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?”

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?'

2 Ale Saul yi Zif gbegbe kple eƒe ame akpe etɔ̃ siwo wòtia tso Israel eye woyi be woadi David.

Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

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,

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 eɖo ŋkutsalawo ɖe gbea dzi eye woɖo kpe edzi nɛ be Saul va ɖo afi ma vavã.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.

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.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay within the barricade, and the people pitched round about 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.”

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying: 'Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?' And Abishai said: 'I will go down with thee.'

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 came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the barricade, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about 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!”

Then said Abishai to David: 'God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.'

9 Ke David gblɔ na Abisai be, “Mègawui o elabena ame kae anye ame maɖifɔ ne ewu fia si Yehowa ŋutɔ tia?

And David said to Abishai: 'Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?'

10 Gbe ɖeka la, Yehowa ŋutɔ ana wòaku kokoko, aku le aʋa me loo alo tsitsi ana wòaku.

And David said: 'As the LORD liveth, nay, but the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle, and be swept away.

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!”

The LORD forbid it me, that I should put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water and let us 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.

So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

13 Wolia to si le go kemɛ la va se ɖe esime woɖo didiƒe aɖe.

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being 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?”

And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: 'Answerest thou not, Abner?' Then Abner answered and said: 'Who art thou that criest to the king?'

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?

And David said to Abner: 'Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

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?”

This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye deserve to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD'S anointed. And now, see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at 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.”

And Saul knew David's voice, and said: 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' And David said: 'It is my voice, my lord, O king.'

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?

And he said: 'Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

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.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that hath stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the LORD, saying: Go, serve 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.”

Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as when one doth hunt 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.”

Then said Saul: 'I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.'

22 David gblɔ na Saul be, “Amegã, wò akplɔe nye esi, na wò ɖekakpuiawo dometɔ ɖeka nava afi sia ava xɔe.

And David answered and said: 'Behold the king's spear! let then one of the young men come over and fetch 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.

And the LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as the LORD delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed.

24 Azɔ la, Yehowa naɖe nye agbe abe ale si meɖe tɔwò egbe ene; eye wòaɖem tso nye xaxawo katã me.”

And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.'

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.

Then Saul said to David: 'Blessed be thou, my son David; thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail.' So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.