< Samuel 1 23 >

1 Gbe ɖeka la, David se be Filistitɔwo va nɔ Keilatɔwo ƒe lugbɔƒe ham,
Now it was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and looting the threshing floors.”
2 eya ta David bia Yehowa be, “Ɖe mayi aɖawɔ aʋa kple Filistitɔwoa?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Ɛ̃, yi, nàxɔ na Keilatɔwo.”
So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”
3 Ke David ƒe amewo gblɔ be, “Míele vɔvɔ̃m le Yuda le afi sia xoxo, Míedi be míayi Keila aɖawɔ aʋa kple Filistitɔwo ƒe aʋakɔ blibo la o!”
But David’s men said to him, “Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”
4 David gabia gbe Yehowa eye wògaɖo eŋu be, “Miyi Keila elabena makpe ɖe mia ŋu miaɖu Filistitɔwo dzi.”
Once again, David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him: “Go at once to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
5 Woyi Keila eye wowu Filistitɔ geɖewo, woxɔ woƒe lãwo eye ale woɖe Keilatɔwo.
Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.
6 Ale Abiata, Ahimelek ƒe vi, yi Keila le David gbɔ. Etsɔ eƒe kɔmewu ɖe asi, ale be yeate ŋu ase nya tso Mawu gbɔ agblɔ na David.
(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelech had brought the ephod with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)
7 Eteƒe medidi hafi Saul se be David nɔ Keila o. Saul do ɣli be, “Ahã! Enyo! Míaƒe asi su edzi azɔ, Mawu tsɔe de asi nam elabena eya ŋutɔe yi ɖatu eɖokui ɖe du si woɖo gli ƒo xlãe la me!”
When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, he said, “God has delivered him into my hand, for he has trapped himself by entering a town with gates and bars.”
8 Eya ta Saul na be eƒe aʋakɔ blibo la nayi Keila aɖaɖe to ɖe David kple eƒe ameawo.
Then Saul summoned all his troops to go to war at Keilah and besiege David and his men.
9 Ke David se nu tso Saul ƒe ɖoɖowo ŋu eye wògblɔ na nunɔla Abiata be wòatsɔ eƒe kɔmewu la vɛ eye wòabia nu si yewoawɔ la tso Yehowa gbɔ.
When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
10 David gblɔ be, “Oo, Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu, mese be Saul gbɔna be yeatsrɔ̃ Keila elabena mele afi sia.
And David said, “O LORD, God of Israel, Your servant has heard that Saul intends to come to Keilah and destroy the city on my account.
11 Ɖe Keilatɔwo atsɔm ade asi nɛa? Ɖe Saul anya va abe ale si mese enea? Oo, Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu, meɖe kuku, gblɔe nam.” Yehowa gblɔ be, “Ɛ̃, Saul le vava ge.”
Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.
12 David bia be, “Ɖe Keilatɔ siawo atsɔ mí ade asi nɛa?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, woatsɔ mi ade asi nɛ.”
So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.
13 Ale David kple eƒe amewo, abe ame alafa ade ene dzo le Keila eye wonɔ tsatsam le gbedzi. Saul se enumake be David si le Keila eya ta megayi afi ma kura o.
Then David and his men, about six hundred strong, set out and departed from Keilah, moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he declined to go forth.
14 Azɔ la, David nɔ agadowo me le gbedzi le Zif ƒe tonyigba dzi. Tso ŋkeke yi ŋkeke la, Saul di David gake Mawu metsɔ David de asi nɛ o.
And David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God would not deliver David into his hand.
15 Gbe ɖeka esi David nɔ Hores le Zif gbegbe la, ese be Saul le eƒe agbe yome tim.
While David was in Horesh in the Wilderness of Ziph, he saw that Saul had come out to take his life.
