1 Samuel 26
1 Ziphim rhoek loh Gibeah kah Saul te a paan uh tih, “Khopong hmai kah Hakhilah som ah aka thuh uh ke David pawt nim?” a ti uh.
One day [some of] the people of Ziph [town] went to Saul while he was at Gibeah, and they said to him, “David is hiding in a cave on Hakilah hill, across from Jeshimon [town].”
2 Te dongah Saul te thoo tih Ziph khosoek ah David tlap ham te Israel kah a coelh hlang thawng thum neh Ziph khosoek la suntla.
So Saul chose 3,000 of the best Israeli soldiers and went with them to Ziph Desert to search for David.
3 Khopong imdan, Hakhilah som kah longpuei taengah Saul te rhaeh. David tah khosoek ah kho a sak tih Saul loh khosoek la a hnuk a vai te a hmuh.
Saul and his men set up their tents close to the road on Hakilah hill, east of Jeshimon [town], but David [and his men] stayed in the desert. When David heard that Saul was searching for him,
4 David loh longyam a tueih daengah Saul he rhep ha pawk tila a ming.
he sent some spies to find out for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
5 Te dongah David te thoo tih Saul a rhaeh nah hmuen te a pha. Te vaengah Saul neh anih kah caempuei mangpa Ner capa Abner a yalh nah hmuen te David loh a hmuh. Saul te namtlak ah yalh tih a kaep, a kaep ah pilnam loh a rhaeh thil.
Then [that evening] David went to the place where Saul had set up his tent. [From a distance] he saw where Saul and his army commander, Abner, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping with all his army [sleeping] around him.
6 Te dongah David loh a doo tih Khitti Ahimelek neh Joab mana Zeruiah capa Abishai te a dawt. Te dongah, “Rhaehhmuen kah Saul taengla kamah neh ulae aka suntla eh?” a ti nah hatah Abishai loh, “Kai loh nang kan suntlak puei bitni,” a ti nah.
David [went back to where his men were and] talked to Ahimelech, who was from the Heth people-group, and Joab’s brother Abishai, whose mother was [David’s older sister] Zeruiah. He asked them, “Who will go with me down into the camp where Saul is?” Abishai replied, “I will go with you.”
7 Te dongah David neh Abishai loh pilnam te khoyin ah a paan. Te vaengah Saul tah namtlak ah muelh yalh tih a caai te a lu, a lu ah diklai la tlaeh. A kaep, a kaep ah Abner neh pilnam te yalh.
So that night David and Abishai crept into Saul’s camp. They saw that Saul was asleep. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. Abner [the army commander] and the other soldiers were sleeping around Saul.
8 Te vaengah Abishai loh David te, “Tihnin ah tah na thunkha he Pathen loh na kut dongah han tloeng coeng. Te dongah anih caai neh diklai ah voei at la ka ngawn eh, anih te ka rhaep mah pawh,” a ti nah.
Abishai whispered to David, “Today Yahweh has enabled us to kill your enemy! Allow me to fasten Saul to the ground [by thrusting] my spear into him. It will be necessary for me to strike him only once. I will not [need to] strike him twice.”
9 Tedae David loh Abishai te, “Anih te phae boeh, BOEIPA kah a koelh soah ulae a kut aka hlah vetih a hmil uh eh?” a ti nah.
But David whispered to Abishai, “No, do not kill Saul. Yahweh has appointed him to be king, so Yahweh will surely [RHQ] punish anyone who kills him.
10 Te phoeiah David loh, “BOEIPA kah hingnah bangla, BOEIPA loh a toel tue ha thoeng vetih duek bitni. Caemtloek la a suntlak vaengah khoengvoep uh bitni.
Just as surely as Yahweh lives, he himself will punish Saul. Perhaps Yahweh will strike him when it is Saul’s time to die, or perhaps Saul will be killed in a battle.
11 BOEIPA rhang saeh, BOEIPA kah a koelh te ka kut hlah thil he kai nen tah savisava saeh. Tedae a lu, a lu kah caai neh tui um mah lo mai pawn sih lamtah mamih loh caeh tak sih,” a ti nah.
But I hope/desire that Yahweh will prevent me from harming the king whom he has appointed. Let’s take Saul’s spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s get out of here!”
12 Te dongah Saul lu kah tui um neh caai te David loh a loh pah. Muelh ih ham te BOEIPA loh amih boeih soah a pha sak dongah haenghang uh pawh. Te dongah amih a caeh tak khaw hmu uh pawt tih ming uh pawh.
So David took the spear and the jug, and he and Abishai left. No one saw them or knew what they were doing, and no one woke up, because Yahweh had caused them to be sound asleep.
13 Te phoeiah David te rhalvangan la khat tih a laklo kah muep a hla nah hmuen kah tlang som ah pai.
David and Abishai went across the valley and climbed to the top of the hill, a long way from Saul’s camp.
14 Te phoeiah David loh pilnam neh Ner capa Abner te a khue tih, “Abner, na doo mahpawt a?” a ti nah. Te dongah Abner loh a doo tih, “Namah loh ulae manghai la na khue,” a ti nah.
