1 Akuba uSawule efile, uDavide wabuyela eZikelage emva kokoyisa kwakhe ama-Amaleki, wachitha khona iintsuku zambini.
2 Ngolwesithathu usuku kwafika mfo uthile, evela kwikampu yomkhosi kaSawule. Wayambethe iingubo ezikrazukileyo, ezigalele umhlaba entloko. Wathi akufika kuDavide, wawa phantsi ekhahlela.
3 UDavide wathi kuye: “Uvela phi?”Uphendule ngelithi: “Ndibaleke ekampini yamaSirayeli.”
4 UDavide wathi: “Kwenzeke ntoni? Khawundixelele.”“Umkhosi wethu usuke wabaleka,” utshilo ukuphendula, “yaye maninzi amadoda awileyo edabini. Nditsho nkqu uSawule noJonatan unyana wakhe nabo itshoba lilele umbethe.”
5 Wathi uDavide kuloo mfana wayemzisela ezi ndaba: “Wazi ngantoni ukuba uSawule nonyana wakhe uJonatan bafile?”
6 Umfana lowo waphendula wathi: “Kwathi ndilapho entabeni iGilibhowa ndabona ukuba uSawule wayexhathise ngomkhonto, seleza kufunyanwa ziinqwelo nabakhweli-mahashe abamsukelayo.
7 Wathi akukhangela ngasemva wandibona, wandibiza, nam ke ndasabela ndathi: ‘Ndikwenzele ntoni?’
8 Wathi kum: ‘Ungubani?’ Ndathi kuye: ‘NdingumAmaleki.’
9 Uthe kum ke: ‘Sondela undigqibezele. Ubomi bam sebungamacimi-cimi, kodwa andikaphelelwa.’
10 Ndaya ke, ndafika ndamgwaza, kuba ndandiqonda mhlophe ukuba akasokube angafi, ukuba ukhe wawa nje. Emva koko ndamothula esi sithsaba awayesithwele, ndamkhulula nesi sacholo engalweni. Nazi ke, mhlekazi; ndizizisile kuwe!”
11 Wazikrazula izambatho zakhe uDavide, enjenjalo nawo onke amadoda awayekunye naye.
12 Bazila, balila, abatya nokutya oku kwada kwahlwa, belilela uSawule nonyana wakhe uJonatan kunye namaSirayeli, abantu *bakaNdikhoyo, ababewe ngekrele.
13 Emva koko uDavide wabuza loo mfana wayeze nezi ndaba, wathi: “Uvela phi kakade wena, mfana?”“Mna ndingunyana wendoda engumngeneleli, umAmaleki,” uphendule watsho loo mfana.
14 UDavide ke wathi: “Ngani ungoyiki ukuphakamisa isandla sakho ubulale umthanjiswa kaNdikhoyo?”
15 Waza uDavide wabhekisa kwenye yamadodana akhe, wathi: “Bulala le nto!” Loo ndodana ke imgwaze kwangoko umfana lowo, yaphel' intw' ibithethwa.
16 Wavakala uDavide esithi: “Igazi lakho malibe phezu kwentloko yakho. Urhintyelwe kwangulo mlomo wakho xa ubungqina usithi: ‘Ndimbulele umthanjiswa kaNdikhoyo.’ ”
17 Emva koko uDavide wavuma le ngoma, elilela uSawule nonyana wakhe uJonatan.
18 Wathi kufuneka bayifundiswe bonke abemi bakwaJuda, ibe yingoma yesaphetha. (Ibhalwe kwiNcwadi kaYashare.) Ithi loo ngoma:
19 “Awu! Itshoba lilel' umbethe kwiimbalasane zakwaSirayeli!Awil' amagorha akuthi phaya endulini!
20 “Ze ningayithethi le ntlekele eGati,ningayidizi nasezitalatweni zaseAshkelon;hleze sihlekwe ziintombi zamaFilistiya;hleze zivuye iintombi zeentlanga ezingalukiyo.
21 “Hoyina, zintaba zaseGilibhowa!Mawunibukul' umbethe ngokunjalo nemvula,uz' umhlab' uhlal' ungumqwebedu,ungavelisi umnikelo wengqolowa.Kaloku lahlazek' apho kun' ikhaka lenqeberh' enkulu;kungokunje alisawev' amafutha ikhaka likaSawule.
22 Kwajub' ugodo lutolo lukaJonatan,lenz' iziqweng' ikrele likaSawule,kwaw' izigantsontso luqikilek' utshaba.
23 “Ziinzwana, ziintandane uSawule noJonatan;ngumtya nethunga behleli, befile.Asingomendu, kuncam' ixhalanga;ziingwanzilili, bodlul' iingonyama.
24 “Gixani, zintombi zakwaSirayeli, nililel' uSawuleowayenambes' ezimbeje-mbeje zon' iingubo,ehombis' izambatho zenu ngegolide.
25 “Awu! Ewe, awil' amagorh' amakhulu,itshoba lalal' umbeth' esedabini.Ukhahlelwe phantsi uJonatan phaya endulini.
26 Kubuhlung' ukushiywa nguwe, Jonatan, mfo wethu!Ubuyinceke, intandane kum.Uthando lwakho kum beluncamisile;beludlul' uthando lwentombazana.
27 “Awu! Ngenene, itshoba lilel' umbethe kumagorh' akuthi;nezo zikrweqe zemfazwe zifane zalal' umhlwa.”