1 Samuel 25
1 Afei, Samuel wui, na Israel nyinaa hyia yɛɛ nʼayi. Na wosiee no wɔ ne kurom Rama. Na Dawid tu kɔɔ Maon sare so.
When Samuel died, all Israel gathered to mourn for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.
2 Na ɔbarima bi fi Maon a na ɔwɔ agyapade wɔ baabi a ɛbɛn Karmel yɛ ɔdefo kɛse. Na ɔwɔ mmirekyi apem ne nguan mpensa a na otwitwa wɔn nwi wɔ Karmel.
Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel.
3 Saa ɔbarima no din de Nabal, na ne yere nso din de Abigail. Na ɔyɛ ɔbea a onim nyansa na ne ho nso yɛ fɛ, nanso na ne kunu a ɔyɛ Kalebni no mpɔw ɛ, na ne suban nso nyɛ fɛ.
His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.
4 Bere a Dawid tee sɛ Nabal retwitwa ne mmoa ho nwi no,
While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.
5 ɔsomaa mmrante du kɔɔ ne nkyɛn. Ɔde nkra maa wɔn se,
So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name
6 “Wo nkwa so! Wo ne wo fifo nyinaa nya akwahosan! Na wʼagyapade nyinaa nso saa ara.
and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and your house and to all that belongs to you.
7 “Mate sɛ woretwitwa wo nguan ne mmirekyi ho nwi. Bere a na mo nguanhwɛfo wɔ yɛn nkyɛn ha no, yɛanyɛ wɔn basabasa. Na mmere dodow a wodii wɔ Karmel no nso, wɔn biribiara anyera.
Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.
8 Bisa wo ara wʼasomfo na wɔbɛka akyerɛ wo. Yɛaba ha wɔ afahyɛ bere, ɛno nti, mesrɛ wo, ma wo nkoa ne wo ba Dawid biribiara a wo nsa bɛso so.”
Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on the day of a feast. Please give whatever you can afford to your servants and to your son David.’”
9 Dawid mmerante no de nkra no maa Nabal. Afei wɔtwɛnee.
When David’s young men arrived, they relayed all these words to Nabal on behalf of David. Then they waited.
10 Nabal buaa Dawid asomfo no se, “Hena ne saa Dawid yi? Saa Yisai babarima yi dwene sɛ ɔne hena? Nnansa yi, asomfo bebree retetew wɔn ho afi wɔn wuranom ho.
But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters.
11 Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ mede me brodo ne me nsu ne mʼaboa a makum no nam a mede rebɛma me nwitwitwafo no ma nnipa a obi nnim faako a wofi?”
Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?”
12 Na Dawid mmarima no san kɔe, kɔkaa de Nabal kae no kyerɛɛ no.
So David’s men turned around and went back, and they relayed to him all these words.
13 Dawid ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima no se, “Momfa mo afoa.” Na Dawid nso faa ne de. Mmarima bɛyɛ sɛ ahannan na wɔkaa Dawid ho kɔe, ɛnna mmarima ahannu nso tena wɛn akode no.
And David said to his men, “Strap on your swords!” So David and all his men put on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.
14 Nabal asomfo no mu baako kɔka kyerɛɛ Nabal yere Abigail se, “Dawid somaa abɔfo fi sare no so sɛ wɔne yɛn wura mmɛkasa, nanso ɔyeyaw wɔn.
Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s young men informed Nabal’s wife Abigail, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he scolded them.
15 Nanso Dawid nnipa no ye ma yɛn. Wɔanyɛ yɛn bɔne biara. Bere a yɛne wɔn wɔ hɔ no, wɔamfa yɛn biribiara.
Yet these men were very good to us. When we were in the field, we were not harassed, and nothing of ours went missing the whole time we lived among them.
16 Anadwo ne awia nyinaa, na wɔbɔ yɛn ne nguan no ho ban.
They were a wall around us, both day and night, the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.
17 Enti dwene ho yiye, anyɛ saa a asɛm bɛto yɛn wura ne nʼabusua nyinaa. Ɔyɛ obi a ne koma nye na obiara ntumi nkasa nkyerɛ no.”
Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”
18 Abigail ansɛe bere koraa. Ɔfaa brodo mua ahannu, nsa aboa nhoma abien, nguan anum a wɔakum wɔn asiesie wɔn, nkyewe susude anum, bobe ɔfam ɔha ne bobe aba a wɔabɔ no atɔwatɔw ahannu de soaa mfurum.
Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys
19 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ nʼasomfo se, “Munni kan nkɔ. Metiw mo.” Nanso wanka nea na ɔreyɛ no ankyerɛ ne kunu Nabal.
and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
20 Ɔte nʼafurum so nam ara kosii bepɔw bi asiansian mu no, ohuu Dawid nso ne ne mmarima sɛ wɔrehyia no.
As Abigail came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming down toward her, and she met them.
21 Na Dawid aka se, “Mfaso biara nni so sɛ mahwɛ saa onipa yi agyapade so wɔ sare so a ne biribiara anyera. Ɔde bɔne atua me papa a meyɛɛ no no so ka.
Now David had just finished saying, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good.
