1 Samuela 26
1 Pea naʻe haʻu ʻae kau tangata Sifi kia Saula ki Kipea, ʻonau pehē, ʻIkai ʻoku toitoi ʻa Tevita ʻi he moʻunga ʻo Hakila ʻaia ʻoku hanga ki Sesimoni?
One day [some of] the people of Ziph [town] went to Saul while he was at Gibeah, and they said to him, “David is hiding in a cave on Hakilah hill, across from Jeshimon [town].”
2 Pea naʻe ʻalu atu ʻa Saula ʻo ne hifo ki he toafa ʻo Sifi, naʻe ʻiate ia ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko tolu afe naʻe fili mei ʻIsileli, kenau kumi ʻa Tevita ʻi he toafa ʻo Sifi.
So Saul chose 3,000 of the best Israeli soldiers and went with them to Ziph Desert to search for David.
3 Pea naʻe ʻapitanga ʻa Saula ʻi he moʻunga ʻo Hakila, ʻaia ʻoku hanga ki Sesimoni, ʻi he veʻehala. Ka naʻe nofo ʻa Tevita ʻi he toafa, ʻo ne vakai mei ai ʻae haʻu ʻa Saula ke kumi ia ʻi he toafa.
Saul and his men set up their tents close to the road on Hakilah hill, east of Jeshimon [town], but David [and his men] stayed in the desert. When David heard that Saul was searching for him,
4 Ko ia naʻe fekau ai ʻe Tevita ʻae kau mataki, ʻo ne ʻilo kuo haʻu moʻoni ʻa Saula.
he sent some spies to find out for certain that Saul had come to Hakilah.
5 Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Tevita, ʻo ne haʻu ki he potu ʻaia naʻe nofo ʻapitanga ai ʻa Saula: pea naʻe vakai ʻe Tevita ki he potu naʻe tokoto ai ʻa Saula mo ʻApina ko e foha ʻo Nea, ko e ʻeiki ʻoe tau: pea naʻe tokoto ʻa Saula ʻi heʻene saliote, pea naʻe nofo takatakai ʻa ʻene kakai kiate ia.
Then [that evening] David went to the place where Saul had set up his tent. [From a distance] he saw where Saul and his army commander, Abner, were sleeping. Saul was sleeping with all his army [sleeping] around him.
6 Pea naʻe lea ʻa Tevita ʻo pehē kia ʻAhimeleki ko e tangata Heti, mo ʻApisai ko e tama ʻa Seluia, ko e tokoua ʻo Soape, ʻo pehē, “Ko hai ʻe ʻalu hifo mo au kia Saula ki he ʻapitanga?” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ʻApisai, “Ta ō hifo mo koe.”
David [went back to where his men were and] talked to Ahimelech, who was from the Heth people-group, and Joab’s brother Abishai, whose mother was [David’s older sister] Zeruiah. He asked them, “Who will go with me down into the camp where Saul is?” Abishai replied, “I will go with you.”
7 Ko ia naʻe hoko ai ʻa Tevita mo ʻApisai ki he kakai ʻi he poʻuli: pea vakai, naʻe tokoto ʻo mohe ʻa Saula ʻi heʻene saliote, pea naʻe velo hono tao ki he kelekele ʻi hono ʻolunga: pea naʻe tokoto ʻa ʻApina mo e kakai ʻo takatakai ʻiate ia.
So that night David and Abishai crept into Saul’s camp. They saw that Saul was asleep. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Saul was asleep in the middle of the camp. Abner [the army commander] and the other soldiers were sleeping around Saul.
8 Pea naʻe pehē ai ʻe ʻApisai kia Tevita, “Kuo tuku ʻe he ʻOtua ʻa ho fili ki ho nima he ʻaho ni: pea ko eni ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, tuku ke u veloʻi leva ia ʻaki ʻae tao ki he kelekele, pea ʻe ʻikai te u veloʻi ia ke liunga ua.”
Abishai whispered to David, “Today Yahweh has enabled us to kill your enemy! Allow me to fasten Saul to the ground [by thrusting] my spear into him. It will be necessary for me to strike him only once. I will not [need to] strike him twice.”
9 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Tevita kia ʻApisai, “ʻOua naʻa tāmateʻi ia: he ko hai ʻe mafao atu hono nima ki he fakatapui ʻa Sihova pea taʻeangahala ia?”
