1 Samũeli 26
1 Na rĩrĩ, andũ a Zifu magĩthiĩ kũrĩ Saũlũ kũu Gibea makĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Githĩ Daudi ndehithĩte karĩma ka Hakila, karĩa kangʼetheire Jeshimoni?”
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Saũlũ agĩikũrũka nginya Werũ wa Zifu, arĩ na andũ ake ngiri ithatũ a Isiraeli arĩa maathuurĩtwo, mathiĩ magacarie Daudi kuo.
So Saul chose 3,000 of the best Israeli soldiers and went with them to Ziph Desert to search for David.
3 Saũlũ akĩamba hema ciake njĩra-inĩ hakuhĩ na kĩrĩma kĩa Hakila kĩrĩa kĩngʼetheire Jeshimoni, nowe Daudi agĩikara kũu werũ-inĩ. Rĩrĩa onire atĩ Saũlũ nĩamũrũmĩrĩire kũu-rĩ,
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 agĩtũma athigaani na akĩmenya atĩ ti-itherũ Saũlũ nĩakinyĩte kuo.
he sent some spies to find out for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
5 Nake Daudi akiumagara agĩthiĩ harĩa Saũlũ aambĩte hema. Akĩona harĩa Saũlũ na Abineri mũrũ wa Neri, mwathi wa mbũtũ cia ita, maakomete. Saũlũ aakomete thĩinĩ wa kambĩ, nacio mbũtũ cia ita ikaamba hema ikamũthiũrũrũkĩria.
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 Daudi agĩcooka akĩũria Ahimeleku ũrĩa Mũhiti, na Abishai mũrũ wa Zeruia, mũrũ wa nyina na Joabu, atĩrĩ, “Nũũ ũgũikũrũkania na niĩ kambĩ-inĩ harĩa Saũlũ arĩ?” Abishai akiuga atĩrĩ, “Nĩtũgũthiĩ nawe.”
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Daudi na Abishai magĩthiĩ kũrĩ ita rĩu ũtukũ, nake Saũlũ aarĩ kũu kambĩ thĩinĩ akomete toro, na itimũ rĩake rĩhaandĩtwo hakuhĩ na mũtwe wake. Nake Abineri na thigari maakomete makamũthiũrũrũkĩria.
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 Abishai akĩĩra Daudi atĩrĩ, “Ũmũthĩ Ngai nĩaneanĩte thũ yaku moko-inĩ maku. Na rĩrĩ, reke ndĩmũthecithanie na thĩ na itimũ rĩakwa, itheeca o rĩmwe; ndikũmũtheeca keerĩ.”
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 No Daudi akĩĩra Abishai atĩrĩ, “Tiga kũmũniina! Nũũ ũngĩtambũrũkia guoko ookĩrĩre ũrĩa mũitĩrĩrie maguta wa Jehova, na atuĩke ndehĩtie?”
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 Ningĩ akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ, o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo, Jehova we mwene nĩwe ũkũmũhũũra; kana ihinda rĩake rĩkinye, agĩkue, kana athiĩ mbaara-inĩ, agathirĩre kuo.
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 No Jehova arongiria ndambũrũkie guoko kũrĩ ũrĩa mũitĩrĩrie maguta wa Jehova, ndĩmũũkĩrĩre. Na rĩrĩ, oya itimũ na mbũthũ ya maaĩ icio irĩ hakuhĩ na mũtwe wake, twĩthiĩre.”
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Daudi akĩoya itimũ na mbũthũ ya maaĩ icio ciarĩ hakuhĩ na mũtwe wa Saũlũ, magĩthiĩ. Gũtirĩ mũndũ o na ũmwe wonire kana akĩmenya ũhoro ũcio, o na gũtirĩ mũndũ wokĩrire. Othe maarĩ toro, nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩatũmĩte manyiitwo nĩ toro mũnene.
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 Daudi agĩcooka akĩringa mũrĩmo ũrĩa ũngĩ, akĩrũgama kĩrĩma-igũrũ handũ haraaya; naho nĩ haarĩ itĩĩna inene gatagatĩ kao.
David and Abishai went across the valley and climbed to the top of the hill, a long way from Saul’s camp.
