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 come to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?”

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

And Saul rises, and goes down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him [are] three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, 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 encamps in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he sees that Saul has come into the wilderness after him;

4 ɔsomaa akwansrafo sɛ wɔntetɛw no.

and David sends spies, and knows that Saul has come to Nachon,

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 rises, and comes to the place where Saul has encamped, and David sees the place where Saul has lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping 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 answers and says to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who goes down with me to Saul, to the camp?” And Abishai says, “I go down with you.”

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.

And David comes—and Abishai—by night to the people, and behold, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear is pressed into the earth by his pillow, and Abner and the people are 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.”

And Abishai says to David, “God has shut up your enemy into your hand today; and now, please let me strike him with [the] spear, even into the earth, at once—and not repeat [it] to him.”

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 says to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who has put forth his hand against the anointed of YHWH and been acquitted?”

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

And David says, “YHWH lives; except YHWH strikes him, or his day comes that he has died, or he goes down into battle and has been consumed—

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.”

far be it from me, by YHWH, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of YHWH; and now, please take the spear which [is] by his pillow, and the jug of water, and we go away.”

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.

And David takes the spear, and the jug of water by the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep [from] YHWH has fallen on them.

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

And David passes over to the other side, and stands on the top of the hill far off—great [is] the place between them;

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

and David calls to the people, and to Abner son of Ner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?” And Abner answers and says, “Who [are] you [who] have called 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 says to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who [is] like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people had come in to destroy the king, your 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 which you have done is not good; YHWH lives, but you [are] sons of death, in that you have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of YHWH; and now, see where the king’s spear [is], and the jug of water which [is] by his pillow.”

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

And Saul discerns the voice of David and says, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David says, “My voice, my lord, O king!”

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

And he says, “Why [is] this—my lord is pursuing after his servant? For what have I done, and 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.

And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if YHWH has moved you against me, let Him accept a present; but if [merely] the sons of men, they [are] cursed before YHWH, for today they have cast me out from being admitted into the inheritance of YHWH, 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?”

And now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of YHWH, for the king of Israel has come out to seek one flea, as [one] pursues the partridge in 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.”

And Saul says, “I have sinned; return, my son David, for I do evil to you no more, because that my soul has been precious in your eyes this day; behold, I have acted foolishly, and err very greatly.”

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

And David answers and says, “Behold, the king’s spear; and let one of the young men pass over, and receive 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 YHWH turns each back to his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that YHWH has given you into [my] hand today, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of YHWH,

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 your soul has been great in my eyes this day, so is my soul great in the eyes of YHWH, and He delivers me out of all distress.”

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.

And Saul says to David, “Blessed [are] you, my son David, also working you work, and also prevailing you prevail.” And David goes on his way, and Saul has turned back to his place.