16 Fiavi Yonatan yi David di ge azɔ. Edo goe le Hores eye wòdo ŋusẽe le eƒe mawudzixɔse me.
And Saul’s son Jonathan came to David in Horesh and strengthened his hand in God,
17 Yonatan ka ɖe edzi na David bena “Mègavɔ̃ o, fofonye ƒe asi masu dziwò gbeɖe o! Wòe azu fia ɖe Israel dzi eye manɔ ŋuwò, anye evelia na wò abe ale si fofonye nyae nyuie ene.”
saying, “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will never lay a hand on you. And you will be king over Israel, and I will be your second-in-command. Even my father Saul knows this is true.”
18 Ale wo ame evea gabla nu ɖe woƒe xɔlɔ̃wɔwɔ dzi. David nɔ Hores ke Yonatan trɔ yi aƒe.
So the two of them made a covenant before the LORD. And David remained in Horesh, while Jonathan went home.
19 Azɔ la, Ziftɔwo yi Saul gbɔ le Gibea eye wozɔ David ŋu nɛ, gblɔ nɛ be, “Míenya afi si wòbe ɖo; ele Hores ƒe agadowo me le Hakila to la dzi, le gbegbe la ƒe dzieheliƒo dzi.
Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah south of Jeshimon?
20 Amegã, va ne míalée na wò ekema wò didi gãtɔ ava eme!”
Now, O king, come down whenever your soul desires, and we will be responsible for delivering him into your hand.”
21 Saul gblɔ be, “Yehowa ayra mi be miewɔ dɔmenyo gã sia nam!
“May you be blessed by the LORD,” replied Saul, “for you have had compassion on me.
22 Miyi ne miaka ɖe afi si wòle kple ame siwo kpɔe le afi ma la dzi elabena menya be ayetɔ gã aɖee wònye.
Please go and prepare further. Investigate and watch carefully where he goes and who has seen him there, for I am told that he is extremely cunning.
23 Mikpɔ afi si tututu wòbe ɖo eye miatrɔ ava gblɔe nam. Ekema mayi kpli mi eye ne anya nɔ afi ma lɔƒo ko la, ne wòahiã be madii le nuto me blibo la hã la, madii eye makpɔe kokoko!”
Observe and find out all the places where he hides. Then come back to me with certainty, and I will go with you. If he is in the land, I will search him out among all the clans of Judah.”
24 Ale wodo ŋgɔ na Saul yi Zif. David kple eƒe amewo nɔ Maon gbegbe si le Araba le Yesimo ƒe dziehe lɔƒo.
So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Wilderness of Maon in the Arabah south of Jeshimon,
25 Saul kple eƒe amewo dze wo yome eye esi wogblɔ esia na David la, eɖi abu yi agakpe la gbɔ eye wònɔ Maon gbegbe. Esi Saul se esia la, eti eyome yi Maon gbegbe la.
and Saul and his men went to seek him. When David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard of this, he pursued David there.
26 Saul nɔ to aɖe ƒe akpa ɖeka ŋu eye David hã nɔ to ma ke ƒe akpa evelia ŋu. Esi wòsusɔ vie Saul kple eƒe amewo naɖe to ɖe David kple eƒe amewo la, David dze agbagba be yeasi gake mɔnukpɔkpɔ aɖeke menɔ anyi o.
Saul was proceeding along one side of the mountain, and David and his men along the other side. Even though David was hurrying to get away, Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them.
27 Le ɣe ma ɣi tututu la, du va tu Saul be Filistitɔwo gava nɔ Israel ham.
Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly, for the Philistines have raided the land!”
28 Eya ta Saul ɖe asi le David yometiti ŋu eye wòtrɔ yi be yeawɔ aʋa kple Filistitɔwo. Tso ɣe ma ɣi dzi la, woyɔa teƒe si David ƒu asaɖa anyi ɖo la be “Kaklã ƒe Agakpe.”
So Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why that place is called Sela-hammahlekoth.
29 David yi ɖanɔ En Gedi ƒe agadowo me azɔ.
And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.

< Samuel 1 23 >