14 Nake akĩanĩrĩra, agĩĩtana kũrĩ ita rĩu rĩa Saũlũ, na kũrĩ Abineri mũrũ wa Neri, akĩũria atĩrĩ, “Anga ndũkũnjookeria, Abineri?” Abineri akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Wee nĩwe ũ ũreta mũthamaki?”
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 Daudi akiuga atĩrĩ, “Githĩ ndũrĩ mũndũ mũrũme? Ningĩ-rĩ, nũũ ũtariĩ ta we thĩinĩ wa Isiraeli? Nĩ kĩĩ kĩagiria ũrangĩre mũthamaki, ũcio mwathi waku? Nĩ harĩ mũndũ ũgũũkĩte kũniina mũthamaki ũcio mwathi waku.
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 Ũguo wee wĩkĩte ti ũndũ mwega. Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo-rĩ, wee na andũ aku mwagĩrĩirwo nĩ kũũragwo, nĩ ũndũ mũtiinarangĩra mwathi wanyu, ũcio mũitĩrĩrie maguta wa Jehova. Ta rorai hau mũrĩ. Itimũ rĩa mũthamaki na mbũthũ yake ya maaĩ iria ciuma hakuhĩ na mũtwe wake irĩ ha?”
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 Saũlũ akĩmenya mũgambo wa Daudi, akĩũria atĩrĩ, “Ũcio nĩ mũgambo waku, Daudi, mũrũ wakwa?” Daudi agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ĩĩ nĩguo, wee mũthamaki, mwathi wakwa.”
[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 Agĩcooka akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ kĩratũma mwathi wakwa aingatithie ndungata yake? Nĩ atĩa njĩkĩte, na nĩ ũũru ũrĩkũ nyonetwo naguo?
Then David added, “Sir, why are you pursuing me [RHQ]? What wrong have I done [RHQ]?
19 Atĩrĩrĩ, reke mũthamaki mwathi wakwa athikĩrĩrie ũhoro wa ndungata yake. Angĩkorwo Jehova nĩwe ũkũringĩrĩirie ũnjũkĩrĩre-rĩ, aroĩtĩkĩra igongona. No angĩkorwo nĩ andũ mekĩte ũguo-rĩ, marogwatwo nĩ kĩrumi marĩ mbere ya Jehova! Nĩmanyingatĩte, njeherere gĩcunjĩ gĩakwa harĩ igai rĩa Jehova, na makoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩ ũgatungatĩre ngai ingĩ.’
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 Na rĩrĩ, ndũkareke thakame yakwa ĩitĩke thĩ haraaya na harĩa Jehova arĩ. Mũthamaki wa Isiraeli oimagarĩte agacarie thuya, ta ũrĩa mũndũ aguĩmaga ngware irĩma-inĩ.”
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 Nake Saũlũ agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩnjĩhĩtie. Cooka, wee Daudi, mũrũ wakwa. Nĩ ũndũ nĩ wonire muoyo wakwa ũrĩ wa goro ũmũthĩ, ndikaageria gũkũgera ngero rĩngĩ. Ti-itherũ nĩnjĩkĩte ta mũndũ mũkĩĩgu, na ngahĩtia makĩria.”
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 Nake Daudi agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ĩ rĩĩrĩ itimũ rĩa mũthamaki. Reke ũmwe wa aanake acio aku oke arĩgĩĩre.
David replied, [“will leave] your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get it.
23 Jehova nĩwe ũrĩhaga o mũndũ nĩ ũndũ wa ũthingu wake, na wĩhokeku wake. Jehova nĩegũkũneanĩte moko-inĩ makwa ũmũthĩ, no niĩ ndingĩtambũrũkia guoko njũkĩrĩre ũrĩa mũitĩrĩrie maguta wa Jehova.
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 Ti-itherũ o ta ũguo niĩ nyonete muoyo waku ũrĩ wa goro ũmũthĩ, Jehova arotũma muoyo wakwa o naguo woneke ũrĩ wa goro, na aahonokie kuuma mathĩĩna-inĩ mothe.”
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 Saũlũ agĩcooka akĩĩra Daudi atĩrĩ, “Ũrorathimwo, wee mũrũ wakwa, Daudi; nĩũgeeka maũndũ manene, na ti-itherũ nĩũkahootana.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Daudi agĩthiĩ, nake Saũlũ akĩhũndũka, akĩinũka.
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.
