Samuel 1 25

1 Le ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe megbe la, Samuel ku eye Israel blibo la ƒo ƒu hena kunu la wɔwɔ. Woɖii ɖe eƒe ƒometɔwo ƒe anyigba dzi le Rama. Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, David yi gbedzi le Paran.

And Samuel died, and all Israel were gathered together, and made lamentation for him, and buried him within his own house, in Ramah, —and David arose and went down into the wilderness of Maon.

2 Lãnyiƒe nɔ kesinɔtɔ aɖe si tso Maon la si le afi ma te ɖe Karmel ŋu. Alẽ akpe etɔ̃ kple gbɔ̃ akpe ɖeka nɔ esi. Kesinɔtɔ sia va eƒe lãnyiƒe le ɣeyiɣi sia me hena fukoko na eƒe alẽwo.

Now there was, a man, in Maon, whose cattle were in Carmel, and, the man, was exceeding great, and, he, had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats, —and so it was, that he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

3 Eŋkɔe nye Nabal. Srɔ̃a nye nyɔnu dzetugbe aɖe si ƒe tagbɔ kɔ; eŋkɔe nye Abigail. Nabal nye Kaleb ƒe dzidzimevi, enye ame si meɖɔ ʋu kura o eye wòganye ŋlɔmitɔ kple kɔlialiatɔ hã.

Now, the name of the man, was Nabal, and, the name of his wife, Abigail, —and, the woman, was of good understanding, and of beautiful figure, —but, the man, was unfeeling and of evil practices, and he was a Calebite.

4 Esi David se be Nabal nɔ fu kom na eƒe alẽwo la,

So then David heard in the wilderness, —that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

5 eɖo eƒe ɖekakpui ewo ɖe Karmel be woado gbe na Nabal eye woagblɔ nɛ be,

David, therefore, sent ten young men, —and David said unto the young men, —Go up to Carmel, and enter in unto Nabal, and ye shall ask him, in my name, of his welfare;

6 “Mawu nana wò kple wò ƒometɔwo miakpɔ dzidzedze eye nu sia nu si nye mia tɔ la nadzi ɖe edzi na mi.

and say thus—Long life to thee! Mayest, thou, prosper, And, thy household, prosper, And, all that thou hast, prosper!

7 Wogblɔ nam be èle fu kom na wò alẽwo kple gbɔ̃wo. Le ɣeyiɣi si me wò alẽkplɔlawo nɔ mía dome la, míewɔ nuvevi aɖeke wo kpɔ o eye míefi woƒe naneke kpɔ hã o.

Now, therefore, have I heard that thou hast shearers, —Well, the shepherds that thou hast, have been with us, we reproached them not, neither missed they, anything, all the days they were in Carmel.

8 Wò ɖekakpuiwo ate ŋu aɖi ɖase le nya sia ŋu na wò. Mele nye amewo ɖom ɖa be woabia nunana aɖe tso gbɔwò elabena ŋkekenyui aɖe va tu mí. Míeɖe kuku, na nu sia nu si dze ŋuwò ko la mí.”

Ask thy young men, that they may tell thee, that so my young men may find favour in thine eyes, for, on a good day, have we come! Give, I pray thee, what thy hand findeth, to thy servants, and to thy son, to David!

9 Ɖekakpuiawo va gblɔ David ƒe nya la na Nabal.

So David’s young men came, and spake unto Nabal, according to all these words, in the name of David, —and waited.

10 Ke Nabal bia be, “Ame kae nye David eye ame ka tututue Yese vi sia bu be yenye? Subɔla geɖewo li le ŋkeke siawo me, ame siwo si dzo le woƒe aƒetɔwo gbɔ.

Then Nabal answered the servants of David, and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Nowadays, many are the servants that have broken away, every one from the presence of his lord:

11 Ɖe matsɔ nye abolo kple nye tsi kple lã si mewu na nye fukolawo la ana ameha aɖe si tso afi si nyemenya oa?”

Shall I, then, take my bread, and my wine, and my slain beasts, that I have slaughtered for my shearers, —and give unto men of whom I know not whence they are?

12 Ale David ƒe ɖekakpuiawo trɔ gbɔ va gblɔ nya siwo Nabal gblɔ la nɛ.

So the young men of David turned away for their journey, —and came back, and drew near, and told him, according to all these words.

