< 1 Samuel 23 >

1 Da koro bi, Dawid tee sɛ Filistifo no aba Keila, na wɔrewia wɔn awi wɔ wɔn awiporowbea.
And they reported to David, saying, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and they are plundering the grain stores.”
2 Dawid bisaa Awurade se, “Menkɔtow nhyɛ Filistifo yi so ana?” Awurade buae se, “Yiw, kɔ na kogye Keila.”
Therefore, David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and strike down these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go, and you shall strike down the Philistines, and you shall save Keilah.”
3 Nanso Dawid mmarima no kae se, “Yuda ha mpo yesuro. Yɛmpɛ sɛ yɛbɛkɔ Keila akɔko atia Filistifo asraafo nyinaa.”
And the men who were with David said to him, “Behold, we continue in fear here in Judea; how much more so, if we go into Keilah against the troops of the Philistines?”
4 Enti Dawid bisaa Awurade bio maa Awurade buaa no se, “Kɔ Keila na mɛboa wo ama woadi Filistifo no so nkonim.”
Therefore, David consulted the Lord again. And responding, he said to him: “Rise up, and go into Keilah. For I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
5 Enti Dawid ne ne mmarima kɔɔ Keila. Wokunkum Filistifo no nyinaa, faa wɔn nyɛmmoa, gyee Keilafo no.
Therefore, David and his men went into Keilah. And they fought against the Philistines, and they took away their cattle, and they struck them with a great slaughter. And David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 Ahimelek ba Ɔsɔfo Abiatar reguan akɔ Dawid nkyɛn wɔ Keila no, ɔfaa asɔfotade sɛ ɔrekogye mmuae afi Awurade nkyɛn ama Dawid.
And in that time, when Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, was in exile with David, he had descended to Keilah, having an ephod with him.
7 Ankyɛ, Saulo tee sɛ Dawid wɔ Keila. Ɔteɛɛ mu se, “Eye. Afei, yɛn nsa aka no. Afei, Onyankopɔn de no ama me. Ɔno ara ama kurow yi ho afasu ayi no!”
Then it was reported to Saul that David had gone to Keilah. And Saul said: “The Lord has delivered him into my hands. For he is enclosed, having entered into a city which has gates and bars.”
8 Enti Saulo boaboaa nʼakofo nyinaa ano sɛ ɔde wɔn rekɔ Keila akotua Dawid ne ne mmarima ano.
And Saul instructed all the people to descend in order to fight against Keilah, and to besiege David and his men.
9 Nanso Dawid huu Saulo nhyehyɛe, na ɔka kyerɛɛ ɔsɔfo Abiatar se, ɔmfa asɔfotade no mmra, na ommisa Awurade nea ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ.
And when David had realized that Saul had secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar, the priest, “Bring the ephod.”
10 Na Dawid bɔɔ mpae se, “Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, mate sɛ Saulo ayɛ nhyehyɛe sɛ ɔbɛba abɛsɛe Keila, efisɛ mewɔ ha.
And David said: “O Lord God of Israel, your servant has heard a report that Saul is planning to go to Keilah, so that he may overturn the city because of me.
11 Merebisa sɛ, enti Keila mmarima beyi me ama no anaa? Na Saulo bɛba ampa ara sɛnea mete no? Ao, Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, ka kyerɛ me.” Na Awurade buaa no se, “Ɔbɛba.”
Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hands? And will Saul descend, just as your servant has heard? O Lord God of Israel, reveal to your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will descend.”
12 Bio, Dawid bisaa se, “Enti, Keila mmarima beyi me ne me mmarima ama Saulo anaa?” Na Awurade buaa se, “Yiw, wobeyi mo ama.”
And David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me, and the men who are with me, into the hands of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will deliver you.”
13 Na Dawid ne ne mmarima bɛyɛ sɛ ahansia fii Keila, na wokyinkyin baabiara a wobetumi akɔ. Na Saulo tee sɛ Dawid afi Keila no, ogyaa nʼakyi di.
Therefore, David, and his men of about six hundred, rose up, and, departing from Keilah, they wandered here and there, aimlessly. And it was reported to Saul that David had fled from Keilah, and was saved. For this reason, he chose not to go out.
14 Dawid tenaa ne hintabea hɔ wɔ sare so ne Sif mmepɔw asase no so. Saulo hwehwɛɛ no adekyee ne adesae biara, nanso Awurade amfa Dawid anhyɛ ne nsa.
Then David stayed in the desert, in very strong places. And he stayed on a mount in the wilderness of Ziph, on a shady mount. Nevertheless, Saul was seeking him every day. But the Lord did not deliver him into his hands.
15 Bere a Dawid wɔ Hores wɔ Sif sare so no, ɔtee sɛ Saulo nam kwan so reba hɔ abɛhwehwɛ no akum no.
And David saw that Saul had gone out, so that he might seek his life. Now David was in the desert of Ziph, in the woods.
