< 1 Samweli 21 >
1 Daudi akaenda Nobu, kwa Ahimeleki kuhani. Ahimeleki akatetemeka alipokutana naye, akamuuliza, “Kwa nini uko peke yako? Kwa nini hukufuatana na mtu yeyote?”
And David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech trembled at meeting David, and said to him, Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
2 Daudi akamjibu Ahimeleki kuhani, akisema, “Mfalme ameniagiza shughuli fulani na kuniambia, ‘Mtu yeyote asijue chochote kuhusu kazi yako wala maagizo yako!’ Kuhusu watu wangu, nimewaambia tukutane mahali fulani.
And David said to Ahimelech the priest, The king has commanded me a business, and has said to me, Let no man know anything of the business whereon I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and I have directed the young men to such and such a place.
3 Sasa basi, una nini mkononi? Nipatie mikate mitano au chochote unachoweza kupata.”
And now what is under thy hand? give me five loaves in my hand, or what may be found.
4 Lakini kuhani akamjibu Daudi, “Sina mkate wowote wa kawaida kwa sasa. Hata hivyo, ipo hapa mikate iliyowekwa wakfu, iwapo watu wamejitenga na wanawake.”
And the priest answered David and said, There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.
5 Daudi akajibu, “Hakika tumejitenga na wanawake kwa siku hizi chache kama kawaida ya ninapotoka kwenda kwenye shughuli. Navyo vyombo vya wale vijana huwa ni vitakatifu hata kwenye safari ya kawaida, si zaidi sana leo vyombo vyao vitakuwa ni vitakatifu?”
And David answered the priest and said to him, Yes indeed, women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the [bread] is in a manner common, and the more so, because to-day [new] is hallowed in the vessels.
6 Hivyo kuhani akampa ile mikate iliyowekwa wakfu, kwa kuwa hapakuwepo mikate mingine isipokuwa hiyo ya Wonyesho iliyokuwa imeondolewa hapo mbele za Bwana na kubadilishwa na mingine yenye moto siku ile ilipoondolewa.
And the priest gave him holy [bread]; for there was no bread there but the shew-loaves that were taken from before Jehovah, to put on hot bread in the day when they were taken away.
7 Basi siku hiyo palikuwepo na mmoja wa watumishi wa Sauli, aliyezuiliwa mbele za Bwana; alikuwa Doegi Mwedomu, kiongozi wa wachunga wanyama wa Sauli.
(Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Jehovah; and his name was Doeg, the Edomite, chief of the shepherds that [belonged] to Saul.)
8 Daudi akamuuliza Ahimeleki, “Je, unao mkuki au upanga hapa? Sikuleta upanga wala silaha nyingine yoyote, kwa sababu shughuli ya mfalme ilikuwa ya haraka.”
And David said to Ahimelech, And is there not here under thy hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, for the king's business was urgent.
9 Kuhani akajibu, “Upanga wa Goliathi Mfilisti, ambaye ulimuua katika Bonde la Ela, upo hapa, umefungiwa katika kitambaa nyuma ya kisibau. Kama unauhitaji, uchukue, hakuna upanga mwingine hapa ila huo tu.” Daudi akasema, “Hakuna upanga mwingine kama huo. Nipatie huo.”
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of terebinths, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that: give it me.
10 Siku ile Daudi akamkimbia Sauli na kwenda kwa Akishi mfalme wa Gathi.
And David arose, and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
11 Lakini watumishi wa Akishi wakamwambia, “Je, huyu si ndiye Daudi mfalme wa nchi? Je, huyu si ndiye yule ambaye wanaimba katika ngoma zao wakisema: “‘Sauli amewaua elfu zake, naye Daudi makumi elfu yake’?”
And the servants of Achish said to him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul has smitten his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
12 Daudi akayaweka maneno haya moyoni naye akamwogopa sana Akishi mfalme wa Gathi.
And David took to heart these words, and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 Basi akajifanya mwendawazimu mbele yao; naye alipokuwa mikononi mwao, alitenda kama kichaa, akikwaruza kwa kutia alama juu ya milango ya lango na kuachia udelele kutiririka kwenye ndevu zake.
And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on his beard.
14 Akishi akawaambia watumishi wake, “Tazameni mtu huyu! Ana wazimu! Kwa nini mnamleta kwangu?
And Achish said to his servants, Behold, ye see the man is mad: why did ye bring him to me?
15 Je, mimi nimepungukiwa na wenda wazimu kiasi kwamba mmeniletea mtu huyo hapa aendelee kufanya hivi mbele yangu? Je, ilikuwa ni lazima mtu huyo aje nyumbani kwangu?”
have I lack of madmen, that ye have brought this one to rave in my presence? shall this [man] come into my house?