1 Samuel 20
1 Eka Daudi noringo koa Nayoth e gwengʼ Rama mine odhi ir Jonathan mopenje niya, “Angʼo masetimo? Ere kethona? Rach mane ma asetimo ne wuonu, momiyo odwaro kawo ngimana?”
David ran away from [the] Naioth [section] of Ramah [city]. He went to Jonathan and asked him, “What have I done [to displease your father]? What did I do that was wrong? Why is he trying to kill me?”
2 Jonathan nodwoke niya, “Onge. Ok ibi tho! Winji, wuonwa ok tim gimoro amora, bedni oduongʼ kata otin, ma ok onyisa. Angʼo madimi opandna wachni? Ok en kamano!”
Jonathan replied, “My father is surely not trying to kill you! He always tells me before he does anything that he is planning. He tells me about important things and unimportant things that he plans to do. (Why would he refuse to tell me [if he were planning to kill me]?/I am sure that he would not refuse to tell me [if he were planning to kill you].) [RHQ] So what you are saying cannot be true.”
3 Daudi to nowacho ka kwongʼore niya, “Wuoru ongʼeyo malongʼo kaka igena mi osewacho e chunye ni, ‘Jonathan ok onego ngʼe wachni nikech chunye nyalo bedo gi lit.’ Kata kamano akwongʼora gi nying Jehova Nyasaye mangima to gi nyingi ni kinda gi tho odongʼ mana ondamo achiel.”
Then David solemnly declared this to Jonathan: “Your father knows very well that you and I are very good friends, so he says to himself, ‘I will not tell Jonathan [what I am going to do]. If I tell Jonathan, he will be upset/distressed, [and then he will tell David].’ But just as certain as Yahweh lives and you live, I am only one step away from being killed.”
4 Jonathan nowacho ni Daudi niya, “Gimoro amora midwaro ni atim abiro timoni.”
Jonathan said to David, “I will do whatever you tell me to do.”
5 Omiyo Daudi nowacho niya, “Winji, kiny en Sawo mar Dwe manyien kendo nitie budho ma onego bed ni achiemo gi ruoth, to we adhi apondi oko nyaka chop odhiambo mar orucha.
David replied, “Tomorrow we will celebrate the Festival of the New Moon. I always eat with the king at that festival. But tomorrow I will hide in the field, and I will stay there for one night. I will stay there until the evening of the day after tomorrow.
6 Ka wuonu ok onena e nyasini, to nyise ni, ‘Daudi nokwaya mondo amiye thuolo odhi dalagi Bethlehem mapiyo piyo, nikech anywolagi duto nigi misango mar higa ka higa.’
If your father asks why I am not there at the festival, say to him, ‘David requested me to allow him to go to his home in Bethlehem, where his family will offer the sacrifice that they offer [during this festival] every year.’
7 Ka owacho ni, ‘Mano ber,’ eka anabed gi adieri ni jatichni nigi kwe. To ka mirima omake, to ibiro bedo gi adiera ni oseketo chunye ni nyaka to onega.
If your father says ‘That is okay’, then I know I will be safe. But if he becomes extremely angry, you will know that he is determined to harm me.
8 In to koro bed ja-adiera ne jatichni, nikech isekwongʼori kode e nyim Jehova Nyasaye. To ka an jaketho to nega in iwuon! Angʼo ma dimi iketa e lwet wuonu?”
Please be kind to me. Yahweh heard you when you made a solemn agreement with me [that you and I will always be loyal friends]. If I deserve to be punished [MTY], kill me yourself. I do not want [RHQ] you to allow your father to punish [IDM] me.”
9 Jonathan nowachone niya, “Mano ok nyal timore! Ka dine angʼeyo kata mana matin ni wuora dwaro timoni marach, donge danyisi?”
Jonathan replied, “I will never do that! But if I find out that my father is determined to harm/kill you, I will certainly warn you.” [RHQ]
10 Daudi nopenje niya, “Ngʼa mabiro wachona ka wuonu odwoki gi gero?”
David asked him, “How will I find out if your father answers you harshly?”
11 Jonathan nowacho niya, “Bi wadhi kuma opondo.” Omiyo negidhi giduto.
Jonathan replied, “Come with me. We will go out into the field.” So they went together out into the field.
12 Eka Jonathan nowachone Daudi niya, “Gi nying Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasach Israel, abiro wuoyo gi wuora e sa maka ma orucha! Ka en gi paro maber kuomi, to donge abiro anyisi?
There Jonathan said to David, “I promise this while Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], is listening: At this time the day after tomorrow, I will find out what my father [is thinking about you]. If he is saying good things about you, I will certainly send a message to you to tell that to you [RHQ].
