1 Samuel 24
1 Saulo ne Filistifoɔ no ko wieeɛ no, wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Dawid hyɛ En-Gedi ɛserɛ so hɔ.”
And it cometh to pass when Saul hath turned back from after the Philistines, that they declare to him, saying, 'Lo, David [is] in the wilderness of En-gedi.'
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.
And Saul taketh three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and goeth to seek David and his men, on the front of the rocks of the 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 cometh in unto folds of the flock, on the way, and there [is] a cave, and Saul goeth in to cover his feet; and David and his men in the sides of the cave are abiding.
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 men of David say unto him, 'Lo, the day of which Jehovah said unto thee, Lo, I am giving thine enemy into thy hand, and thou hast done to him as it is good in thine eyes;' and David riseth and cutteth off the skirt of the upper robe which [is] on Saul — gently.
5 Na Dawid adwenem antene no sɛ watwa Saulo atadeɛ ano.
And it cometh to pass afterwards that the heart of David smiteth him, because that he hath cut off the skirt which [is] on Saul,
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 saith to his men, 'Far be it from me, by Jehovah; I do not do this thing to my lord — to the anointed of Jehovah — to put forth my hand against him, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].'
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 subdueth his men by words, and hath not permitted them to rise against Saul; and Saul hath risen from the cave, and goeth on the way;
8 Dawid pue baeɛ, teateaam dii nʼakyi sɛ, “Me wura ɔhene!” Saulo twaa nʼani no, Dawid bɔɔ ne mu ase.
and David riseth afterwards, and goeth out from the cave, and calleth after Saul, saying, 'My lord, O king!' And Saul looketh attentively behind him, and David boweth — face to the earth — and doth obeisance.
9 Afei, ɔteaam, bisaa Saulo sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wotie nkurɔfoɔ ano sɛ merepɛ wo aha wo?
And David saith to Saul, 'Why dost thou hear the words of man, saying, Lo, David is seeking thine evil?
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.’
Lo, this day have thine eyes seen how that Jehovah hath given thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and [one] said to slay thee, and [mine eye] hath pity on thee, and I say, I do not put forth my hand against my lord, for the anointed of Jehovah he [is].
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.
'And, my father, see, yea see the skirt of thine upper robe in my hand; for by cutting off the skirt of thy upper robe, and I have not slain thee, know and see that there is not in my hand evil and transgression, and I have not sinned against thee, and thou art hunting my soul to take it!
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.
'Jehovah doth judge between me and thee, and Jehovah hath avenged me of thee, and my hand is not on thee;
13 Ɛbɛ no se, ‘Abɔnefoɔ mu na bɔne firi ba.’ Enti, gye di sɛ, merenha wo.
as saith the simile of the ancients, From the wicked goeth out wickedness, and my hand is not on thee.
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 hath the king of Israel come out? after whom art thou pursuing? — after a dead dog! after one 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.”
And Jehovah hath been for judge, and hath judged between me and thee, yea, he seeth and pleadeth my cause, and doth deliver me out of thy hand.'
16 Saulo buaa sɛ, “Me babarima Dawid, wo na worekasa yi?” Na ɔhyɛɛ aseɛ suiɛ.
And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.
17 Ɔtoaa so sɛ, “Wotene sene me. Wode papa atua me bɔne so ka, nanso me deɛ mayɛ wo bɔne.
And he saith unto David, 'More righteous thou [art] than I; for thou hast done me good, and I have done thee 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 declared to-day how that thou hast done good with me, how that Jehovah shut me up into thy hand, and thou didst not slay 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.
and that a man doth find his enemy, and hath sent him away in a good manner; and Jehovah doth repay thee good for that which thou didst 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, lo, I have known that thou dost certainly reign, and the kingdom of Israel hath stood 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.”
and, now, swear to me by Jehovah — thou dost not cut off my seed after me, nor dost thou destroy 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 sweareth to Saul, and Saul goeth unto his house, and David and his men have gone up unto the fortress.
