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 came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest; and Ahimelech came to meet David trembling, and said unto him: 'Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?'

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 unto Ahimelech the priest: 'The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me: Let no man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and the young men have I appointed to such and such a place.

3 Afei, ɛdeɛn na ɛwɔ hɔ a mɛnya adi? Ma me burodo mua enum anaa biribiara a wowɔ.”

Now therefore what is under thy hand? five loaves of bread? give them in my hand, or whatsoever there is present.'

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 answered David, and said: 'There is no common bread under my hand, but there is holy bread; if only the young men have kept themselves 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 answered the priest, and said unto him: 'Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days; when I came out, the vessels of the young men were holy, though it was but a common journey; how much more then to-day, when there shall be holy bread in their 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.

So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. —

7 Doeg, Edomni a ɔyɛ Saulo nantwikafoɔ panin no kɔdwiraa ne ho wɔ Awurade anim saa ɛda no.

Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul. —

8 Dawid bisaa Ahimelek sɛ, “Wowɔ pea anaa akofena? Ɔhene adwuma no ho hia a na ɛhia enti, mannya berɛ amfa akodeɛ biara.”

And David said unto Ahimelech: 'And is there peradventure here under thy hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.'

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: 'The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the vale of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if thou wilt take that, take it; for there is no other save that here.' And David said: 'There is none like that; give it me.'

10 Na Dawid dwanee firi Saulo hɔ, kɔɔ Gathene Akis nkyɛn.

And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and 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 said unto him: 'Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying: Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?'

12 Dawid tee saa akekakeka yi no, ɔsuroo sɛ ebia ɔhene Akis bɛyɛ no biribi.

And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid 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 changed his demeanour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.

14 Deɛ ɛdi akyire ne sɛ, ɔhene Akis ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima sɛ, “Bɔdamfoɔ na ɛsɛ sɛ mode no brɛ me?

Then said Achish unto his servants: 'Lo, when ye see a man that is mad, wherefore do ye bring him to me?

15 Yɛwɔ pii wɔ ha dada! Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mema obi a ɔte sɛɛ yi bɛyɛ me ɔhɔhoɔ?”

Do I lack madmen, that ye have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?'