13 David ŋutɔ tsɔ eƒe yi eye wòɖe gbe na eƒe amewo hã be woatsɔ woƒe yiwo. Ame alafa ene dze mɔ kple David eye ame alafa eve tsi anyi henɔ woƒe nuwo ŋu dzɔm.

Then said David unto his men—Gird on you every man his sword. And they girded on them, every man his sword, and, David also, girded on his sword, —and there went up after David—about four hundred men, and, two hundred, abode by the stores.

14 Nabal ƒe amewo dometɔ ɖeka yi ɖagblɔ na Nabal srɔ̃, Abigail, be, “David ɖo amewo ɖa tso gbedzi be woaƒo nu kple míaƒe aƒetɔ ke míaƒe aƒetɔ dzu wo eye wòblu ɖe wo.

But a certain one of her young men told, Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, —Lo! David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he treated them with contempt.

15 Ke ame siawo wɔ nyui na mí. Womewɔ nuvevi aɖeke mi o. Le ɣeyiɣi si katã míenɔ gbegbea kpli wo la, míaƒe naneke mebu o.

But, the men, were exceeding good to us, —and we were not harmed, neither missed we, anything, all the days we went to and fro with them, while we were in the fields:

16 Wonye kpɔtɔtɔ ƒo xlã mí zã kple keli esime míenɔ míaƒe alẽhawo dzi kpɔm le wo gbɔ.

A wall, became they unto us, both by night and by day, all the days we were with them, tending the flock.

17 Anyo be nàbu ta me kaba, elabena nya sesẽ aɖe le dzɔdzɔ ge ɖe míaƒe aƒetɔ kple ƒome blibo la dzi. Míaƒe aƒetɔ nye kɔlialiatɔ ale gbegbe be ame aɖeke maƒo nu nɛ wòase o.”

Now, therefore, know thou, and see, what thou canst do, for mischief is determined against our lord, and against all his household, —but, he, is such an abandoned man, that one cannot speak unto him.

18 Abigail ɖe abla enumake, tsɔ abolo alafa eve, wain atigo eve, alẽ atɔ̃ siwo wowu la ƒe lã, bli tɔtɔ agba eve, abolo alafa ɖeka si wowɔ kple waintsetse ƒuƒu kple abolo alafa eve siwo wowɔ kple gbotsetse. Etsɔ nu siawo ɖo tedziwo dzi.

Then Abigail hastened—and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep made ready, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred cakes of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, —and put them on the asses.

19 Egblɔ na eƒe dɔlawo be, “Midze mɔ, madze mia yome” Ke megblɔ nya aɖeke na srɔ̃a, Nabal, o.

And she said to her young men—Pass on before me, behold me coming after you; but, to her husband, Nabal, told she nothing.

20 Esi wònɔ eƒe tedzia dom va ɖo to aɖe ƒe balime la, David kple eƒe ameawoe nye ekem ɖiɖi gbɔna egbɔ eye wòyi ɖado go wo.

And so it was, as she was riding on her ass, and descending within the covert of the hill, lo! David and his men, descending over against her, —so she met them.

21 Fifi laa ko David gblɔ be, “Nye ame sia ƒe nuwo dzi kpɔkpɔ nɛ le gbea dzi be womefi eƒe naneke o nye dzodzro. Etsɔ vɔ̃ ɖo nyui si mewɔ nɛ la teƒe nam.

Now, David, had said—Surely, in vain, did I guard all that pertained to this man in the wilderness, so that there was, nothing, missed of all that he had, —seeing he hath returned to me evil for good.

22 Mawu nefia David eye wòagafiae ɖe edzi ɖaa ne hafi etsɔ ŋdi naɖo la, magblẽ ŋutsu aɖe ɖi nɛ agbagbe!”

So may God do to David and so may he add, if I leave remaining, of all that he hath, until the morning, —so much as a little boy.

