David Learns of Saul's Death
1 After Saul's death David came back from his victory over the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag for two days. 2 The next day a young man arrived from Saul's camp. To show his grief, he had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head. He went to David and bowed to the ground in respect. 3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?”
“I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he answered.
4 “Tell me what happened,” David said.
“Our army ran away from the battle,” he replied, “and many of our men were killed. Saul and his son Jonathan were also killed.”
5 “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David asked him.
6 He answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and I saw that Saul was leaning on his spear and that the chariots and cavalry of the enemy were closing in on him. 7 Then he turned around, saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Yes, sir!’ 8 He asked who I was, and I told him that I was an Amalekite. 9 Then he said, ‘Come here and kill me! I have been badly wounded, and I'm about to die.’ 10 So I went up to him and killed him, because I knew that he would die anyway as soon as he fell. Then I took the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm, and I have brought them to you, sir.”
11 David tore his clothes in sorrow, and all his men did the same. 12 They grieved and mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan and for Israel, the people of the Lord, because so many had been killed in battle.
13 David asked the young man who had brought him the news, “Where are you from?”
He answered, “I'm an Amalekite, but I live in your country.”
14 David asked him, “How is it that you dared kill the Lord's chosen king?” 15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Kill him!” The man struck the Amalekite and mortally wounded him, 16 and David said to the Amalekite, “You brought this on yourself. You condemned yourself when you confessed that you killed the one whom the Lord chose to be king.”
David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan
17 David sang this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and ordered it to be taught to the people of Judah. (It is recorded in The Book of Jashar.)
19 “On the hills of Israel our leaders are dead!
The bravest of our soldiers have fallen!
20 Do not announce it in Gath
or in the streets of Ashkelon.
Do not make the women of Philistia glad;
do not let the daughters of pagans rejoice.
21 “May no rain or dew fall on Gilboa's hills;
may its fields be always barren!
For the shields of the brave lie there in disgrace;
the shield of Saul is no longer polished with oil.
22 Jonathan's bow was deadly,
the sword of Saul was merciless,
striking down the mighty, killing the enemy.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, so wonderful and dear;
together in life, together in death;
swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 “Women of Israel, mourn for Saul!
He clothed you in rich scarlet dresses
and adorned you with jewels and gold.
25 “The brave soldiers have fallen,
they were killed in battle.
Jonathan lies dead in the hills.
26 “I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan;
how dear you were to me!
How wonderful was your love for me,
better even than the love of women.
27 “The brave soldiers have fallen,
their weapons abandoned and useless.”
Dafite unobikigwa lufu gwa Saulo
1 Shule kwe lufu gwa Saulo, Dafite asinobuya edwa kukunda Baamaleki, Dafite kagala mazhuba mabili mu Zikilagi. 2 Kukati mu zhuba le butatu, kukazha nlume edwa ku bukotokelo gwa Saulo, zwiambalo zwizwe zwakapaluka ana mavu mu nsholo. Kukati eswika pana Dafite, kawila pasi nge kunteta. 3 Dafite kambhuzwa kati, “Unodwa ngayi?” Kadabila eti, “Ndatizha asiya ku bukotokelo gwe Iziraela.” 4 Dafite kati kunli, “Apa kwayenda tjini kene? Undibudze!” Kadabila eti, “Babhayani batizha ku ngwa, ngono bathu banjinji bawa bafa. Kose na Saulo ne nkololo uwe Jonatani bafabo.” 5 Dafite kabhuzwa nzhuzha wambikila eti, “Waziba tjini kuti Saulo ne nkololo uwe Jonatani bafa?”
