< Samuel 1 23 >

1 Gbe ɖeka la, David se be Filistitɔwo va nɔ Keilatɔwo ƒe lugbɔƒe ham,
And they reported to David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the grain stores.”
2 eya ta David bia Yehowa be, “Ɖe mayi aɖawɔ aʋa kple Filistitɔwoa?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Ɛ̃, yi, nàxɔ na Keilatɔwo.”
Therefore, David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go, and you shall strike down the Philistines, and you shall 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!”
And the men who were with David said to him, “Behold, we continue in fear here in Judea; how much more so, if we go into Keilah against the troops of the Philistines?”
4 David gabia gbe Yehowa eye wògaɖo eŋu be, “Miyi Keila elabena makpe ɖe mia ŋu miaɖu Filistitɔwo dzi.”
Therefore, David consulted the Lord again. And responding, he said to him: “Rise up, and go into Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
5 Woyi Keila eye wowu Filistitɔ geɖewo, woxɔ woƒe lãwo eye ale woɖe Keilatɔwo.
Therefore, David and his men went into Keilah. And they fought against the Philistines, and they took away their cattle, and they struck them with a great slaughter. And David saved the inhabitants 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.
And in that time, when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, was in exile with David, he had descended to Keilah, having an ephod with him.
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!”
Then it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah. And Saul said: “The Lord has delivered him into my hands. For he is enclosed, having entered into a city which has gates and bars.”
8 Eya ta Saul na be eƒe aʋakɔ blibo la nayi Keila aɖaɖe to ɖe David kple eƒe ameawo.
And Saul instructed all the people to descend in order to fight against Keilah, and to 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.
And when David had realized that Saul had secretly prepared 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 a report that Saul is planning to go to Keilah, so that he may overturn the city because of me.
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 men of Keilah deliver me into his hands? And will Saul descend, just as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, reveal to your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will descend.”
12 David bia be, “Ɖe Keilatɔ siawo atsɔ mí ade asi nɛa?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, woatsɔ mi ade asi nɛ.”
And David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me, and the men who are with me, into the hands of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”
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.
Therefore, David, and his men of about six hundred, rose up, and, departing from Keilah, they wandered here and there, aimlessly. And it was reported to Saul that David had fled from Keilah, and was saved. For this reason, he chose not to go out.
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.
Then David stayed in the desert, in very strong places. And he stayed on a mount in the wilderness of Ziph, on a shady mount. Nevertheless, Saul was seeking him every day. But the Lord did not deliver him into his hands.
15 Gbe ɖeka esi David nɔ Hores le Zif gbegbe la, ese be Saul le eƒe agbe yome tim.
And David saw that Saul had gone out, so that he might seek his life. Now David was in the desert of Ziph, in the woods.
16 Fiavi Yonatan yi David di ge azɔ. Edo goe le Hores eye wòdo ŋusẽe le eƒe mawudzixɔse me.
And Jonathan, the son of Saul, rose up and went to David in the woods, and he strengthened his hands in God. And he said to him:
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.”
“Do not be afraid. For the hand of my father, Saul, will not find you. And you shall reign over Israel. And I will be second to you. And even my father knows this.”
18 Ale wo ame evea gabla nu ɖe woƒe xɔlɔ̃wɔwɔ dzi. David nɔ Hores ke Yonatan trɔ yi aƒe.
Therefore, they both struck a pact before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods. But Jonathan returned to his house.
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 ascended to Saul at Gibeah, saying: “Behold, is not David hidden with us in very secure places in the woods on the hill of Hachilah, which is to the right of the desert?
20 Amegã, va ne míalée na wò ekema wò didi gãtɔ ava eme!”
Now therefore, if your soul has desired to descend, then descend. Then it will be for us to deliver him into the hands of the king.”
21 Saul gblɔ be, “Yehowa ayra mi be miewɔ dɔmenyo gã sia nam!
And Saul said: “You have been blessed by the Lord. For you have grieved for my situation.
22 Miyi ne miaka ɖe afi si wòle kple ame siwo kpɔe le afi ma la dzi elabena menya be ayetɔ gã aɖee wònye.
Therefore, I beg you, go forth, and prepare diligently, and act carefully. And consider the place where his foot may be, and who may have seen him there. For he thinks, concerning me, that I craftily plan treachery against him.
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!”
Consider and seek out all his hiding places, in which he may be concealed. And return to me with certainty about the matter, so that I may go with you. But if he would even press himself into the earth, I will search him out, amid all the thousands 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.
And rising up, they went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain to the right 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.
Then Saul and his allies went to seek him. And this was reported to David. And immediately, he descended to the rock, and he moved about in the desert of Maon. And when Saul had heard of it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon.
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.
And Saul went to one side of the mountain. But David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. Then David was despairing that he would be able to escape from the face of Saul. And Saul and his men enclosed David and his men in the manner of a crown, so that they might capture them.
27 Le ɣe ma ɣi tututu la, du va tu Saul be Filistitɔwo gava nɔ Israel ham.
And a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have poured themselves out upon 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.”
Therefore, Saul turned back, ceasing in the pursuit of David, and he traveled to meet the Philistines. For this reason, they called that place, the Rock of Division.
29 David yi ɖanɔ En Gedi ƒe agadowo me azɔ.
Then David ascended from there, and he lived in very secure places in Engedi.

< Samuel 1 23 >