23 Esi Abigail kpɔ David la, eɖi le eƒe tedzi dzi enumake eye wòde ta agu ɖe David ŋgɔ.

And, when Abigail saw David, she hastened, and alighted from off her ass, —and fell down before David upon her face, and prostrated herself on the ground;

24 Edze klo ɖe eƒe afɔ nu hegblɔ nɛ be, “Nye aƒetɔ, na be vodada sia nanɔ nye ko dzi. Meɖe kuku, na wò dɔla naƒo nu kpli wò eye nàɖo to nya si le wò dɔla si.

yea she fell at his feet, and said—On me, even me, my lord, be the transgression, —But, I pray thee, let thy handmaid speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid.

25 Nye aƒetɔ, megaɖo to Nabal ŋutsu vɔ̃ɖi ma o. Ɖe ko wòle abe aƒe ŋkɔ ene. Eƒe ŋkɔ gɔmee nye Bometsila. Eya ta bometsitsi nɔ eŋu ɖo. Ke nye, wò dɔla, ya la, nyemekpɔ ŋutsu siwo nye aƒetɔ dɔ ɖa la o.

Let it not be, I pray thee, that my lord regard this abandoned man—Nabal ["Base"]; For, as his name is, so, is he. Nabal, is his name, and, baseness, is with him, —But, I, thy handmaid, saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

26 Aƒetɔ, zi ale si Yehowa ɖe wò tso amewuwu kple hlɔ̃biabia me ta la, metsɔ Yehowa ƒe agbe kple wò ŋutɔ wò agbe le kuku ɖem be fiƒode naɖi wò futɔwo katã, abe Nabal ene, ŋu.

Now, therefore, my lord—By the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul, —seeing Yahweh hath withholden thee from coming in with bloodshed, and from saving thyself, with thine own hand, now, therefore, like Nabal, be thine enemies, and they who are making search for my lord, wrongfully.

27 Azɔ la, xɔ nunana siwo metsɔ vɛ na nye aƒetɔ la, na wò kple ɖekakpuiawo.

Now, therefore, this blessing which thy maid-servant hath brought to my lord, let it even be given unto the young men who are going to and fro at the feet of my lord.

28 Tsɔ vo si meda be medo dzi heva afi sia la kem. Yehowa aɖo eteƒe na wò kokoko, ana wò fiaɖuƒe nasu wò dzidzimeviwo si eye enu matso akpɔakpɔ o elabena Yehowa ƒe aʋawo wɔm nèle eye dzɔgbevɔ̃e madzɔ ɖe dziwò le wò agbemeŋkekewo katã me o.

Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid, —for Yahweh, will certainly make, for my lord an assured house, for, the battles of Yahweh, is my lord fighting, and, wrong, shall not be found in thee, all thy days;

29 Ne amewo ati wò agbe yome hã la, ànɔ dedie le Yehowa, wò Mawu la ƒe dzikpɔkpɔ te, abe ale si ga nɔa dedie le gatɔ ƒe gakotoku me ene! Ke wò futɔwo ƒe agbe abu abe kpe si woda le aŋetu me ene.

yea, though there hath arisen a sun of earth to pursue thee, and to seek thy life, yet shall the life of my lord be bound up in the bundle of the living, with Yahweh thy God, but, as for the life of thine enemies, he shall sling it out with the middle of the hollow of the sling.

30 Ne Yehowa wɔ nyui siwo katã ŋugbe wòdo na wò eye nèzu Israel Fia la,

And it shall be, when Yahweh shall do for my lord, according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, —and shall put thee in charge as leader over Israel,

31 ekema, nye aƒetɔ, màxa nu be yewu ame aɖewo dzodzro alo be yebia hlɔ̃ na ye ɖokui o. Gawu la, ne Yehowa yra wò la, nye aƒetɔ, meɖe kuku, ɖo ŋku dzinye!”

then shall this not become to thee a staggering and stumbling of heart, unto my lord—that thou didst either shed blood without need, or that the hand of my lord saved himself. And, when Yahweh hath dealt well with my lord, then remember thou thy handmaid.

32 David ɖo eŋu na Abigail be, “Woakafu Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu, ame si dɔ wò ɖa nèva do gom egbe!

