1 Ukubuya kwakhe uSawule emfazweni, evela kulwa namaFilistiya, waxelelwa ukuba uDavide wayekwintlango yase-Engedi.
2 USawule wathatha amawaka amathathu amadoda akhethiweyo kwaSirayeli, wangena ekhondweni, esiya kukhangela uDavide ngakwicala langasempumalanga laMaweempunzi.
3 Endleleni apho uSawule wafika kwindawo eneentango zeegusha. Apho bekukho umqolomba, waza uSawule wangena kuwo, efuna ukuya kuzithuma. Yayinguloo mqolomba kanye wayezímele kuwo uDavide namadoda akhe, besengontsini phakathi kanye.
4 Athi amadoda akhe akuyibona loo nto: “Nali ithuba lakho! Akazanga atsho *uNdikhoyo ukuthi wolunikela kuwe utshaba lwakho, wenze nantoni na ofuna ukuyenza ngalo?” Wachwechwa ke uDavide, wafika wasika isondo lesambatho sikaSawule, phofu uSawule engakuqondi okuqhubekayo.
5 Loo nto wayenza kuSawule yamdla kakhulu uDavide.
6 Wathi kumadoda akhe: “Makandithintele uNdikhoyo ekwenzeni into enje kwinkosi yam umthanjiswa kaNdikhoyo, nditsho le yokuba ndise isandla sam kuye, kuba kaloku ungumthanjiswa kaNdikhoyo!”
7 Wawakhalimela ngaloo mazwi uDavide amadoda akhe, wawanqanda ukuze angamhlaseli uSawule.Wesuka kuloo ndawo uSawule, wangena endleleni.
8 UDavide waphuma emqolombeni, wamlandela ekhwaza esithi: “Wa, mhlekazi, nkosi yam!” Wajika wakhangela ngasemva uSawule. Wawa ngobuso emhlabeni uDavide ekhahlela.
9 Waqhuba wenjenje: “Mhlekazi, kungani na ukuba uhambisane nolwimi oluthi mna ndizungula ukukwenzakalisa?
10 Wena akuyiboni into yokuba khona ngoku uNdikhoyo ebekunikele esandleni sam phaya kulaa mqolomba? Bekusithiwa mandikucim' igama, kodwa ndaba nenceba, ndala konke mna ukukubulala, kuba kaloku wena ungukumkani, umthanjiswa kaNdikhoyo.
11 Bawo, khangela, nali isondo lesambatho sakho esandleni sam! Ngendikucim' igama, koko ndisuke nje ndasika le ndawo engubeni yakho. Yazi ke ngoku uqonde ukuba mna andikhange ndafuna kukuvukela okanye kukwenzakalisa. Nguwe ozingela mna, ufuna ukundibulala, naxa ndingakwenzanga nto imbi.
12 Wanga ke uNdikhoyo angahlula phakathi kwam nawe. Ubenga angandiphindezela ngenxa yobubi ondenzele bona. Mna andingekhe ndikuse sandla.
13 Kaloku sitsho njalo isaci samandulo ukuthi: ‘Inkohlakalo iphuma kwabakhohlakeleyo.’ Ke mna andiyi kukusa sandla konke.
14 Ngaba úyayiqonda yona le nto ayileqayo ukumkani wamaSirayeli? Yintoni le ayisukelayo? Ngaba usukela inja efileyo okanye intakumba enye?
15 Hayi, makahlule uNdikhoyo, kucace ukuba ngubani owonileyo phakathi kwam nawe. Makayigqale imeko yam, andigwebele, ancede andihlangule kuwe!”
16 Uthe akupheza ukuthetha uDavide, wavakala uSawule esithi: “Davide, mfo wam, ngaba lilizwi lakho na elo?” Watsho elila.
17 Waqhuba wathi kuDavide: “Unyanisile, ndim lo wonileyo, kuba ubusoloko usenza ubuhle kum, kanti mna bendikuphatha kakubi!
18 Ukubonakalalisile ukulunga kwakho kum namhlanje, kuba akundibulalanga uNdikhoyo selendinikele esandleni sakho!
19 Yakha yabonwa phi into yokuba athi umntu, selelubambile utshaba lwakhe, abuye aluyeke angalwenzakalisi? Ubenga uNdikhoyo angakuthamsanqela ngale nto ilungileyo undenzele yona namhlanje.
20 Ngoku ndiyazi ukuba iza kuba nguwe ukumkani wakwaSirayeli, nokuba ulawulo lwakwaSirayeli luya kuzinziswa ezandleni zakho.
21 Kodwa ke funga uNdikhoyo ukuba akuyi kuyitshabalalisa inzala yam, ukuze igama lam lingabhangi endlwini kabawo.”
22 Wafunga ke uDavide.Emva koko uSawule wabuyela komkhulu, waza yena uDavide namadoda akhe babuyela endaweni yabo enqatyisiweyo.