1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi. 2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. 4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. 5 And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. 6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. 7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. 8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
9 ¶ And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed. 11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. 12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.
16 ¶ And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. 18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. 19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day. 20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand. 21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father’s house. 22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men gat them up unto the hold.
David ma yama omuinyo wa Saul
1 Saul tja kotoka okuza kotjirwa kuna Ovafilisti, wa raerwa nai: “Tara, David u ri mokuti onguza kwa Engedi.” 2 Saul otja toorora ovarumendu omayovi yetatu, imba ovarwe ovawa wovita mOisrael atjihe, nave kapaha David novarwe ve wovita komukuma wokomuhuka wOtuuwa twOmbwindja. 3 Neye weya ondimba popezu noviunda vyozonḓu mbya ri meṋe yondjira, na hiti mu yo okuyenda kosi yonganda, nungwari David novarumendu ve tjandje va haama kokure mokuara kwondimba. 4 Novarumendu va David va tja nai ku ye: “Tjiri, eyuva oro ndi Muhona nda tjere nai kove: ‘Ami me ku pe omunavita na ove meke roye kutja u yenene okutjita ku ye punga amape tjata kove.’ Tjazumba David otja sekama na kondo otjikoro tjombanda ya Saul mongumumu. 5 Nungwari kombunda David wa hihamisiwa i omeripura we momutima mena rokutja wa kondo otjikoro tjombanda ya Saul.” 6 Neye wa tja nai kovarumendu ve: “Muhona nge ndji ṱakamise, e ha tjiti otjiṋa otja ihi okutwa ko omake komuhona wandje, omutwirisiwa wa Muhona; eye tjinga e ri omutwirisiwa wa Muhona.” 7 Nu David wa tena ovarumendu ve kutja ave ha tjiti otjipo ku Saul.
Saul otja pita mondimba na twara ondjira ye. 8 David wina wa hakahana okupita mondimba, na ravaere kombunda ya Saul a tja: “Muhona wandje, mbara!” Nu Saul tja tanauka, David arire tja u onḓurumika ne rikotamene ku ye, 9 na tja: “Okutjavi tji u puratena kovandu mbe tja David u vanga okukutjita otjipo?” 10 Tara, ove omuini mo rimwine kutja Muhona ndino we ku yandja momake wandje mondimba. Nu tji mba popwa kutja hi ku zepe, mbe ku yama, ne tja: Ami himee twa omake wandje komuhona wandje, eye tjinga e ri omutwirisiwa wa Muhona. 11 Tate, nambano tara nguno! Tara, otjikoro tjombanda yoye tji ri meke randje. Ami mbe tji kondo, nu hi ku zepere; ihi tja sokukuraisira kutja hi nomeripuriro wokukupirukira poo wokukutjita otjipo. Nandarire kutja ove u ndji tjera okundjizepa, ami hi ku tjiti ouvi. 12 Muhona nga pangure pokati ketu na ove kutja owaṋi ngu nondjo. Eye nge ku verere ondjito yoye ku ami, tjinga ambi hi nakukutjita otjipo, nangarire kaṱiṱi. 13 Ove mo tjiwa omuano omukuru mbu mau tja: “Ouvi u tjitwa i ovandu ovanauvi porwe. Nungwari ami hi nakukutjita otjipo. 14 Ombara ya Israel mai tezere aṋi? Mai tjere omungendu? Ombwa ndja koka poo eze! 15 Muhona nga rire omupangure pokati ketu na ove; nga konḓonone otjiṋa hi, nu nge ndji yeure, nu nge ndji yame kove.”
16 David tja mana okuhungira omambo nga, Saul arire tja tja ku ye: “Eraka ndi karoye are, muatje wandje David?” Nu Saul wa uta okurira tjinene, 17 na tja nai ku David: “Ove oove omusemba pu ami, tjinga awe ndji raisira ouwa, ami ngunda ambe ku tjita ouvi. 18 Ndino we ndji raisire kutja we ndji tjiti ouwa; orondu Muhona we ndji twa meke roye, nungwari ove ko ndji zepere. 19 Omundu tja hakaene nomunavita na ye, nangwari u mu esa a kayende mondjira ye mohange are? Muhona nge ku sere ondaya mena raimbi mbi wa tjiti ku ami ndinondi. 20 Tara, nambano ami mba tjiwa kutja, tjiri, mo rire ombara mOisrael, nokutja ouhonapare mau karerere kehi youvara woye. 21 Nambano ndji yanena ku Muhona kutja kombunda yonḓiro yandje ko nakuzepa ozondekurona zandje nokutja ko nokuzemisa ena randje meṱunḓu randje.” 22 David otja yanena Saul.
Saul arire tja yaruka koye, nu David wa karonda kondundu puna ovandu ve.
