1 Samuel 23

1 Da koro bi, Dawid tee sɛ Filistifo no aba Keila, na wɔrewia wɔn awi wɔ wɔn awiporowbea.

Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

2 Dawid bisaa Awurade se, “Menkɔtow nhyɛ Filistifo yi so ana?” Awurade buae se, “Yiw, kɔ na kogye Keila.”

Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.

3 Nanso Dawid mmarima no kae se, “Yuda ha mpo yesuro. Yɛmpɛ sɛ yɛbɛkɔ Keila akɔko atia Filistifo asraafo nyinaa.”

And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies 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.”

Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

5 Enti Dawid ne ne mmarima kɔɔ Keila. Wokunkum Filistifo no nyinaa, faa wɔn nyɛmmoa, gyee Keilafo no.

So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So 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 it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, [that] he came down [with] an ephod in his hand.

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!”

And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

8 Enti Saulo boaboaa nʼakofo nyinaa ano sɛ ɔde wɔn rekɔ Keila akotua Dawid ne ne mmarima ano.

And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, 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 David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

10 Na Dawid bɔɔ mpae se, “Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, mate sɛ Saulo ayɛ nhyehyɛe sɛ ɔbɛba abɛsɛe Keila, efisɛ mewɔ ha.

Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.

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 up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

12 Bio, Dawid bisaa se, “Enti, Keila mmarima beyi me ne me mmarima ama Saulo anaa?” Na Awurade buaa se, “Yiw, wobeyi mo ama.”

Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver [thee] up.

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.

Then David and his men, [which were] about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.

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.

And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

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 was come out to seek his life: and David [was] in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

16 Na Saulo ba Yonatan kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn wɔ Hores kɔhyɛɛ no den wɔ Onyankopɔn ho gyidi mu.

And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 Yonatan hyɛɛ no den se, “Nsuro! Mʼagya Saulo renhu wo da. Wobɛyɛ ɔhene wɔ Israel, na mayɛ wʼabediakyiri, sɛnea mʼagya Saulo nim no.”

And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

18 Wɔn baanu no hyɛɛ wɔn ayɔnkofa apam mu den wɔ Awurade anim. Afei, Yonatan kɔɔ fie na Dawid de, ɔtenaa Hores hɔ.

And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went 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 came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which [is] on the south of Jeshimon?

20 Ɔhene, bere biara a wubenya kwan no bra na yɛbɛkyere no ama wo.”

Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part [shall be] to deliver him into the king’s hand.

21 Saulo kae se, “Awurade nhyira mo! Afei, mahu sɛ mʼasɛm fa obi ho.

And Saul said, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me.

22 Monkɔ mu bio, nkɔhwehwɛ, nhu faako a ɔte ne obi a wahu no wɔ hɔ. Wose ɔyɛ onifirifo.

Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who hath seen him there: for it is told me [that] he dealeth very subtilly.

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.”

See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout 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 they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men [were] in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south 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.

Saul also and his men went to seek [him]. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard [that], he pursued after David in the wilderness 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 on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.

27 ɔbɔfo baa Saulo nkyɛn bɛkae se, “Bra ntɛm! Filistifo abɛtow ahyɛ asase no so.”

But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded 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.

Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth.

29 Enti Dawid kɔtenaa En-Gedi abandennen.

And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.