Then said David unto Abigail, —Blessed, be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day, to meet me;

33 Míada akpe na Mawu le susu nyui si wòna wò la ta! Meda akpe na wò be nèɖem tso amewo ƒe ʋukɔkɔɖi kple nye asitsɔtsɔ bia hlɔ̃e la me,

and, blessed, be thy discreet judgment, and, blessed, be thou thyself, —who hast kept me, this day, from coming in with bloodshed, and from saving myself, with mine own hand.

34 elabena metsɔ Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu, ame si na nyemewɔ nuvevi wò o la, ka atam be ne menye ɖe nèva do gom o la, Nabal ƒe amewo dometɔ ɖeka pɛ gɔ̃ hã maganɔ agbe etsɔ ŋdi o.”

Nevertheless, by the life of Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath restrained me from harming, thee, surely, except thou hadst hastened and come to meet me, there had not been left unto Nabal, by the light of the morning, so much as a little boy.

35 David xɔ Abigail ƒe nunana la eye wògblɔ nɛ be wòatrɔ ayi aƒe eye megavɔ̃ o elabena yemawu srɔ̃a o.

So David received at her hand, that which she had brought him, —and, unto herself, he said—Go up, in peace, unto thy house, see! I have hearkened unto thy voice, and accepted thy person.

36 Esi Abigail ɖo aƒe me la, ekpɔ be ye srɔ̃ ɖo kplɔ̃ gã aɖe eye wòmu aha, eya ta megblɔ nya aɖeke nɛ tso eƒe gododo David ŋu o, va se ɖe esime ŋu ke.

And, when Abigail came unto Nabal, lo! he, had a banquet in his house, like the banquet of a king, and, the heart of Nabal, was glad accordingly, he having drunk deeply, —so she told him nothing—less or more, until the light of the morning.

37 Esi aha la kɔ le mo nɛ la, Abigail gblɔ nya sia nya nɛ. Tete eƒe dzi fa ɖe eƒe dɔ me eye wòtsi maʋamaʋã abe kpe ene.

And it came to pass, in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, and his wife told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.

38 Le ŋkeke ewo megbe la, Yehowa na Nabal ku.

And it came to pass, in about ten days, that Yahweh smote Nabal, that he died.

39 Esi David se be Nabal ku la, egblɔ be, “Woakafu Yehowa! Mawu ɖo eteƒe na Nabal eye wòkpe ɖe ŋunye be nye ŋutɔ nyemebia hlɔ̃e o. Exɔ eƒe tohehe le eƒe nu vɔ̃ ta!” David dɔ eƒe dɔlawo ɖe Abigail gbɔ enumake be woagblɔ nɛ be yedi be wòazu ye srɔ̃.

And, when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said—Blessed, be Yahweh, who hath maintained the plea of my reproach, at the hand of Nabal, and hath restrained, his servant, from wrong, yea, the wrong of Nabal, hath Yahweh turned back on his own head. Then sent David, and spake with Abigail, to take her to himself wife.

40 Esi dɔlawo va ɖo Karmel eye wogblɔ nu si ta wova na Abigail la,

And the servants of David came unto Abigail the Carmelitess, —and spake unto her, saying, David, hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to himself to wife.

41 elɔ̃ ɖe eƒe biabia la dzi enumake. Tete wòtsi tre, eye wòtsyɔ mo anyi gblɔ be, “Wò dɔlanyɔnu aklɔ eƒe aƒetɔ ƒe dɔlawo ƒe afɔ ŋu abe kosi ene.”

And she arose, and bowed herself down with her face to the earth, —and said—Lo! thy handmaid, as serving-woman to bathe the feet of the servants of my lord.

42 Edzra ɖo kaba, kplɔ nyɔnudɔla atɔ̃ ɖe asi, lia eƒe tedzi dzi eye wòdze dɔlawo yome yi David gbɔ. Ale Abigail zu David srɔ̃.

And Abigail hastened, and mounted, and rode upon her ass, with her five damsels that used to journey at her feet, —and she went her way after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

43 David ɖe srɔ̃ bubu, Ahinoam, tso Yezreel hã.

David took, Ahinoam also, out of Jezreel, —and, they two, became his wives.

44 Ke Fia Saul zi via nyɔnu Mixal, ame si nye David srɔ̃ la, dzi wòɖe Palti, Lais vi, tso Galim.

Saul, indeed, had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, —to Palti, sun of Laish, who was of Gallim.