1 Samuel 25

1 Afei, Samuel wuiɛ na Israel nyinaa hyia yɛɛ no ayie. Na wɔsiee no wɔ ne kurom Rama. Na Dawid tu kɔɔ Maon ɛserɛ so.

When Samuel died, all Israel gathered to mourn for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Wilderness of Paran.

2 Na ɔbarima ɔdefoɔ bi a ɔfiri Maon a na ɔwɔ agyapadeɛ wɔ baabi a ɛbɛn akuraa Karmel. Na ɔwɔ mmirekyie apem ne nnwan mpensa. Na ɛyɛ mmoa ho nwi twitwa berɛ.

Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. He was a very wealthy man with a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel.

3 Saa ɔbarima no din de Nabal. Ne yere nso din de Abigail. Na ɔyɛ ɔbaa a ɔnim nyansa na ne ho nso yɛ fɛ. Nanso, na ne kunu a ɔyɛ Kalebni no mpɔeɛ, na ne suban nso nyɛ fɛ.

His name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

4 Ɛberɛ a Dawid tee sɛ Nabal retwitwa ne mmoa ho nwi no,

While David was in the wilderness, he heard that Nabal was shearing sheep.

5 ɔsomaa mmarima mmabunu edu kɔɔ ne nkyɛn. Ɔde nkra maa wɔn sɛ,

So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name

6 “Wo nkwa so! Wo ne wo fiefoɔ nyinaa nnya ahoɔden! Na wʼagyapadeɛ nyinaa nso nyɛ nhyira.

and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and your house and to all that belongs to you.

7 “Mate sɛ woretwitwa wo nnwan ne mmirekyie ho nwi. Ɛberɛ a na mo nnwanhwɛfoɔ wɔ yɛn nkyɛn ha no, yɛanyɛ wɔn basabasa. Na mmerɛ dodoɔ a wɔdii wɔ Karmel no nso, wɔn biribiara annyera.

Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel.

8 Bisa wo ara wʼasomfoɔ na wɔbɛka akyerɛ wo. Yɛaba ha wɔ afahyɛ ɛda, ɛno enti, mesrɛ wo, ma yɛn aduane biara a wo nsa bɛso so.”

Ask your young men, and they will tell you. So let my young men find favor with you, for we have come on the day of a feast. Please give whatever you can afford to your servants and to your son David.’”

9 Dawid mmeranteɛ no de nkra no maa Nabal na wɔtwɛnee ne mmuaeɛ.

When David’s young men arrived, they relayed all these words to Nabal on behalf of David. Then they waited.

10 Nabal buaa Dawid asomfoɔ no sɛ, “Hwan ne saa Dawid yi? Saa Yisai babarima yi dwene sɛ ɔne hwan? Nnansa yi, asomfoɔ bebree retete wɔn ho afiri wɔn wuranom ho.

But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters.

11 Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mede me burodo ne me nsuo ne mʼaboa a makum no ɛnam a mede rebɛma me nwitwitwafoɔ no ma akwanmukafoɔ a obi nnim baabi a wɔfiri?”

Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?”

12 Na Dawid mmarima no sane kɔeɛ, kɔkaa deɛ Nabal kaeɛ no kyerɛɛ no.

So David’s men turned around and went back, and they relayed to him all these words.

13 Dawid ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima no sɛ, “Momfa mo akofena.” Na Dawid nso faa ne deɛ. Mmarima bɛyɛ sɛ ahanan na wɔkaa Dawid ho kɔeɛ, ɛnna mmarima ahanu nso tena wɛnee akodeɛ no.

And David said to his men, “Strap on your swords!” So David and all his men put on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.

14 Nabal asomfoɔ no mu baako kɔka kyerɛɛ Nabal yere Abigail sɛ, “Dawid somaa abɔfoɔ firi ɛserɛ no so sɛ wɔ ne yɛn wura mmɛkasa, nanso ɔdidii wɔn atɛm.

Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s young men informed Nabal’s wife Abigail, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he scolded them.

15 Nanso Dawid nnipa no yɛ ma yɛn. Wɔannyɛ yɛn bɔne biara. Ɛberɛ a yɛne wɔn wɔ hɔ no, wɔamfa yɛn biribiara.

Yet these men were very good to us. When we were in the field, we were not harassed, and nothing of ours went missing the whole time we lived among them.

