1 Samwiri 23
1 Awo Dawudi bwe yategeezebwa nti, “Laba, Abafirisuuti balwana ne Keyira, era banyagulula amawuuliro,”
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 ne yeebuuza ku Mukama nti, “Ŋŋende nnumbe Abafirisuuti abo?” Mukama n’amuddamu nti, “Genda olumbe Abafirisuuti owonye Keyira.”
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 Naye abasajja ba Dawudi ne bamugamba nti, “Wano mu Yuda tuli mu ntiisa. Naye ate bwe tuligenda e Keyira okulwanyisa Abafirisuuti, kiriba kitya?”
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 Dawudi n’addayo nate okwebuuza ku Mukama. Mukama n’amuddamu nti, “Golokoka oserengete e Keyira, kubanga ŋŋenda kuwaayo Abafirisuuti mu mukono gwo.”
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 Awo Dawudi n’abasajja be ne balaga e Keyira, ne balwana n’Abafirisuuti, ne batwala ente zaabwe, era ne batta bangi ku bo. Dawudi n’awonya abatuuze b’e Keyira.
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 Mu biro ebyo Abiyasaali mutabani wa Akimereki bwe yaddukira eri Dawudi e Keyira, yagenda ne kkanzu ey’obwakabona eyitibwa efodi.
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 Sawulo n’ategeezebwa nti Dawudi agenze e Keyira, n’ayogera nti, “Katonda awaddeyo Dawudi mu mukono gwange, kubanga Dawudi yesibiddeyo, bw’ayingidde mu kibuga ekiriko wankaaki ow’emitayimbwa.”
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 Awo Sawulo n’akuŋŋaanya amaggye ge gonna okweteekerateekera olutalo, n’aserengeta e Keyira okuzingiza Dawudi ne basajja be.
So Saul summoned his army, and they prepared to go down to Keilah to attack David and his men.
9 Dawudi n’ategeera nga Sawulo ateekateeka okumukola akabi, n’agamba Abiyasaali kabona nti, “Leeta ekkanzu ey’obwakabona eyitibwa efodi wano.”
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 Awo Dawudi n’ayogera nti, “Ayi Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri, omuweereza wo awuliridde ddala Sawulo bw’ateekateeka okujja okusaanyaawo ekibuga Keyira ku lwange.
[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 Abatuuze b’e Keyira balimpaayo gy’ali? Era Sawulo anaaserengeta n’ajja, ng’omuweereza wo bw’awulidde? Ayi Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri, nkwegayiridde, tegeeza omuweereza wo.” Mukama n’amugamba nti, “Aliserengeta.”
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 Dawudi n’addamu n’abuuza nti, “Abasajja b’e Keyira balimpaayo nze n’abasajja bange eri Sawulo?” Mukama n’amuddamu nti, “Balibawaayo gy’ali.”
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 Awo Dawudi n’abasajja be, abawera nga lukaaga ne bava e Keyira, ne batambulatambulanga wano ne wali nga tebalina kifo kyankalakkalira. Sawulo bwe yategeezebwa nga Dawudi adduse okuva mu Keyira, n’atagendayo.
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 Dawudi n’abeera mu bifo eby’eddungu, mu nsi ey’ensozi mu ddungu ery’e Zifu. Sawulo n’anoonyanga Dawudi buli lunaku, naye Katonda n’atamuwaayo mu mukono gwe.
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 Dawudi ng’ali mu ddungu ery’e Zifu mu kibira ky’e Kolesi, n’ategeera nga Sawulo amunoonya okumutta.
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 Awo Yonasaani mutabani wa Sawulo n’agenda eri Dawudi mu kibira, Kolesi, okumugumya mu Mukama.
But Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him to continue to trust [God].
17 N’amugamba nti, “Totya, kubanga kitange Sawulo talikukola kabi n’akamu. Gwe oliba kabaka wa Isirayiri, nze ne mbeera omumyuka wo, era n’ekyo kitange akimanyi.”
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 Awo bombi ne bakola endagaano mu maaso ga Mukama, n’oluvannyuma Yonasaani n’addayo ewuwe, Dawudi n’asigala mu kibira.
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 Awo ab’e Zifu ne bambuka eri Sawulo e Gibea ne bamutegeeza nti, “Okimanyi nga Dawudi yeekwese mu ffe mu kibira ky’e Kolesi, ku lusozi Kakira oluli ku luuyi olw’obukiikaddyo obwa Yesimoni?
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 Kaakano, ayi kabaka, serengeta mu bbanga lyonna ly’onoosiima, tujja kumuwaayo gy’oli.”
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 Sawulo n’abaddamu nti, “Mukama abawe omukisa, olw’okunkwatirwa ekisa.
Saul replied, “I hope/desire that Yahweh will bless you [for telling that to me].
22 Mugende mweyongere okwetegereza, mumanye, mulabe n’ebifo gy’atera okutambulira, n’abamulabayo, kubanga bantegeeza nti mujagujagu nnyo.
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 Noolwekyo munoonye mu bifo mwe yeekweka munkomezeewo amawulire amakakafu. Bw’anaabeera mu kitundu ekyo eky’ensi nnaagenda nammwe munoonye mu bika byonna ebya 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 Awo ne bagolokoka ne bakulemberamu Sawulo ne bagenda e Zifu. Mu biro ebyo Dawudi n’abasajja be baali mu ddungu ery’e Mawoni mu Alaba ku luuyi olw’obukiikaddyo obwa Yesimoni.
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 Awo Sawulo n’abasajja be ne bagenda okumunoonya. Dawudi n’akiwulira, kyeyava aserengeta awali olwazi mu ddungu ery’e Mawoni n’abeera eyo. Sawulo bwe yakiwulira n’agenda mu ddungu ery’e Mawoni okumunoonya.
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 Sawulo n’ayambukira ku luuyi olumu olw’olusozi, Dawudi ne basajja be ne bambukira ku luuyi olulala, nga banguwa okudduka Sawulo. Naye Sawulo ne basajja be bwe baali nga banaatera okuzingiza Dawudi n’abasajja be,
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 ne wajja omubaka eri Sawulo ng’agamba nti, “Yanguwako! Abafirisuuti balumbye ensi.”
But then a messenger came to Saul and said to him, “Come quickly! The Philistia army is attacking the people in our land!”
28 Awo Sawulo n’alekayo okunoonya Dawudi, n’agenda okulwanyisa Abafirisuuti. Ekifo ekyo kyekyava kituumibwa Serakammalekosi.
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 Awo Dawudi n’avaayo n’agenda n’abeera mu bifo ebya Engedi.
David and his men also left the Maon Desert and went to places to hide safely at En-Gedi.