Then David shouted to Abner, “Abner, can you hear me?” Abner [woke up and] replied “Who are you, [waking up] the king by calling out to him?”
15 David loh Abner te, “Na hlang pawt nim? Israel khuiah nang bang he unim? Balae tih na boei manghai te na ngaithuen pawh? Na boei rhoek kah manghai te thup hamla pilnam pakhat ha pawk coeng.
David replied, “[I am sure that] you are the greatest man in Israel [IRO, RHQ]! So why did you not guard your master, the king? Someone came into your camp in order to kill your master, the king.
16 Hno na saii te a then moenih. BOEIPA kah hingnah dongah, BOEIPA loh na boei rhoek soah a koelh thil te na ngaithuen pawt dongah na duek ca ngawn sui dae. Tahae ah so lah a lu kah manghai caai neh tui um ta melae,” a ti nah.
You have done a very poor [job of guarding Saul]. So just as surely as Yahweh lives, you and your men should be executed! You have not guarded your master whom Yahweh appointed to be the king. Where are the king’s spear and the water jug that were close to his head?”
17 Te vaengah David ol te Saul loh a hmat tih, “Ka ca David nang ol a he?” a ti nah. Te dongah David loh, “Kai ol ni ue, ka boei manghai aw,” a ti nah.
[The shouting woke] Saul [up and he] recognized that it was David’s voice. He called out, saying, “My son David, is that your voice?” David replied, “Yes, your majesty it is my voice.”
18 Te phoeiah, “Ka boeipa long he balae tih a sal hnuk a hloem? Balae ka saii tih, ka kut dongkah he mebang boethae nim?
Then David added, “Sir, why are you pursuing me [RHQ]? What wrong have I done [RHQ]?
19 Ka boei manghai long khaw a sal ol he ya van laem saeh. BOEIPA loh kai soah nang m'vueh atah khocang he him saeh. Tedae hlang ca rhoek atah BOEIPA mikhmuh ah amih thaephoei thil saeh. BOEIPA rho dongah thawth ham khohnin vaengah kai n'haek tih, ‘Pathen tloe taengah tho aka thueng te cet laeh,’ a ti.
Your majesty, listen to me! If Yahweh has caused you to be angry with me, I should offer a sacrifice [in order to appease him]. But if it is people who have caused you to be angry with me, I hope/desire that Yahweh will curse them. They have forced me to leave the land that Yahweh gave to me. They have told me, ‘Go somewhere else and worship other gods!’
20 Israel manghai loh tlang ah varhung aka hloem bangla uihli pakhat tlap ham ha pawk cakhaw BOEIPA mikhmuh mikhmuh lamloh ka thii he lai la tlak sak boel saeh,” a ti nah.
Now do not force me to die [MTY] far from [where we worship] Yahweh. You, the king of Israel, have come here searching for me. [But I do not want to harm you]! I am [as harmless as] a flea [MET]. You are searching for me like people hunt for a bird in the mountains! [MET]”
21 Saul loh, “Ka ca David ha mael laeh ka tholh oeh coeng. Nang taengah thae koep ka huet voel mahpawh. Ka hinglu he na mikhmuh ah a phutlo dae, tihnin ah ka pavai tih ka palang tangkik aih coeng he,” a ti nah.
Then Saul said, “David, my son. I have sinned [by trying to kill you]. So come back home. Today you have considered my life to be very valuable [and so you have not killed me]. So I will not try to harm you. I have made a big mistake and have acted foolishly.”
22 Te dongah David loh a doo tih, “Hekah caai he, manghai kah caai ni, tahae ah camoe pakhat loh ham paan saeh lamtah han lo saeh.
David replied, [“will leave] your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get it.
23 A duengnah neh a uepomnah te BOEIPA loh hlang taengah thuung nawn saeh. Tihnin ah BOEIPA loh ka kut ah nang n'tloeng dae BOEIPA kah a koelh soah ka kut hlah ham ka huem moenih.
Yahweh rewards us for the things that we do that are right and for being loyal [to him]. Even when Yahweh placed me where I could easily have killed you, I refused to do that, because you are the one whom Yahweh has appointed [MTY] to be the king.
24 Tihnin ah na hinglu he ka mikhmuh ah a pantai vanbangla ka hinglu he BOEIPA mikhmuh ah pantai van saeh. Citcai boeih khui lamkah kai he n'huul nawn saeh,” a ti nah.
Just like I considered your life to be valuable [and spared your life] today, I hope/desire that Yahweh will consider my life to be valuable and [spare my life and] save me from all my troubles.”
25 Te daengah David te Saul loh, “Ka ca David nang tah, na yoethen pai, na saii la na saii coeng atah na noeng rhoela na noeng van,” a ti nah. Te phoeiah David loh amah longpuei ah cet tih Saul khaw amah hmuen la mael.
Then Saul said to David, “My son David, I pray that Yahweh will bless you. You will do great things very successfully.” Then David returned to his men, and Saul went back home.
