1 Samuel 26
1 Sififoɔ kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn wɔ Gibea kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Dawid akɔhinta ne ho wɔ Hakila bepɔ a ɛkyerɛ Yesimon no mu.”
The people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David's hiding on the hill of Hakilah, opposite the wastelands.”
2 Enti, Saulo yii nʼakodɔm mpensa kaa wɔn ho kɔɔ Sif ɛserɛ so sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ Dawid.
So Saul went to the Desert of Ziph along with three thousand specially-picked men from Israel to search for David there.
3 Saulo bɔɔ nʼatenaeɛ wɔ kwankyɛn wɔ ɛkwan a ɛbɛn Hakila bepɔ a ɛne Yesimon di nhwɛanimu, baabi a Dawid akɔhinta hɔ. Dawid tee sɛ Saulo aba hɔ, enti
Saul set up camp beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite the wastelands, near to where David was living in the desert. When he realized that Saul had come looking for him there,
4 ɔsomaa akwansrafoɔ sɛ wɔn tetɛ no.
he sent out spies and found out Saul had definitely arrived.
5 Dawid kɔpuee baabi a Saulo abɔ ne ho atenaseɛ hɔ anadwo bi. Ɔhunuu sɛ Saulo ne Abner a ɔyɛ Ner babarima a ɔyɛ safohene adeda atenaeɛ no mu a asraafoɔ a wɔadeda atwa ne ho ahyia.
One night David got up and went over to Saul's camp and saw where Saul was sleeping, along with Abner, son of Ner, the army commander. Saul was lying in the middle of the camp with his men all around him.
6 Dawid bisaa Hetini Ahimelek ne Seruia babarima Abisai, Yoab nua sɛ, “Hwan na ɔde ne ho bɛbɔ afɔdeɛ ɔne me bɛkɔ Saulo nkyɛn atenaeɛ no mu hɔ?” Abisai buaa sɛ, “Me ne wo bɛkɔ.”
David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, “Who wants to go with me into the camp to Saul?” “I'll go with you,” Abishai replied.
7 Enti, Dawid ne Abisai kɔɔ asraafoɔ no nkyɛn anadwo, kɔtoo Saulo sɛ wada wɔ atenaeɛ no mu a, ɔde ne pea apoma fam wɔ ne tiri ho pɛɛ. Na Abner ne asraafoɔ no nso atwa ne ho ahyia a wɔadeda.
So David and Abishai went to the army camp at night. Saul was sleeping there in the camp with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head, with Abner and his men sleeping around him.
8 Abisai ka kyerɛɛ Dawid brɛoo sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ deɛ, Onyankopɔn ayi wo ɔtamfoɔ ahyɛ wo nsa. Enti, ma memfa me pea no nwɔ no pɛn koro, nka no ntim fam. Merenwɔ no mprenu.”
Abishai said to David, “God has handed your enemy over to you today. So please let me spear him to the ground in one go. I won't need to do it twice!”
9 Nanso, Dawid ka kyerɛɛ Abisai sɛ, “Dabi, nsɛe no. Hwan na ɔbɛtumi de ne nsa aka onipa a Awurade asra no, na ɔnni ho fɔ?
But David said to Abishai, “No, don't kill him! Who can attack the Lord's anointed one and not be guilty of a crime?
10 Nokorɛ nie, Awurade bɛbɔ Saulo ahwe da koro, anaasɛ ɔbɛtɔ wɔ ɔko mu, anaasɛ ɔbɛnyini na wawu.
As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will kill him. Either his time will come and he'll die, or he will go into battle and be killed.
11 Awurade mma ɛmpare me sɛ mede me nsa bɛka onipa a Onyankopɔn asra no. Na wonim biribi? Yɛbɛfa ne pea ne ne sukuruwa na yɛakɔ.”
May the Lord prevent me from attacking the Lord's anointed one. Just pick up the spear and water jug beside his head, and let's go.”
12 Na Dawid faa pea no ne sukuruwa a ɛsi Saulo tiri ho no, na wɔkɔeɛ a obiara anhunu wɔn na wɔn mu biara nso annyane mpo. Na wɔn nyinaa adeda, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade de nnahɔɔ too wɔn so.
David took the spear and water jug beside Saul's head, and they left. Nobody saw anything; nobody knew what had happened; nobody woke up. Everybody stayed asleep, because the Lord had made them fall into a deep sleep.
13 Dawid foroo bepɔ a ɛne atenaeɛm hɔ di nhwɛanimu kɔsii sɛ ɔduruu baabi a bɔne bi ntumi nka no.
Then David went back over to the other side, and stood on top of the hill far enough away—there was a considerable distance between them.
