Samuel 1 23

1 Gbe ɖeka la, David se be Filistitɔwo va nɔ Keilatɔwo ƒe lugbɔƒe ham,

Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Ke'ilah, and they are plundering 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.”

Thereupon David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite among these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go and smite among the Philistines, and deliver Ke'ilah.

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 David's men said unto him, Behold, here in Judah are we afraid: how much more then if we should go to Ke'ilah against the battle-arrays of the Philistines?

4 David gabia gbe Yehowa eye wògaɖo eŋu be, “Miyi Keila elabena makpe ɖe mia ŋu miaɖu Filistitɔwo dzi.”

Then David asked yet again counsel of the Lord. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, Go down to Ke'ilah; for I [will] deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

5 Woyi Keila eye wowu Filistitɔ geɖewo, woxɔ woƒe lãwo eye ale woɖe Keilatɔwo.

So David and his men went to Ke'ilah; and he fought with the Philistines, and lead away their cattle, and smote among them a great slaughter. So David delivered the inhabitants of Ke'ilah.

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 it came to pass, when Ebyathar the son of Achimelech, fled over to David, to Ke'ilah, that the ephod came down 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!”

And it was told to Saul that David was come to Ke'ilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

8 Eya ta Saul na be eƒe aʋakɔ blibo la nayi Keila aɖaɖe to ɖe David kple eƒe ameawo.

And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Ke'ilah, 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 David understood that Saul secretly devised mischief against him; and he said to Ebyathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

10 David gblɔ be, “Oo, Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu, mese be Saul gbɔna be yeatsrɔ̃ Keila elabena mele afi sia.

Then said David, O Lord, God of Israel, thy servant hath heard for certain that Saul seeketh to come to Ke'ilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

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 Ke'ilah surrender me into his hand? will Saul come down as thy servant hath heard? O Lord, God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.

12 David bia be, “Ɖe Keilatɔ siawo atsɔ mí ade asi nɛa?” Yehowa ɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, woatsɔ mi ade asi nɛ.”

Then said David, Will the men of Ke'ilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul! And the Lord said, They will surrender.

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 arose David and his men, about six hundred men, and departed out of Ke'ilah, and wandered about whithersoever they could go. And when it was told to Saul that David was escaped from Ke'ilah, he forbore 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 remained in the wilderness in strong-holds, and abode on the mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all the time, but God delivered him not into his hand.

15 Gbe ɖeka esi David nɔ Hores le Zif gbegbe la, ese be Saul le eƒe agbe yome tim.

And David saw that Saul was gone forth to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in the forest.

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, arose and went to David into the forest, 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.”

And he said unto him, Fear not; for the hand of Saul my father will not find thee; and thou wilt be king over Israel, and I will be next unto thee; and also Saul my father knoweth this.

18 Ale wo ame evea gabla nu ɖe woƒe xɔlɔ̃wɔwɔ dzi. David nɔ Hores ke Yonatan trɔ yi aƒe.

And they made, both of them, a covenant before the Lord: and David remained in the forest; but Jonathan went 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 came up the Ziphites unto Saul to Gib'ah, saying, Behold, David is hiding himself with us in the strong-holds in the forest, on the hill of Chachilah, which is on the right of the desert.

20 Amegã, va ne míalée na wò ekema wò didi gãtɔ ava eme!”

And now in accordance with all the longing of thy soul, O king, to come down, come down; and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand.

21 Saul gblɔ be, “Yehowa ayra mi be miewɔ dɔmenyo gã sia nam!

And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have pity 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.

Go, I pray you, make yet more preparations, and remark and see his place where his foot may be, who hath seen him there; for I am told that he dealeth with great subtilty.

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!”

See therefore, and remark every one of all the lurking-places where he usually hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you; and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout 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 they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul; but David and his men were in the wilderness of Ma'on, in the plain on the right of the desert.

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 make a search. And they told it to David: wherefore he came down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Ma'on. And when Saul heard this, he pursued after David into the wilderness of Ma'on.

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 on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain; and David made haste to get away from before Saul; and Saul and his men were compassing David and his men to seize them.

27 Le ɣe ma ɣi tututu la, du va tu Saul be Filistitɔwo gava nɔ Israel ham.

But a messenger came unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded 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.”

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammachlekoth.

29 David yi ɖanɔ En Gedi ƒe agadowo me azɔ.

And David went up from there, and dwelt in strong-holds of 'En-gedi.