1 Samuele 23
1 Tango bayebisaki Davidi ete bato ya Filisitia bazali kobundisa engumba Keila mpe bazali kozwa na makasi ble na bilanga na yango,
One day someone told David, “You need to know that the Philistia army is attacking Keilah [town] and they are stealing grain from where men are threshing it.”
2 Davidi atunaki Yawe, alobaki: — Nakoki na ngai kokende kobundisa bato oyo ya Filisitia? Yawe azongiselaki ye: — Kende, bundisa bato ya Filisitia mpe bikisa engumba Keila.
David asked Yahweh, “Should my men and I go to fight against those men from the Philistia people-group?” Yahweh answered, “Yes, go. Attack them, and rescue the people of Keilah.”
3 Kasi basoda ya Davidi bayebisaki ye: — Soki awa kati na Yuda, tozali kobanga, ekozala boni soki tokeyi na Keila kobundisa bato ya Filisitia?
But David’s men said to him, “We are afraid [that Saul will attack us] here in Judah. We will be more afraid if we go to Keilah where the Philistia army is!”
4 Davidi atunaki lisusu Yawe, mpe Yawe azongiselaki ye: — Telema, kende na Keila, pamba te nazali kokaba bato ya Filisitia na maboko na yo.
So David asked Yahweh again [if they should go to Keilah]. Yahweh answered, “Yes, go down to Keilah. I will help you to defeat the men of the Philistia people-group.”
5 Boye Davidi elongo na basoda na ye bakendeki na engumba Keila mpe babundisaki bato ya Filisitia, babotolaki biloko mpe bibwele na bango. Davidi abetaki makasi bato ya Filisitia, mpe, na bongo, abikisaki bato ya Keila.
So David and his men went to Keilah. They fought against the men of the Philistia people-group and captured many of their cattle. David and his men killed many of the Philistia men and rescued the people of Keilah.
6 Nzokande, tango Abiatari, mwana mobali ya Ayimeleki, akimaki epai ya Davidi, na engumba Keila, amemaki elongo na ye efode oyo basalelaka mpo na kotuna Yawe makambo.
Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, fled to be with David at Keilah, and he brought the sacred vest with him [to use it to determine what God wanted to be done].
7 Tango bayebisaki Saulo ete Davidi akomi na Keila, Saulo alobaki: « Nzambe akabi ye na maboko na ngai, pamba te lokola Davidi akoti na engumba oyo ezali na bikuke mpe bikangelo, amikotisi ye moko na boloko. »
Soon Saul found out that David was at Keilah. So he said, “That is good! God is enabling me to capture him! He has trapped himself in that town, because it has high walls with gates around it.”
8 Saulo asangisaki mampinga na ye nyonso mpo na bitumba, mpo ete bakende na Keila kozingela Davidi elongo na bato na ye.
So Saul summoned his army, and they prepared to go down to Keilah to attack David and his men.
9 Tango Davidi ayokaki sango ya mabe oyo Saulo azali kobongisa mpo na ye, alobaki na Nganga-Nzambe Abiatari ete amema efode oyo basalelaka mpo na kotuna Yawe makambo.
But David found out that Saul was planning [for his army] to attack him. So he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring [here] the sacred vest.”
10 Davidi alobaki: — Oh Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele, mosali na Yo ayoki malamu ete Saulo azali komibongisa mpo na koya na Keila, mpo na kobebisa engumba likolo na ngai.
[So when Abiathar brought it, ] David prayed, “Yahweh, God of us Israelis, I have heard that Saul is planning to come here [with his army] and destroy Keilah because I am here.
11 Boni, bakambi ya Keila bakokaba ngai penza na maboko na ye? Saulo akoya solo ndenge mosali na Yo ayoki yango? Oh Yawe, Nzambe ya Isalaele, yebisa mosali na yo. Yawe alobaki: — Iyo, akoya penza.
Will Saul come down [here to Keilah], as people reported to me? Will the leaders of Keilah enable Saul to capture me? Yahweh, God of us Israelis, please tell me!” Yahweh answered, “Yes, Saul will come down.”
12 Davidi atunaki lisusu: — Bakambi ya Keila bakokaba penza ngai mpe bato na ngai na maboko ya bato ya Saulo? Yawe alobaki: — Iyo, bakokaba yo.
Then David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah enable Saul’s army to capture me and my men [if we stay here]?” [By means of the stones in the sacred vest], Yahweh replied, “Yes, they will.”
13 Boye, Davidi mpe bato na ye pene nkama motoba balongwaki na engumba Keila mpe batambolaki bipai na bipai. Tango bayebisaki Saulo ete Davidi alongwaki na Keila, Saulo akendeki lisusu kuna te.
So David and his 600 men left Keilah. They continued to move from one place to another, [wherever they thought that Saul would not find them]. And when Saul found out that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.
14 Davidi avandaki na bisambelo ya likolo ya bangomba kati na esobe, mpe avandaki na likolo ya ngomba kati na esobe ya Zifi. Saulo alukaki ye mikolo nyonso, kasi Nzambe akabaki Davidi te na maboko na ye.
David and his men stayed in hiding places in the desert and in the hills of Ziph Desert. Every day Saul [sent men to] search for David, but Yahweh did not allow them to capture David.
