< 1 Samweli 21 >

1 Kisha Daudi akafika Nobu kumuona Ahimeleki kuhani. Ahimeleki akaja akutane na Daudi huku akitetemeka na kumwambia, “Kwa nini uko peke yako huna mtu wa kuambatana na wewe?”
Then David came to Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling and said to him, “Why are you alone and have no one with you?”
2 Daudi akamjibu Ahimeleki kuhani, “Mfalme amenituma kwa jambo maalum na ameniambia hivi, 'Asiwepo hata mtu mmoja anayejua chochote kuhusu shughuli niliyokutuma, na kile nilichokuagiza.' Nimewaelekeza vijana kwenda sehemu fulani.
David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has sent me on a mission and has said to me, 'Let no one know anything about the business I am sending you, and what I have commanded you.' I have directed the young men to a certain place.
3 Sasa basi chakula gani kinapatikana hapa? Nipatie mikate mitano, au chochote kilichopo hapa.”
Now then what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.”
4 Huyo Kuhani alimjibu Daudi na kusema, “Hakuna mkate wa kawaida mkononi, lakini ipo mikate takatifu- kama vijana hawajatembea na wanawake.”
The priest answered David and said, “There is no ordinary bread on hand, but there is holy bread—if the young men have kept themselves from women.”
5 Daudi akamjibu kuhani, “Hakika hatujatembea na wanawake kwa siku hizi tatu. Nilipoanza safari, miili ya vijana iliwekwa wakfu kwa BWANA, ingawa ilikuwa safari ya kawaida. Je, si zaidi sana leo miili yao ikawekwa wakfu kwa BWANA.”
David answered the priest, “Surely women have been kept from us for the past three days, as usual when I set out. The things belonging to the men have been set apart even on ordinary missions. How much more today will what they have be set apart!”
6 Hivyo kuhani akampa mikate iliyokuwa imewekwa wakfu kwa BWANA. Maana haikuwepo mikate mingine hapo, isipokuwa tu ile ya wonyesho, ambayo iliondolewa kutoka kwa BWANA, ili sehemu yake iwekwe mikate ya moto, inapokuwa imeondolewa.
So the priest gave him the bread that was set apart. For there was no bread there except the bread of the presence, which was removed from before Yahweh, in order to put hot bread in its place on the day it was taken away.
7 Basi siku hiyo mmoja wa watumishi wa Sauli alikuwapo mahali hapo, ameshilkiliwa mbele za BWANA. Jina la mtu huyo aliitwa Doegi Mwedomu, mkuu wa wachungaji wa Sauli.
Now one of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before Yahweh. His name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul's herdsmen.
8 Daudi akamwambia Ahimeleki, “Je, hakuna hata mkuki wowote au upanga? Maana mimi sikubeba upanga wangu wala silaha zangu, maana ile shughuli ya mfalme ilikuwa ya muhimu.”
David said to Ahimelech, “Now is there not here on hand any spear or sword? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business was urgent.”
9 Kuhani akasema, “Ule upanga wa Mfilisti Goliathi, uliyemuua katika bonde la Ela, uko hapa umefunikwa katika nguo nyuma ya naivera. kama unataka kuuchukua huo, uchukue, maana hakuna silaha nyingine hapa.” Daudi akasema, “Hakuna silaha nyingine kama hiyo, nipatie hiyo.”
The priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want to take that, take it, for there is no other weapon here.” David said, “There is no other sword like that one; give it to me.”
10 Daudi aliamka na kukimbia mbali na Sauli na akaenda kwa Akishi, mfalme wa Gathi.
David arose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish, the king of Gath.
11 Mtumishi wa Akishi akamwambia, “huyu siye Daudi mfalme wa nchi hii? Je, wanawake hawakupokezana wakiimba na kucheza, 'Sauli ameua maelfu yake, na Daudi makumi elfu yake?”'
Achish's servants said to him, “Is not this David, the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another about him in dances, 'Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands?'”
12 Daudi akayaweka maneno hayo moyoni mwake na akamwogopa sana Akishi, mfalme wa Gathi.
David took these words to heart and was very afraid of Achish, the king of Gath.
13 Daudi akabadili mwenendo wake mbele yao na akajifanya kuwa mwendawazimu machoni pao; akachora-chora alama kwenye vizingiti vya milango huku akitiririsha mate yake chini ya ndevu zake.
He changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands; he made marks on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.
14 Ndipo Akishi akawaambia watumishi wake, “Tazameni, mnaona mtu huyu ni mwehu.
Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is mad. Why have you brought him to me?
15 Kwa nini mmemleta kwangu? Je, mimi nina haja na wehu, kumbe mmemleta mtu huyu ili anifanyie hayo mbele yangu? Hivi kweli huyu ataingia nyumbani mwangu?
Do I lack madmen, so that you have brought this fellow to behave like one in my presence? Will this fellow really come into my house?”

< 1 Samweli 21 >