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.”

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying: 'Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?'

2 Enti, Saulo yii nʼakodɔm mpensa kaa wɔn ho kɔɔ Sif ɛserɛ so sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ Dawid.

Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

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

And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

4 ɔsomaa akwansrafoɔ sɛ wɔn tetɛ no.

David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come of a certainty.

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.

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host; and Saul lay within the barricade, and the people pitched round about 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.”

Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying: 'Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?' And Abishai said: 'I will go down with thee.'

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 came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the barricade, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay round about 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.”

Then said Abishai to David: 'God hath delivered up thine enemy into thy hand this day; now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not smite him the second time.'

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?

And David said to Abishai: 'Destroy him not; for who can put forth his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?'

10 Nokorɛ nie, Awurade bɛbɔ Saulo ahwe da koro, anaasɛ ɔbɛtɔ wɔ ɔko mu, anaasɛ ɔbɛnyini na wawu.

And David said: 'As the LORD liveth, nay, but the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle, and be swept away.

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.”

The LORD forbid it me, that I should put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed; but now take, I pray thee, the spear that is at his head, and the cruse of water and let us 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.

So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's head; and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither did any awake; for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.

13 Dawid foroo bepɔ a ɛne atenaeɛm hɔ di nhwɛanimu kɔsii sɛ ɔduruu baabi a bɔne bi ntumi nka no.

Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain afar off; a great space being between them.

14 Ɔteaam frɛɛ Abner ne Saulo sɛ, “Sɔre oo! Abner.” Abner bisaa sɛ, “Hwan nie?”

And David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: 'Answerest thou not, Abner?' Then Abner answered and said: 'Who art thou that criest to the king?'

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?

And David said to Abner: 'Art not thou a valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast thou not kept watch over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to destroy the king thy lord.

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?”

This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth, ye deserve to die, because ye have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD'S anointed. And now, see, where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was at his head.'

17 Saulo tee Dawid nne enti ɔfrɛɛ sɛ, “Wo nie me ba Dawid?” Na Dawid buaa no sɛ, “Nana, ɛyɛ me.

And Saul knew David's voice, and said: 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' And David said: 'It is my voice, my lord, O king.'

18 Adɛn enti na wotaa me? Ɛdeɛn na mayɛ? Me bɔne ne sɛn?

And he said: 'Wherefore doth my lord pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

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.

Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it be the LORD that hath stirred thee up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day that I should not cleave unto the inheritance of the LORD, saying: Go, serve 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?”

Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as when one doth hunt 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.”

Then said Saul: 'I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.'

22 Dawid buaa sɛ, “Ao, ɔhene, wo pea nie. Ma wo mmeranteɛ no mu baako mmra mmɛgye.

And David answered and said: 'Behold the king's spear! let then one of the young men come over and fetch 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.

And the LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; forasmuch as the LORD delivered thee into my hand to-day, and I would not put forth my hand against the LORD'S anointed.

24 Afei, me kra nsom Awurade bo, sɛdeɛ wo deɛ asom me bo ɛnnɛ yi. Ɔnnye me mfiri me haw nyinaa mu.”

And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.'

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.

Then Saul said to David: 'Blessed be thou, my son David; thou shalt both do mightily, and shalt surely prevail.' So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.