1 Samweli 24
1 Baada ya Sauli kurudi kuwafuatia Wafilisti, akaambiwa kwamba, “Daudi yuko katika Jangwa la En-Gedi.”
And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
2 Basi Sauli akachukua watu hodari 3,000 kutoka Israeli yote kwenda kumsaka Daudi na watu wake karibu na Majabali ya Mbuzi-Mwitu.
Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
3 Akaja mpaka kwenye mazizi ya kondoo kando ya njia, hapo palikuwa na pango, na Sauli akaingia ndani kujipumzisha. Daudi na watu wake walikuwa wamo mle pangoni kwa ndani zaidi.
And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
4 Watu wa Daudi wakasema, “Hii ndiyo siku aliyonena Bwana akikuambia, ‘Nitamtia adui yako mikononi mwako ili wewe umtendee utakavyo.’” Basi Daudi akanyemelea bila kuonekana na kukata upindo wa joho la Sauli.
And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 Baada ya hilo, dhamiri ya Daudi ikataabika kwa kukata upindo wa joho la Sauli.
After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
6 Akawaambia watu wake, “Bwana na apishie mbali nisije nikafanya jambo kama hilo kwa bwana wangu, yeye ambaye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana, au kuinua mkono wangu dhidi yake; kwani yeye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana.”
And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
7 Kwa maneno haya Daudi akawaonya watu wake na hakuwaruhusu wamshambulie Sauli. Naye Sauli akaondoka pangoni na kwenda zake.
And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.
8 Ndipo Daudi naye akatoka pangoni na kumwita Sauli akisema, “Mfalme, bwana wangu!” Sauli alipotazama nyuma, Daudi akainama na kusujudu uso wake mpaka nchi.
And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,
9 Akamwambia Sauli, “Kwa nini unasikiliza wakati watu wanapokuambia, ‘Daudi amenuia kukudhuru’?
And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Leo umeona kwa macho yako mwenyewe jinsi Bwana alivyokutia mikononi mwangu huko pangoni. Watu wengine walisisitiza nikuue, lakini nilikuacha, nikisema, ‘Sitainua mkono wangu dhidi ya bwana wangu, kwa sababu yeye ni mpakwa mafuta wa Bwana.’
Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
11 Tazama, baba yangu, ona kipande hiki cha joho lako mkononi mwangu! Nilikata upindo wa joho lako lakini sikukuua. Basi ujue na kutambua kuwa sina hatia ya kutenda mabaya wala ya kuasi. Wewe sijakukosea, lakini wewe unaniwinda mimi ili kuuondoa uhai wangu.
Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.
12 Bwana na ahukumu kati yangu na wewe. Naye Bwana alipize mabaya unayonitendea, lakini mkono wangu hautakugusa.
The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
13 Kama msemo wa kale usemavyo, ‘Kutoka kwa watenda maovu hutoka matendo maovu,’ kwa hiyo mkono wangu hautakugusa wewe.
As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?
14 “Je, mfalme wa Israeli ametoka dhidi ya nani? Ni nani unayemfuatia? Je, ni mbwa mfu? Ni kiroboto?
After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
15 Bwana na awe mwamuzi wetu, yeye na aamue kati yetu. Yeye na anitetee shauri langu; anihesabie haki kwa kuniokoa mkononi mwako.”
Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
16 Daudi alipomaliza kusema haya, Sauli akamuuliza, “Je, hiyo ni sauti yako, Daudi mwanangu?” Ndipo Sauli akalia kwa sauti kuu, akisema,
And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 “Wewe ni mwenye haki kuliko mimi; umenitendea mema, lakini mimi nimekutendea mabaya.
And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.
18 Sasa umeniambia juu ya mema uliyonitendea. Bwana alinitia mikononi mwako, lakini wewe hukuniua.
And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.
19 Je, mtu ampatapo adui yake, humwacha aende zake bila kumdhuru? Bwana na akulipe mema kwa jinsi ulivyonitenda leo.
For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.
20 Ninajua kwamba hakika utakuwa mfalme na ya kwamba ufalme wa Israeli utakuwa imara mikononi mwako.
And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
21 Sasa niapie kwa Bwana kwamba hutakatilia mbali uzao wangu wala kulifuta jina langu kutoka jamaa ya baba yangu.”
Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
22 Basi Daudi akamwapia Sauli. Kisha Sauli akarudi zake nyumbani, lakini Daudi na watu wake wakapanda kwenda ngomeni.
And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
