1 Afilisti anasonkhanitsa ankhondo awo ku Soko mʼdziko la Yuda. Iwo anamanga misasa yawo ku Efesi-Damimu, pakati pa Soko ndi Azeka. 2 Sauli ndi Aisraeli anasonkhana namanga misasa mʼchigwa cha Ela ndipo anandandalitsa ankhondo kuti amenyane ndi Afilisti. 3 Afilisti anali phiri lina ndipo Aisraeli analinso phiri lina, ndipo pakati pawo panali chigwa.

4 Tsono munthu wina wamphamvu, dzina lake Goliati wochokera ku Gati anatuluka ku misasa ya Afilisti. Msinkhu wake unali pafupipafupi mamita atatu. 5 Iye ankavala chipewa chamkuwa ndi malaya achitsulo olemera makilogalamu 57. 6 Ankavalanso zokuta miyendo yake zamkuwa, ndipo ankanyamula nthungo ya mkuwa pa phewa pake. 7 Thunthu la mkondo wake linali ngati mkombero wowombera nsalu, ndipo mutu wa mkondowo unkalemera makilogalamu asanu ndi awiri. Patsogolo pake pamakhala munthu wonyamula zida zake za nkhondo.

8 Goliatiyo anayimirira ndi kufuwula kwa ankhondo a Israeli, nati, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani mwakonzekera nkhondo chotere? Kodi sindine Mfilisiti ndipo inu sindinu akapolo a Sauli? Sankhani munthu kuti abwere kwa ine. 9 Ngati angathe kumenyana nane ndi kundipha, ife tidzakhala akapolo anu, koma ngati ine ndimugonjetsa ndi kumupha, inu mudzakhala akapolo athu ndi kumatitumikira.” 10 Ndipo Mfilisitiyo anati, “Bwerani lero timenyane basi! Patseni munthu kuti ndimenyane naye.” 11 Atamva mawu a Mfilisitiyo, Sauli ndi Aisraeli onse anataya mtima nachita mantha kwambiri.

12 Davide anali mwana wa munthu wa fuko la Efurati dzina lake Yese amene amachokera ku Betelehemu mʼdziko la Yuda. Yese anali ndi ana aamuna asanu ndi awiri. Pa nthawi ya Sauli nʼkuti ali wokalamba. 13 Ana atatu oyamba kubadwa a Yese nʼkuti atapita nawo ku nkhondo pamodzi ndi Sauli. Woyamba dzina lake anali Eliabu, wachiwiri anali Abinadabu, ndipo wachitatu anali Sama. 14 Davide ndiye anali mzime. Ana aakulu atatuwo ndiwo anapita ku nkhondo ndi Sauli. 15 Koma Davide ankapita ku misasa ya Sauli ndi kubwerako kuti azikaweta nkhosa za abambo ake ku Betelehemu.

16 Kwa masiku makumi anayi, Mfilisiti uja ankabwera mmawa ndi madzulo kumadzionetsera.

17 Tsiku lina Yese anawuza mwana wake Davide kuti, “Atengere abale ako makilogalamu khumi a tirigu wokazinga ndi malofu a buledi khumi ndipo upite nazo mofulumira ku misasa yawo. 18 Utengerenso wolamulira wa gulu lawo tchizi khumi uyu. Ukaone mmene abale ako akukhalira ndipo ubwere ndi kanthu kosonyeza kuti ali bwino. 19 Sauli, abale akowo ndi asilikali onse a Israeli ali ku chigwa cha Ela, akumenyana ndi Afilisti.”

20 Mʼmamawa mwake Davide anasiya nkhosa mʼmanja mwa munthu wina ndipo anatenga zakudyazo nanyamuka monga momwe Yese abambo ake anamulamulira. Anakafika ku misasa pamene asilikali ankapita kukandanda pa mzere ku nkhondo, nʼkufuwula mfuwu wankhondo. 21 Aisraeli ndi Afilisti anandanda pa mzere wankhondo moyangʼanana. 22 Tsono Davide anasiyira zakudya zija munthu wosunga katundu nathamangira kumene kunali ankhondo kuja ndi kukalonjera abale ake. 23 Pamene iye ankayankhula nawo anangoona Goliati wa ku Gati uja akuchoka pa mzere wa Afilisti akufuwula mawu onyoza monga mwa masiku onse, ndipo Davide ankawamva. 24 Aisraeli ataona munthuyo, anamuthawa ndi mantha aakulu.