16 Anadwo ne awia nyinaa, na wɔbɔ yɛn ne nnwan no ho ban.

They were a wall around us, both day and night, the whole time we were herding our sheep near them.

17 Enti, dwene ho yie, anyɛ saa a asɛm bɛto yɛn wura ne nʼabusua nyinaa. Ɔyɛ obi a ne bo ha no na obiara ntumi nkasa nkyerɛ no.”

Now consider carefully what you must do, because disaster looms over our master and all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that nobody can speak to him!”

18 Abigail ansɛe berɛ koraa. Ɔfaa burodo mua ahanu, nsã aboa nwoma mmienu, nnwan enum a wɔakum wɔn asiesie wɔn, nkyeweɛ susudeɛ enum, bobe ɔfam ɔha ne bobe aba a wɔabɔ no ntowantowa ahanu de soaa mfunumu.

Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five butchered sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys

19 Na ɔka kyerɛɛ nʼasomfoɔ sɛ, “Monni ɛkan nkɔ. Mɛti mo.” Nanso, wanka deɛ na ɔreyɛ no ankyerɛ ne kunu Nabal.

and said to her young men, “Go ahead of me. I will be right behind you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

20 Ɔte nʼafunumu so nam ara kɔsii bepɔ bi nsiane mu no, ɔhunuu Dawid nso ne ne mmarima sɛ wɔresiane hyia no.

As Abigail came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming down toward her, and she met them.

21 Na Dawid aka sɛ, “Mfasoɔ biara nni so sɛ mahwɛ saa onipa yi agyapadeɛ so wɔ ɛserɛ so a ne biribiara annyera. Ɔde bɔne atua me papa a meyɛɛ no no so ka.

Now David had just finished saying, “In vain I have protected all that belonged to this man in the wilderness. Nothing that belongs to him has gone missing, yet he has paid me back evil for good.

22 Sɛ ɛba sɛ ɔkyena ne fieni bi da so te ase a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no denden so pa ara.”

May God punish David, and ever so severely, if I let one of Nabal’s men survive until morning.”

23 Abigail hunuu Dawid no, ntɛm ara, ɔhuri firii nʼafunumu no so sii fam, bɔɔ ne mu ase wɔ nʼanim.

When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.

24 Ɔhwee ne nan ase kaa sɛ, “Me wura, megye saa asɛm yi ho afɔdie nyinaa to me ho so. Mesrɛ wo sɛ, tie asɛm a mewɔ ka.

She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.

25 Menim sɛ Nabal yɛ otirimuɔdenfoɔ a ne bo nso ha no; mesrɛ wo, ntie no. Ɔyɛ ɔkwasea sɛdeɛ ne din kyerɛ no. Na mpo, abɔfoɔ a wosomaa wɔn no, manhunu wɔn.

My lord should pay no attention to this scoundrel Nabal, for he lives up to his name: His name means Fool, and folly accompanies him. I, your servant, did not see my lord’s young men whom you sent.

26 Afei, me wura, mpɛn dodoɔ a Awurade te ase, na wo nso wote ase na Awurade amma woamfa awudie ne aweretɔ anhyɛ wo nsam yi, ma mmusuo mmra wʼatamfoɔ nyinaa so, sɛdeɛ ebi aba Nabal so yi.

Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.

27 Akyɛdeɛ a mede abrɛ wo ne wo mmeranteɛ no nie.

Now let this gift your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow you.

28 “Mesrɛ wo, sɛ mafom a, fa kyɛ me. Akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho sɛ Awurade de efie a nʼahennie ase bɛtim bɛdom wo, ɛfiri sɛ, woreko Awurade ko. Na wonyɛɛ bɔne biara nso wɔ wʼasetena mu.

Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the LORD will surely make a lasting dynasty for my lord, because he fights the LORD’s battles. May no evil be found in you as long as you live.

29 Na sɛ ɛba sɛ wɔn a wɔpɛ wo kra no taataa wo so a, Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn, bɛgye wo, abɔ wo ho ban sɛdeɛ wɔbɔ ademudeɛ ho ban. Na wʼatamfoɔ nkwa deɛ, ɛbɛyera te sɛ aboɔ a wɔato firi ahwimmoɔ mu.

