2 uSamuweli 18:24-33

UDavide wayehlezi emkhathini wamasango omabili; umlindi wakhuphukela ophahleni lwesango ngasogangeni, waphakamisa amehlo akhe, wabheka, nanguya umuntu egijima eyedwa. Umlindi wamemeza, wayitshela inkosi. Yathi inkosi: “Uma eyedwa, unombiko emlonyeni wakhe.” Wayelokhu esondela njalo. Umlindi wayesebona omunye umuntu egijima; umlindi wabiza umlindisango, wathi: “Bheka, omunye umuntu ugijima eyedwa.” Inkosi yathi: “Naye uletha umbiko.” Umlindi wayesethi: “Ngibona kungathi ukugijima kowokuqala kunjengokugijima kuka-Ahimahasi indodana kaSadoki.” Yathi inkosi: “Ngumuntu omuhle yena; uletha umbiko omuhle.” Wayesememeza u-Ahimahasi, wathi enkosini: “Bayede!” Wakhothama phambi kwenkosi ebhekise phansi ubuso bakhe, wathi: “Makabongwe uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, onikele abantu abaphakamisela isandla sabo enkosini yami, inkosi.” Inkosi yathi: “Isahlezi kahle insizwa u-Abisalomu na?” U-Ahimahasi wathi: “Ngabona isixuku sabantu, lapho uJowabe inceku yenkosi ethuma inceku yakho, kepha angazanga ukuthi kuyini.” Inkosi yathi: “Gudluka, ume lapho.” Wagudluka, wema. Bheka, wayesefika umKushe; umKushe wathi: “Ngumbiko, nkosi yami, nkosi, ngokuba uJehova ukuphindisele namuhla kubo bonke abakuvukelayo.” Inkosi yathi kumKushe: “Isahlezi kahle insizwa u-Abisalomu na?” UmKushe wathi: “Izitha zenkosi yami, inkosi, nabo bonke abakuvukelayo ukukulimaza mababe njengaleyo nsizwa.” Yayisidabuka kakhulu inkosi, yakhuphukela ekamelweni elingaphezu kwesango, yakhala; isahamba yathi: “Hhawu, ndodana yami Abisalomu, ndodana yami, ndodana yami Abisalomu! Sengathi nga ngifile esikhundleni sakho, Abisalomu, ndodana yami, ndodana yami!”