1Emva kokufa kukaSawuli, uDavida wabuya evela ekunqobeni ama-Amaleki wahlala eZikhilagi insuku ezimbili.
2Ngosuku lwesithathu kwafika umuntu evela ezihonqweni zikaSawuli, izigqoko zakhe zidabukile njalo egcwele uthuli ekhanda lakhe. Kwathi esefikile kuDavida waziwisela phansi emhlonipha.
3UDavida wambuza wathi, “Uvela ngaphi?”
4UDavida wabuza wathi, “Kutheni? Ngitshela.”
5UDavida wasesithi kulelojaha elamlethela umbiko, “Wazi njani ukuthi uSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani bafile?”
6Ijaha lelo lathi, “Kwenzakele ukuthi mina kade ngiphezu kweNtaba iGilibhowa ngabona uSawuli eyame umkhonto wakhe, izinqola zempi labagadi bamabhiza sebebanga kuye.
7Uthe etshibilika wangibona, wasengibiza, mina ngathi, ‘Kuyini engingakwenza?’
8Ungibuzile wathi, ‘Ungubani wena na?’
9Wasesithi kimi, ‘Sondela eduze ungibulale! Sengiseduze lokufa, kodwa ngisaphila.’
10Ngakho ngisondele kuye ngambulala, ngoba ngazile ukuthi emva kwalokho ubengeke aphile. Njalo ngithethe umqhele obusekhanda lakhe lesongo ebelisengalweni yakhe okuyikho engikulethe lapha enkosini yami.”
11Lapho-ke uDavida labantu bonke ababelaye babamba izigqoko zabo bazidabula.
12Babakhalela, babalilela, babazilela kwaze kwahlwa uSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani kanye lebutho likaThixo lendlu ka-Israyeli, ngoba babebulewe ngenkemba.
13UDavida wasesithi ejaheni elalimlethele umbiko, “Wena ungowangaphi na?”
14UDavida waselibuza esithi, “Kungani ungesabanga ukuphakamisa isandla sakho ukuba ubulale ogcotshiweyo kaThixo na?”
15UDavida wabiza omunye wabantu bakhe wathi, “Sondela umgongode!” Ngakho wamgongoda wafa.
16Ngoba uDavida wayethe kuye, “Igazi lakho kalibe phezu kwekhanda lakho. Umlomo wakho ufakaze okubi ngawe lapho wena uthe, ‘Ngimbulele ogcotshiweyo kaThixo.’ ”
17UDavida walila isililo lesi ngoSawuli lendodana yakhe uJonathani,
18walaya ukuthi abantu bakoJuda basifundiswe isililo sedandili lesi (silotshiwe eNcwadini kaJashari):
19“Udumo lwakho, We Israyeli, lubulewe ezingqongweni zakho.
20Lingabokutsho eGathi,
21We zintaba zaseGilibhowa,
22Egazini lababuleweyo,
23USawuli loJonathani,
24Awu madodakazi ako-Israyeli,
25Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe empini!
26Ngilusizi ngawe Jonathani, mfowethu;
27Yeka ukufa kwamaqhawe!