< Samuel 1 26 >
1 Zifitɔwo va Saul gbɔ le Gibea eye wogblɔ nɛ be, “Ɖe David mebe ɖe Hakila togbɛ si dze ŋgɔ Yesimon to la dzi oa?”
The people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David's hiding on the hill of Hakilah, opposite the wastelands.”
2 Ale Saul yi Zif gbegbe kple eƒe ame akpe etɔ̃ siwo wòtia tso Israel eye woyi be woadi David.
So Saul went to the Desert of Ziph along with three thousand specially-picked men from Israel to search for David there.
3 Saul ƒu asaɖa anyi ɖe mɔ si ɖo ta Hakila tɔgbɛ si dze ŋgɔ Yesimon mɔto, ke David ya nɔ gbegbea. Esi wòkpɔ be Saul ti ye yome va afi ma la,
Saul set up camp beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite the wastelands, near to where David was living in the desert. When he realized that Saul had come looking for him there,
4 eɖo ŋkutsalawo ɖe gbea dzi eye woɖo kpe edzi nɛ be Saul va ɖo afi ma vavã.
he sent out spies and found out Saul had definitely arrived.
5 David yi enumake eye wòde dzesi afi si tututu Saul kple Abner, Ner vi, ame si nye Saul ƒe aʋafia la dɔna. Saul dɔa asaɖa la me eye eƒe amewo ƒua asaɖa anyi ƒoa xlãe.
One night David got up and went over to Saul's camp and saw where Saul was sleeping, along with Abner, son of Ner, the army commander. Saul was lying in the middle of the camp with his men all around him.
6 David bia Ahimelek, Hititɔ la kple Abisai, Yoab nɔviŋutsu, ame si dada nye Zeruya be, “Mi ame eve siawo dometɔ kae ayi Saul ƒe saɖa la me kplim?” Abishai ɖo eŋu be, “Mayi.”
David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, “Who wants to go with me into the camp to Saul?” “I'll go with you,” Abishai replied.
7 Ale David kple Abisai yi Saul ƒe aʋakɔ la gbɔ le zã me. Wokpɔ Saul wòdɔ alɔ̃ eye wòtsɔ eƒe akplɔ tu anyigba le eƒe tagbɔ. Ke Abner kple eƒe aʋakɔ la ɖe to ɖee godoo.
So David and Abishai went to the army camp at night. Saul was sleeping there in the camp with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head, with Abner and his men sleeping around him.
8 Abisai do dalĩ na David be, “Mawu tsɔ wò futɔ de asi na wò egbe, ɖe mɔ nam matsɔ eya ŋutɔ ƒe akplɔ atu edzi eye mamimii ɖe anyigba. Mahiã be magatui edzi zi evelia kura o!”
Abishai said to David, “God has handed your enemy over to you today. So please let me spear him to the ground in one go. I won't need to do it twice!”
9 Ke David gblɔ na Abisai be, “Mègawui o elabena ame kae anye ame maɖifɔ ne ewu fia si Yehowa ŋutɔ tia?
But David said to Abishai, “No, don't kill him! Who can attack the Lord's anointed one and not be guilty of a crime?
10 Gbe ɖeka la, Yehowa ŋutɔ ana wòaku kokoko, aku le aʋa me loo alo tsitsi ana wòaku.
As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will kill him. Either his time will come and he'll die, or he will go into battle and be killed.
11 Ke Yehowa melɔ̃ be mawu ame si eya ŋutɔ tia be wòanye fia o. Nu si míawɔ enye míatsɔ eƒe akplɔ kple eƒe tsinoze eye míadzo le afi sia!”
May the Lord prevent me from attacking the Lord's anointed one. Just pick up the spear and water jug beside his head, and let's go.”
12 Ale David tsɔ akplɔ la kple tsinoze la dzoe ke ame aɖeke mekpɔ wo o eye ame aɖeke menyɔ hã o elabena Yehowa na wodɔ alɔ̃ yi eme ʋĩi.
David took the spear and water jug beside Saul's head, and they left. Nobody saw anything; nobody knew what had happened; nobody woke up. Everybody stayed asleep, because the Lord had made them fall into a deep sleep.
13 Wolia to si le go kemɛ la va se ɖe esime woɖo didiƒe aɖe.
Then David went back over to the other side, and stood on top of the hill far enough away—there was a considerable distance between them.
