1 Sauli atabwera kuchokera kumene amathamangitsa Afilisti anamva kuti, “Davide ali mʼchipululu cha Eni Gedi.” 2 Tsono Sauli anatenga asilikali 3,000 odziwa kumenya bwino nkhondo kuchokera pakati pa Aisraeli onse ndipo anapita kukafunafuna Davide ndi anthu ake ku Matanthwe a Mbalale.

3 Iye anafika ku makola a nkhosa amene anali mʼmbali mwa njira. Kumeneko kunali phanga, ndipo Sauli analowa mʼphangamo kuti akadzithandize. Davide ndi anthu ake ankabisala mʼkati mwenimweni mwa phangalo. 4 Tsono anthu a Davide anamuwuza kuti, “Tsiku lija lafika limene Yehova anakuwuzani kuti, ‘Ndidzapereka mdani wanu mʼmanja mwanu, ndi kumuchita chimene chidzakukomereni.’ ” Koma Davide anapita mwakachetechete ndi kukadula msonga ya mkanjo wa Sauli.

5 Atachita izi, Davide anatsutsika mu mtima chifukwa anadula msonga ya mkanjo wa Sauli. 6 Tsono anawuza anthu ake kuti, “Yehova asalole kuti ndimuchite choyipa mbuye wanga, wodzozedwa wa Yehova. Ndisamupweteke pakuti ndi wodzozedwa wa Yehova.” 7 Choncho Davide anabweza mitima ya anthu ake ndi mawu amenewa, ndipo sanawalole kuti aphe Sauli. Pambuyo pake Sauli anatuluka mʼphangamo ndipo anachoka.

8 Kenaka Davide anatuluka mʼphanga muja ndipo anayitana Sauli, “Mbuye wanga!” Sauli atayangʼana mʼmbuyo, Davide anawerama ndi kugunditsa nkhope yake pansi. 9 Anafunsa Sauli kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani mumamvera mawu a anthu kuti, ‘Davide wakukonzerani chiwembu?’ 10 Lero lino inu mwadzionera nokha kuti Yehova anakuperekani mʼmanja mwanga mʼphanga muja. Ena anandiwuza kuti ndikupheni, koma ndakusiyani. Ndinati, ‘Sindidzapha mbuye wanga pakuti ndiye wodzozedwa wa Yehova.’ 11 Tsono abambo anga, onanitu kansalu ka mkanjo wanu kali mʼdzanja langali! Popeza kuti ndinatha kudula msonga ya mkanjo wanu koma osakuphani, pamenepo mudziwe kuti ine ndilibe maganizo woti ndikuchiteni choyipa kapena kukuwukirani. Sindinakulakwireni ngakhale kuti inu mukufuna moyo wanga kuti mundiphe. 12 Yehova aweruze pakati pa inu ndi ine, akulangeni chifukwa cha zoyipa zimene mukundichitazi, koma dzanja langa silidzakukhudzani. 13 Paja anthu akale anati, ‘Munthu woyipa, ntchito zakenso ndi zoyipa.’ Kotero dzanja langa silidzakukhudzani.

14 “Kodi mfumu ya Israeli yadzalondola yani. Inu mukuthamangitsa yani? Galu wakufa kodi? Nsabwe kodi? 15 Nʼchifukwa chake Yehova agamule, inde aweruze pakati pa inu ndi ine ndi kupeza wolakwa. Yehova anditeteze ndi kundipulumutsa mʼdzanja lanu.”

16 Davide atatsiriza kuyankhula mawu awa, Sauli anafunsa kuti, “Kodi mawu amenewa ndi akodi mwana wanga Davide?” Sauli anayamba kulira mokweza. 17 Anawuza Davide kuti, “Ndiwe wolungama kuposa ine. Iwe wandikomera mtima pamene ine ndakuchitira zoyipa. 18 Iweyo lero lino wandifotokozera zabwino zimene wandichitira. Yehova anandipereka mʼdzanja lako koma iwe sunandiphe. 19 Kodi munthu atapeza mdani wake angamulole kuti apite wosamuvulaza? Motero Yehova akuchitire iwe zabwino chifukwa cha zimene wandichitira lerozi. 20 Ona tsono, Ine ndikudziwa kuti udzakhala mfumu ndithu ndipo ufumu wa Israeli udzakhazikika mʼmanja mwako. 21 Tsopano undilonjeze molumbira lero mʼdzina la Yehova kuti sudzapha zidzukulu zanga ine nditamwalira kapena kufuta dzina langa pa banja la makolo anga.”

22 Choncho Davide analumbira pamaso pa Sauli. Pambuyo pake Sauli anabwerera kwawo, koma Davide ndi anthu ake anapitanso ku phanga kuja.