David Lets Saul Live
1 When Saul got back from fighting off the Philistines, he heard that David was in the desert around En-Gedi. 2 Saul led 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers out to look for David and his men near Wild Goat Rocks at En-Gedi. 3 There were some sheep pens along the side of the road, and one of them was built around the entrance to a cave. Saul went into the cave to relieve himself.
David and his men were hiding at the back of the cave. 4 They whispered to David, “The Lord told you he was going to let you defeat your enemies and do whatever you want with them. This must be the day the Lord was talking about.”
David sneaked over and cut off a small piece of Saul's robe, but Saul didn't notice a thing. 5 Afterwards, David was sorry that he had even done that, 6-7 and he told his men, “Stop talking foolishly. We're not going to attack Saul. He's my king, and I pray that the Lord will keep me from doing anything to harm his chosen king.”
Saul left the cave and started down the road. 8 Soon, David also got up and left the cave. “Your Majesty!” he shouted from a distance.
Saul turned around to look. David bowed down very low 9 and said:
Your Majesty, why do you listen to people who say that I'm trying to harm you? 10 You can see for yourself that the Lord gave me the chance to catch you in the cave today. Some of my men wanted to kill you, but I wouldn't let them do it. I told them, “I will not harm the Lord's chosen king!” 11 Your Majesty, look at what I'm holding. You can see that it's a piece of your robe. If I could cut off a piece of your robe, I could have killed you. But I let you live, and that should prove I'm not trying to harm you or to rebel. I haven't done anything to you, and yet you keep trying to ambush and kill me.
12 I'll let the Lord decide which one of us has done right. I pray that the Lord will punish you for what you're doing to me, but I won't do anything to you. 13 An old proverb says, “Only evil people do evil things,” and so I won't harm you.
14 Why should the king of Israel be out chasing me, anyway? I'm as worthless as a dead dog or a flea. 15 I pray that the Lord will help me escape and show that I am in the right.
16 “David, my son—is that you?” Saul asked. Then he started crying 17 and said:
David, you're a better person than I am. You treated me with kindness, even though I've been cruel to you. 18 You've told me how you were kind enough not to kill me when the Lord gave you the chance. 19 If you really were my enemy, you wouldn't have let me leave here alive. I pray that the Lord will give you a big reward for what you did today.
20 I realize now that you will be the next king, and a powerful king at that. 21 Promise me with the Lord as your witness, that you won't wipe out my descendants. Let them live to keep my family name alive.
22 So David promised, and Saul went home. David and his men returned to their hideout.
Dawuda balanta ka Sawulu faa
1 Kabiriŋ Sawulu niŋ Filisitinkoolu ye i foño keloo la, ì ko a ye ko, “Dawuda be Eni-Kedi Keñewuloo* le kono.” 2 Bituŋ Sawulu ye kee wuli saba tomboŋ Banisirayila bee kono, ì taata ka taa Dawuda niŋ a la kewolu ñini bere konkoolu kaŋ, ì ka a fo mennu ye Minaŋ Berekonkoolu. 3 A taata fo berehuwo to, meŋ be saajiyolu la sansaŋolu maafaŋo la siloo daala, a taata kenoo kono jee. Dawuda niŋ a la kewolu jamfabaata wo berehuwo kono le. 4 Kewolu ko, “Yaawe* ye ñiŋ luŋo la kumoo le fo nuŋ, kabiriŋ a ko i ye ko, ‘M be i jawoo duŋ na i buloo kono le. Meŋ diyaata i ye, i si wo ke a la.’ ” Wo to le Dawuda ye Sawulu ñente, a ye a la dendikoo tuloo kuntu. 5 Biriŋ wo keta, Dawuda sondomoo ye a jalayi, kaatu a ye Sawulu le la dendika tuloo kuntu. 6 A ko a la kewolu ye ko, “Allamaa Yaawe ye n tanka ka kuu jawoo ke n na keebaa la, Yaawe ye meŋ tomboŋ ka a ke mansa ti. N te kuu jawoo ke la a la hani domandiŋ, kaatu ate mu mansa le ti, Yaawe ye meŋ tomboŋ.” 7 Bituŋ Dawuda ye a la kewolu jalayi kendeke niŋ ñiŋ kumoolu la, aduŋ a maŋ siloo dii ì la ka taa Sawulu boyinkaŋ.