15 Wana Davidi azalaki na Oreshi kati na esobe ya Zifi, ayokaki ete Saulo abimaki mpo na koluka koboma ye.
While David and his men were at [a place named] Horesh in Ziph desert, he found out that Saul was coming there to kill him.
16 Jonatan, mwana mobali ya Saulo, akendeki na Oreshi epai ya Davidi mpo na kolendisa ye na Kombo ya Nzambe.
But Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him to continue to trust [God].
17 Alobaki na ye: « Kobanga te! Loboko ya tata na ngai, Saulo, ekozwa yo te. Okozala mokonzi ya Isalaele, mpe ngai nakozala molandi na yo; ezala tata na ngai, Saulo, ayebi yango. »
Jonathan told him, “Do not be afraid, because my father will not be able to harm [IDM] you. [Some day] you will be the king of Israel, and I will be the second [most important man in Israel]. My father Saul also knows that.”
18 Bango mibale basalaki boyokani liboso ya Yawe. Jonatan azongaki epai na ye, mpe Davidi atikalaki na Oreshi.
Then the two of them repeated their solemn promise that Yahweh [had heard them make previously, that they would always be loyal to each other]. Then Jonathan went home, but David stayed at Horesh.
19 Bato ya Zifi bakendeki na Gibea epai ya Saulo mpe balobaki na ye: — Boni, Davidi abombami te kati na biso, na bisambelo ya likolo ya bangomba ya Oreshi, kati na esobe, na likolo ya ngomba moke ya Akila oyo ezali na ngambo ya sude ya Yeshimoni?
Some people from Ziph went to Saul when he was at Gibeah, and they told him, “David [and his men] are hiding in our land [RHQ]! They are hiding in places at Horesh on Hakilah Hill, south of [a place named] Jeshimon.
20 Sik’oyo, oh mokonzi, tango nyonso okosepela kokita, kita na yo; mpe biso moko tozwi mokumba ya kokaba ye na maboko ya mokonzi.
So, O king, come down there any time that you want to. It is our duty to capture him and turn him over to you.”
21 Saulo azongisaki: — Tika ete Yawe apambola bino mpo na mawa na bino epai na ngai!
Saul replied, “I hope/desire that Yahweh will bless you [for telling that to me].
22 Bokende, botala lisusu malamu, bononga mpe boluka koyeba esika nini Davidi akendaka mikolo nyonso mpe nani amonaki ye kuna; pamba te bayebisaka ngai ete azali na mayele mabe makasi.
Go back and find out more about him. Find out exactly where he is staying, and find out who has seen him there. People tell me that he is very clever, [so we need to be clever also to be able to capture him].
23 Botala mpe boyeba bisika nyonso epai wapi abombamaka, mpe bozongela ngai mpo na koyebisa ngai makambo nyonso ndenge yango ezali. Bongo na sima, soki azali kati na mboka, ngai nakokende elongo na bino mpe nakolukisa ye kati na bituka nyonso ya Yuda.
Find out all the places where he and his men hide. Then come back and tell me everything that you have found out. Then I will [take my army and] go there with you. If David is in any of the clans/caves of Judah, we will search for him [and find him]!”
24 Boye, batelemaki mpe bakendeki na Zifi liboso na Saulo. Nzokande Davidi elongo na bato na ye bazalaki kati na esobe ya Maoni, na etando ya Araba, na ngambo ya sude ya Yeshimoni.
So those people went back to Ziph before Saul went there. At that time David and his men were in Maon Desert, south of Jeshimon.
25 Saulo elongo na bato na ye bakomaki koluka Davidi. Tango bayebisaki Davidi ete bazali koluka ye, akitaki kati na libanga monene mpe avandaki kati na esobe ya Maoni. Mpe tango Saulo ayokaki bongo, akotaki kati na esobe yango ya Moani mpo na kolanda Davidi.
Saul and his soldiers went to search for David, but David heard about that. So he and his men went further [south] to a rocky hill/peak in the Maon Desert. When Saul heard about that, he and his men followed David and his men to the Maon Desert.
26 Saulo azalaki kotambola na ngambo moko ya ngomba, bongo Davidi mpe bato na ye bazalaki kotambola na ngambo mosusu mpe kokima mbangu mosika na Saulo. Lokola Saulo mpe mampinga na ye bazalaki koluka kozingela Davidi mpe bato na ye mpo na kokanga bango,
Saul and his soldiers were walking along one side of the hill/peak, and David and his men were on the other side. David and his men were hurrying to escape from Saul’s soldiers, because Saul and his soldiers were coming much closer.
27 momemi sango moko ayaki epai ya Saulo mpe alobaki na ye: « Yaka noki! Bato ya Filisitia bakoti na mokili. »
But then a messenger came to Saul and said to him, “Come quickly! The Philistia army is attacking the people in our land!”
28 Mbala moko, Saulo atikaki kolanda Davidi mpo na kokende kokutana na bato ya Filisitia. Yango wana babengaka esika yango « Sela-Amalekoti » oyo elakisi « Libanga ya bokabwani. »
So Saul stopped pursuing David, and he [and his soldiers] went to fight against the Philistia army. That is the reason that people call that place ‘Escape Rock’.
29 Davidi alongwaki wana mpe akendeki kovanda na ebombamelo kati na mabanga ya Eyini-Gedi.
David and his men also left the Maon Desert and went to places to hide safely at En-Gedi.
