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 come to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding himself in the height of Hachilah, on the front of the desert?”
2 Enti, Saulo yii nʼakodɔm mpensa kaa wɔn ho kɔɔ Sif ɛserɛ so sɛ wɔrekɔhwehwɛ Dawid.
And Saul rises, and goes down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him [are] three thousand men, chosen ones of Israel, 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 encamps in the height of Hachilah, which [is] on the front of the desert, by the way, and David is abiding in the wilderness, and he sees that Saul has come into the wilderness after him;
4 ɔsomaa akwansrafoɔ sɛ wɔn tetɛ no.
and David sends spies, and knows that Saul has come to Nachon,
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 rises, and comes to the place where Saul has encamped, and David sees the place where Saul has lain, and Abner son of Ner, head of his host, and Saul is lying in the path, and the people are encamping 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.”
And David answers and says to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who goes down with me to Saul, to the camp?” And Abishai says, “I go down with you.”
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.
And David comes—and Abishai—by night to the people, and behold, Saul is lying sleeping in the path, and his spear is pressed into the earth by his pillow, and Abner and the people are lying 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.”
And Abishai says to David, “God has shut up your enemy into your hand today; and now, please let me strike him with [the] spear, even into the earth, at once—and not repeat [it] to him.”
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 says to Abishai, “Do not destroy him; for who has put forth his hand against the anointed of YHWH and been acquitted?”
10 Nokorɛ nie, Awurade bɛbɔ Saulo ahwe da koro, anaasɛ ɔbɛtɔ wɔ ɔko mu, anaasɛ ɔbɛnyini na wawu.
And David says, “YHWH lives; except YHWH strikes him, or his day comes that he has died, or he goes down into battle and has been consumed—
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.”
far be it from me, by YHWH, from putting forth my hand against the anointed of YHWH; and now, please take the spear which [is] by his pillow, and the jug of water, and we go away.”
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.
And David takes the spear, and the jug of water by the pillow of Saul, and they go away, and there is none seeing, and there is none knowing, and there is none awaking, for all of them are sleeping, for a deep sleep [from] YHWH has fallen on them.
13 Dawid foroo bepɔ a ɛne atenaeɛm hɔ di nhwɛanimu kɔsii sɛ ɔduruu baabi a bɔne bi ntumi nka no.
And David passes over to the other side, and stands on the top of the hill far off—great [is] the place between them;
14 Ɔteaam frɛɛ Abner ne Saulo sɛ, “Sɔre oo! Abner.” Abner bisaa sɛ, “Hwan nie?”
and David calls to the people, and to Abner son of Ner, saying, “Do you not answer, Abner?” And Abner answers and says, “Who [are] you [who] have called 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 says to Abner, “Are you not a man? And who [is] like you in Israel? But why have you not watched over your lord the king? For one of the people had come in to destroy the king, your 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 which you have done is not good; YHWH lives, but you [are] sons of death, in that you have not watched over your lord, over the anointed of YHWH; and now, see where the king’s spear [is], and the jug of water which [is] by his pillow.”
17 Saulo tee Dawid nne enti ɔfrɛɛ sɛ, “Wo nie me ba Dawid?” Na Dawid buaa no sɛ, “Nana, ɛyɛ me.
And Saul discerns the voice of David and says, “Is this your voice, my son David?” And David says, “My voice, my lord, O king!”
18 Adɛn enti na wotaa me? Ɛdeɛn na mayɛ? Me bɔne ne sɛn?
And he says, “Why [is] this—my lord is pursuing after his servant? For what have I done, and 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.
And now, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant: if YHWH has moved you against me, let Him accept a present; but if [merely] the sons of men, they [are] cursed before YHWH, for today they have cast me out from being admitted into the inheritance of YHWH, 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?”
And now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of YHWH, for the king of Israel has come out to seek one flea, as [one] pursues the partridge in 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.”
And Saul says, “I have sinned; return, my son David, for I do evil to you no more, because that my soul has been precious in your eyes this day; behold, I have acted foolishly, and err very greatly.”
22 Dawid buaa sɛ, “Ao, ɔhene, wo pea nie. Ma wo mmeranteɛ no mu baako mmra mmɛgye.
And David answers and says, “Behold, the king’s spear; and let one of the young men pass over, and receive 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 YHWH turns each back to his righteousness and his faithfulness, in that YHWH has given you into [my] hand today, and I have not been willing to put forth my hand against the anointed of YHWH,
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 your soul has been great in my eyes this day, so is my soul great in the eyes of YHWH, and He delivers me out of all distress.”
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.
And Saul says to David, “Blessed [are] you, my son David, also working you work, and also prevailing you prevail.” And David goes on his way, and Saul has turned back to his place.
