1 Samweli 27
1 Daudi akasema moyoni mwake, “Katika mojawapo ya siku hizi nitaangamizwa kwa mkono wa Sauli. Jambo lililo bora ni kutorokea kwenye nchi ya Wafilisti. Hivyo Sauli atakata tamaa ya kunisaka popote katika Israeli, nami nitakuwa nimeponyoka mkononi mwake.”
But David said to himself, “One of these days Saul is going to get me. I think I'd better run away to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up looking for me all over Israel and he won't catch me.”
2 Hivyo Daudi akaondoka na hao watu mia sita waliokuwa pamoja naye na kwenda kwa Akishi mwana wa Maoki mfalme wa Gathi.
So David and the six hundred men with him set off, crossed the border, and went to Achish, son of Maoch, the king of Gath.
3 Daudi na watu wake wakakaa huko Gathi pamoja na Akishi. Kila mtu alikuwa pamoja na jamaa yake, naye Daudi pamoja na wakeze wawili: yaani Ahinoamu wa Yezreeli, na Abigaili wa Karmeli, mjane wa Nabali.
David and his men settled down with Achish in Gath. All the men had their families with them, and David had his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail from Carmel, Nabal's widow.
4 Sauli alipokuwa ameambiwa kwamba Daudi alikuwa amekimbilia Gathi, hakuendelea kumsaka tena.
When Saul found out that David had run away to Gath, he didn't go on looking for him.
5 Ndipo Daudi akamwambia Akishi, “Kama nimepata kibali machoni pako, unipe sehemu katika mojawapo ya miji katika nchi nikae huko. Kwa nini mtumwa wako akae pamoja nawe katika mji huu wa kifalme?”
David said to Achish, “Please do me a favor: assign me somewhere in one of the towns in the countryside so I can live there. I, your servant, don't really deserve to live in the royal city with you.”
6 Hivyo siku hiyo Akishi akampa Daudi mji wa Siklagi, nao Siklagi umekuwa mali ya wafalme wa Yuda tangu wakati huo.
Achish gave him Ziklag right away, and the town still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day.
7 Daudi akaishi katika nchi ya Wafilisti muda wa mwaka mmoja na miezi minne.
David lived in the country of the Philistines for a year and four months.
8 Basi Daudi na watu wake wakapanda na kuwashambulia Wageshuri, Wagirizi na Waamaleki. (Tangu zamani haya mataifa yalikuwa yameishi kwenye eneo lililotanda kuanzia Telemu katika njia iteremkayo Shuri hadi kufikia nchi ya Misri.)
During that time David and his men were raiding the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites. These people had lived in the land as far as Shur and Egypt from ancient times.
9 Kila mara Daudi aliposhambulia eneo, hakubakiza hai mwanaume wala mwanamke, lakini alichukua kondoo na ngʼombe, punda na ngamia, na nguo. Kisha akarudi kwa Akishi.
When David attacked a place, he did not leave anybody alive. He took the flocks and herds, the donkeys, camels, and clothing. Then he would go back to Achish.
10 Akishi alipomuuliza, “Je leo umeshambulia wapi?” Daudi humjibu, “Dhidi ya Negebu ya Yuda,” au wakati mwingine husema, “Dhidi ya Negebu ya Yerameeli,” au “Dhidi ya Negebu ya Wakeni.”
When Achish asked him, “Where have you been raiding today?” David would reply, “In the desert of Judah,” or “the desert of Jerahmeel,” or “the desert of the Kenites.”
11 Daudi hakumwacha hai mwanaume au mwanamke ili apate kuletwa Gathi, kwa maana Daudi aliwaza, “Wanaweza kujulisha habari zetu na kusema, ‘Hivi ndivyo alivyofanya Daudi.’” Hii ndiyo ilikuwa desturi yake wakati wote aliishi katika nchi ya Wafilisti.
David didn't leave anybody alive that could come to Gath because he thought, “They might tell on us and say, ‘David did this.’” This is what he did all the time he lived in the country of the Philistines.
12 Akishi akamsadiki Daudi na kuwaza moyoni mwake, akasema, “Daudi amekuwa kitu cha kuchukiza kabisa kwa watu wake, Waisraeli, hivi kwamba atakuwa mtumishi wangu milele.”
Achish trusted David, and said to himself, “He's made himself so offensive to his people the Israelites that he'll have to serve me forever.”
