Lufu gwa Samuele
1 Ipapo Samuele kafa, Baiziraela bose bakakubungana bakanlilila. Bakambiganyila mu nzi uwe mu Rama.
Dafite na Abigaile
Ipapo Dafite kamilika kadelukila ku tjilambanyika tje Parani.
2 Kwakabe kuna nlume ku Maoni, ana thundu iye ku Karimeli, akabe akafuma kwazo, akathuwa pkhwizi dzili zwiwulu zwili zwitatu (3 000) mbudzi dzili tjiwulu tjing'ompela (1 000). Wakabe eteselela pkhwizi dzidze mu Karimeli. 3 Zina lile lakabe liyi Nabhali, zina le nkadzi uwe kuyi Abigaile. Ali nkadzi mbuya wakatjenjela, koga nlume wakabe ana moyo wakabipa asina buthu, wakabe ali Nkhalibhi. 4 Kukati Dafite ali mu tjilambanyika kahwa kuyi Nabhali unotesela pkhwizi dzidze. 5 Ndizo Dafite katuma bazhuzha bali gumi, kabadwa kati, “Tathilani ku Karimeli kuna Nabhali, muswike mundidumilisile iye. 6 Ha mundumilisa muti, ‘Mbakiso ngaibe namwi, ibe nenge nsha wenyu, nenge zose zwamunazo.’ 7 Ndiko ndihwa kuyi nsi we kutesegwa kwe pkhwizi, ngono takabe tina balisi be pkhwizi dzenyu, atizotongo badziyidza, akuna tjakabamilila tjibaka tjose tjabakabe bali mu Karimeli. 8 Mubabhuzwe, banowomubudza. Tazha nge zhuba le nzano, ngono Dafite wamukumbila kuti mutibhate nge maboko mabili. Wakumbila kuti mupe balanda benyu ne nkololo wenyu Dafite tjamungabe munatjo.”
9 Kwakati balanda ba Dafite baswika, bakaleba sekwa batumwa ndi Dafite. Ndizo bakalinda. 10 Koga Nabhali kashandula balanda ba Dafite eti, “Apa Dafite ndiani kene? Nkololo wa Jesi iwoyu ndiani? Balanda banjinji mazhuba iyawa banonyeluka botetshi babo. 11 Apa ndingatola tjiwunga tjangu ne vula yangu, ne nyama yandabhayila bateseli be pkhwizi dzangu, ndipa bathu bandisingazibe kuti banodwa ngayi beyenda ngayi kene?”
12 Ndizo balanda ba Dafite bakashanduka bakabgwilila, bakaswika bakabikila Dafite matama wose iyawa. 13 Dafite kadwa balanda babe kati, “Nlume mmwe ne mmwe ngadedele bukano gugwe!” Mmwe ne mmwe wabo kadedela bukano gugwe, Dafite na iyebo kadedelabo gugwe, ndizo balume bangabe mazana manna (400), bakamilika na Dafite, bali mazana mabili (200) bakasala bakalinda thundu.
14 Ngono mmwe we balanda kabudza Abigaile nkadzi wa Nabhali eti, “Dafite wakatuma balanda kudwa mu tjilambanyika kuwodumilisa tetshi wedu, ngono babashanganidza nge masapa. 15 Ipapa balume ibaba bakabe bakatilulamila kwazo, abazotongo tidziyidza, nenge nako dzose tili mu shango pejo nabo akuna tjakatongo timilila. 16 Takabe takalisa pkhwizi dzedu tili pejo nabo, bakatibakilila siku ne sikati. 17 Ndizo ngwenu kumbulani mu bone kuti mungathamani, ngobe kungadwa kukabe mbatsha muna tetshi wedu na bose be nsha uwe, ngoti iye nthu una moyo wakabipa kwazo, akuna nthu ungalebeleka naye.”
