1 Samwiri 24
1 Awo Sawulo bwe yakomawo ng’ava okugoba Abafirisuuti, ne bamutegeeza nti, “Dawudi ali mu ddungu erya Engedi.”
When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.”
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.
So Saul took three thousand specially-picked men from all Israel and went searching for David and his men in the area around Wild Goats' Rocks.
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.
As Saul passed the sheep pens on the way, there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding deep inside 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.
David's men said to him, “Today's the day the Lord promised you when he told you, ‘Listen, I'm going to hand over your enemy to you, so you can do to him whatever you want.’” Then David crept up quietly and cut a piece from the edge of Saul's robe.
5 Naye oluvannyuma Dawudi n’awulira okulumirizibwa mu mutima olw’okusala ku kirenge ky’ekyambalo kya Sawulo.
But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
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.”
He told his men, “May the Lord prevent me from doing anything like this to my master, the Lord's anointed one. I will never attack him, for he is the Lord's anointed one.”
7 N’ebigambo ebyo Dawudi n’aziyiza abasajja be n’atabakkiriza kulumba Sawulo. Awo Sawulo n’ava mu mpuku, n’agenda.
He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
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.
A little later David came out of the cave and shouted, “My master the king!” When Saul looked around, David bowed down with his face to the ground.
9 Dawudi n’agamba Sawulo nti, “Lwaki owuliriza eŋŋambo z’abantu aboogera nti, ‘Dawudi amaliridde okukukola akabi?’
“Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
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.’
“Just look! You've seen with your own eyes today that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I showed you compassion, and said, ‘I refuse to attack my master, for he is the Lord's anointed one.’
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.
Take a look, my father! You see this piece of your robe I'm holding. Yes, I did I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can see for yourself and you can be sure that I have done nothing evil or rebellious. I have not sinned against you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
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 decide between you and me as to who of us is right, and may the Lord punish you, but I myself will never try to harm you.
13 Ng’olugero olw’ab’edda bwe baalugera nti, ‘Mu babi mwe muva akabi,’ kyendiva sikuyimusiza mukono gwange.
As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
14 Kabaka wa Isirayiri ajjiridde ani? Ani gw’oyigganya? Mbwa nfu oba nkukunyi?
Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
15 Mukama atulamule, asalewo wakati wo nange. Mukama atunuulire ensonga yange andokole mu mukono gwo.”
May the Lord decide and choose between you and me. May he pay attention to my case and support it; may he save me from you.”
16 Awo Dawudi bwe yamala okwogera ebigambo ebyo, Sawulo n’abuuza nti, “Eryo ddoboozi lyo, Dawudi mutabani wange?” Sawulo n’akuba ebiwoobe.
After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
17 N’agamba Dawudi nti, “Ggwe oli mutuukirivu okunsinga, kubanga onsasudde bulungi, newaakubadde nga nze nkuyisizza bubi.
He told David, “You are a better person than I am, because you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid you with evil.
18 Leero ontegeezezza bw’onkoze obulungi, bw’otanzise ate nga Mukama yampaddeyo mu mukono gwo.
Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't kill me.
19 Omuntu bw’asiŋŋaana omulabe we, ayinza okumuganya okugenda nga tamutuusizzaako bisago? Kale Mukama akusasule bulungi olw’ekikolwa ky’onkoze leero.
For if a man caught hold of his enemy, would he let him escape unharmed? The Lord reward you well for how you've treated me today.
20 Kaakano ntegeeredde ddala ng’onoobeera kabaka, era n’obwakabaka bwa Isirayiri bulinywezebwa mu mukono gwo.
Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
21 Kale nno ndayirira eri Mukama, nga tolizikiriza bazzukulu bange newaakubadde okusaanyaawo erinnya lyange mu nnyumba ya kitange.”
Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not destroy my descendants who follow me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my family line.”
22 Awo Dawudi n’alayirira Sawulo. Sawulo n’addayo ewuwe, naye Dawudi ne basajja be ne baddayo mu kifo gye baali beekwese.
So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
