emva kwe-efodi. Ukuba uyalithabatha, lithabathe; ngokuba akukho limbi. Wathi uDavide, Akukho linjengalo, ndinike lona.
10 Wesuka uDavide, wabaleka ngaloo mini ebusweni bukaSawule, waya kuAkishe ukumkani waseGati.
11 Bathi abakhonzi baka-Akishe kuye, Asinguye na lo uDavide, ukumkani welizwe? Asinguye na lo babevuma ngaye ekungqungqeni, besithi, USawule ubulele amawaka akhe, UDavide ubulele amawaka akhe angamashumi?
12 UDavide wawagcina loo mazwi entliziyweni yakhe, woyika kunene ebusweni buka-Akishe, ukumkani waseGati.
13 Waziphambanisa ingqondo phambi kwabo, wazigezisa esandleni sabo, wakrwela ezingcangweni zesango, wavuzisa uluchwe ezindevini zakhe.
14 Wathi uAkishe kubakhonzi bakhe, Khangelani, nantsi le ndoda isisihiba; yini na ukuba niyizise kum?
15 Ndiswele izihiba yini na ukuba nizise lo, abhudele phezu kwam? Wongena yini na lo endlwini yam?