1 Samuel 26

1 Sififo kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn wɔ Gibea kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Dawid akohintaw wɔ Hakila bepɔw a ɛkyerɛ Yesimon no mu.”

Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hachilah, opposite Jeshimon?”

2 Enti Saulo yii nʼakofo mpensa kaa wɔn ho kɔɔ Sif sare so sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ Dawid.

So Saul, accompanied by three thousand chosen men of Israel, went down to the Wilderness of Ziph to search for David there.

3 Saulo bɔɔ nʼatenae wɔ ɔkwan a ɛbɛn Hakila bepɔw a ɛne Yesimon di nhwɛanim no nkyɛn, baabi a Dawid akohintaw hɔ. Dawid tee sɛ Saulo aba hɔ, enti

Saul camped beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite Jeshimon, but David was living in the wilderness. When he realized that Saul had followed him there,

4 ɔsomaa akwansrafo sɛ wɔntetɛw no.

David sent out spies to verify that Saul had arrived.

5 Dawid kopuee baabi a Saulo abɔ ne ho atenase hɔ anadwo bi. Ohuu sɛ Saulo ne Abner a ɔyɛ Ner babarima a ɔyɛ ɔsafohene adeda atenae no mu a asraafo a wɔadeda atwa ne ho ahyia.

Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw the place where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the general of his army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the inner circle of the camp, with the troops camped around him.

6 Dawid bisaa Hetini Ahimelek ne Seruia babarima Abisai, Yoab nua se, “Hena na ɔne me bɛkɔ Saulo nkyɛn wɔ nʼatenae hɔ?” Abisai buae se, “Me ne wo bɛkɔ.”

And David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?” “I will go with you,” answered Abishai.

7 Enti Dawid ne Abisai kɔɔ asraafo no nkyɛn anadwo, kɔtoo Saulo sɛ wada wɔ atenae hɔ a, ɔde ne peaw atim fam wɔ ne ti ho pɛɛ. Na Abner ne asraafo no nso atwa ne ho ahyia a wɔadeda.

That night David and Abishai came to the troops, and Saul was lying there asleep in the inner circle of the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the troops were lying around him.

8 Abisai ka kyerɛɛ Dawid brɛoo se, “Nnɛ de, Onyankopɔn ayi wo tamfo ahyɛ wo nsa. Enti ma memfa me peaw no nwɔ no pɛn koro, nka no ntim fam. Merenwɔ no mprenu.”

Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!”

9 Nanso Dawid ka kyerɛɛ Abisai se, “Dabi da, nsɛe no. Hena na obetumi de ne nsa aka onipa a Awurade asra no, na onni ho fɔ?

But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”

10 Nokware ni, Awurade bɛbɔ Saulo ahwe da koro, anaasɛ ɔbɛtɔ wɔ ɔko mu, anaasɛ obenyin na wawu.

David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.

11 Onyame ma ɛmpare me sɛ mede me nsa bɛka onipa a Onyankopɔn asra no. Na wunim biribi? Yɛbɛfa ne peaw ne ne sukuruwa na yɛakɔ.”

But the LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”

12 Na Dawid faa peaw no ne sukuruwa a esi Saulo ti ho no, na wɔkɔe a obiara anhu wɔn na wɔn mu biara nso annyan mpo. Na wɔn nyinaa adeda, efisɛ Awurade de nnahɔɔ too wɔn so.

So David took the spear and water jug by Saul’s head, and they departed. No one saw them or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up; they all remained asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.

13 Dawid foroo bepɔw a ɛne atenae hɔ di nhwɛanim kosii sɛ oduu baabi a bɔne bi ntumi nka no.

Then David crossed to the other side and stood atop the mountain at a distance; there was a wide gulf between them.

14 Ɔteɛɛ mu frɛɛ Abner ne Saulo se, “Sɔre oo! Abner.” Abner bisaa se, “Hena ni?”

And David shouted to the troops and to Abner son of Ner, “Will you not answer me, Abner?” “Who calls to the king?” Abner replied.

15 Dawid goruu ne ho se, “Abner, woyɛ onipa kɛse, ɛnte saa? Israelman mu nyinaa, ɛhe na otumfo bi wɔ? Na adɛn nti na woannwɛn wo wura, ɔhene no bere a obi baa sɛ ɔrebekum no no?

So David said to Abner, “You are a man, aren’t you? And who in Israel is your equal? Why then did you not protect your lord the king when one of the people came to destroy him?

16 Saa asɛm yi nye koraa! Meka ntam wɔ Awurade din mu sɛ, wo ne wo mmarima no nyinaa sɛ owu, efisɛ moantumi ammɔ mo wura, nea Awurade asra no no ho ban. Monhwɛ mo ho nhyia. Ɔhene no peaw ne ne sukuruwa a na esi ne ti ho no wɔ he?”

This thing you have done is not good. As surely as the LORD lives, all of you deserve to die, since you did not protect your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now look around. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were by his head?”

17 Saulo tee Dawid nne nti ɔfrɛe se, “Wo ni, me ba Dawid?” Na Dawid buaa no se, “Nana, ɛyɛ me.

Then Saul recognized David’s voice and asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” “It is my voice, my lord and king,” David said.

18 Adɛn nti na wotaa me? Dɛn na mayɛ? Me bɔne ne dɛn?

And he continued, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done? What evil is in my hand?

19 Na afei mepɛ sɛ me wura tie ne somfo, Nana. Sɛ Awurade na wahwanyan wo atia me a, ɛno de ma onnye mʼafɔre. Na sɛ nso ɛyɛ onipa nhyehyɛe a, ɛno de, Awurade nnome wɔn a wɔyɛɛ saa nhyehyɛe no. Efisɛ moapam me afi me fi sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, merentumi ne Awurade nkurɔfo ntena, nsom sɛnea ɛsɛ.

Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

20 Minwu wɔ ananafo asase so a ɛhɔ ne Awurade anim kwan ware ana? Adɛn nti na Israelhene atu sa, rehwehwɛ sommɔre; sɛnea ɔbɔmmɔfo kɔ ahayɛ kɔpɛ asɛmɛntɛ wɔ mmepɔw so?”

So do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the LORD. For the king of Israel has come out to look for a flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

21 Afei Saulo kae se, “Mayɛ bɔne. San bra fie, me ba Dawid. Efisɛ nnɛ, woama me nkwa asom wo bo. Merenhaw wo bio. Mayɛ nkwaseade na mafom yiye.”

Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”

22 Dawid buae se, “Ao, ɔhene, wo peaw ni. Ma wo mmerante no mu baako mmra mmegye.

“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of the young men come over and get it.

23 Awurade na ɔma papayɛ ne nokwaredi so akatua. Awurade de wo hyɛɛ me tumi ase mpo, mampɛ sɛ mekum wo, efisɛ woyɛ obi a Awurade asra wo.

May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.

24 Afei, me kra nsom Awurade bo, sɛnea wo de asom me bo nnɛ yi. Onnye me mfi me haw nyinaa mu.”

As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”

25 Na Saulo ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Nhyira nka wo, me ba Dawid. Wobɛyɛ mmaninne ne nkonimdifo kɛse.” Na Dawid kɔe, na Saulo nso san kɔɔ fie.

Saul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.” So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.