David and Mephibosheth
1 One day David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul's family? If there is, I would like to show him kindness for Jonathan's sake.”
2 There was a servant of Saul's family named Ziba, and he was told to go to David. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.
“At your service, sir,” he answered.
3 The king asked him, “Is there anyone left of Saul's family to whom I can show loyalty and kindness, as I promised God I would?”
Ziba answered, “There is still one of Jonathan's sons. He is crippled.”
4 “Where is he?” the king asked.
“At the home of Machir son of Ammiel in Lodebar,” Ziba answered. 5 So King David sent for him.
6 When Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul, arrived, he bowed down before David in respect. David said, “Mephibosheth,” and he answered, “At your service, sir.”
7 “Don't be afraid,” David replied. “I will be kind to you for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will give you back all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always be welcome at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth bowed again and said, “I am no better than a dead dog, sir! Why should you be so good to me?”
9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said, “I am giving Mephibosheth, your master's grandson, everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You, your sons, and your servants will farm the land for your master Saul's family and bring in the harvest, to provide food for them. But Mephibosheth himself will always be a guest at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
11 Ziba answered, “I will do everything Your Majesty commands.”
So Mephibosheth ate at the king's table, just like one of the king's sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. All the members of Ziba's family became servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem, eating all his meals at the king's table.
Dafite na Mefibosheti
1 Limwe zhuba Dafite kabhuzwa eti, “Apa kutjina mmwe utjimpenyu we ng'umba ya Saulo kene? Ha alipo ndowonthamila lubu ngekwa Jonatani.”
2 Ipapo kukabe kuna nlanda we ng'umba ya Saulo wakabe edang'wa kuyi Ziba, kadanigwa mbeli kwa Dafite. Mambo bakambhuzwa bakati, “Ndiwe Ziba?”
Kadabila eti, “Ndimi nlanda wenyu.”
3 Mambo bakabhuzwa kakale bakati, “Apa kutjina mmwe utjimpenyu we ng'umba ya Saulo wandinga lakidza ngoni dze Ndzimu kene?”
Ziba kadabila mambo eti, “Nkololo wa Jonatani utjimpenyu, tjilema makumbo wose.”
4 Mambo bakambhuzwa bakati, “Ungayi?”
Ziba kadabila mambo eti, “Uku ng'umba ya Makiri nkololo wa Amiele ku Lodeba.” 5 Ndizo Mambo Dafite bakatumila nthu kunontola kudwa ku ng'umba ya Makiri nkololo wa Amiele ku Lodeba.
6 Mefibosheti nkololo wa Jonatani, mwana we mwana wa Saulo kazha kuna Dafite, kakotamisa nsholo nge kuzwiyisa pasi. Dafite kan'dana kati, “Mefibosheti!” Kadabila kati, “Tetshi, nlanda wenyu upano.”
7 Dafite kandwa kati, “Usitje, ndowokuthamila buthu ngekwa tate babo Jonatani, ndowokubgwilizila shango yose yakabe ili ya batategulu babo Saulo, ngono iwe ngekuko unowoja pa tafuli yangu misi yose.”
8 Mefibosheti kakotamisa nsholo kati, “Apa imi nlanda wenyu ndini, kwamungadzina mukayitila hanya mbgwa yakafa sami kene?” 9 Ndizo mambo bakadana Ziba nlanda wa Saulo, bakandwa bakati, “Kose kwakabe kuli kwa Saulo ne ng'umba iye yose ndakupa mwana we mwana wa tetshi uwo. 10 Iwe ne bakololo babo ne balanda babo mowonlimila nnda, mubuya muvuna munzhisila zojiwa. Kuti ndizo mwana we mwana wa tetshi uwo awane tjinojiwa, koga Mefibosheti mwana we mwana wa tetshi uwo unowoja pa tafuli yangu misi yose.” Ziba wakabe ana bakololo bali gumi lina bashanu (15) ne balanda bali makumi mabili (20).
11 Ziba kadabila mambo eti, “Nlanda wenyu unoshinga zose zwa adwiwa ndi tetshi wangu mambo.”
Mefibosheti kajila pa tafuli ya Dafite se mmwe we bakololo ba mambo. 12 Mefibosheti wakabe ana nkololo ntjetjana we zina linoyi Mika. Ngono bose bakabe begala mu ng'umba ya Ziba bakabe balanda ba Mefibosheti. 13 Mefibosheti wakabe egala mu Jerusalema, egala ejila pa tafuli ya mambo, koga wakabe ali tjilema makumbo wose.