14 Ɔteaam frɛɛ Abner ne Saulo sɛ, “Sɔre oo! Abner.” Abner bisaa sɛ, “Hwan nie?”
He shouted down to the army and Abner, son of Ner, “Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?” “Who is that shouting, disturbing the king?” Abner called back.
15 Dawid goroo ne ho sɛ, “Abner, woyɛ onipa kɛseɛ, ɛnte saa? Israelman mu nyinaa, ɛhe na otumfoɔ bi wɔ? Na adɛn enti na woannwɛn wo wura, ɔhene no ɛberɛ a obi baa sɛ ɔrebɛkum no no?
David called to Abner, “Aren't you meant to be this great man? Is there anyone in Israel who is better than you? So why didn't you protect your master the king when someone came to kill him?
16 Saa asɛm yi nyɛ koraa! Meka ntam wɔ Awurade din mu sɛ, wo ne wo mmarima no nyinaa sɛ owuo, ɛfiri sɛ, moantumi ammɔ mo wura, deɛ Awurade asra noɔ no ho ban. Monhwɛ mo ho nhyia. Ɔhene no pea ne ne sukuruwa a na ɛsi ne tiri ho no wɔ he?”
You haven't done well at all. As the Lord lives, you all deserve to die, because you did not protect your master, the Lord's anointed. Take a look around. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were beside his head?”
17 Saulo tee Dawid nne enti ɔfrɛɛ sɛ, “Wo nie me ba Dawid?” Na Dawid buaa no sɛ, “Nana, ɛyɛ me.
Saul recognized David's voice and asked, “Is that you speaking, David, my son?” “Yes it's me, my lord and king,” David replied.
18 Adɛn enti na wotaa me? Ɛdeɛn na mayɛ? Me bɔne ne sɛn?
“Why is my lord hunting me, his servant? What is it that I've done? What crime am I guilty of?” he continued.
19 Na afei mepɛ sɛ me wura tie ne ɔsomfoɔ, Nana. Sɛ Awurade na wahwanyan wo atia me a, ɛnneɛ ma ɔnnye mʼafɔdeɛ. Na sɛ nso ɛyɛ onipa nhyehyɛeɛ a, ɛnneɛ, Awurade nnome wɔn a wɔyɛɛ saa nhyehyɛeɛ no. Ɛfiri sɛ, moapam me afiri me fie sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, merentumi ne Awurade nkurɔfoɔ ntena, nsom sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ.
“Please listen to me, my lord and king. If the Lord has made you angry with me, then may he be happy to accept an offering. But if it's men that have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! For all this while they've been driving me away from living among God's chosen people, telling me, ‘Go away and worship other gods.’
20 Menwu wɔ ananafoɔ asase so a ɛhɔ ne Awurade anim ɛkwan ware anaa? Adɛn enti na Israelhene atu sa, rehwehwɛ edwie baako pɛ? Adɛn enti na mokɔ me atwee sɛdeɛ ɔbɔfoɔ kɔ ha pɛ akokɔhwedeɛ wɔ mmepɔ so?”
Please don't let me die so far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come to chase down one little flea, hunting me like someone who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Ɛnna Saulo kaa nokorɛ sɛ, “Mayɛ bɔne. Sane bra fie, me ba na merenha wo bio, ɛfiri sɛ ɛnnɛ, woama me nkwa asom wo bo. Mayɛ nkwaseadeɛ na mafom yie.”
“I've done wrong,” Saul replied, “Come back, David, my son. I won't ever try to harm you again, because you valued me and spared my life today. I've been so stupid! I've made a big mistake!”
22 Dawid buaa sɛ, “Ao, ɔhene, wo pea nie. Ma wo mmeranteɛ no mu baako mmra mmɛgye.
“I have the king's spear here,” said David. “Send one of your men over to collect it.
23 Awurade na ɔma papayɛ ne nokorɛdie so akatua. Awurade de wo hyɛɛ me tumi ase mpo, mampɛ sɛ mɛkum wo, ɛfiri sɛ woyɛ obi a Awurade asra no.
The Lord rewards all those who do what is right and who are trustworthy. The Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to harm the Lord's anointed one.
24 Afei, me kra nsom Awurade bo, sɛdeɛ wo deɛ asom me bo ɛnnɛ yi. Ɔnnye me mfiri me haw nyinaa mu.”
In the same way as I valued your life today, may the Lord value my life, and may he rescue me from all my troubles.”
25 Na Saulo ka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ, “Nhyira nka wo, me ba Dawid. Wobɛyɛ mmaninneɛ ne nkonimdini kɛseɛ.” Na Dawid kɔeɛ ɛna Saulo nso kɔɔ efie.
Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish a great deal and always be successful.” David left, and Saul went back home.