25 Ndipo Aisraeli ankanena kuti, “Kodi mwamuona munthu akubwerayo? Iye amangobwera kudzanyoza Israeli. Tsono mfumu inati kuti idzapereka chuma chambiri kwa munthu amene adzamuphe. Idzaperekanso mwana wake wamkazi kuti amukwatire ndiponso banja la abambo ake silidzaperekanso msonkho mu Israeli.”

26 Davide anafunsa anthu amene anayima pafupi naye kuti, “Kodi adzamuchita chiyani munthu amene adzapha Mfilisiti uyu ndi kuchotsa chitonzo pakati pa Israeli? Mfilisiti wosachita mdulidweyu ndi ndani kuti azinyoza gulu lankhondo la Mulungu wamoyo?”

27 Anthu anamuwuzanso zonse zimene mfumu inanena kuti idzachitira munthu amene adzapha Mfilisitiyo.

28 Eliabu, mkulu wake wa Davide, atamumva akuyankhula ndi anthuwo, anamukwiyira ndipo anamufunsa kuti, “Nʼchifukwa chiyani wabwera kuno? Ndipo wasiyira yani nkhosa zochepazo mʼchipululu? Ndikudziwa kuti ndiwe wodzikuza ndiponso woyipa mtima. Unabwera kuno kuti udzaonere nkhondo.”

29 Davide anati, “Kodi ndachita chiyani ine? Kodi ndisamayankhule?” 30 Ndipo anamuchokera napita kwa munthu wina ndipo anamufunsa nkhani yomweyo, ndipo anthu anamuyankha iye monga poyamba paja. 31 Mawu amene Davide anayankhula atamveka, anthu anakafotokozera Sauli ndipo Sauli anamuyitanitsa.

32 Davide anati kwa Sauli, “Munthu aliyense asataye mtima chifukwa cha Mfilisitiyu. Ine kapolo wanu ndipita kukamenyana naye.”

33 Sauli anayankha Davide kuti, “Iwe sungathe kupita kukamenyana ndi Mfilisitiyu. Iwe ukanali mnyamata, koma iyeyu ndi amene wakhala akumenya nkhondo kuyambira unyamata wake.”

34 Koma Davide anati kwa Sauli, “Kapolo wanune ndinkaweta nkhosa za abambo anga. Ndipo mkango kapena chimbalangondo chikamabwera ndi kugwira mwana wankhosa pakati pa nkhosazo, 35 ine ndinkatsatira ndi kupha chirombocho. Choncho ndinkapulumutsa mwana wankhosa uja mʼkamwa mwake. Ndipo chinkati chikandiwukira, ine ndinkagwira tchowa lake, nʼkuchikantha mpaka kuchipha. 36 Ine kapolo wanu ndinapha mkango ngakhalenso chimbalangondo. Tsono Mfilisiti wosachita mdulidweyu adzaphedwa monga zinazo chifukwa wanyoza ankhondo a Mulungu wamoyo. 37 Yehova amene anandilanditsa mʼkamwa mwa mkango ndi chimbalangondo adzandilanditsa mʼmanja mwa Mfilisiti uyu.”

Sauli anati kwa Davide, “Pita, ndipo Yehova akhale nawe.”

38 Ndipo Sauli anamveka Davide mwinjiro wake. Anamuveka zovala zankhondo ndi chipewa cha mkuwa. 39 Davide anamangirira lupanga pa mwinjirowo. Atayesa kuyenda nazo, analephera chifukwa anali asanazizolowere.

Iye anati kwa Sauli, “Sindingathe kuyenda nazo chifukwa sindinazizolowere.” Ndipo anazivula. 40 Pambuyo pake anatenga ndodo yake mʼmanja. Kenaka anasankha miyala yosalala bwino mu mtsinje ndi kuyiika mʼthumba lake la ku ubusa. Legeni ili mʼmanja mwake, Davide ananyamuka kukakumana ndi Mfilisiti uja.

