1 Samuel 21

1 Dawid kɔɔ Nob sɔfo Ahimelek nkyɛn. Bere a ɔsɔfo Ahimelek huu no no, ne ho popoe. Obisaa no se, “Adɛn nti na aka wo nko? Adɛn nti na obi nka wo ho?”

Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him: 'Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?'

2 Dawid buaa ɔsɔfo Ahimelek se, “Ɔhene somaa me kokoamsɛm bi ho. Ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, mennka nea enti a mewɔ ha nkyerɛ obiara. Makyerɛ faako a me mmarima no nhyia me.

And David said unto Ahimelech the priest: 'The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me: Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and the young men have I appointed to such and such a place.

3 Afei, dɛn na wowɔ? Ma me brodo mua anum anaa biribiara a wowɔ.”

Now therefore what is under thy hand? five loaves of bread? give them in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.'

4 Na ɔsɔfo no buaa Dawid se, “Minni brodo teta yi bi wɔ ha. Brodo kronkron de, bi wɔ ha, nanso gye sɛ mmarima no ne mmea bi nnae nnansa yi.”

And the priest answered David, and said: 'There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.'

5 Dawid buae se, “Mma hwee nhaw wo. Sɛ me mmarima no kodi dwuma bi baabi a, memmma wɔn kwan mma wɔmmfa wɔn ho nka mmea. Na sɛ wɔtena ase kronkron wɔ akwantu teta mu a, adɛn nti na saa dwumadi a ɛho hia yiye yi, wontumi ntena kronkronyɛ mu.”

And David answered the priest, and said unto him: 'Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then to-day, when there shall be holy bread in their vessels?'

6 Na esiane sɛ aduan foforo biara nni hɔ no nti, ɔsɔfo no de brodo kronkron a wɔde abodoohyew asi anan mu wɔ Awurade hyiadan no mu maa Dawid.

So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. —

7 Doeg, Edomni a ɔyɛ Saulo nantwikafo panyin no kodwiraa ne ho wɔ hɔ da no.

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 chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. —

8 Dawid bisaa Ahimelek se, “Wowɔ peaw anaa afoa? Ɔhene adwuma no ho hia a na ehia nti, mannya bere amfa akode biara.”

And David said unto Ahimelech: 'And is there peradventure here under thy hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.'

9 Ɔsɔfo no buae se, “Afoa a mewɔ ara yɛ Filistini Goliat a wukum no wɔ Ela bon mu no dea. Wɔde ntama akyekyere ho da asɔfotade no akyi. Sɛ wopɛ a, fa ɛno, efisɛ biribiara nni ha bio.” Dawid buae se, “Biribiara nkyɛn no. Fa ma me.”

And the priest said: 'The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that here.' And David said: 'There is none like that; give it me.'

10 Da no, Dawid guan fii Saulo hɔ, kɔɔ Gathene Akis nkyɛn.

And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

11 Nanso na Akis mpanyimfo no ho ntɔ wɔn sɛ ɔwɔ hɔ. Wobisae se, “Ɛnyɛ saa Dawid yi na ɔyɛ asase yi so hene no? Ɛnyɛ ɔno na nnipa nam asaw ne nnwonto so hyɛɛ no anuonyam se, ‘Saulo akum ne apem apem na Dawid nso akum mpem du du no?’”

And the servants of Achish said unto him: 'Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying: Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?'

12 Dawid tee saa akekakeka yi no, osuroo sɛ ebia ɔhene Akis bɛyɛ no biribi.

And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

13 Ɛno nti, ɔhyɛɛ da yɛɛ ne ho sɛ bɔdamfo, ɔwerɛwerɛw apon ho maa ntasu sen faa nʼabogyesɛ mu.

And he changed his demeanour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14 Nea edi akyi ne sɛ, ɔhene Akis ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima se, “Ɔbɔdamfo na ɛsɛ sɛ mode no brɛ me?

Then said Achish unto his servants: 'Lo, when ye see a man that is mad, wherefore do ye bring him to me?

15 Yɛwɔ pii wɔ ha dedaw! Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ mema obi a ɔte sɛɛ yi bɛyɛ me hɔho?”

Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?'