6 Nzhuzha kadabila eti, “Kwakashingikala kuti ndibe ndili pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Gilibhowa, ipapo awila Saulo akanaila thumo lile, koloyi dze ngwa ne batathi be mbizi bakabe bantatamila bansedzelela. 7 Ndizo katjebuka kandibona, kabe endidana, adabila nditi, ‘Tetshi.’ 8 Kandibhuzwa eti, ‘Ndiwe ani?’ Ndakan'dabila nditi, ‘Ndi N'amaleki.’ 9 Ipapo kandidwa kati, ‘Izha ngeno, undibulaye, ndimu zwibhayo zwe lufu, ngono meya yangu inolambila mundili.’ 10 Ndizo ndakama panli ambulaya, ngobe ndakaziba kuti aangatjile shule kwe asinowa. Ndakatola tjiala tje bushe mu nsholo uwe ne linga lakabe lili mu luboko gugwe, ngono ndazha nazo kuna tetshi wangu.”
11 Ipapo Dafite kabhata zwiambalo zwizwe kazwipalula ne balume bose baakabe anabo bakathamabo beijalo. 12 Bakabe mu tjililo, bakalila, kakale bakazwinyima zojiwa kunoswika madekwana belilila Saulo ne nkololo uwe Jonatani ne bathu ba Yahwe ne ng'umba ye Iziraela, ngobe bakabe bawa nge thumo.
13 Dafite kadwa nzhuzha wambikila eti, “Unodwa ngayi?”
Kadabila eti, “Imi ndi mwana we ntaya, ndi N'amaleki.”
14 Dafite kambhuzwa kati, “Apa ini wakabe usingatje kumilidza luboko gugo kupeleledza nzhodziwa wa Yahwe kene?” 15 Ipapo Dafite kadana mmwe we babhayani babe kandwa kati, “Izha ngeno umbulaye.” Kabe enloba enligila pasi ebe efa. 16 Dafite kati kunli, “Malopa awo abe mu nsholo uwo, ngobe waleba nge nlomo uwo sekwa wathama uti, ‘Ndabulaya nzhodziwa wa Yahwe.’ ”
Dafite unolilila Saulo na Jonatani
17 Dafite kamba lumbo gwe tjililo ngekwa Saulo ne nkololo uwe Jonatani. 18 Kalaula kuti bathu be Juda badiyiwe lumbo gwe dati, bonani gwakakwagwa mu Lukwalo gwa Jashari.
19 “Gudzo lilo, Iziraela, lilele lakafa mu mituthu yakatuthumala!
Bahali bawa seni!
20 Musitongo kuleba mu Gati,
Musitongo kusumikila mu zila dze Ashikeloni,
kungadwa kushathisa bakololokadzi be Bafilisitiya,
kungadwa kushathisa bakololokadzi be basakathumbigwa.
21 “Imwi matombo e Gilibhowa,
ngakusibe ne khawa kene vula pezhugwi kwenyu,
kusibe ne minda ingavung'wa!
Ngobe ikweno kwaka temapadziwa tjivikisi tjaanovikisa tje nhali,
tjivikisi tja Saulo atjitjowofa tjazhodziwa mafuta ndodwa.
22 “Kudwa mu malopa e bakabulawa
kudwa mu mafuta e bahali
nsebe wa Jonatani hauzoshanduka koga,
ne thumo la Saulo lakabelisina ngoni.
23 “Saulo na Jonatani, badiwa banodika!
Mu butjilo ne mu lufu abazotongo thubukana,
bakabe bemadzuka kupinda madzu,
bakabe bakasima kupinda shumba.
24 “Imwi bakololokadzi be Iziraela lililani Saulo,
wakamumbadza ne matyila mashaba, emunakisa,
wakanakisa zwiambalo zwenyu nge minakiso ye golide.
25 “Bahali bawa seni
pakati kwe ngwa!
Jonatani wabulawa ku matuthu.
26 “Ndimu buyendasi nge kuko, gamu langu Jonatani,
kukulu kwazo sekwa ndabe ndikuda ndiko,
ludo gugo mundili gwabe guli gunotjenamisa,
gutjenamisa kupinda ludo gwe betjikadzi.
27 “Bahali bawa seni
ne zwibhayano zwe ngwa zwaloba!”