But David whispered to Abishai, “No, do not kill Saul. Yahweh has appointed him to be king, so Yahweh will surely [RHQ] punish anyone who kills him.
10 Pea naʻe lea foki ʻa Tevita, “ʻOku moʻui ʻa Sihova pea ʻe taaʻi ia ʻe Sihova pea ʻe hokosia hono ʻaho ke mate ai pē te ne ʻalu ki ha tau, pea mate ai.
Just as surely as Yahweh lives, he himself will punish Saul. Perhaps Yahweh will strike him when it is Saul’s time to die, or perhaps Saul will be killed in a battle.
11 Ke taʻofi au ʻe Sihova ke ʻoua naʻaku mafao hoku nima ki he fakatapui ʻa Sihova: ka ʻoku ou kole kiate koe, ke ke toʻo ni ʻae tao ʻoku ʻi hono ʻolunga, pea mo e ipu vai, pea ke ta ō.”
But I hope/desire that Yahweh will prevent me from harming the king whom he has appointed. Let’s take Saul’s spear and water jug that are near his head. Then let’s get out of here!”
12 Ko ia naʻe toʻo ai ʻe Tevita ʻae tao mo e ipu vai mei he ʻolunga ʻo Saula: pea ne na hiki, ʻo na ō, pea naʻe ʻikai mamata ki ai ha tangata ʻe tokotaha, pe ʻilo ia, pe ʻā ai: he kuo nau mohe kotoa pē; koeʻuhi kuo tō kiate kinautolu ʻae mohe maʻu meia Sihova.
So David took the spear and the jug, and he and Abishai left. No one saw them or knew what they were doing, and no one woke up, because Yahweh had caused them to be sound asleep.
13 Pea naʻe ʻalu ai ʻa Tevita ʻo laka ki he potu ʻe taha, pea tuʻu ia ki he tumutumu ʻoe moʻunga ʻo mamaʻo ai; ko e ʻataʻatā lahi naʻe ʻi hona vahaʻa:
David and Abishai went across the valley and climbed to the top of the hill, a long way from Saul’s camp.
14 Pea naʻe ui ʻe Tevita ki he kakai, pea kia ʻApina ko e foha ʻo Nea, ʻo pehē, “ʻApina ʻoku ʻikai te ke lea?” Pea naʻe lea ai ʻa ʻApina, ʻo pehē, “Ko hai koe ʻoku ke ui ki he tuʻi?”
Then David shouted to Abner, “Abner, can you hear me?” Abner [woke up and] replied “Who are you, [waking up] the king by calling out to him?”
15 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Tevita kia ʻApina, “ʻIkai ko e tangata koe? Pea ko hai ʻoku hangē ko koe ʻi ʻIsileli? Pea ko e hā ʻoku ʻikai te ke maluʻi ai hoʻo ʻeiki ko e tuʻi? He naʻe ʻalu atu ha tokotaha mei he kakai ke taaʻi ʻae tuʻi ko ho ʻeiki.
David replied, “[I am sure that] you are the greatest man in Israel [IRO, RHQ]! So why did you not guard your master, the king? Someone came into your camp in order to kill your master, the king.
16 Ko e meʻa kuo ke fai ʻoku ʻikai lelei. Hangē ʻoku moʻui ʻa Sihova, ʻoku totonu ke mou mate tāmateʻi, koeʻuhi naʻe ʻikai te mou leʻohi homou ʻeiki ko e fakatapui ʻe Sihova. Pea ko eni, vakai, kuo ʻi fē ʻae tao ʻoe tuʻi mo e ipu vai naʻe ʻi hono ʻolunga.”
You have done a very poor [job of guarding Saul]. So just as surely as Yahweh lives, you and your men should be executed! You have not guarded your master whom Yahweh appointed to be the king. Where are the king’s spear and the water jug that were close to his head?”
17 Pea naʻe ʻilo ʻe Saula ʻae leʻo ʻo Tevita, ʻo ne pehē, “He ko ho leʻo ʻena, ʻa hoku foha ko Tevita?” Pea pehē ʻe Tevita, “Ko hoku leʻo ia, ʻE tuʻi ko hoku ʻeiki.”
[The shouting woke] Saul [up and he] recognized that it was David’s voice. He called out, saying, “My son David, is that your voice?” David replied, “Yes, your majesty it is my voice.”