22 Sɛ ɛba sɛ ɔkyena ne fini barima bi da so te ase a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no ɔyaw so pa ara.”
May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one of Nabal’s men survive until morning.”
23 Abigail huu Dawid no, ntɛm ara, ohuruw fii nʼafurum no so sii fam, bɔɔ ne mu ase wɔ nʼanim.
When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.
24 Ɔhwee ne nan ase kae se, “Me wura migye saa asɛm yi ho afɔdi nyinaa to me ho so. Mesrɛ wo sɛ, tie asɛm a mewɔ ka.
She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.
25 Minim sɛ Nabal yɛ otirimɔdenfo; mesrɛ wo, ntie no. Ɔyɛ ɔkwasea sɛnea ne din kyerɛ no. Na me, wʼafenaa, abɔfo a wosomaa wɔn no, manhu wɔn.
My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.
26 Afei, me wura, mpɛn dodow a Awurade te ase, na wo nso wote ase na Awurade amma woamfa awudi ne aweretɔ anhyɛ wo nsam yi, ma mmusu mmra wʼatamfo nyinaa so, sɛnea bi aba Nabal so yi.
Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.
27 Akyɛde a mede abrɛ wo ne wo mmerante no ni.
Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you.
28 “Mesrɛ wo, sɛ mafom a, fa kyɛ me. Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ Awurade de ofi a nʼahenni ase betim bɛdom wo, efisɛ woreko Awurade ko. Na wonyɛɛ bɔne biara nso wɔ wʼasetena mu.
Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.
29 Na sɛ ɛba sɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ wo kra no taataa wo so a, Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn, begye wo, abɔ wo ho ban sɛnea wɔbɔ ademude ho ban no. Na wʼatamfo nkwa de, ɛbɛyera te sɛ abo a wɔatow fi ahwimmo mu.
And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.
30 Sɛ Awurade di bɔ a ɔhyɛɛ wo no nyinaa so ma wo, na ɔde wo di Israelhene a,
When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel,
31 mma eyi nnyɛ nkekae wɔ wʼabrabɔ mu. Na worensoa wʼahonim adesoa duruduru a efi mogyahwiegu ne aweretɔ a so nni mfaso ho. Na sɛ Awurade yɛ saa nneɛma akɛse yi ma wo a, mesrɛ wo, kae me!”
then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your maidservant.”
32 Dawid buaa Abigail se, “Nhyira nka Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn a wama woabehyia me nnɛ.
Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!
33 Da Awurade ase wɔ wʼadwene pa ho. Nhyira nka wo sɛ woamma me ankum ɔbarima no, na woamma mamfa me nsa antɔ were.
Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.
34 Na meka Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn a wamma manyɛ wo bɔne no ntam sɛ, sɛ woanka wo ho ammehyia me a, anka ebedu ɔkyena anɔpa no, na Nabal mmarima no mu baako koraa nte ase.”
Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by morning light.”
35 Na Dawid gyee nʼakyɛde no, ka kyerɛɛ no se, “San kɔ fie asomdwoe mu. Yɛrenkum wo kunu no.”
Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go home in peace. See, I have heeded your voice and granted your request.”
36 Bere a Abigail duu fie no, ohuu sɛ Nabal ato pon kɛse sɛ ɔhene. Na wabow nsa nti, wanka biribiara a ɛfa ɔne Dawid nhyiamu no ho ankyerɛ no kosii adekyee.
When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.
37 Ade kyee a nʼani so daa hɔ no, Abigail kaa nsɛm a asisi no kyerɛɛ no. Nabal tee nsɛm no, obubu kaa mpa mu.
In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these events, and his heart failed within him and he became like a stone.
38 Nnafua du akyi no, Awurade bɔɔ no ma owui.
About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal dead.
39 Dawid tee sɛ Nabal awu no, ɔkae se, “Nhyira nka Awurade a watua Nabal ka na wamma mankum no. Nabal anya ne bɔne so akatua.” Na Dawid yɛɛ ntɛm soma kɔɔ Abigail nkyɛn, ma wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ no se ɔbɛware no.
On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking for her in marriage.
40 Asomfo no kɔɔ Karmel kɔka kyerɛɛ Abigail se, “Dawid asoma yɛn sɛ yɛmmra mmɛfa wo mmrɛ no sɛ ne yere.”
When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to take you as his wife.”
41 Ɔbɔɔ ne mu ase de nʼanim kyerɛɛ fam kae se, “Yiw, masiesie me ho sɛ mɛsom Dawid asomfo mpo.”
She arose, then bowed facedown and said, “Here is your maidservant, ready to serve and to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”
42 Ntɛm ara, Abigail huruw tenaa nʼafurum so, faa ne mmaawa baanum kaa ne ho, na ɔne Dawid asomfo no kɔe, na ɔbɛyɛɛ Dawid yere.
So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David’s messengers and became his wife.
43 Dawid waree Ahinoam a ofi Yesreel, na wɔn baanu bɛyɛɛ ne yerenom.
David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So she and Abigail were both his wives.
44 Na Saulo de ne babea Mikal, Dawid yere, ama ɔbarima bi a ofi Galim a ne din de Palti a na ɔyɛ Lais babarima.
But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.