13 To ka wuora nigi chuny mar hinyi, to aweyo ma ok anyisi kendo konyi mondo itony idhi gi kwe, to mondo Jehova Nyasaye ochwada malit. Mad Jehova Nyasaye obed kodi mana kaka osebedo gi wuora.
But if he is planning to hurt/kill you, I will enable you to know [IDM] that, and enable you to go away safely. I desire that Yahweh will punish me severely if I do not do that [for you]. I desire/hope that Yahweh will be with you [and help you] like he has helped my father.
14 To yie itimna ngʼwono mana machal gi ngʼwono mosiko mar Jehova Nyasaye e ndalo duto mag ngimana, mondo kik nega,
But while I am still alive, please be kind to me in the same way that Yahweh is kind to me, and do not kill me [when you become king].
15 kendo kik iwe timo ngʼwono ni jooda kata mana ka Jehova Nyasaye osetieko wasik Daudi e wangʼ piny.”
But [if I die, ] never stop being kind to my family, [even] after Yahweh has gotten rid of all your enemies all over the earth.”
16 Omiyo Jonathan nokwongʼore gi joka Daudi, kowacho niya, “Mad Jehova Nyasaye mondo ongʼad bura ne wasik Daudi.”
[David agreed]. So Jonathan made a solemn agreement with David. And he said, “I hope/desire that Yahweh will get rid of all your enemies.”
17 Omiyo Jonathan noketo Daudi mochako ojiwo kwongʼruokne nikech nohere, nimar nohere mana kaka oherore owuon.
And Jonathan requested David to repeat his solemn promise to be his close friend, because Jonathan loved David as much as he loved himself.
18 Eka Jonathan nowachone Daudi niya, “Kiny en Sawo mar dwe manyien kendo kiny nongʼere ni ionge nikech komi nobed nono.
Then Jonathan said, “Tomorrow we will celebrate the Festival of the New Moon. When you are not sitting at your place when we eat, my father will (miss you/see that you are not there).
19 To kochopo orucha kar odhiambo kanyo to idhi kama ne ipondoe mokwongo ka wechegi nochakore kendo irit but kit Ezel.
The day after tomorrow, in the evening, go to the place where you hid before. Wait by the pile of stones.
20 Abiro diro aserni adek e bathe kanyo, ka gima atemo lengʼo gimoro.
I will come out and shoot three arrows as though I were trying to shoot at a target. [The arrows will hit the ground] close to the pile of stones.
21 Eka abiro oro rawera kawachone ni, ‘Dhi idwar aserni.’ To kawachone ni, ‘Ne, aserni ni e bathi koni; kelgi ka, eka ibi, nikech akwongʼora gi nying Jehova Nyasaye mangima ni onge gima biro hinyi kendo onge gima rach.’
Then I will send a boy to bring the arrows back to me. If you hear me say to him, ‘They are closer to me’, then as surely as Yahweh lives, you will know that everything is fine, [and that Saul will not kill you].
22 To ka awachone rawera ni, ‘Ne, aserni ni nyimi,’ eka nyaka idhi nikech Jehova Nyasaye dwaro ni idhi adhiya.
But if I tell him, ‘The arrows are farther away’, you will know that you must leave immediately, because Yahweh wants you to run away.
23 To kuom weche mawasewuoyoe to ipar, nimar Jehova Nyasaye en janeno e kindwa nyaka chiengʼ.”
I hope/desire that Yahweh will watch you and me and enable us to never forget what we have promised each other.”
24 Omiyo Daudi nopondo oko kendo kane Sawo mar Dwe manyien ochopo, to ruoth nobet piny mondo ochiem.
So David went and hid in the field. When the Festival of the New Moon started, the king sat down to eat.
25 Nobet kare mane ojabetie but kor ot, ka gimanyore gi Jonathan, Abner to nobet bath Saulo, kom Daudi to ne ninono.
He sat where he usually sat, close to the wall. Jonathan sat across from him, and Abner [the army commander] sat next to Saul. But no one was sitting in the place where David [usually sat].
26 Saulo ne ok owacho gimoro chiengʼno, nikech noparo e chunye niya, “Nyaka bed ni Daudi osetimo gimoro marach, omiyo ok oler adiera emomiyo ok obiro e nyasi.”
On that day, Saul did not say anything about David, because he was thinking, “Something must have happened that caused David to become unacceptable [to worship God].”
27 To kata mana kinyne, ma en chiengʼ mar ariyo mar dwe, kom Daudi ne pod ninono. Eka Saulo nowachone Jonathan wuode niya, “Angʼo momiyo wuod Jesse ok obiro e chiemo, chakre nyoro nyaka kawuono?”
But the next day, when David was not sitting at the place where he usually sat, Saul asked Jonathan, “Why has that son of Jesse not been here to eat with us yesterday and today?”
28 Jonathan nodwoko niya, “Daudi nohomba kokwaya thuolo mondo odhi Bethlehem.”
Jonathan replied, “David earnestly requested me that I permit him to go to Bethlehem.