18 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia, “Ko e hā ʻoku tuli pehē ai ʻe hoku ʻeiki ki hoʻo tamaioʻeiki? He ko e hā ia naʻaku fai? Pe ko e hā ha kovi ʻoku ʻi hoku nima?
Then David added, “Sir, why are you pursuing me [RHQ]? What wrong have I done [RHQ]?
19 Pea ko eni, ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, ke fanongo ʻe hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi ki he lea ʻa hoʻo tamaioʻeiki. Kapau kuo langaʻi koe ʻe Sihova ke tauʻi au, tuku ke ne maʻu mālie ha feilaulau: pea kapau ʻoku mei he fānau ʻae tangata, ke malaʻia ʻakinautolu ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova; he kuo nau kapusi au he ʻaho ni, ke ʻoua naʻaku nofo ʻi he tofiʻa ʻo Sihova, ʻonau pehē, ‘ʻAlu ʻo tauhi ʻae ngaahi ʻotua kehe.’
Your majesty, listen to me! If Yahweh has caused you to be angry with me, I should offer a sacrifice [in order to appease him]. But if it is people who have caused you to be angry with me, I hope/desire that Yahweh will curse them. They have forced me to leave the land that Yahweh gave to me. They have told me, ‘Go somewhere else and worship other gods!’
20 Pea ko eni, ke ʻoua naʻa tafe hoku toto ki he kelekele ʻi he ʻao ʻae fofonga ʻo Sihova: he kuo haʻu kituaʻā ʻae tuʻi ʻo ʻIsileli ke kumi ʻae kutufisi, ʻo hangē ha tokotaha ʻoku tuli ʻae veka ʻi he ngaahi moʻunga.”
Now do not force me to die [MTY] far from [where we worship] Yahweh. You, the king of Israel, have come here searching for me. [But I do not want to harm you]! I am [as harmless as] a flea [MET]. You are searching for me like people hunt for a bird in the mountains! [MET]”
21 Pea pehē ai ʻe Saula, “Kuo u fai angahala: ʻe hoku foha ko Tevita, tafoki mai: ʻe ʻikai te u toe fai ha kovi kiate koe, koeʻuhi naʻe maʻongoʻonga ʻa hoku laumālie ʻi ho ʻao he ʻaho ni: vakai, kuo u fai ʻae anga fakavalevale, pea kuo u hē lahi ʻaupito.”
Then Saul said, “David, my son. I have sinned [by trying to kill you]. So come back home. Today you have considered my life to be very valuable [and so you have not killed me]. So I will not try to harm you. I have made a big mistake and have acted foolishly.”
22 Pea naʻe tali ʻe Tevita ʻo pehē, “Vakai, ko e tao ʻoe tuʻi! Pea ke haʻu ha tokotaha ʻoe kau talavou ʻo ʻatu ia.
David replied, [“will leave] your spear here. Send one of your young men here to get it.
23 Ke ʻatu ʻe Sihova ki he tangata kotoa pē ʻo hangē ko ʻene māʻoniʻoni mo ʻene angatonu: he naʻe tuku mai koe ʻe Sihova ki hoku nima he ʻaho ni, ka naʻe ʻikai te u loto ke mafao atu hoku nima ke taaʻi ʻae fakatapui ʻe Sihova.
Yahweh rewards us for the things that we do that are right and for being loyal [to him]. Even when Yahweh placed me where I could easily have killed you, I refused to do that, because you are the one whom Yahweh has appointed [MTY] to be the king.
24 Pea vakai, hangē naʻe mahuʻinga lahi hoʻo moʻui he ʻaho ni ʻi hoku mata, ʻofa ke mahuʻinga pehē ʻeku moʻui ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova, pea ke fakamoʻui ʻe ia au mei he ngaahi mamahi kotoa pē.”
Just like I considered your life to be valuable [and spared your life] today, I hope/desire that Yahweh will consider my life to be valuable and [spare my life and] save me from all my troubles.”
25 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Saula kia Tevita, “ʻE hoku foha ko Tevita: ke monūʻia pe koe, he te ke fai pe ʻe koe ʻae ngaahi meʻa lahi, pea ke ikuna foki.” Pea naʻe ʻalu ʻa Tevita ʻi hono hala, pea liu atu ʻa Saula ki hono potu.
Then Saul said to David, “My son David, I pray that Yahweh will bless you. You will do great things very successfully.” Then David returned to his men, and Saul went back home.
