1 Samwiri 24
1 Awo Sawulo bwe yakomawo ng’ava okugoba Abafirisuuti, ne bamutegeeza nti, “Dawudi ali mu ddungu erya Engedi.”
And when Saul had returned after pursuing the Philistines, they reported to him, saying, “Behold, David is in the desert of Engedi.”
2 Sawulo n’alonda abasajja enkumi ssatu okuva mu Isirayiri yenna, n’agenda nabo okunoonya Dawudi n’abasajja be, ku luuyi olw’enjazi embulabuzi gye Zaabeeranga.
Therefore, Saul, taking three thousand elect men from all of Israel, traveled in order to search for David and his men, even upon the most broken rocks, which are passable only to mountain goats.
3 Sawulo n’atuuka okumpi n’awaali ebisibo by’endiga ebyali ku mabbali g’ekkubo, n’alaba empuku, n’ayingira omwo okuwummulako. Dawudi n’abasajja be baali mu mpuku omwo mu bifo ebikomererayo.
And he arrived at the sheepfolds, which presented themselves along the way. And a cave was in that place, which Saul entered, so that he might ease his bowels. But David and his men were hiding in the interior part of the cave.
4 Awo abasajja ba Dawudi ne bamugamba nti, “Luno lwe lunaku Mukama lwe yayogerako bwe yagamba nti, ‘Ndiwaayo omulabe wo mu mukono gwo, omukole nga bw’osiima.’” Dawudi n’asooba mpola n’asala ku kirenge ky’ekyambalo kya Sawulo.
And the servants of David said to him: “Behold the day, about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy to you, so that you may do to him as it will be pleasing in your eyes.’” Then David rose up, and he quietly cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
5 Naye oluvannyuma Dawudi n’awulira okulumirizibwa mu mutima olw’okusala ku kirenge ky’ekyambalo kya Sawulo.
After this, his own heart struck David, because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak.
6 N’agamba abasajja be nti, “Kikafuuwe, nze okukola mukama wange ekintu ekifaanana bwe kityo, Mukama gwe yafukako amafuta, wadde okumugololerako omukono, kubanga Mukama yamufukako amafuta.”
And he said to his men: “May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I do this thing to my lord, the Christ of the Lord, so that I lay my hand upon him. For he is the Christ of the Lord.”
7 N’ebigambo ebyo Dawudi n’aziyiza abasajja be n’atabakkiriza kulumba Sawulo. Awo Sawulo n’ava mu mpuku, n’agenda.
And David restrained his men with his words, and he would not permit them to rise up against Saul. And so Saul, going out of the cave, continued to undertake his journey.
8 Oluvannyuma, Dawudi naye n’afuluma empuku, n’akoowoola Sawulo ng’ayogera nti, “Mukama wange kabaka!” Awo Sawulo n’akyuka n’atunula emabega, Dawudi n’avuunama n’akka wansi ne yeeyala ku ttaka.
Then David also rose up after him. And departing from the cave, he cried out behind the back of Saul, saying: “My lord, the king!” And Saul looked behind him. And David, bowing himself face down to the ground, reverenced.
9 Dawudi n’agamba Sawulo nti, “Lwaki owuliriza eŋŋambo z’abantu aboogera nti, ‘Dawudi amaliridde okukukola akabi?’
And he said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say: ‘David seeks evil against you?’
10 Leero okirabye n’amaaso go, Mukama bw’akumpadde mu mukono gwange ng’oli mu mpuku. Wabaddewo ababadde banneegayirira nkutte, naye ne sibawuliriza. Nagambye nti, ‘Sijja kugolola mukono gwange ku mukama wange, kubanga Mukama yamufukako amafuta.’
Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord has delivered you into my hand, in the cave. And I thought that I might kill you. But my eye has spared you. For I said: I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Christ of the Lord.
11 Kitange laba, akatundu ke naggye ku kirenge ky’ekyambalo kyo. Nasaze busazi ku kyambalo kyo naye ne sikutta. Kaakano kitegeere era okimanye nga sikusobyanga newaakubadde okukujeemera. Sinnakusobya newaakubadde ng’onjigganya okunzita.
Moreover, see and know, O my father, the edge of your cloak in my hand. For though I cut off the top of your cloak, I was not willing to extend my hand against you. Turn your soul and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor any iniquity or sin against you. Yet you lie in wait for my life, so that you may take it away.
12 Mukama alamule wakati wange naawe. Mukama akusasule ng’ebikolwa ebibi byonna by’onkoze bwe biri, naye nze siriyimusa mukono gwange ku ggwe.
May the Lord judge between me and you. And may the Lord vindicate me from you. But my hand will not be against you.
13 Ng’olugero olw’ab’edda bwe baalugera nti, ‘Mu babi mwe muva akabi,’ kyendiva sikuyimusiza mukono gwange.
So too, it is said in the ancient proverb, ‘From the impious, impiety will go forth.’ Therefore, my hand will not be upon you.
14 Kabaka wa Isirayiri ajjiridde ani? Ani gw’oyigganya? Mbwa nfu oba nkukunyi?
Whom are you pursuing, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? You are pursuing a dead dog, a single flea.
15 Mukama atulamule, asalewo wakati wo nange. Mukama atunuulire ensonga yange andokole mu mukono gwo.”
May the Lord be the judge, and may he judge between me and you. And may he see and judge my case, and rescue me from your hand.”
16 Awo Dawudi bwe yamala okwogera ebigambo ebyo, Sawulo n’abuuza nti, “Eryo ddoboozi lyo, Dawudi mutabani wange?” Sawulo n’akuba ebiwoobe.
And when David had completed speaking words in this way to Saul, Saul said, “Could this be your voice, my son David?” And Saul lifted up his voice, and he wept.
17 N’agamba Dawudi nti, “Ggwe oli mutuukirivu okunsinga, kubanga onsasudde bulungi, newaakubadde nga nze nkuyisizza bubi.
And he said to David: “You are more just than I am. For you have distributed good to me, but I have repaid evil to you.
18 Leero ontegeezezza bw’onkoze obulungi, bw’otanzise ate nga Mukama yampaddeyo mu mukono gwo.
And you have revealed this day the good that you have done for me: how the Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me.
19 Omuntu bw’asiŋŋaana omulabe we, ayinza okumuganya okugenda nga tamutuusizzaako bisago? Kale Mukama akusasule bulungi olw’ekikolwa ky’onkoze leero.
For who, when he will have found his enemy, will release him along a good path? So may the Lord repay you for this good turn, because you have acted on my behalf this day.
20 Kaakano ntegeeredde ddala ng’onoobeera kabaka, era n’obwakabaka bwa Isirayiri bulinywezebwa mu mukono gwo.
And now I know certainly that you shall be king, and you shall have the kingdom of Israel in your hand.
21 Kale nno ndayirira eri Mukama, nga tolizikiriza bazzukulu bange newaakubadde okusaanyaawo erinnya lyange mu nnyumba ya kitange.”
Swear to me in the Lord that you will not take away my offspring after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.”
22 Awo Dawudi n’alayirira Sawulo. Sawulo n’addayo ewuwe, naye Dawudi ne basajja be ne baddayo mu kifo gye baali beekwese.
And David swore to Saul. Therefore, Saul went away to his own house. And David and his men ascended to places that were more secure.
