1 Samuel 21

1 Then David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And when Ahimelech met David, he trembled and asked him, “Why are you alone? Why is no one with you?”

1 Daudi akaenda Nobu, kwa Ahimeleki kuhani. Ahimeleki akatetemeka alipokutana naye, akamuuliza, “Kwa nini uko peke yako? Kwa nini hukufuatana na mtu yeyote?”

2 “The king has given me a mission,” David replied. “He told me no one is to know about the mission on which I am sending you. And I have directed my young men to meet me at a certain place.

2 Daudi akamjibu Ahimeleki kuhani, akisema, “Mfalme ameniagiza shughuli fulani na kuniambia, ‘Mtu yeyote asijue chochote kuhusu kazi yako wala maagizo yako!’ Kuhusu watu wangu, nimewaambia tukutane mahali fulani.

3 Now then, what do you have on hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

3 Sasa basi, una nini mkononi? Nipatie mikate mitano au chochote unachoweza kupata.”

4 “There is no common bread on hand,” the priest replied, “but there is some consecrated bread—provided that the young men have kept themselves from women.”

4 Lakini kuhani akamjibu Daudi, “Sina mkate wowote wa kawaida kwa sasa. Hata hivyo, ipo hapa mikate iliyowekwa wakfu, iwapo watu wamejitenga na wanawake.”

5 David answered, “Women have indeed been kept from us, as is usual when I set out. And the bodies of the young men are holy even on common missions. How much more so today!”

5 Daudi akajibu, “Hakika tumejitenga na wanawake kwa siku hizi chache kama kawaida ya ninapotoka kwenda kwenye shughuli. Navyo vyombo vya wale vijana huwa ni vitakatifu hata kwenye safari ya kawaida, si zaidi sana leo vyombo vyao vitakuwa ni vitakatifu?”

6 So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.

6 Hivyo kuhani akampa ile mikate iliyowekwa wakfu, kwa kuwa hapakuwepo mikate mingine isipokuwa hiyo ya Wonyesho iliyokuwa imeondolewa hapo mbele za Bwana na kubadilishwa na mingine yenye moto siku ile ilipoondolewa.

7 Now one of Saul’s servants was there that day, detained before the LORD. And his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief shepherd for Saul.

7 Basi siku hiyo palikuwepo na mmoja wa watumishi wa Sauli, aliyezuiliwa mbele za Bwana; alikuwa Doegi Mwedomu, kiongozi wa wachunga wanyama wa Sauli.

8 Then David asked Ahimelech, “Is there not a spear or sword on hand here? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s mission was urgent.”

8 Daudi akamuuliza Ahimeleki, “Je, unao mkuki au upanga hapa? Sikuleta upanga wala silaha nyingine yoyote, kwa sababu shughuli ya mfalme ilikuwa ya haraka.”

9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want, you may take it. For there is no other but this one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”

9 Kuhani akajibu, “Upanga wa Goliathi Mfilisti, ambaye ulimuua katika Bonde la Ela, upo hapa, umefungiwa katika kitambaa nyuma ya kisibau. Kama unauhitaji, uchukue, hakuna upanga mwingine hapa ila huo tu.” Daudi akasema, “Hakuna upanga mwingine kama huo. Nipatie huo.”

10 That day David fled from Saul and went to Achish king of Gath.

10 Siku ile Daudi akamkimbia Sauli na kwenda kwa Akishi mfalme wa Gathi.

11 But the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David, the king of the land? Did they not sing about him in their dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands’?”

11 Lakini watumishi wa Akishi wakamwambia, “Je, huyu si ndiye Daudi mfalme wa nchi? Je, huyu si ndiye yule ambaye wanaimba katika ngoma zao wakisema: “ ‘Sauli amewaua elfu zake, naye Daudi makumi elfu yake’?”

12 Now David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

12 Daudi akayaweka maneno haya moyoni naye akamwogopa sana Akishi mfalme wa Gathi.

13 So he changed his behavior before them and feigned madness in their hands; he scratched on the doors of the gate and let his saliva run down his beard.

13 Basi akajifanya mwendawazimu mbele yao; naye alipokuwa mikononi mwao, alitenda kama kichaa, akikwaruza kwa kutia alama juu ya milango ya lango na kuachia udelele kutiririka kwenye ndevu zake.

14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you can see that the man is insane! Why have you brought him to me?

14 Akishi akawaambia watumishi wake, “Tazameni mtu huyu! Ana wazimu! Kwa nini mnamleta kwangu?

15 Am I in need of madmen, that you have brought this man to rave in my presence? Must this man come into my house?”

15 Je, mimi nimepungukiwa na wenda wazimu kiasi kwamba mmeniletea mtu huyo hapa aendelee kufanya hivi mbele yangu? Je, ilikuwa ni lazima mtu huyo aje nyumbani kwangu?”