1 Samuel 24
1 When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.”
Baada ya Sauli kurudi kuwafuatia Wafilisti, akaambiwa kwamba, “Daudi yuko katika Jangwa la En-Gedi.”
2 So Saul took three thousand specially-picked men from all Israel and went searching for David and his men in the area around Wild Goats' Rocks.
Basi Sauli akachukua watu hodari 3,000 kutoka Israeli yote kwenda kumsaka Daudi na watu wake karibu na Majabali ya Mbuzi-Mwitu.
3 As Saul passed the sheep pens on the way, there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding deep inside the cave.
Akaja mpaka kwenye mazizi ya kondoo kando ya njia, hapo palikuwa na pango, na Sauli akaingia ndani kujipumzisha. Daudi na watu wake walikuwa wamo mle pangoni kwa ndani zaidi.
4 David's men said to him, “Today's the day the Lord promised you when he told you, ‘Listen, I'm going to hand over your enemy to you, so you can do to him whatever you want.’” Then David crept up quietly and cut a piece from the edge of Saul's robe.
Watu wa Daudi wakasema, “Hii ndiyo siku aliyonena Bwana akikuambia, ‘Nitamtia adui yako mikononi mwako ili wewe umtendee utakavyo.’” Basi Daudi akanyemelea bila kuonekana na kukata upindo wa joho la Sauli.
5 But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
Baada ya hilo, dhamiri ya Daudi ikataabika kwa kukata upindo wa joho la Sauli.
6 He told his men, “May the Lord prevent me from doing anything like this to my master, the Lord's anointed one. I will never attack him, for he is the Lord's anointed one.”
Akawaambia watu wake, “Bwana na apishie mbali nisije nikafanya jambo kama hilo kwa bwana wangu, yeye ambaye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana, au kuinua mkono wangu dhidi yake; kwani yeye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana.”
7 He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
Kwa maneno haya Daudi akawaonya watu wake na hakuwaruhusu wamshambulie Sauli. Naye Sauli akaondoka pangoni na kwenda zake.
8 A little later David came out of the cave and shouted, “My master the king!” When Saul looked around, David bowed down with his face to the ground.
Ndipo Daudi naye akatoka pangoni na kumwita Sauli akisema, “Mfalme, bwana wangu!” Sauli alipotazama nyuma, Daudi akainama na kusujudu uso wake mpaka nchi.
9 “Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
Akamwambia Sauli, “Kwa nini unasikiliza wakati watu wanapokuambia, ‘Daudi amenuia kukudhuru’?
10 “Just look! You've seen with your own eyes today that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I showed you compassion, and said, ‘I refuse to attack my master, for he is the Lord's anointed one.’
Leo umeona kwa macho yako mwenyewe jinsi Bwana alivyokutia mikononi mwangu huko pangoni. Watu wengine walisisitiza nikuue, lakini nilikuacha, nikisema, ‘Sitainua mkono wangu dhidi ya bwana wangu, kwa sababu yeye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana.’
11 Take a look, my father! You see this piece of your robe I'm holding. Yes, I did I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can see for yourself and you can be sure that I have done nothing evil or rebellious. I have not sinned against you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
Tazama, baba yangu, ona kipande hiki cha joho lako mkononi mwangu! Nilikata upindo wa joho lako lakini sikukuua. Basi ujue na kutambua kuwa sina hatia ya kutenda mabaya wala ya kuasi. Wewe sijakukosea, lakini wewe unaniwinda mimi ili kuuondoa uhai wangu.
12 May the Lord decide between you and me as to who of us is right, and may the Lord punish you, but I myself will never try to harm you.
Bwana na ahukumu kati yangu na wewe. Naye Bwana alipize mabaya unayonitendea, lakini mkono wangu hautakugusa.
13 As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
Kama msemo wa kale usemavyo, ‘Kutoka kwa watenda maovu hutoka matendo maovu,’ kwa hiyo mkono wangu hautakugusa wewe.
14 Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
“Je, mfalme wa Israeli ametoka dhidi ya nani? Ni nani unayemfuatia? Je, ni mbwa mfu? Ni kiroboto?
15 May the Lord decide and choose between you and me. May he pay attention to my case and support it; may he save me from you.”
Bwana na awe mwamuzi wetu, yeye na aamue kati yetu. Yeye na anitetee shauri langu; anihesabie haki kwa kuniokoa mkononi mwako.”
16 After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
Daudi alipomaliza kusema haya, Sauli akamuuliza, “Je, hiyo ni sauti yako, Daudi mwanangu?” Ndipo Sauli akalia kwa sauti kuu, akisema,
17 He told David, “You are a better person than I am, because you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid you with evil.
“Wewe ni mwenye haki kuliko mimi; umenitendea mema, lakini mimi nimekutendea mabaya.
18 Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't kill me.
Sasa umeniambia juu ya mema uliyonitendea. Bwana alinitia mikononi mwako, lakini wewe hukuniua.
19 For if a man caught hold of his enemy, would he let him escape unharmed? The Lord reward you well for how you've treated me today.
Je, mtu ampatapo adui yake, humwacha aende zake bila kumdhuru? Bwana na akulipe mema kwa jinsi ulivyonitenda leo.
20 Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
Ninajua kwamba hakika utakuwa mfalme na ya kwamba ufalme wa Israeli utakuwa imara mikononi mwako.
21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not destroy my descendants who follow me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my family line.”
Sasa niapie kwa Bwana kwamba hutakatilia mbali uzao wangu wala kulifuta jina langu kutoka jamaa ya baba yangu.”
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
Basi Daudi akamwapia Sauli. Kisha Sauli akarudi zake nyumbani, lakini Daudi na watu wake wakapanda kwenda ngomeni.
