1 Samuel 26
1 Ndị Zif jekwuru Sọl na Gibea gwa ya na Devid na-ezo onwe ya nʼugwu Hakila nke chere ihu nʼọzara.
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 Nʼihi ya, Sọl biliri chịrị puku ndị agha atọ o leziri anya họpụta nʼetiti ndị agha Izrel, duru ha gaa nʼọzara Zif ịchọ Devid.
So Saul chose 3,000 of the best Israeli soldiers and went with them to Ziph Desert to search for David.
3 Sọl mara ụlọ ikwu ya nʼakụkụ ụzọ ugwu nta Hakila na ncherita ihu Jeshimọn nke nọ nʼokporoụzọ. Ma ka Devid nʼonwe ya nọ nʼime ọzara, ọ hụrụ na Sọl chụụrụ ya bata nʼime ọzara,
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 Devid zipụrụ ndị nledo, matakwa na Sọl bịara nʼezie.
he sent some spies to find out for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
5 Emesịa, Devid pụrụ jeruo ebe Sọl mara ụlọ ikwu ya. Ọ hụrụ ebe Sọl na Abna nwa Nea, onyeisi agha dinara ala. Sọl dina nʼime ogige ụlọ ikwu ahụ, ndị agha ya dinakwara gburugburu ya.
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 Devid sịrị Ahimelek onye Het, na Abishai, nwa Zeruaya onye bụ nwanne Joab, “Onye ga-eso m gaa nʼogige ebe Sọl na ndị agha ya mara ụlọ ikwu ha?” Abishai zara sị, “Aga m eso gị gaa.”
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 Ya mere, nʼabalị, Devid na Abishai jiri nwayọọ jeruo ebe ndị agha Sọl mara ụlọ ikwu ha. Ha hụrụ Sọl ebe o dinara ala na-arahụ ụra. Ùbe ya ka ọ manyekwara nʼala nʼakụkụ ebe isi ya dị. Abna, na ndị agha ndị ọzọ dina gburugburu Sọl na-arahụ ụra.
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 sịrị Devid, “Nʼezie, Chineke enyefeela gị onye iro gị nʼaka taa. Ugbu a, kwere ka m gaa were ùbe magide ya nʼala otu ugboro; agaghị m atụ ya ugboro abụọ.”
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 Ma Devid sịrị Abishai, “Mba egbula ya. Onye ga-eseti aka ya megide onye Onyenwe anyị tere mmanụ, ghara ị bụ onye ikpe na-amaghị?”
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 Ọ sịrị, “Nʼezie dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị ya onwe ya ga-etida ya, maọbụ oge ya ga-eru mgbe ọ ga-anwụ, ma ọ bụkwanụ ọ gaa agha, ọ nwụfuo.
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 Ma Onyenwe anyị ekwela ka m setịpụ aka megide onye Onyenwe anyị tere mmanụ. Ugbu a, weta ùbe na ihe ịṅụ mmiri nke dị nʼakụkụ isi ya, ka anyị si nʼebe a pụọ.”
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 Devid weere ùbe ya na ite mmiri dị nʼakụkụ isi Sọl, ha sitere nʼebe ahụ pụọ. Ọ dịkwaghị onye hụrụ ha. Ọ dịkwaghị onye tetara, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị mere ka ha daba nʼoke ụra.
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 Mgbe ahụ, Devid pụrụ gafee nʼofe nke ọzọ, guzo onwe ya nʼelu ugwu ebe dị anya, ebe mbara dị nʼetiti ya na ha.
David and Abishai went across the valley and climbed to the top of the hill, a long way from Saul’s camp.
14 Devid kpọrọ Abna nwa Nea na ndị agha oku sị, “Abna, za m oku!” Abna jụrụ ya sị, “Onye ka ị bụ i ji si otu a na-eti mkpu ịkpọte eze?”
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 Devid sịrị, “Nʼezie, ọ bụghị nwoke ka ị bụ? Onye dịkwa ka gị nʼIzrel niile? Gịnị mere i ji hapụ ichezi onyenwe gị eze nke ọma? Otu onye bịara igbu onyenwe gị, bụ eze.
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 Ihe a i mere adịghị mma. Nʼeziokwu, dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, gị na ndị ikom gị kwesiri ọnwụ, nʼihi na gị na ndị gị echebeghị onyenwe unu, bụ onye Onyenwe anyị tere mmanụ. Ebee ka ùbe eze, na ihe mmiri ọṅụṅụ ya, nke dị nʼakụkụ isi ya dị?”
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 Mgbe ahụ, Sọl matara na ọ bụ olu Devid, ọ sịrị, “Ọ bụ gị nwa m, Devid?” Devid zara sị ya, “E, ọ bụ olu m, onyenwe m, eze.”
[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 Ọ sịkwa, “Nʼihi gịnị ka onyenwe m ji na-achụgharị ohu ya? Gịnị ka m mere? Gịnịkwa bụ ihe ọjọọ ị chọtara nʼaka m?
Then David added, “Sir, why are you pursuing me [RHQ]? What wrong have I done [RHQ]?
19 Ugbu a ka onyenwe m eze gee ntị nʼokwu ohu ya: Ọ bụrụ na Onyenwe anyị kpaliri gị imegide m, mgbe ahụ arịrịọ m bụ ka Onyenwe anyị nara onyinye ịnata ihuọma. Otu ọ dị, a si na ọ bụ ndị mmadụ na-akpali gị imegide m, ka ndị dị otu a bụrụ ndị a bụrụ ọnụ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị. Nʼihi na ha esitela nʼoke m nwere nʼihe nketa Onyenwe anyị chụpụ m, sị m, ‘Gaa fee chi ndị ọzọ ofufe.’
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 Ugbu a, ekwela ka ọbara m bụrụ ihe a wufuru nʼala dị anya, na-abụghị nʼihu Onyenwe anyị. Eze Izrel apụtala ịchọ akpị dịka m, otu dinta si achọgharị ọkwa nʼelu ugwu.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, Sọl zara sị, “Emehiela m. Lọghachi nʼụlọ nwa m Devid. Nʼihi na ị gụrụ ndụ m taa dịka ihe dị oke ọnụahịa. Agaghị m emejọ gị ọzọ. Nʼezie, a kpaala m agwa dịka onye nzuzu, meekwa ihe nke ukwuu na-amaghị ama.”
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 Devid zara ya sị, “Lee ùbe eze, Zie otu nʼime ndị ikom gị ka ọ bịa were ya.
David replied, [“will leave] your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get it.
23 Onyenwe anyị na-akwụghachi nwoke ọbụla ezi omume ya na ikwesi ntụkwasị obi ya. Onyenwe anyị nyere gị nʼaka m taa ma ajụla m igbu onye ya o tere mmanụ.
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 Ugbu a, ka Onyenwe anyị zọpụta ndụ m, ọ bụladị dịka m sị zọpụta ndụ nke gị taa. Ka ọ napụtakwa m site na mkpagbu m niile.”
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 Sọl sịrị Devid, “Onye a gọziri agọzi ka ị bụ nwa m, Devid. Ị ga-eme oke ihe, bụrụkwa onye na-emeri nʼagha.” Devid sitere nʼebe ahụ pụọ. Sọl laghachikwara nʼụlọ ya.
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.