18 Ndizo Abigaile kalibilidza katola zwiwunga zwili mazana mabili (200), makukhwa mabili e nkumbi we zhambi, pkhwizi dzili shanu dzakashashikwa, makabha mashanu ye mathunde akakangiwa, thabi dzili zana (100) dze zhambi dzakawanikiwa ne makhekhe e phaya ali mazana mabili (200). Kazwibelesa mu madonki. 19 Kadwa bazhuzha babe kati, “Munditungamile, ndomusala shule.” Koga kasitongobudza nlume uwe Nabhali.
20 Kwakati ekunguluka ali pezhugwi kwe donki, atjisitigwa nge dombo, kashangana na Dafite ne bathu babe bedelukila kunli, ngono kabashangamidza. 21 Ipapo Dafite kalebeleka eti, “Tjoselele kwakabe masimba malashe, kose kwandakatjengeta mu tjilambanyika, kwe nthu iwoyu, ngobe akuna tjakamila tja zose zwaakabe anazo, koga mu bubuya gwandakanthamila igo, wandilipa nge mbipo. 22 Ndzimu undilobe upaphulula, ha lingati mangwana libhuda, abe ndasiya nng'ompela we tjilume etjila, we balanda babe bose.”
23 Kwakati Abigaile ebona Dafite, kalibilidza kadeluka donki, kawila pasi nge zwidwi mbeli kwa Dafite akakotamisa nsholo. 24 Kawila pa makumbo a Dafite kandwa kati, “Tetshi wangu, nlandu ube mu mathudzi angu, nlanda wenyu unokumbila lebeleka namwi, ngono muteedze tjinowobe tjilebgwa nge nlanda wenyu. 25 Tetshi wangu, musitongo tobelela nthu iwoje we meya mbi Nabhali, mbimbi seleba kwe zina lile Nabhali, kudwiwa kuti tjilengwe, bulengwe gumunli, koga imi, nlanda wenyu, andizobe ndabona balanda ba tetshi wangu, bamakatuma. 26 Ngono ngweno tetshi wangu, ndotuna ndi Yahwe banotjila, nanga namwi, sekwa Yahwe bamudziba mu kutebula malopa ne kuzwibgwilizila nge maboko enyu, tjiletjedzani zwita zwenyu na bose banoshaka kumuthamila mbipo bafanane na Nabhali. 27 Ngono ngwenu amutjilani tjipo etji, tjazhisiwa nge nlandakadzi wenyu, tetshi wangu, kuti tjipiwe balanda bakasala shule tetshi wangu. 28 Ndomukumbila muzwiibhatigwe nlandu we nlandakadzi wenyu, ngobe Yahwe nge malebeswa banowopa tetshi wangu bushe gusingapele, ngobe mobhayana ngwa dza Yahwe. Akusiwanike mbipo mu muli mu butjilo gwenyu gose. 29 Nakuto kuna mmwe angamutobelela eshaka kumubulaya, tetshi wangu, butjilo gwa tetshi wangu gowowang'wa pakati kwe batjili, mu maboko a Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu. Koga Yahwe banowopaladza butjilo gwe zwita zwenyu se mabgwe anoposiwa edwa mu tjivirimabgwe. 30 Ha Yahwe basinothamila tetshi wangu kuyendidzana ne ndulamo yose yabakaleba nge kwenyu, bamubiga mbusi we Iziraela, 31 tetshi wangu abatowobe ne kuhwa zogwadza kene tjibhayo mu moyo, tje nlandu we kutebula malopa mwaza kene kuzwitjidza nge kwabo. Ngono ha Yahwe bathama kuti mutubule tetshi wangu, mukumbule nlandakadzi wenyu.”