And should someone pursue you and seek your life, then the life of my lord will be bound securely by the LORD your God in the bundle of the living. But He shall fling away the lives of your enemies like stones from a sling.

30 Sɛ Awurade di ɛbɔ a ɔhyɛɛ wo no nyinaa so ma wo, na ɔde wo di Israelhene a,

When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel,

31 mma yei nnyɛ nkekaawa wɔ wʼabrabɔ mu. Na worensoa wʼahonim adesoa duruduru a ɛfiri mogyakaguo ne aweretɔ a ɛho nni mfasoɔ ho. Na sɛ Awurade yɛ saa nneɛma akɛseɛ yi ma wo a, mesrɛ wo, kae me!”

then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your maidservant.”

32 Dawid buaa Abigail sɛ, “Nhyira nka Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn a wama woabɛhyia me ɛnnɛ.

Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me this day!

33 Ɛda Awurade ase wɔ wʼadwene pa ho. Nhyira nka wo sɛ woamma me ankum ɔbarima no, na woamma mamfa me nsa antɔ wedeɛ.

Blessed is your discernment, and blessed are you, because today you kept me from bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

34 Na meka Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn a wamma me manyɛ wo bɔne no ntam sɛ, sɛ woanka wo ho ammɛhyia me a, anka ɛbɛduru ɔkyena anɔpa no, na Nabal mmarima no mu baako koraa nte ase.”

Otherwise, as surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, then surely no male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by morning light.”

35 Na Dawid gyee nʼakyɛdeɛ no, ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Sane kɔ efie asomdwoeɛ mu. Yɛrenkum wo kunu no.”

Then David accepted from her hand what she had brought him, and he said to her, “Go home in peace. See, I have heeded your voice and granted your request.”

36 Ɛberɛ a Abigail duruu fie no, ɔhunuu sɛ Nabal ato ɛpono kɛseɛ sɛ ɔhene. Na waboro nsã enti, wanka biribiara a ɛfa ɔne Dawid nhyiamu no ho ankyerɛ no kɔsii adekyeeɛ.

When Abigail returned to Nabal, there he was in the house, holding a feast fit for a king, in high spirits and very drunk. So she told him nothing until morning light.

37 Adeɛ kyeeɛ a nʼani so ada hɔ no, Abigail kaa nsɛm a asisi no kyerɛɛ no. Nabal tee nsɛm no, ɔbubu kaa mpa so.

In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him about these events, and his heart failed within him and he became like a stone.

38 Dadu akyi no, Awurade bɔɔ no ma ɔwuiɛ.

About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal dead.

39 Dawid tee sɛ Nabal awu no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Nhyira nka Awurade a watua Nabal ka na wamma mankum no. Nabal anya ne bɔne so akatua.” Na Dawid yɛɛ ntɛm soma kɔɔ Abigail nkyɛn, maa wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, ɔbɛware no.

On hearing that Nabal was dead, David said, “Blessed be the LORD, who has upheld my cause against the reproach of Nabal and has restrained His servant from evil. For the LORD has brought the wickedness of Nabal down upon his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking for her in marriage.

40 Asomfoɔ no kɔɔ Karmel kɔka kyerɛɛ Abigail sɛ, “Dawid asoma yɛn sɛ yɛmmra mmɛbisa wo sɛ wobɛware no anaa?”

When his servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said, “David has sent us to take you as his wife.”

41 Ɔbɔɔ ne mu ase de nʼanim kyerɛɛ fam kaa sɛ, “Aane, masiesie me ho sɛ mɛsom Dawid asomfoɔ mpo.”

She arose, then bowed facedown and said, “Here is your maidservant, ready to serve and to wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

42 Ntɛm ara, Abigail huri tenaa nʼafunumu so, faa ne mmaawa baanum kaa ne ho, na ɔne Dawid asomfoɔ no kɔeɛ, na ɔbɛyɛɛ Dawid yere.

So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David’s messengers and became his wife.

43 Dawid waree Ahinoam a ɔfiri Yesreel, na wɔn baanu bɛyɛɛ ne yerenom.

David had also married Ahinoam of Jezreel. So she and Abigail were both his wives.

44 Na Saulo de ne babaa Mikal, Dawid yere, ama ɔbarima bi a ɔfiri Galim a ne din de Palti a na ɔyɛ Lais babarima.

But Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.