1 Samuel 21
1 Dawid kɔɔ Nob ɔsɔfoɔ Ahimelek nkyɛn. Ɛberɛ a ɔsɔfoɔ Ahimelek hunuu no no, ne ho popoeɛ. Ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na aka wo nko? Adɛn enti na obi nka wo ho?”
Then David went into Nob, to the priest Ahimelech. And Ahimelech was astonished that David had arrived. And he said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?”
2 Dawid buaa ɔsɔfoɔ Ahimelek sɛ, “Ɔhene somaa me kokoamsɛm bi ho. Ɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, mennka deɛ enti a mewɔ ha nkyerɛ obiara. Makyerɛ baabi a me mmarima nhyia me akyire yi.
And David said to the priest Ahimelech: “The king has instructed to me a word, and he said: ‘Let no one know the matter about which you have been sent by me, and what type of instructions I have given to you. For I have also summoned servants to one and another place.’
3 Afei, ɛdeɛn na ɛwɔ hɔ a mɛnya adi? Ma me burodo mua enum anaa biribiara a wowɔ.”
Now therefore, if you have anything at hand, even five loaves of bread, or whatever you may find, give it to me.”
4 Na ɔsɔfoɔ no buaa Dawid sɛ, “Menni burodo teta yi bi wɔ ha. Burodo kronkron deɛ, ebi wɔ ha, nanso mede bɛma wo a, gye sɛ mmarima no ne mmaa bi nnaa nnansa yi.”
And the priest, responding to David, said to him: “I have no common bread at hand, but only holy bread. Are the young men clean, especially from women?”
5 Dawid buaa sɛ, “Mma hwee nha wo. Sɛ me mmarima no kɔdi dwuma bi baabi a, memmma wɔn kwan mma wɔmmfa wɔn ho nka mmaa. Na sɛ wɔtena ase kronn wɔ akwantuo teta mu a, adɛn enti na saa dwumadie a ɛho hia yie yi, wɔntumi ntena kronnyɛ mu.”
And David responded to the priest, and said to him: “Indeed, as concerns being with women, we have abstained since yesterday and the day before, when we departed, and so the vessels of the young men have been holy. And although, this journey has been defiled, it will also be sanctified today as concerns the vessels.”
6 Na ɛsiane sɛ aduane foforɔ biara nni hɔ no enti, ɔsɔfoɔ no de burodo kronkron a wɔde burodohyew asi ananmu wɔ Awurade hyiadan no mu maa Dawid.
Therefore, the priest gave to him sanctified bread. For there was no bread there, but only the bread of the Presence, which had been taken away from before the face of the Lord, so that fresh loaves might be set up.
7 Doeg, Edomni a ɔyɛ Saulo nantwikafoɔ panin no kɔdwiraa ne ho wɔ Awurade anim saa ɛda no.
Now a certain man among the servants of Saul was there on that day, inside the tabernacle of the Lord. And his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the most powerful among the shepherds of Saul.
8 Dawid bisaa Ahimelek sɛ, “Wowɔ pea anaa akofena? Ɔhene adwuma no ho hia a na ɛhia enti, mannya berɛ amfa akodeɛ biara.”
Then David said to Ahimelech: “Do you have, here at hand, a spear or a sword? For I did not take my own sword, or my own weapons with me. For the word of the king was urgent.”
9 Ɔsɔfoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Akofena a mewɔ ara yɛ Filistini Goliat a wokumm no wɔ Ela bɔnhwa mu no dea. Wɔde ntoma akyekyere ho da asɔfotadeɛ no akyi. Sɛ wopɛ a, fa ɛno, ɛfiri sɛ, biribiara nni ha bio.” Dawid buaa sɛ, “Biribiara nkyɛn no. Fa ma me.”
And the priest said: “Behold, here is the sword of Goliath, the Philistine, whom you struck down in the Valley of Terebinth. It is wrapped up in a cloak behind the ephod. If you wish to take this, take it. For there is nothing else here except this.” And David said, “There is nothing else like this, so give it to me.”
10 Na Dawid dwanee firi Saulo hɔ, kɔɔ Gathene Akis nkyɛn.
And so, David rose up, and he fled on that day from the face of Saul. And he went to Achish, the king of Gath.
11 Nanso, na Akis mpanimfoɔ no ho ntɔ wɔn sɛ ɔwɔ hɔ. Wɔbisaa sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ saa Dawid yi na ɔyɛ asase yi so ɔhene no? Ɛnyɛ ɔno na nnipa nam asa ne nnwontoɔ so hyɛɛ no animuonyam sɛ, ‘Saulo akum ne mpempem na Dawid nso akum ɔpedupedu no?’”
And the servants of Achish, when they had seen David, said to him: “Is this not David, the king of the land? Were they not singing about him, while dancing, saying, ‘Saul has struck down a thousand, and David ten thousand?’”
12 Dawid tee saa akekakeka yi no, ɔsuroo sɛ ebia ɔhene Akis bɛyɛ no biribi.
Then David took these words to his heart, and he became exceedingly afraid before the face of Achish, the king of Gath.
13 Ɛno enti, ɔhyɛɛ da yɛɛ ne ho sɛ bɔdamfoɔ, ɔwerɛwerɛɛ apono ho maa ntasuo tene faa nʼabɔgyesɛ mu.
And he altered his mouth before them, and he slipped down between their hands. And he stumbled against the doors of the gate. And his spit flowed down his beard.
14 Deɛ ɛdi akyire ne sɛ, ɔhene Akis ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima sɛ, “Bɔdamfoɔ na ɛsɛ sɛ mode no brɛ me?
And Achish said to his servants: “You saw that the man is insane. Why did you bring him to me?
15 Yɛwɔ pii wɔ ha dada! Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mema obi a ɔte sɛɛ yi bɛyɛ me ɔhɔhoɔ?”
Or do we have need of those who are mad, so that you would bring in this one, to behave madly in my presence? How did this man get into my house?”