16 Na Saulo ba Yonatan kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn wɔ Hores kɔhyɛɛ no den wɔ Onyankopɔn ho gyidi mu.
And Jonathan, the son of Saul, rose up and went to David in the woods, and he strengthened his hands in God. And he said to him:
17 Yonatan hyɛɛ no den se, “Nsuro! Mʼagya Saulo renhu wo da. Wobɛyɛ ɔhene wɔ Israel, na mayɛ wʼabediakyiri, sɛnea mʼagya Saulo nim no.”
“Do not be afraid. For the hand of my father, Saul, will not find you. And you shall reign over Israel. And I will be second to you. And even my father knows this.”
18 Wɔn baanu no hyɛɛ wɔn ayɔnkofa apam mu den wɔ Awurade anim. Afei, Yonatan kɔɔ fie na Dawid de, ɔtenaa Hores hɔ.
Therefore, they both struck a pact before the Lord. And David stayed in the woods. But Jonathan returned to his house.
19 Sififo no kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn wɔ Gibea koyii Dawid mae se, “Yenim baabi a Dawid akohintaw. Ɔwɔ abandennen mu, wɔ Hores a ɛwɔ Hakila mmepɔw mu, wɔ Yesimon anafo fam ha yi.
Then the Ziphites ascended to Saul at Gibeah, saying: “Behold, is not David hidden with us in very secure places in the woods on the hill of Hachilah, which is to the right of the desert?
20 Ɔhene, bere biara a wubenya kwan no bra na yɛbɛkyere no ama wo.”
Now therefore, if your soul has desired to descend, then descend. Then it will be for us to deliver him into the hands of the king.”
21 Saulo kae se, “Awurade nhyira mo! Afei, mahu sɛ mʼasɛm fa obi ho.
And Saul said: “You have been blessed by the Lord. For you have grieved for my situation.
22 Monkɔ mu bio, nkɔhwehwɛ, nhu faako a ɔte ne obi a wahu no wɔ hɔ. Wose ɔyɛ onifirifo.
Therefore, I beg you, go forth, and prepare diligently, and act carefully. And consider the place where his foot may be, and who may have seen him there. For he thinks, concerning me, that I craftily plan treachery against him.
23 Monhwehwɛ nʼahintawee, na monsan mmra mmɛka biribi pɔtee nkyerɛ me. Na me ne mo bɛkɔ. Na sɛ ɔwɔ mpɔtam hɔ nko ara de a, menya no, na mehwehwɛ no wɔ Yuda abusuafi ahorow no nyinaa mu.”
Consider and seek out all his hiding places, in which he may be concealed. And return to me with certainty about the matter, so that I may go with you. But if he would even press himself into the earth, I will search him out, amid all the thousands of Judah.”
24 Na Sif mmarima dii Saulo kan kɔɔ wɔn kurom. Saa bere no mu na Dawid ne ne mmarima kɔ Maon sare a ɛwɔ Araba bon a ɛwɔ Yesimon anafo fam no so.
And rising up, they went to Ziph before Saul. But David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain to the right of Jeshimon.
25 Bere a Dawid tee sɛ Saulo ne ne mmarima rehwehwɛ no no, ɔdɔɔ mu kɔɔ sare so akyirikyiri, kosii ɔbotan kɛse no ho, tenaa Maon sare so hɔ. Nanso Saulo kɔɔ so hwehwɛɛ no.
Then Saul and his allies went to seek him. And this was reported to David. And immediately, he descended to the rock, and he moved about in the desert of Maon. And when Saul had heard of it, he pursued David in the desert of Maon.
26 Afei na Saulo wɔ bepɔw no fa bi na Dawid ne ne dɔm nso wɔ ne fa bi, repɛ ntɛm aguan Saulo bere a na Saulo ne ne mmarima rebɛn Dawid ne ne nkurɔfo sɛ wɔbɛkyere wɔn no,
And Saul went to one side of the mountain. But David and his men were on the other side of the mountain. Then David was despairing that he would be able to escape from the face of Saul. And Saul and his men enclosed David and his men in the manner of a crown, so that they might capture them.
27 ɔbɔfo baa Saulo nkyɛn bɛkae se, “Bra ntɛm! Filistifo abɛtow ahyɛ asase no so.”
And a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, because the Philistines have poured themselves out upon the land.”
28 Ɛno nti, Saulo gyaee Dawid akyidi, na ɔsan nʼakyi sɛ ɔne Filistifo no rekɔko. Eyi nti na wɔfrɛ saa beae yi Oguan Botan no.
Therefore, Saul turned back, ceasing in the pursuit of David, and he traveled to meet the Philistines. For this reason, they called that place, the Rock of Division.
29 Enti Dawid kɔtenaa En-Gedi abandennen.
Then David ascended from there, and he lived in very secure places in Engedi.

< 1 Samuel 23 >