< 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 Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no man 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 commanded me to do something, and has said to me, ‘Let no one know anything about the business about which I send you, and what I have commanded you. I have sent the young men to a certain place.’
3 Sasa basi chakula gani kinapatikana hapa? Nipatie mikate mitano, au chochote kilichopo hapa.”
Now therefore what is under your hand? Please give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever is available.”
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, “I have no common bread, but there is holy bread; if only 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, and said to him, “Truly, women have been kept from us as usual these three days. When I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was only a common journey. How much more then today shall their vessels be holy?”
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 holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread that was taken from before the LORD, to be replaced with hot bread in the day when 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 a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.
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, “Isn’t there here under your hand spear or sword? For I haven’t brought my sword or my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”
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, “Behold, 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 would like to take that, take it, for there is no other except that here.” David said, “There is none like that. 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 for fear of 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?”'
The servants of Achish said to him, “Isn’t this David the king of the land? Didn’t they sing to one another about him in dances, saying, ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?”
12 Daudi akayaweka maneno hayo moyoni mwake na akamwogopa sana Akishi, mfalme wa Gathi.
David laid up these words in his 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 behaviour before them and pretended to be insane in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down on 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 insane. Why then 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, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Should this fellow come into my house?”