1 Samuel 24
1 Saulo ne Filistifoɔ no ko wieeɛ no, wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Dawid hyɛ En-Gedi ɛserɛ so hɔ.”
And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
2 Ɛno enti, Saulo yii mmarima mpensa firii Israel mmaa nyinaa, de wɔn kɔɔeɛ sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ Dawid ne ne mmarima wɔ beaeɛ bi a ɛbɛn Wiram Mmirekyie Abotan no.
Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.
3 Ɔbɛduruu nnwammuo bi ho a ɛhɔ ara nso na ɔbodan bi wɔ no, Saulo wuraa mu sɛ, ɔrekɔgye nʼahome. Na Dawid ne ne mmarima no wɔ saa ɔbodan no mu akyirikyiri.
And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.
4 Mmarima no kaa sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ ne ɛda a Awurade kaa sɛ, ‘Mede wo ɔtamfoɔ bɛhyɛ wo nsa, na woayɛ no deɛ wopɛ biara’ no”. Na Dawid weawea kɔɔ Saulo ho, kɔtwaa nʼatadeɛ ano.
And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
5 Na Dawid adwenem antene no sɛ watwa Saulo atadeɛ ano.
After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.
6 Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima no sɛ, “Awurade nim sɛ ɛnsɛ sɛ meyɛ saa. Ɛyɛ musuo sɛ obi mɛtene me nsa wɔ obi a Awurade asra no ngo so; ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade ankasa na wapa no.”
And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
7 Ɔnam saa nsɛm yi so kaa ne mmarima no anim, na wamma ho kwan amma wɔankɔ Saulo so. Na Saulo firii ɔbodan no mu kɔɔ ne kwan no.
And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.
8 Dawid pue baeɛ, teateaam dii nʼakyi sɛ, “Me wura ɔhene!” Saulo twaa nʼani no, Dawid bɔɔ ne mu ase.
And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,
9 Afei, ɔteaam, bisaa Saulo sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wotie nkurɔfoɔ ano sɛ merepɛ wo aha wo?
And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
10 Ɛnnɛ dua yi, wʼankasa wʼani tua sɛ ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade de wo hyɛɛ me nsa wɔ ɔbodan no mu, na me mmarima no bi ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, menkum wo, nanso mankum wo. Na mekaa sɛ, ‘Merenyɛ no bɔne biara da, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔyɛ obi a Awurade asra no.’
Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.
11 Mʼagya, hwɛ adeɛ a mekura yi. Ɛyɛ wʼatadeɛ sin bi. Metwaeɛ, nanso mankum wo. Yei da no adi pefee sɛ merenha wo, na menyɛɛ wo bɔne biara nso, na mmom, wo na woataataa me so repɛ me akum me.
Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.
12 Awurade na ɔbɛhwɛ me ne wo ntam asɛm. Ebia, deɛ woayɛ enti, Awurade bɛtwe wʼaso wɔ deɛ wopɛ sɛ woyɛ me no ho, na me deɛ, merenha wo da.
The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
13 Ɛbɛ no se, ‘Abɔnefoɔ mu na bɔne firi ba.’ Enti, gye di sɛ, merenha wo.
As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?
14 “Hwan na Israelhene repɛ no akye no yi? Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔsɛe ne berɛ taataa obi a ne ho nni mfasoɔ sɛ ɔkraman funu anaa edwie?
After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
15 Ma Awurade mmu atɛn nkyerɛ yɛn mu deɛ ɔdi bem, na ɔntwe ɛfɔdifoɔ no aso. Ɔno ne me kamafoɔ, na ɔbɛgye me afiri wo tumi ase.”
Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
16 Saulo buaa sɛ, “Me babarima Dawid, wo na worekasa yi?” Na ɔhyɛɛ aseɛ suiɛ.
And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
17 Ɔtoaa so sɛ, “Wotene sene me. Wode papa atua me bɔne so ka, nanso me deɛ mayɛ wo bɔne.
And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.
18 Ampa ara woayɛ me papa a ɛboro so, ɛfiri sɛ Awurade de me hyɛɛ wo nsa a, anka wobɛtumi akum me nanso woanku me.
And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.
19 Sɛ obi nsa ka ne ɔtamfoɔ a, ɔgyaa no ma no kɔ kwa? Awurade nhyira wo wɔ ɛkwan a wode me afa so ɛnnɛ yi ho.
For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.
20 Afei mahunu sɛ, deɛ ɛbɛyɛ biara, wɔbɛsi wo ɔhene, na Israel ahemman no bɛdi yie wɔ wo pɛn so.
And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
21 Afei, suae Awurade din mu kyerɛ me sɛ, sɛ wobɛdi adeɛ a, worentwa mʼasefoɔ anaa worempepa me din mfiri mʼagya fie.”
Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
22 Enti, Dawid suae kyerɛɛ Saulo. Na Saulo sane kɔɔ efie, na Dawid ne ne mmarima kɔɔ wɔn banbɔeɛ mu.
And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