14 Azɔ la, David do ɣli ɖo ɖe Saul kple Abner be, “Abner, nyɔ!” Abner bia be, “Wò ame kae le ɣli dom nenema hele fia la nyɔm tso alɔ̃ me?”
He shouted down to the army and Abner, son of Ner, “Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?” “Who is that shouting, disturbing the king?” Abner called back.
15 David ɖo eŋu fewuɖutɔe be, “Menye wòe nye ame gãtɔ kekeake le Israel oa? Ekema nu ka ta mèdzɔ wò aƒetɔ, fia la, ŋu esi ame aɖe va be yeawui o?
David called to Abner, “Aren't you meant to be this great man? Is there anyone in Israel who is better than you? So why didn't you protect your master the king when someone came to kill him?
16 Esia menyo kura o! Metsɔ Yehowa ka atam na wò be ele be nàku le wò ŋudzɔmanɔmanɔ ta. Afi ka fia la ƒe akplɔ kple eƒe tsinoze si nɔ eƒe tagbɔ la le?”
You haven't done well at all. As the Lord lives, you all deserve to die, because you did not protect your master, the Lord's anointed. Take a look around. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were beside his head?”
17 Saul dze si David ƒe gbe eye wòbiae be, “David, wò vinyee nye ema?” David ɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, nye aƒetɔ fia bubutɔ, nyee.”
Saul recognized David's voice and asked, “Is that you speaking, David, my son?” “Yes it's me, my lord and king,” David replied.
18 Eye wòyi edzi be, “Nu ka ta nye aƒetɔ le eƒe subɔla yome tim? Nu ka mewɔ eye nu ka tututue nye nu vɔ̃ si mewɔ?
“Why is my lord hunting me, his servant? What is it that I've done? What crime am I guilty of?” he continued.
19 Azɔ la, nye aƒetɔ, fia la nase eƒe subɔla ƒe nyawo. Nenye Yehowae na nètso ɖe ŋunye la, ekema mexɔ nye vɔsa. Ke nenye amegbetɔviwo ƒe ɖoɖoe la, ekema Yehowa ŋutɔ naƒo fi ade wo elabena wonyam dzoe le mía de ale be nyemate ŋu anɔ Yehowa ƒe amewo dome o eye woɖom ɖa be masubɔ mawu bubuwo.
“Please listen to me, my lord and king. If the Lord has made you angry with me, then may he be happy to accept an offering. But if it's men that have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! For all this while they've been driving me away from living among God's chosen people, telling me, ‘Go away and worship other gods.’
20 Eya ta azɔ la, mègana nye ʋu naɖuɖu ɖe anyigba, afi si didi tso Yehowa gbɔ o. Israel fia va le axɔ̃ aɖe dim abe ale si ame dia tegli le towo dzi be yeawu ene.”
Please don't let me die so far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come to chase down one little flea, hunting me like someone who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Enumake Saul ʋu eme be, “Mewɔ nu vɔ̃. Trɔ va aƒe, vinye eye nyemagadze agbagba be mawɔ vɔ̃ aɖeke wò o, elabena èɖe nye agbe egbe; abunɛtɔe menye eye tɔnye medzɔ le go aɖeke me kura o.”
“I've done wrong,” Saul replied, “Come back, David, my son. I won't ever try to harm you again, because you valued me and spared my life today. I've been so stupid! I've made a big mistake!”
22 David gblɔ na Saul be, “Amegã, wò akplɔe nye esi, na wò ɖekakpuiawo dometɔ ɖeka nava afi sia ava xɔe.
“I have the king's spear here,” said David. “Send one of your men over to collect it.
23 Yehowa ŋutɔ axe fe na ame si wɔ nyui kple ame si wɔ nuteƒe. Ao, nyemawu wò o, togbɔ be Yehowa tsɔ wò de asi nam hã.
The Lord rewards all those who do what is right and who are trustworthy. The Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to harm the Lord's anointed one.
24 Azɔ la, Yehowa naɖe nye agbe abe ale si meɖe tɔwò egbe ene; eye wòaɖem tso nye xaxawo katã me.”
In the same way as I valued your life today, may the Lord value my life, and may he rescue me from all my troubles.”
25 Saul gblɔ na David be, “Woayra wò, vinye David; àwɔ nu dzɔatsuwo eye ànye dziɖula gã aɖe.” David trɔ dzo eye Saul yi eƒe nɔƒe.
Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish a great deal and always be successful.” David left, and Saul went back home.