1 Samuel 24
1 Saulo ne Filistifo no ko wiee no, wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Dawid hyɛ En-Gedi sare so hɔ.”
And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
2 Ɛno nti Saulo yii mmarima mpensa fii Israel mmaa nyinaa, de wɔn kɔe sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ Dawid ne ne mmarima wɔ beae bi a ɛbɛn Wuram Mmirekyi Abotan no.
Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
3 Obeduu nguannan bi ho a ɛhɔ ara nso na ɔbodan bi wɔ no, Saulo wuraa mu sɛ, ɔrekogye nʼahome. Na Dawid ne ne mmarima no wɔ saa ɔbodan no mu akyirikyiri.
And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
4 Mmarima no kae se, “Nnɛ ne da a Awurade kae se, ‘Mede wo tamfo bɛhyɛ wo nsa, na woayɛ no nea wopɛ biara’ no.” Na Dawid weawea kɔɔ Saulo ho, kotwaa nʼatade ano.
And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 Na Dawid adwene mu anteɛ no sɛ watwa Saulo atade ano.
After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
6 Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima no se, “Awurade nim sɛ ɛnsɛ sɛ meyɛ saa. Ɛyɛ mmusu sɛ obi bɛteɛ me nsa wɔ obi a Awurade asra no ngo so; efisɛ Awurade ankasa na wapaw no.”
And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
7 Ɔnam saa nsɛm yi so kaa ne mmarima no anim, na wamma ho kwan amma wɔankɔ Saulo so. Na Saulo fii ɔbodan no mu kɔɔ ne kwan no.
And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.
8 Dawid pue bae, teɛteɛɛ mu dii nʼakyi se, “Me wura ɔhene!” Saulo twaa nʼani no, Dawid bɔɔ ne mu ase.
And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,
9 Afei, ɔteɛɛ mu bisaa Saulo se, “Adɛn nti na wutie nkurɔfo ano sɛ merepɛ wo ahaw wo?
And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Nnɛ dua yi, wʼankasa wʼani tua sɛ ɛnyɛ nokware. Efisɛ, Awurade de wo hyɛɛ me nsa wɔ ɔbodan no mu, na me mmarima no bi ka kyerɛɛ me se, minkum wo, nanso mankum wo. Na mekae se, ‘Merenyɛ no bɔne biara da, efisɛ ɔyɛ obi a Awurade asra no.’
Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
11 Mʼagya, hwɛ ade a mikura yi. Ɛyɛ wʼatade sin bi. Mitwae, nanso mankum wo. Eyi da no adi pefee sɛ merenhaw wo, na menyɛɛ wo bɔne biara nso, na mmom, wo na woataataa me rehwehwɛ me akum me.
Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.
12 Awurade na ɔbɛhwɛ me ne wo ntam asɛm. Ebia, nea woayɛ nti, Awurade bɛtwe wʼaso wɔ nea wopɛ sɛ woyɛ me no ho, na me de, merenhaw wo da.
The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
13 Wobu bɛ se, ‘Abɔnefo mu na bɔne fi ba.’ Enti, gye di sɛ, merenhaw wo.
As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?
14 “Hena na Israelhene rehwehwɛ no akyere no yi? Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔsɛe ne bere taataa obi a ne so nni mfaso sɛ ɔkraman funu anaa dwiw?
After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
15 Ma Awurade mmu atɛn nkyerɛ yɛn mu nea odi bem, na ɔntwe ɔfɔdifo no aso. Ɔno ne me kamafo, na obegye me afi wo tumi ase.”
Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
16 Saulo buae se, “Me babarima Dawid, wo na worekasa yi?” Na ofii ase sui.
And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 Ɔtoaa so se, “Woteɛ sen me. Wode papa atua me bɔne so ka, nanso me de mayɛ wo bɔne.
And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.
18 Ampa ara woayɛ me papa a ɛboro so, efisɛ Awurade de me hyɛɛ wo nsa, a anka wubetumi akum me nanso woankum me.
And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.
19 Sɛ obi nsa ka ne tamfo a, ogyaa no ma no kɔ kwa? Awurade nhyira wo wɔ ɔkwan a wode me afa so nnɛ yi ho.
For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.
20 Afei mahu sɛ, nea ɛbɛyɛ biara, wobesi wo ɔhene, na Israel ahemman no bedi yiye wɔ wo bere so.
And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
21 Afei, sua wɔ Awurade din mu kyerɛ me sɛ, sɛ wubedi ade a, worentwa mʼasefo anaa worempepa me din mfi mʼagya fi.”
Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
22 Enti Dawid sua kyerɛɛ Saulo. Na Saulo san kɔɔ fie, na Dawid ne ne mmarima kɔɔ wɔn abandennen mu.
And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
