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.

And Samuel died, and all Israel were gathered together, and made lamentation for him, and buried him within his own house, in Ramah, —and David arose and went down into the wilderness of Maon.

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 cattle were in Carmel, and, the man, was exceeding great, and, he, had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats, —and so it was, that he was shearing his sheep 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.

Now, the name of the man, was Nabal, and, the name of his wife, Abigail, —and, the woman, was of good understanding, and of beautiful figure, —but, the man, was unfeeling and of evil practices, and he was a Calebite.

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

So then David heard in the wilderness, —that Nabal was shearing his sheep.

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

David, therefore, sent ten young men, —and David said unto the young men, —Go up to Carmel, and enter in unto Nabal, and ye shall ask him, in my name, of his welfare;

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

and say thus—Long life to thee! Mayest, thou, prosper, And, thy household, prosper, And, all that thou hast, prosper!

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, therefore, have I heard that thou hast shearers, —Well, the shepherds that thou hast, have been with us, we reproached them not, neither missed they, anything, all the days 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 thy young men, that they may tell thee, that so my young men may find favour in thine eyes, for, on a good day, have we come! Give, I pray thee, what thy hand findeth, to thy servants, and to thy son, to David!

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

So David’s young men came, and spake unto Nabal, according to all these words, in the name of David, —and 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.

Then Nabal answered the servants of David, and said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Nowadays, many are the servants that have broken away, every one from the presence of his lord:

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?”

Shall I, then, take my bread, and my wine, and my slain beasts, that I have slaughtered for my shearers, —and give unto men of whom I know not whence they are?

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

So the young men of David turned away for their journey, —and came back, and drew near, and told him, according to 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.

Then said David unto his men—Gird on you every man his sword. And they girded on them, every man his sword, and, David also, girded on his sword, —and there went up after David—about four hundred men, and, two hundred, abode by the stores.

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.

But a certain one of her young men told, Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, —Lo! David sent messengers out of the wilderness to bless our lord, and he treated them with contempt.

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

But, the men, were exceeding good to us, —and we were not harmed, neither missed we, anything, all the days we went to and fro with them, while we were in the fields:

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

A wall, became they unto us, both by night and by day, all the days we were with them, tending the flock.

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, therefore, know thou, and see, what thou canst do, for mischief is determined against our lord, and against all his household, —but, he, is such an abandoned man, that one cannot speak unto 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 hastened—and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep made ready, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred cakes of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, —and put them on the asses.

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

And she said to her young men—Pass on before me, behold me coming after you; but, to her husband, Nabal, told she nothing.

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

And so it was, as she was riding on her ass, and descending within the covert of the hill, lo! David and his men, descending over against her, —so 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 said—Surely, in vain, did I guard all that pertained to this man in the wilderness, so that there was, nothing, missed of all that he had, —seeing he hath returned to me 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.”

So may God do to David and so may he add, if I leave remaining, of all that he hath, until the morning, —so much as a little boy.

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

And, when Abigail saw David, she hastened, and alighted from off her ass, —and fell down before David upon her face, and prostrated herself on the ground;

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.

yea she fell at his feet, and said—On me, even me, my lord, be the transgression, —But, I pray thee, let thy handmaid speak in thine ears, and hear thou the words of thy handmaid.

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.

Let it not be, I pray thee, that my lord regard this abandoned man—Nabal ["Base"]; For, as his name is, so, is he. Nabal, is his name, and, baseness, is with him, —But, I, thy handmaid, saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.

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, therefore, my lord—By the life of Yahweh, and by the life of thine own soul, —seeing Yahweh hath withholden thee from coming in with bloodshed, and from saving thyself, with thine own hand, now, therefore, like Nabal, be thine enemies, and they who are making search for my lord, wrongfully.

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

Now, therefore, this blessing which thy maid-servant hath brought to my lord, let it even be given unto the young men who are going to and fro at the feet of my lord.

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.

Forgive, I pray thee, the trespass of thy handmaid, —for Yahweh, will certainly make, for my lord an assured house, for, the battles of Yahweh, is my lord fighting, and, wrong, shall not be found in thee, all thy days;

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.

yea, though there hath arisen a sun of earth to pursue thee, and to seek thy life, yet shall the life of my lord be bound up in the bundle of the living, with Yahweh thy God, but, as for the life of thine enemies, he shall sling it out with the middle of the hollow of the sling.

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

And it shall be, when Yahweh shall do for my lord, according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, —and shall put thee in charge as leader 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 shall this not become to thee a staggering and stumbling of heart, unto my lord—that thou didst either shed blood without need, or that the hand of my lord saved himself. And, when Yahweh hath dealt well with my lord, then remember thou thy handmaid.

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

Then said David unto Abigail, —Blessed, be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who hath sent thee this day, to meet me;

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

and, blessed, be thy discreet judgment, and, blessed, be thou thyself, —who hast kept me, this day, from coming in with bloodshed, and from saving myself, with mine 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.”

Nevertheless, by the life of Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath restrained me from harming, thee, surely, except thou hadst hastened and come to meet me, there had not been left unto Nabal, by the light of the morning, so much as a little boy.

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

So David received at her hand, that which she had brought him, —and, unto herself, he said—Go up, in peace, unto thy house, see! I have hearkened unto thy voice, and accepted thy person.

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.

And, when Abigail came unto Nabal, lo! he, had a banquet in his house, like the banquet of a king, and, the heart of Nabal, was glad accordingly, he having drunk deeply, —so she told him nothing—less or more, until the light of the morning.

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.

And it came to pass, in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, and his wife told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became like a stone.

38 Dadu akyi no, Awurade bɔɔ no ma ɔwuiɛ.

And it came to pass, in about ten days, that Yahweh smote Nabal, that he died.

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.

And, when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said—Blessed, be Yahweh, who hath maintained the plea of my reproach, at the hand of Nabal, and hath restrained, his servant, from wrong, yea, the wrong of Nabal, hath Yahweh turned back on his own head. Then sent David, and spake with Abigail, to take her to himself wife.

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

And the servants of David came unto Abigail the Carmelitess, —and spake unto her, saying, David, hath sent us unto thee, to take thee to himself to wife.

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

And she arose, and bowed herself down with her face to the earth, —and said—Lo! thy handmaid, as serving-woman to bathe the feet of the servants of my lord.

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.

And Abigail hastened, and mounted, and rode upon her ass, with her five damsels that used to journey at her feet, —and she went her way after the messengers of David, and became his wife.

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

David took, Ahinoam also, out of Jezreel, —and, they two, became 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.

Saul, indeed, had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, —to Palti, sun of Laish, who was of Gallim.