< Samuel 1 24 >

1 Esi Saul wɔ aʋa kple Filistitɔwo eye wòtrɔ gbɔ la, wogblɔ nɛ be David yi gbedzi le En Gedi.
And it came to pass when Saul returned from pursuing after the Philistines, that it was reported to him, saying, David [is] in the wilderness of Engaddi.
2 Saul kplɔ asrafo tɔxɛ akpe etɔ̃ ɖe asi tso Israel eye wòyi ɖadi David le agakpewo dome le En Gedi gbedzi.
And he took with him three thousand men, chosen out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of Saddaeem.
3 Saul yi ɖe agado aɖe le afi si mɔ la to alẽkpo aɖewo dome le la me be yeade afɔdzi, sigbeɖe, David kple eƒe aʋawɔlawo be ɖe agado ma ke me!
And he came to the flocks of sheep that were by the way, and there was a cave there; and Saul went in to make preparation, and David and his men were sitting in the inner part of the cave.
4 David ƒe amewo do dalĩ nɛ be, “Azã la su na wò azɔ. Egbee nye ŋkeke si ŋu Yehowa gblɔ le be, ‘Matsɔ Saul ade wò ŋusẽ te eye nàwɔ nu si dze ŋuwò la kplii!’” David wɔ ɖɔɖɔɖɔ eye wòlã Saul ƒe awu ʋlaya to!
And the men of David said to him, Behold, this [is] the day of which the Lord spoke to you, that he would deliver your enemy into your hands; and you shall do to him as [it is] good in your sight. So David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's garment secretly.
5 Ke eƒe dzitsinya de asi fuɖeɖe nɛ me.
And it came to pass after this that David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the skirt of his garment.
6 Egblɔ na eƒe amewo be, “Nede megbe xaa tso gbɔnye le Yehowa ta be mawɔ nenem nu vɔ̃ ma ɖe nye aƒetɔ si nye Yehowa ƒe amesiamina la ŋu, elabena Yehowa ƒe amesiamina wònye.”
And David said to his men, The Lord forbid it me, that I should do this ting to my lord the anointed of the Lord, to lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.
7 David ka mo na eƒe amewo kple nya siawo eye meɖe mɔ na wo wowu Saul o. Ale Saul do go le agado la me eye wòdzo.
So David persuaded his men by [his] words, and did not suffer them to arise and kill Saul: and Saul arose and went his way.
8 Tete David do go le agado la me eye wòdo ɣli ɖo ɖe Saul yome be, “Nye aƒetɔ, fia!” Esi Saul nye kɔ kpɔ megbe la, David bɔbɔ de ta agu eye wòmlɔ anyi tsyɔ mo anyi.
And David rose up [and went] after him out of the cave: and David cried after Saul, saying, [My] lord, [O] king! and Saul looked behind him, and David bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance to him.
9 David do ɣli na Saul be, “Nu ka ta nèle to ɖom ame siwo le gbɔgblɔm na wò be, David ɖoe kplikpaa be yeawɔ nuvevi wò?
And David said to Saul, Why do you listen to the words of the people, saying, Behold, David seeks your life?
10 Wò ŋutɔ èkpɔe kple wò ŋkuwo le egbeŋkeke sia dzi ale si Yehowa tsɔ wò de asi nam le agadoa me eye nye ame aɖewo ƒoe ɖe nunye be mawu wò, gake meɖe wò agbe elabena megblɔ be, ‘Nyemakɔ nye asi dzi ɖe nye aƒetɔ ŋu o, elabena Yehowa ƒe amesiaminae wònye.’
Behold, your eyes have seen this day how that the Lord has delivered you this day into my hands in the cave; and I would not kill you, but spared you, and said, I will not lift up my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord's anointed.
11 Kpɔe ɖa, fofonye, kpɔ wò awu ʋlaya ƒe kakɛ si le nye asi me la ɖa! Melã wò awu ʋlaya to gake nyemewu wò o. Azɔ se egɔme eye nànyae be nu tovo wɔwɔ alo aglãdzedze ƒe fɔɖiɖi mele dzinye o. Nyemedze agɔ le dziwò o, ke wò ya èti yonyeme kutɔkutɔe be yeaɖe nye agbe ɖa.
And behold, the skirt of your mantle [is] in my hand, I cut off the skirt, and did not kill you: know then and see today, there is no evil in my hand, nor impiety, nor rebellion; and I have not sinned against you, yet you lay snares for my soul to take it.
12 “Yehowa nedrɔ̃ ʋɔnu le nye kpli wò dome eye Yehowa neɖo vɔ̃ siwo katã nèwɔ ɖe ŋunye la teƒe na wò. Ke nye ya nye asi maka ŋutiwò o.
The Lord judge between me and you, and the Lord requite you on yourself: but my hand shall not be upon you.
13 Lododo xoxo aɖe gblɔ be, ‘Nu vɔ̃ɖi doa go tsoa ame vɔ̃ɖiwo me.’
As the old proverb says, Transgression will proceed from the wicked ones: but my hand shall not be upon you.
14 “Ame ka ŋutie Israel fia do go ɖo? Ame ka yome tim nèle? Avu kukua? Alo axɔ̃ ɖeka ŋua?
And now after whom do you come forth, O king of Israel? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog, and after a flea?
15 Yehowa ŋutɔ nanye míaƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃la eye wòadrɔ̃ nya le mía dome. Yehowa nebu nye nya ŋu eye wòaʋli tanye, neɖem tso asiwò me, esia anye afiatsotso nam.”
The Lord be judge and umpire between me and you, the Lord look upon and judge my cause, and rescue me out of your hand.
16 Esi David wu nya siawo gbɔgblɔ nu la, Saul biae be, “Wò gbee nye ema, vinye David?” Ale wòwo avi sesĩe.
And it came to pass when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, [Is] this your voice, Son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 Egblɔ na David be, “Ènye ame dzɔdzɔe wum. Èwɔ nyui nam le esime nye ya mewɔ vɔ̃ ɖe ŋutiwò.
And Saul said to David, You [are] more righteous that I, for you have recompensed me good, but I have recompensed you evil.
18 Ègblɔ nyui si nèwɔ nam la fifi laa. Yehowa tsɔm de asiwò me, gake mèwum o.
And you have told me today what good you have done me, how the Lord shut me up into your hands today, and you did not kill me.
19 Ne ame aɖe do go eƒe futɔ la, ɖe wòɖea asi le eŋu wòdzona nuvevimawɔmawɔea? Yehowa neɖo nyui sia teƒe na wò geɖe, ɖe nu si nèwɔ nam egbea la ta.
And if any one should find his enemy in distress, and should send him forth in a good way, then the Lord will reward him good, as you has done this day.
20 Azɔ la medze sii be èle fia ɖu ge kokoko eye Israel fiaɖuƒe la ali ke ɖe asiwò me.
And now, behold, I know that you shall surely reign, and the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
21 Le Yehowa ƒe ŋkɔ me, ka atam nam bena ne nu sia va eme la, màwu nye ƒometɔwo eye màtsrɔ̃ nye dzidzimeviwo o!”
Now then swear to me by the Lord, that you will not destroy my seed after me, that you will not blot out my name from the house of my father.
22 Ale David ka atam la na Saul. Tete Saul trɔ dzo yi aƒe me ke David kple eƒe ameawo gbugbɔ yi mɔ sesẽ la me.
So David swore to Saul: and Saul departed to his place, and David and his men went up to the strong-hold of Messera.

< Samuel 1 24 >