Wo to le Sawulu bota berehuwo kono, a taata a la siloo la. 8 Biriŋ wo keta, Dawuda fintita naŋ berehuwo kono, a ye Sawulu kumandi ko, “M maarii mansa!” Kabiriŋ Sawulu ye a kooma juubee, Dawuda ye a kuŋo jimi, a ñoyita Sawulu ye bankoo to. 9 Dawuda ko Sawulu ye ko, “Muŋ ne ye a tinna i ka i lamoyi moolu la, mennu ka a fo ko, nte lafita kuu jawoo le ke la i la? 10 Bii luŋo ite faŋo ye a je i ñaa la le, Yaawe ye i duŋ m buloo kono ñaameŋ berehuwo kono. Moo doolu ko ŋa i faa, bari nte maŋ lafi ka i faa. N ko n te m buloo maa la n na alifaa la, kaatu Yaawe le ye a tomboŋ ka a ke mansa ti. 11 M faamaa, a juubee, ŋa i la dendika kunturiŋo meŋ muta! N si i faa noo le, bari ŋa ñiŋ dammaa le kuntu. Ñiŋ ñanta a yitandi la le ko, m maŋ ke moo kuruŋo ti, aduŋ m maŋ lafi ka balaŋ i ma. I ka m bayindi le, fo i si m faa, aduŋ m maŋ feŋ-wo-feŋ ke i la. 12 Allamaa Yaawe ye kiitiyo teyi ǹ teema. Allamaa Yaawe ye i joo i to, i ye kuu jawoolu mennu ke n na, bari nte buloo te i maa la. 13 Kuma kotoomaa meeriŋo ye ñiŋ ne fo ko, ‘Moo jawoolu doroŋ ne ka kuu jawoolu ke.’ Bari nte buloo te i maa la. 14 Banisirayilankoolu la mansa fintita naŋ jumaa le kamma? I ka jumaa le bayindi? Wulu faariŋo waraŋ jaatakoloo? 15 Allamaa Yaawe ye ke ǹ na kiitiilaa ti, a ye kiitiyo kuntu ǹ teema. Allamaa a ye n daliiloo je, aduŋ a ye a ke a ñaama. Allamaa a ye n koyindi, ka m bondi i buloo kono.”
16 Kabiriŋ Dawuda ye i foño ñiŋ diyaamoo la, Sawulu ye ñininkaaroo ke ko, “Ñiŋ mu i kaŋo le ti baŋ, n dinkewo Dawuda?” Aduŋ a kumboota baake. 17 A ko, “Ite le tilimbaata nte ti. Ite ka kuu betoo le ke n na, bari nte ka kuu jawoo le ke i la. 18 Saayiŋ ne i bota a fo la n ye, i ye kuu kendoo meŋ ke n ye. Yaawe ye n duŋ i buloo kono le, bari i maŋ m faa. 19 Niŋ moo ye a jawoo muta, fo a ka a bula le a ye taa, a maŋ kuu jawoo ke a la baŋ? Allamaa Yaawe ye neema ke i ye i la baaroo la, i ye meŋ ke n ye bii. 20 Ŋa a loŋ ne ko, tooñaa-tooñaa i be ke la mansa le ti, aduŋ Banisirayila mansamarali bankoo be tara la marariŋ ite le buloo kono. 21 Bari kali n ye niŋ Yaawe too la ko, i te n koomalankoolu faa la, i si a je, n niŋ n na dimbaayaa too te buruka la muumeeke.” 22 Bituŋ Dawuda kalita Sawulu ye.
Wo to le Sawulu muruta suwo kono, bari Dawuda niŋ a la kewolu, wolu taata tatoo le kono.
