Verse 1: USawule wakhuluma kuJonathani indodana yakhe nakuzo zonke izinceku zakhe ngokubulala uDavide. Kepha uJonathani indodana kaSawule wamenamela kakhulu uDavide.
Verse 2: UJonathani wamtshela uDavide, wathi: “USawule ubaba ufuna ukukubulala; ngalokho ake uxwaye kusasa, uhlale esitha, ucashe;
Verse 3: ngiyakuphuma ngime ngakubaba endle lapho ukhona, ngikhulume ngawe nobaba; uma ngibona okuthile, ngiyakukutshela.”
Verse 4: UJonathani wakhuluma okuhle ngoDavide kuSawule uyise, wathi kuye: “Inkosi mayingayoni inceku yayo uDavide, ngokuba akakonanga, nemisebenzi yakhe kuwe ilungile kakhulu;
Verse 5: wabeka ukuphila kwakhe esandleni sakhe, wabulala umFilisti, uJehova wamenzela wonke u-Israyeli insindiso enkulu, wakubona wena, wathokoza; pho, uyakulonelani igazi elingenacala, umbulale uDavide engone lutho na?”
Verse 6: USawule walilalela izwi likaJonathani; uSawule wafunga wathi: “Kuphila kukaJehova, akayikubulawa.”
Verse 7: UJonathani wambiza uDavide; uJonathani wamtshela konke lokho. UJonathani wamyisa uDavide kuSawule, waba khona ebusweni bakhe njengakuqala.
Verse 8: Kwabuye kwaba khona impi futhi; uDavide waphuma walwa namaFilisti, wawaceka ngokuceka okukhulu; ambalekela.
Verse 9: Umoya omubi owavela kuJehova wamehlela uSawule ehlezi endlini yakhe, ephethe umkhonto esandleni sakhe; uDavide wayebetha ngesandla.
Verse 10: USawule wafuna ukumbhujela uDavide ngomkhonto odongeni, kepha wanyelela ebusweni bukaSawule, wagwaza ngomkhonto odongeni; uDavide wabaleka, waphunyuka ngalobo busuku.
Verse 11: USawule wathuma izithunywa endlini kaDavide ukuba zimlinde, zimbulale ekuseni; uMikhali umkaDavide wamtshela wathi: “Uma ungasindisi ukuphila kwakho ngalobu busuku, uyakubulawa kusasa.”
Verse 12: UMikhali wamehlisa uDavide ngefasitele, wahamba, wabaleka, waphunyuka.
Verse 13: UMikhali wathatha itherafi, walibeka embhedeni, wabeka isicamelo soboya bezimbuzi ngasekhanda lalo, walembesa izingubo.
Verse 14: Lapho uSawule esethuma izithunywa ukumthatha uDavide, wathi: “Uyagula.”
Verse 15: USawule wathuma izithunywa ukumbona uDavide, ethi: “Mkhuphuleni kimi ngombhede ukuba ngimbulale.”
Verse 16: Lapho izithunywa zingena, bheka, itherafi lalisembhedeni, isicamelo soboya bezimbuzi singasekhanda lalo.
Verse 17: USawule wathi kuMikhali: “Ungikhohliseleni kanje, uvumele isitha sami ukuba sihambe, siphunyuke, na?” UMikhali wamphendula uSawule ngokuthi: “Wathi kimi: ‘Ngivumele ukuba ngihambe; ngiyakukubulalelani na?’ ”
Verse 18: Wayesebaleka uDavide, waphunyuka, waya kuSamuweli eRama, wamtshela konke uSawule abekwenzile kuye. Yena noSamuweli baya bahlala eNayoti.
Verse 19: Kwabikwa kuSawule, kwathiwa: “Bheka, uDavide useNayoti eRama.”
Verse 20: USawule wathuma izithunywa ukumthatha uDavide; lapho zibona iviyo labaprofethi beprofetha, uSamuweli emi engumholi wabo, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wazehlela izithunywa zikaSawule, nazo zaprofetha.
Verse 21: Kwabikwa kuSawule; wathuma ezinye izithunywa; nazo zaprofetha. USawule wayesephinda wathuma izithunywa ngokwesithathu; nazo zaprofetha.
Verse 22: Wayeseya naye eRama, wafika emthonjeni oseSeku, wabuza ukuthi: “Baphi oSamuweli noDavide na?” Kwathiwa: “Bheka, baseNayoti eRama.”
Verse 23: Wayeseya khona eNayoti eRama; uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela naphezu kwakhe, wahambahamba waprofetha, waze wafika eNayoti eRama.
Verse 24: Naye wakhumula izingubo zakhe, waprofetha naye phambi kukaSamuweli, walala phansi enqunu lonke lolo suku nabo bonke lobo busuku. Ngalokho kwathiwa: “Naye uSawule uphakathi kwabaprofethi na?”