David Hears That Saul Has Died
1After Saul died, David returned to Ziklag. He had won the battle over the Amalekites. He stayed in Ziklag for two days. 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp. His clothes were torn. He had dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to show him respect.
3“Where have you come from?” David asked him.
He answered, “I’ve escaped from Israel’s camp.”
4“What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.”
He said, “Israel’s men ran away from the battle. Many of them were killed. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
5David spoke to the young man who brought him the report. He asked him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6“I just happened to be there on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said. “Saul was there too. He was leaning on his spear. The enemy chariots and chariot drivers had almost caught up with him. 7Then he turned around and saw me. He called out to me. I said, ‘What do you want me to do?’
8“He asked me, ‘Who are you?’
“ ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered.
9“Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m close to death, but I’m still alive.’
10“So I stood beside him and killed him. I did it because I knew that after he had lost the battle he would be killed anyway. So I took the crown that was on his head. I also took his armband. I’ve brought them here to you. You are my master.”
11Then David tore his clothes. And all his men tore their clothes. 12All of them were filled with sadness. They mourned over the whole nation of Israel. They didn’t eat anything until evening. That’s because Saul and Jonathan and the Lord’s army had been killed by swords.
13David spoke to the young man who had brought him the report. He asked, “Where are you from?”
“I’m the son of an outsider, an Amalekite,” he answered.
14David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to kill the Lord’s anointed king?”
15Then David called for one of his men. He said, “Go! Strike him down!” So he struck the man down, and the man died. 16That’s because David had said to him, “Anything that happens to you will be your own fault. What your own mouth has spoken is a witness against you. You said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed king.’ ”
David’s Song of Sadness About Saul and Jonathan
17David sang a song of sadness about Saul and his son Jonathan. 18He ordered that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is a song that is played on a stringed instrument. It is written down in the Book of Jashar. David sang,
19“Israel, a gazelle lies dead on your hills.
Your mighty men have fallen.
20“Don’t announce it in Gath.
Don’t tell it in the streets of Ashkelon.
If you do, the daughters of the Philistines will be glad.
The daughters of men who haven’t been circumcised will be joyful.
21“Mountains of Gilboa,
may no dew or rain fall on you.
May no showers fall on your hillside fields.
The shield of the mighty king wasn’t respected there.
The shield of Saul lies there. It isn’t rubbed with oil anymore.
22The bow of Jonathan didn’t turn back.
The sword of Saul didn’t return without being satisfied.
They spilled the blood of their enemies.
They killed mighty men.
23“When they lived, Saul and Jonathan were loved and respected.
When they died, they were not parted.
They were faster than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
24“Daughters of Israel, mourn over Saul.
He dressed you in the finest clothes.
He decorated your clothes with ornaments of gold.
25“Your mighty men have fallen in battle.
Jonathan lies dead on your hills.
26My brother Jonathan, I’m filled with sadness because of you.
You were very special to me.
Your love for me was wonderful.
It was more wonderful than the love of women.
27“Israel’s mighty men have fallen.
Their weapons of war are broken.”
Davide Amva za Imfa ya Sauli
1Atamwalira Sauli, Davide anabwerako kumene anakagonjetsa Aamaleki ndipo anakakhala ku Zikilagi masiku awiri. 2Pa tsiku lachitatu munthu wina wochokera ku msasa wa Sauli anafika, zovala zake zitangʼambika ndiponso anali atathira dothi pamutu pake. Atafika kwa Davide, anadzigwetsa pansi, kupereka ulemu kwa Davideyo.
3Davide anamufunsa iye kuti, “Kodi iwe wachokera kuti?”
Iye anayankha kuti, “Ine ndathawa ku misasa ya Aisraeli.”
4Davide anafunsa, “Tandiwuza, chachitika ndi chiyani?”
Iye anati, “Anthu athawa ku nkhondo ndipo ambiri aphedwa. Sauli ndi mwana wake Yonatani aphedwa.”
5Ndipo Davide anati kwa mnyamata amene anabweretsa nkhaniyi, “Ukudziwa bwanji kuti Sauli ndi mwana wake Yonatani afa?”