41 Tsono Mfilisiti uja anayambapo kupita kumene kunali Davide, mnyamata wonyamula zida zake za nkhondo ali patsogolo pake. 42 Mfilisitiyo atangomuona Davide, anamunyoza popeza kuti Davide anali mnyamata chabe wofiirira ndi wa maonekedwe abwino. 43 Iye anati kwa Davide, “Kodi ndine galu, kuti ubwere kwa ine ndi ndodo?” Ndipo Mfilisitiyo anamutemberera Davide potchula mayina a milungu yake. 44 Iye anatinso, “Bwera kuno ndipo ndidzapereka mnofu wako kwa mbalame zamlengalenga ndi kwa zirombo zakuthengo!”

45 Koma Davide anati kwa Mfilisitiyo, “Iwe wabwera kwa ine ndi lupanga, mkondo ndi nthungo, koma ine ndikubwera kwa iwe mʼdzina la Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, Mulungu wa ankhondo Aisraeli amene iwe ukuwanyoza. 46 Anatinso lero lino Yehova adzakupereka mʼmanja mwanga. Ndidzakukantha ndi kudula mutu wako. Ndidzapereka mitembo ya asilikali a Afilisti kwa mbalame za mlengalenga, ndi kwa zirombo zakuthengo ndipo dziko lonse lapansi lidzadziwa kuti mu Israeli muli Mulungu. 47 Onse amene asonkhana pano adzadziwa kuti Mulungu sapulumutsa anthu ndi lupanga kapena mkondo, pakuti nkhondo ndi ya Yehova. Iye adzakuperekani mʼmanja mwathu.”

48 Mfilisitiyo akusendera pafupi kuti akumane naye, Davideyo anathamangira mofulumira ku mzere wa nkhondo kukakumana naye. 49 Davideyo anapisa dzanja lake mʼthumba lake natengamo mwala ndipo anawuponya, nalasa pa mphumi pa Mfilisitiyo. Mwalawo unalowa pa chipumi chake, ndipo anagwa chafufumimba.

50 Kotero Davide anamupambana Mfilisitiyo pomugenda ndi mwala wa legeni ndi kumupha. Mʼmanja mwa Davide munalibe lupanga.

51 Davide anathamanga nakayimirira pamwamba pa Mfilisiti uja. Anasolola lupanga lake lomwe moyikamo mwake, namupha pomudula mutu wake.

Afilisti ataona kuti ngwazi yawo yafa, anathawa. 52 Ndipo Aisraeli ndi anthu a ku Yuda ananyamuka, ndipo akufuwula anathamangitsa Afilisti aja mpaka ku Gati ndi ku zipata za Ekroni. Anthu akufa awo amagwa njira yonse ya ku Saaraimu mpaka ku Gati ndi ku Ekroni. 53 Aisraeli anabwerako kothamangitsa Afilisti kuja ndipo anadzatenga zonse zimene zinali mʼmisasa ya Afilistiwo. 54 Pambuyo pake Davide anatenga mutu wa Mfilisitiyo napita nawo ku Yerusalemu, koma anayika zida za Mfilisitiyo mu tenti yake.

55 Sauli ataona Davide akupita kukakumana ndi Mfilisitiyo anafunsa Abineri, mkulu wa ankhondo kuti, “Abineri, kodi mnyamatayu ndi mwana wa yani?”

Abineri anayankha kuti, “Ndithu mfumu muli apa ine sindikumudziwa.”

56 Mfumu inati, “Pita kafufuze kuti mnyamata ameneyu ndi mwana wa yani.”

57 Davide atangobwerako kokapha Mfilisiti kuja, Abineri anamutenga nabwera naye kwa Sauli, mutu wa Mfilisiti uja uli mʼmanja mwake.

58 Sauli anamufunsa, “Mnyamata iwe, kodi paja ndiwe mwana wayani?”

Davide anati, “Ndine mwana wa mtumiki wanu Yese wa ku Betelehemu.”