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.
Dafite unoletjedza Saulo etjila
1 Kwakati Saulo edwa kugwa ne Bafilisitiya, kabudziwa kuyi, “Dafite umu tjilambanyika tje Enegidi.” 2 Ndizo Saulo katola balume bali zwiwulu zwili zwitatu (3 000) bakashalugwa kudwa mu Iziraela yose, kunoshaka Dafite ne bathu babe pejo ne Thombo dze Mbudzi dze Shango. 3 Saulo kaswika pa matanga e pkhwizi akabe ali pa hwunde ne zila, pakabe kuna guwu, ngono Saulo kangina mukati kazwituma. Ipapo Dafite ne bathu babe bakabe baligele mukatikati kwe guwu. 4 Bathu ba Dafite bakandwa bakati, “Ele ndilo zhuba lakalebgwa ndi Yahwe bekudwa beti, ‘Ndowokupa tjita tjitjo mu maboko awo, ngono unowoshinga tjaunoda mutjili.’ ” Dafite kanyanga Saulo, katjeka kadusa lipeto gwe tjiambalo tja Saulo asinganhwe. 5 Shule kwa ipapo, Dafite kadziyidzika mu moyo, ngobe atjeka kadusa lipeto gwe tjiambalo tja Saulo. 6 Kadwa bathu babe kati, “Yahwe ngabandidzibe kuti ndisi thame kuthu ikoku muna tetshi wangu, nzhodziwa wa Yahwe, ndisitongo mmilidzila luboko, ngobe nzhodziwa wa Yahwe.” 7 Ndizo nge mahwi iyawa, Dafite katjemela bathu babe kuti basitongobe bakabulaya Saulo.
Ndizo Saulo kamilika kabhuda mu guwu, kazwiyendigwazwe.
8 Shule kwa ipapo Dafite na iyebo kamilika kabhudila kuzhe kwe guwu, kadana Saulo kati, “Tetshi wangu, mambo!” Kwakati Saulo etjebuka shule, Dafite kathigama, kakotamisa nsholo. 9 Dafite kabhuzwa Saulo kati, “Apa hwutini muteedza makwayi anoti Dafite unoshaka kumubulaya kene?” 10 Nasi mesho enyu abona sekwa Yahwe babe bamundipa mu maboko muli mu guwu, ene bamwe babe bendidwa beti ndimubulaye, koga amuletjedza. Abe nditi, “Andingamilidzile tetshi wangu luboko, ngobe nzhodziwa wa Yahwe. 11 Bonani, tate, bonani ndakabhata mpeto we tjiambalo tjenyu nge luboko, malebeswa ndianoti ndatjeka mpeto we tjiambalo tjenyu, koga asimubulaye, mungabona kuti lebeswa lose ndelinoti andina bubi kene bupanduki mu maboko angu. Andizomutjinyila, koga moshwa mundivima mushaka kundibulaya. 12 Yahwe ngabathubukanye pakati kwangu namwi! Yahwe ngabamubgwilize zwamakandithama, koga andingafe ndamulonga gwangu luboko. 13 Sekwa bakulukugwe bakati, ‘Bubiibi godwa mu mishingo mibibi,’ koga andingamubhate nge gwangu luboko. 14 Apa mambo we Iziraela wabhudila ani itethela kene? Apa makatobelela ani kene? Apa makatobelela mbgwa yakafa kene? Kene makatobelela butata? 15 Ndizo Yahwe ngababe ibo nsumikilisi, batiangulanye imi namwi. Banowolinga bakatola thambo nge kwangu, bandigwile nge kundisunungula mu muli.” 16 Kwakati Dafite epedza kulebeleka na Saulo, Saulo kabhuzwa kati, “Apa hwi ileli ndelilo kene, nkololo wangu Dafite?” Saulo kadila guwo. 17 Saulo kadwa Dafite kati, “Wakayengemala kundipinda, wandishingila ndulamo, ipapa imi ndakuthamila mbipo. 18 Utjadwa pandibudza ndulamo yawandithamila, Yahwe babe bandilonga mu maboko awo, koga auzondibulaya. 19 Apa ndiani ungati awana tjita, katjiletjedza tjiyenda asingatjibulaye kene? Ndizo Yahwe bakupe mbhayilo mbuya, muna sekwa wathama mu ndili nasi. 20 Ndoziba kuti tjoselele unowobe mambo, ne kuti mbuso we Iziraela unowolumbidziwa uli mu maboko awo. 21 Ndizo tuna ndi Yahwe mbeli kwangu, kuti autobulaya tjizekugwana tjangu kene kubukusha zina langu kulidusa mu ng'umba ya tate bangu kene.” 22 Ndizo Dafite katuna mbeli kwa Saulo. Saulo kabgwilila kanyi, koga Dafite ne bathu babe bakatathila pezhugwi ku matizhilo.