29 Nokwayo niya, “Yiena mondo adhi nikech joodwa timo misango e dala kendo owadwa nochika matek ni nyaka achop kuno. Koro akwayi ni yie ingʼwon-na mondo adhi ane owetena. Mano ema omiyo ok osebiro e mesa ruoth.”
He said, ‘Please allow me to go, because our family is going to offer a sacrifice. My [older] brother insisted that I be there. So please allow me to go to be with my [older] brothers.’ [I allowed David to go], and that is the reason that he is not here eating with you.”
30 Saulo notoyo mirimbe kuom Jonathan mowachone niya, “In wuod dhako ma wiye tek kendo ma ja-mahundu! Donge angʼeyo ni isebedo jakor wuod Jesse makelo wichkuot ne in iwuon kendo ne minu monywoli?
Saul was (furious/very angry) with Jonathan. He yelled at him, “You stupid bastard [EUP]! I know that you are being loyal to that son of Jesse. By doing that, you will bring shame to yourself and to your mother.
31 Ka wuod Jesse pod ngima e pinyni to in kata pinyruodhi ok nyal gurore. Koro or wach mondo okelnago nikech nyaka otho!”
As long as Jesse’s son is living, you will never become the king, and you will never rule over a kingdom! So now, summon David, and bring him to me. He must be executed!”
32 Jonathan nopenjo wuon-gi niya, “Angʼo momiyo nyaka otho? Angʼo mosetimo?”
Jonathan asked his father, “Why should David be executed? What wrong has he done?”
33 To Saulo nobaye gi tongʼ mondo onege. Eka Jonathan nongʼeyo ni kare wuon-gi dwaro nego Daudi.
Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan in order to kill him, [but the spear did not hit him]. So Jonathan knew that his father really wanted to kill David.
34 Jonathan nochungʼ moa e mesa ka mirima mager omake chiengʼ mar ariyo mar dwe mane ok ochiemo, nikech chunye ne lit kod timbe wuon-gi mag wichkuot mane otimone Daudi.
Jonathan was very angry, and he left the room. On that second day of the festival, he refused to eat anything. He was disgusted about what his father had done, and he was worried about David.
35 Kinyne gokinyi Jonathan nodhi oko e kargi mar romo gi Daudi. Ne en-gi wuowi matin,
The following morning Jonathan went out to the field to give a message to David, like he had agreed that he would do. He took a young boy with him.
36 kendo nowachone wuowino niya, “Ringi mondo idwar aserni madirogi.” E sa ma wuowino ne ringo, nodiro asere mokadhe.
Jonathan said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” The boy started running, and Jonathan shot an arrow ahead of the boy.
37 Ka wuowino nochopo kama asech Jonathan ne olwarie, Jonathan noluonge gi dwol maduongʼ niya, “Donge asere ni nyimi kanyo?”
When the boy ran to the place where the arrow hit the ground, Jonathan called out, “The arrow is further away!” [RHQ]
38 Eka nokok kowacho niya, “Reti! Dhi piyo! Kik ichungʼ!” Wuowino nokwanyo asereno mi odok ir ruodhe.
Then he shouted to the boy, “Act quickly; do not wait! Do not stop!” The boy picked up the arrow and brought it back to Jonathan.
39 Wuowino ne ok ongʼeyo gimoro amora mane timore, makmana Jonathan gi Daudi kende ema nongʼeyo.
But the boy did not understand the meaning of what Jonathan had said; only Jonathan and David knew.
40 Eka Jonathan nomiyo wuowino gige mag lweny mowachone niya, “Dhiyo idwokgi dala.”
Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him, “Go back to the town.”
41 Bangʼ ka wuowino nosedhi, Daudi nowuok yo milambo mar dir kidi, mi okulore piny e nyim Jonathan nyadidek ka lend wangʼe mulo piny. Eka ne gimosore ma giywak giduto to Daudi noywak moloyo.
When the boy left, David came out from the south side of the pile of stones behind which he had been hiding. He went to Jonathan and bowed [in front of Jonathan] three times, with his face touching the ground. Then David and Jonathan kissed each other [on the cheek/neck], and they cried together. But David cried more than Jonathan.
42 Jonathan nowachone Daudi niya, “Dhi gi kwe nimar wasesingore e nyim Jehova Nyasaye ni osiep man e kindwa kodi ka wakwongʼore niya, Jehova Nyasaye obed janeno e kindi koda kendo e kind nyikwayi kod nyikwaya nyaka chiengʼ” Eka Daudi nowuok to Jonathan bende nodok dala.
Jonathan said to David, “May things go well for you as you go. Yahweh has heard what we solemnly promised to always do for each other, and what we said that our descendants must do for each other.” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.