6Mnyamatayo anati, “Zinangochitika kuti ndinali pa phiri la Gilibowa, ndipo Sauli anali komweko ataweramira pa mkondo wake, pamodzi ndi magaleta ndi okwera ake atamuyandikira. 7Pamene anatembenuka ndi kundiona ine, iye anandiyitana, ndipo ndinati, ‘Kodi ndichite chiyani?’ ”
8Iye anandifunsa, “Iwe ndiwe yani?”
Ine ndinayankha kuti, “Ndine Mwamaleki.”
9“Kenaka iye anati kwa ine, ‘Bwera pafupi ndipo undiphe! Ndikumva ululu kwambiri, koma ndikanali ndi moyo!’
10“Kotero ndinabwera pafupi ndi kumupha, chifukwa ndinadziwa kuti mmene anagweramo sakanakhalanso ndi moyo. Ndipo ndatenga chipewa chaufumu chimene chinali pamutu pake ndi khoza la pa dzanja lake ndipo ndazibweretsa kwa inu mbuye wanga.”
11Apo Davide ndi anthu onse amene anali nawo anangʼamba zovala zawo. 12Iwo analira maliro ndi kusala zakudya mpaka madzulo chifukwa cha Sauli ndi mwana wake Yonatani, komanso chifukwa cha gulu la ankhondo la Yehova ndi nyumba ya Israeli, chifukwa anaphedwa ndi lupanga.
13Davide anati kwa mnyamata amene anabweretsa uthengawo, “Iwe umachokera kuti?”
Iye anayankha kuti, “Ine ndine mwana wa mlendo Mwamaleki.”
14Davide anamufunsanso kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani sunaope kukweza dzanja lako ndi kupha wodzozedwa wa Yehova?”
15Kenaka Davide anayitana mmodzi mwa anyamata ake ndipo anati, “Pita ukamukanthe!” Kotero iye anapita kukamukantha, ndipo mnyamata uja anafa. 16Pakuti Davide anali atanena kwa iye kuti, “Iwe wadzipha wekha. Pakamwa pako pakunena zokutsutsa wekha, pamene unanena kuti, ‘Ine ndapha wodzozedwa wa Yehova.’ ”
Davide Alira Maliro a Sauli ndi Yonatani
17Davide anayimba nyimbo iyi ya maliro, kulira Sauli ndi mwana wake Yonatani. 18Ndipo analamula kuti anthu a ku Yuda aphunzitsidwe nyimbo ya maliroyi imene yalembedwa mʼbuku la Yasari:
19“Ulemerero wako iwe Israeli, wagona utaphedwa ku zitunda.
Taonani amphamvu agwa kumeneko!
20“Musakanene zimenezi ku Gati,
musazilengeze ku misewu ya ku Asikeloni,
kuti ana aakazi a Afilisti angasangalale,
ana aakazi a osachita mdulidwe angakondwere.
21“Inu mapiri a ku Gilibowa,
musakhalenso ndi mame kapena mvula,
kapena minda yobereka zopereka za ufa.
Pakuti kumeneko chishango cha munthu wamphamvu chinadetsedwa,
chishango cha Sauli sanachipakenso mafuta.
22“Pa magazi a ophedwa,
pa mnofu wa amphamvu,
uta wa Yonatani sunabwerere,
lupanga la Sauli silinabwere chabe.
23“Sauli ndi Yonatani,
pa moyo wawo anali okondedwa ndi okoma mtima,
ndipo pa imfa yawo sanasiyanitsidwe.
Iwo anali ndi liwiro loposa ziwombankhanga,
anali ndi mphamvu zoposa mkango.
24“Inu ana aakazi a Israeli,
mulireni Sauli,
amene anakuvekani zovala zofiira ndi zofewa,
amene anakometsera zovala zanu ndi zokometsera zagolide.
25“Taonani amphamvu agwa ku nkhondo!
Yonatani wagona ataphedwa ku zitunda.
26Ine ndikuvutika mumtima chifukwa cha iwe mʼbale wanga Yonatani,
unali wokondedwa kwambiri kwa ine.
Chikondi chako pa ine chinali chopambana,
chopambana kuposa chikondi cha akazi.
27“Taonani amphamvu agwa!
Zida zankhondo zawonongeka!”