32 Dafite kadwa Abigaile kati, “Ngakukudziwe Yahwe, Ndzimu we Iziraela, bakutuma kuwoshangana nami nasi. 33 Ngakukudziwe nkumbulo uwo, ukombolegwe iwe, wandidziba mu kutebula malopa ne mu kuzwibgwilizila nge luboko gwangu. 34 Ndolebesa ndotuna ndi Yahwe Ndzimu we Iziraela banotjila, ibo bandidziba mu kukukubadza, ha wabe usatjimbidza ukandishanganidza, ndolebesa kwabe kowoti mangwanana kukabe kusina ne ng'ompela we tjilume wasalila Nabhali etjila.” 35 Ndizo Dafite kaamutjila mu luboko gugwe tjaakabe anzhila, ngono kandwa kati, “Yenda ku nzi uwo nge mbakiso, bona, ndahwa tjawaleba, ngono ndaamutjila kukumbila kuko.”
36 Kwakati Abigaile eswika kuna Nabhali, kawana akabhata nzano mu ng'umba iye, unonga wa mambo, wakabe ebilima, akalaladza kupinda tjilizanyo. Koga kasindwe tjimwe kuswikila tjimuka kwayedza. 37 Ndizo kukati tjimuka budakwa gwapela muna Nabhali, nkadzi uwe kambudza zwithu izwezwi, moyo uwe ukama, kawoma se danda. 38 Shule kwe mazhuba angabe gumi, Yahwe bakaloba Nabhali, kafa.
39 Kwakati Dafite ehwa kuti Nabhali wakafa, kabe eti, “Ngakukudziwe Yahwe bakasumikilisa ndebo ye sapa la Nabhali laakandituka, ngono bakadziba nlanda wabo mu mbipo, Yahwe bakabgwilizila zwiyito zwakabipa zwa Nabhali mu nli.”
Ndizo Dafite katuma nthu kun'shakila Abigaile, kuti abe nkadzi uwe. 40 Balanda ba Dafite bakayenda kuna Abigaile ku Karimeli bakaswika bendwa beti, “Tatumwa ndi Dafite kumuli kuti tomutola kunobe nkadzi uwe.”
41 Abigaile kamilika kakotamisa nsholo, kabe eti, “Nlandakadzi wenyu upano, wazwimisila kumushingila ne kungudza makumbo e balanda ba tetshi wangu.” 42 Abigaile kamilika tjinyolotjo kayenda akatatha donki, kanokotosiwa nge balandakadzi babe bali bashanu, kayenda ali shule kwe batumwa ba Dafite, kanobe nkadzi uwe.
43 Dafite wakabe akalobola Ahinoamu we Jezerele, ngono bose nge bubili bakabe bakadzi babe. 44 Koga Saulo wakabe akoba nkololokadzi uwe Mikhali wakabe ali nkadzi wa Dafite, anlobodza Palitiele nkololo wa Laishe wakabe edwa ku Galimu.
The Death of Samuel
1 Samuel died, and all the Israelites came together and mourned for him. Then they buried him at his home in Ramah.
David and Abigail
After this, David went to the wilderness of Paran. 2-3 There was a man of the clan of Caleb named Nabal, who was from the town of Maon, and who owned land near the town of Carmel. He was a very rich man, the owner of three thousand sheep and one thousand goats. His wife Abigail was beautiful and intelligent, but he was a mean, bad-tempered man.
Nabal was shearing his sheep in Carmel, 4 and David, who was in the wilderness, heard about it, 5 so he sent ten young men with orders to go to Carmel, find Nabal, and give him his greetings. 6 He instructed them to say to Nabal: “David sends you greetings, my friend, with his best wishes for you, your family, and all that is yours. 7 He heard that you were shearing your sheep, and he wants you to know that your shepherds have been with us and we did not harm them. Nothing that belonged to them was stolen all the time they were at Carmel. 8 Just ask them, and they will tell you. We have come on a feast day, and David asks you to receive us kindly. Please give what you can to us your servants and to your dear friend David.”
