1 Samuel 26

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

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?'

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

Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

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

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 ɔsomaa akwansrafo sɛ wɔntetɛw no.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.

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.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay within the barricade, and the people pitched round about 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.”

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying: 'Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?' And Abishai said: 'I will go down with thee.'

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.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the barricade, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about 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.”

Then said Abishai to David: 'God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.'

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?

And David said to Abishai: 'Destroy him not; for who can put forth his 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.

And David said: 'As the LORD liveth, nay, but the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle, and be swept away.

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.”

The LORD forbid it me, that I should put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water 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 the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

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

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them.

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

And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: 'Answerest thou not, Abner?' Then Abner answered and said: 'Who art thou that criest to the king?'

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?

And David said to Abner: 'Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

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 is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye deserve to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD'S anointed. And now, see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.'

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

And Saul knew David's voice, and said: 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' And David said: 'It is my voice, my lord, O king.'

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

And he said: 'Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or 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 therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that hath stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto 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?”

Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as when one doth hunt 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 said Saul: 'I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.'

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

And David answered and said: 'Behold the king's spear! let then one of the young men come over and fetch 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.

And the LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as the LORD delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth 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.”

And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.'

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.

Then Saul said to David: 'Blessed be thou, my son David; thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail.' So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.