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.
David ta hupitha omwenyo gwaSaul
1 Saul sho a galuka kolugodhi okukondjitha Aafilisti, okwa li a lombwelwa kutya David oku li mombuga popepi naEngedi. 2 Saul okwa kutha aakwiita aapyokoki yomuIsrael omayuvi gatatu nokwa yi, a ka konge David naantu ye kuuzilo wOmamanya goomenye. 3 Okwe ya kekololo popepi niigunda yoonzi pondjila nokwa hiti mo, a ka hundame. Nani kosindo yekololo ndyoka oko kwa li kwa holama David naantu ye. 4 Oya ti kuye: “Opo mpoka ihe! Omuwa okwe ku lombwele kutya ota tula omutondi gwoye miikaha yoye noto vulu oku mu ninga shoka wa hala nena.” David okwa nyootoka ta yi kuSaul e ta tete okalapi monguwo ye, manga Saul kee shi po sha. 5 Ihe opo tuu mpoka eiyuvo lyaDavid olye mu tamaneke 6 nokwa ti kaantu ye: “Omuwa na gamene ndje, ndaa ningile mwene gwandje uuwinayi washa; oye tuu ngoka Omuwa e mu hogolola omukwaniilwa!” 7 Osho ngeyi David a tompo aantu ye, yaa ponokele Saul.
Saul okwa thikama po, a zi mekololo e ta tsikile ondjila ye. 8 Nena David okwa piti mo e mu landula e te mu igidha ta ti: “Nkeyama!” Saul sho a punguluka, David okwa nyongameke omutse gwe pevi te mu simaneke 9 e ta ti: “Omolwashike to pulakene aantu mboka taa ti kutya otandi kambadhala oku ku dhipaga? 10 Oto vulu oku shi imonena ko kutya mekololo Omuwa opo a li e ku gandja miikaha yandje. Aantu yandje yamwe oya lombwele ndje, ndi ku dhipage, ihe onde ku sile ohenda. Onda dhiladhila kutya itandi ku ehameke nando okashona, oshoka ngoye owa hogololwa kOmuwa, u ninge omukwaniilwa. 11 Tate, tala utale okalapi nkaka komonguwo yoye ndi ka na. Onda li te vulu oku ku dhipaga, ihe onda tete ko ashike okalapi nkaka. Ku wete kutya inandi dhiladhila okutsa ondumbo nangoye nenge oku ku dhipaga? Ongoye to kongo ndje, u dhipage ndje, nando inandi yona sha kungoye. 12 Omuwa na tokole kutya olye gwomutse a puka. Omuwa ne ku geelele iilonga yoye yokukondjitha ndje, oshoka ngaye itandi ke ku ningila uuwinayi nando owasha. 13 Owa tseya aakulu yonale taa ti: ‘Uuwinayi ohau ningwa ashike kaantu aawinayi.’ Ano ngame itandi ku dhipaga nando. 14 Omukwaniilwa gwaIsrael ota kambadhala okudhipaga shike? Ota tidha shike? Ombwa ya sa, ona yowala! 15 Omuwa ota ka tokola e tu utha kutya olye gwomutse a puka. Oye na tale nawa oshinima shandje, na popile ndje nokuhupitha ndje miikaha yoye.”
16 David sho a mana okupopya, Saul okwa ti: “Ongoye lela shili mumwandje David?” Oye nokwa tameke okulila. 17 Nena okwa ti kuDavid: “Ou li mondjila, ngame onda puka. Owa ningi ndje nawa, manga nde ku dhiladhilile uuwinayi. 18 Nena ndjika owa hololele ndje uuwanawa, oshoka ino dhipaga ndje, nando Omuwa okwa gandja ndje miikaha yoye. 19 Oshoka omuntu ngele ti itsu omutondi gwe, ihe mu hunutha we ngaaka. Omuwa ne ku yambekele uuwanawa mboka wa ningile ndje nena. 20 Ngashingeyi ondi shi shi nawa kutya oto ka ninga omukwaniilwa gwaIsrael, nuukwaniilwa mboka otau ka kalelela melelo lyoye. 21 Ihe uvanekela ndje medhina lyOmuwa kutya oto ka hupitha oluvalo lwandje, opo edhina lyandje nedha lyezimo lyandje lyaa dhimbiwe po thiluthilu.” 22 David oku uvaneke kutya ote ke shi ninga.
Nena Saul okwa shuna kegumbo, ndele David naantu ye oya shuna koshiholameno shawo.