9 David's men delivered this message to Nabal in David's name. Then they waited there, 10 and Nabal finally answered, “David? Who is he? I've never heard of him! The country is full of runaway slaves nowadays! 11 I'm not going to take my bread and water, and the animals I have butchered for my sheepshearers, and give them to people who come from I don't know where!”
12 David's men went back to him and told him what Nabal had said. 13 “Buckle on your swords!” he ordered, and they all did. David also buckled on his sword and left with about four hundred of his men, leaving two hundred behind with the supplies.
14 One of Nabal's servants said to Nabal's wife Abigail, “Have you heard? David sent some messengers from the wilderness with greetings for our master, but he insulted them. 15 Yet they were very good to us; they never bothered us, and all the time we were with them in the fields, nothing that belonged to us was stolen. 16 They protected us day and night the whole time we were with them looking after our flocks. 17 Please think this over and decide what to do. This could be disastrous for our master and all his family. He is so mean that he won't listen to anybody!”
18 Abigail quickly gathered two hundred loaves of bread, two leather bags full of wine, five roasted sheep, two bushels of roasted grain, a hundred bunches of raisins, and two hundred cakes of dried figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 Then she said to the servants, “You go on ahead and I will follow you.” But she said nothing to her husband.
20 She was riding her donkey around a bend on a hillside when suddenly she met David and his men coming toward her. 21 David had been thinking, “Why did I ever protect that fellow's property out here in the wilderness? Not a thing that belonged to him was stolen, and this is how he pays me back for the help I gave him! 22 May God strike me dead if I don't kill every last one of those men before morning!”
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly dismounted and threw herself on the ground 24 at David's feet, and said to him, “Please, sir, listen to me! Let me take the blame. 25 Please, don't pay any attention to Nabal, that good-for-nothing! He is exactly what his name means—a fool! I wasn't there when your servants arrived, sir. 26 It is the Lord who has kept you from taking revenge and killing your enemies. And now I swear to you by the living Lord that your enemies and all who want to harm you will be punished like Nabal. 27 Please, sir, accept this present I have brought you, and give it to your men. 28 Please forgive me, sir, for any wrong I have done. The Lord will make you king, and your descendants also, because you are fighting his battles; and you will not do anything evil as long as you live. 29 If anyone should attack you and try to kill you, the Lord your God will keep you safe, as someone guards a precious treasure. As for your enemies, however, he will throw them away, as someone hurls stones with a sling. 30 And when the Lord has done all the good things he has promised you and has made you king of Israel, 31 then you will not have to feel regret or remorse, sir, for having killed without cause or for having taken your own revenge. And when the Lord has blessed you, sir, please do not forget me.”
32 David said to her, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you today to meet me! 33 Thank God for your good sense and for what you have done today in keeping me from the crime of murder and from taking my own revenge. 34 The Lord has kept me from harming you. But I swear by the living God of Israel that if you had not hurried to meet me, all of Nabal's men would have been dead by morning!” 35 Then David accepted what she had brought him and said to her, “Go back home and don't worry. I will do what you want.”
36 Abigail went back to Nabal, who was at home having a feast fit for a king. He was drunk and in a good mood, so she did not tell him anything until the next morning. 37 Then, after he had sobered up, she told him everything. He suffered a stroke and was completely paralyzed. 38 Some ten days later the Lord struck Nabal and he died.
39 When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, “Praise the Lord! He has taken revenge on Nabal for insulting me and has kept me his servant from doing wrong. The Lord has punished Nabal for his evil.”
Then David sent a proposal of marriage to Abigail. 40 His servants went to her at Carmel and said to her, “David sent us to take you to him to be his wife.”
41 Abigail bowed down to the ground and said, “I am his servant, ready to wash the feet of his servants.” 42 She rose quickly and mounted her donkey. Accompanied by her five maids, she went with David's servants and became his wife.
43 David had married Ahinoam from Jezreel, and now Abigail also became his wife. 44 Meanwhile, Saul had given his daughter Michal, who had been David's wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from the town of Gallim.