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?”
One day [some of] the people of Ziph [town] went to Saul while he was at Gibeah, and they said to him, “David is hiding in a cave on Hakilah hill, across from Jeshimon [town].”
2 Ale Saul yi Zif gbegbe kple eƒe ame akpe etɔ̃ siwo wòtia tso Israel eye woyi be woadi David.
So Saul chose 3,000 of the best Israeli soldiers and went with them to Ziph Desert to search for David.
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 and his men set up their tents close to the road on Hakilah hill, east of Jeshimon [town], but David [and his men] stayed in the desert. When David heard that Saul was searching for him,
4 eɖo ŋkutsalawo ɖe gbea dzi eye woɖo kpe edzi nɛ be Saul va ɖo afi ma vavã.
he sent some spies to find out for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
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.
Then [that evening] David went to the place where Saul had set up his tent. [From a distance] he saw where Saul and his army commander, Abner, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping with all his army [sleeping] 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 [went back to where his men were and] talked to Ahimelech, who was from the Heth people-group, and Joab’s brother Abishai, whose mother was [David’s older sister] Zeruiah. He asked them, “Who will go with me down into the camp where Saul is?” Abishai replied, “I will go with you.”
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 that night David and Abishai crept into Saul’s camp. They saw that Saul was asleep. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. Abner [the army commander] and the other soldiers were sleeping around Saul.
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 whispered to David, “Today Yahweh has enabled us to kill your enemy! Allow me to fasten Saul to the ground [by thrusting] my spear into him. It will be necessary for me to strike him only once. I will not [need to] strike him 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 whispered to Abishai, “No, do not kill Saul. Yahweh has appointed him to be king, so Yahweh will surely [RHQ] punish anyone who kills him.
10 Gbe ɖeka la, Yehowa ŋutɔ ana wòaku kokoko, aku le aʋa me loo alo tsitsi ana wòaku.
Just as surely as Yahweh lives, he himself will punish Saul. Perhaps Yahweh will strike him when it is Saul’s time to die, or perhaps Saul will be killed in a battle.
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!”
But I hope/desire that Yahweh will prevent me from harming the king whom he has appointed. Let’s take Saul’s spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s get out of here!”
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 jug, and he and Abishai left. No one saw them or knew what they were doing, and no one woke up, because Yahweh had caused them to be sound asleep.
13 Wolia to si le go kemɛ la va se ɖe esime woɖo didiƒe aɖe.
David and Abishai went across the valley and climbed to the top of the hill, a long way from Saul’s camp.
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?”
Then David shouted to Abner, “Abner, can you hear me?” Abner [woke up and] replied “Who are you, [waking up] the king by calling out to him?”
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 replied, “[I am sure that] you are the greatest man in Israel [IRO, RHQ]! So why did you not guard your master, the king? Someone came into your camp in order to kill your master, the king.
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 have done a very poor [job of guarding Saul]. So just as surely as Yahweh lives, you and your men should be executed! You have not guarded your master whom Yahweh appointed to be the king. Where are the king’s spear and the water jug that were close to 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.”
[The shouting woke] Saul [up and he] recognized that it was David’s voice. He called out, saying, “My son David, is that your voice?” David replied, “Yes, your majesty it is my voice.”
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?
Then David added, “Sir, why are you pursuing me [RHQ]? What wrong have I done [RHQ]?
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.
Your majesty, listen to me! If Yahweh has caused you to be angry with me, I should offer a sacrifice [in order to appease him]. But if it is people who have caused you to be angry with me, I hope/desire that Yahweh will curse them. They have forced me to leave the land that Yahweh gave to me. They have told me, ‘Go somewhere else 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.”
Now do not force me to die [MTY] far from [where we worship] Yahweh. You, the king of Israel, have come here searching for me. [But I do not want to harm you]! I am [as harmless as] a flea [MET]. You are searching for me like people hunt for a bird in the mountains! [MET]”
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 Saul said, “David, my son. I have sinned [by trying to kill you]. So come back home. Today you have considered my life to be very valuable [and so you have not killed me]. So I will not try to harm you. I have made a big mistake and have acted foolishly.”
22 David gblɔ na Saul be, “Amegã, wò akplɔe nye esi, na wò ɖekakpuiawo dometɔ ɖeka nava afi sia ava xɔe.
David replied, [“will leave] your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get 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.
Yahweh rewards us for the things that we do that are right and for being loyal [to him]. Even when Yahweh placed me where I could easily have killed you, I refused to do that, because you are the one whom Yahweh has appointed [MTY] to be the king.
24 Azɔ la, Yehowa naɖe nye agbe abe ale si meɖe tɔwò egbe ene; eye wòaɖem tso nye xaxawo katã me.”
Just like I considered your life to be valuable [and spared your life] today, I hope/desire that Yahweh will consider my life to be valuable and [spare my life and] save 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.
Then Saul said to David, “My son David, I pray that Yahweh will bless you. You will do great things very successfully.” Then David returned to his men, and Saul went back home.
