1 Kwathi, xa uSawule wabuyayo ekuwasukeleni amaFilisti, bamxelela besithi, Nanku uDavide entlango yase-Engedi.
2 USawule wawathabatha amadoda angamawaka amathathu ahleliweyo kumaSirayeli onke; wayakufuna uDavide namadoda akhe emaweni amagogo.
3 Wafika ezibayeni zempahla emfutshane, ngasendleleni, kukho umqolomba apho. Wangena uSawule, ukuba agubungele iinyawo zakhe. Ke uDavide namadoda akhe babehleli entla emqolombeni.
4 Athi amadoda kaDavide kuye, Nantsi imini, athe uYehova kuwe, Yabona, ndiya kulunikela utshaba lwakho esandleni sakho, wenze kulo njengoko kulungileyo emehlweni akho. Wesuka uDavide, wanqamla ngasese isondo lengubo yokwaleka abenayo uSawule.
5 Kwathi emveni koko, intliziyo kaDavide yakhathazeka ngenxa yokuba ebelinqamle isondo lengubo kaSawule.
6 Wathi kumadoda akhe, Makube lee kum, ngenxa kaYehova, ukuthi ndiyenze loo nto enkosini yam, umthanjiswa kaYehova, ndisise isandla sam kuye; ngokuba ungumthanjiswa kaYehova.
7 UDavide wawadubula ngamazwi amadoda akhe; akawavumela ukuba amwele uSawule. Wesuka uSawule emqolombeni, wahamba indlela yakhe.
8 Wesuka uDavide emveni koko, waphuma emqolombeni, wamemeza kuSawule, wathi, Nkosi yam, kumkani. Wabheka emva uSawule. Wathoba uDavide ngobuso emhlabeni, waqubuda.
9 Wathi uDavide kuSawule, Yini na ukuba uve amazwi abathe, Nanku uDavide efuna ukuba uhlelwe bububi?
10 Yabona, namhla abonile amehlo akho, ukuba uYehova ebekunikele esandleni sam namhla emqolombeni; kwathiwa mawubulawe. Laba nenceba kuwe iliso lam, ndathi, Andiyi kusa sandla enkosini yam; ngokuba ingumthanjiswa kaYehova.
11 Khangela ke, bawo, nali isondo lengubo yakho yokwaleka, lisesandleni sam; ngokuba, ndingakubulalanga nje ekulinqumleni isondo lengubo yakho yokwaleka, yazi, ubone ukuba esandleni sam akukho bubi nalukreqo. Andonanga kuwe, uwuzingela nje umphefumlo wam, ukuba uwuthabathe.
12 UYehova uya kugweba phakathi kwam nawe, andiphindezelele uYehova kuwe; ke isandla sam asiyi kukuphatha.
13 Njengoko litshoyo iqhalo lamanyange ukuthi, Okungendawo kuphuma kwabangendawo; ke isandla sam asiyi kufikelela kuwe.
14 Uphumelene nabani na kodwa ukumkani wamaSirayeli? Usukela bani na? Usukela inja efileyo, usukela intakumba embala.
15 UYehova makabe ngumgwebi, agwebe phakathi kwam nawe, abone, abambane ngobambano lwam, andigwebele, ndisinde esandleni sakho.
16 Kwathi, akugqiba uDavide ukuwathetha la mazwi kuSawule, wathi uSawule, Lilizwi lakho na elo, nyana wam Davide? USawule waliphakamisa izwi lakhe, walila.
17 Wathi kuDavide, Ilungisa nguwe kunam; ngokuba undenze okulungileyo wena, ndakwenza okubi mna.
18 Wena uxelile namhla ukuba undenze okulungileyo; kuba uYehova ebendinikele esandleni sakho, akwandibulala.
19 Xa umntu alufumanayo utshaba lwakhe, wolundulula ngendlela elungileyo yini na? UYehova makabuyekeze kuwe okulungileyo ngenxa yoko undenze ngako namhla.
20 Kaloku yabona, ndiyazi ukuba uya kuba ngukumkani okunene, bume esandleni sakho ubukumkani bakwaSirayeli.
21 Ndifungele uYehova ngoko, ukuba akuyi kuyinqamla imbewu yam emveni kwam, nokuba akuyi kulitshabalalisa igama lam endlwini kabawo.
22 UDavide wamfungela ke uSawule. Wemka uSawule, waya endlwini yakhe. Ke uDavide namadoda akhe benyuka baya emboniselweni.