< Samuel 1 20 >

1 Azɔ la, David si tso Nayɔt le Rama eye wòyi Yonatan gbɔ hebiae be, “Nu ka mewɔ? Agɔ ka medze? Nu ka ta fofowò ɖo ta me kplikpaa nenema be yeawum ɖo?”
And David fled from Nayoth near Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is my iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?
2 Yonatan ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Gbeɖe, mèle kuku ge o. Kpɔ ɖa, fofonye mewɔa naneke, sue alo gã ne megblɔe nam o. Nu ka ŋutie wòaɣla nu sia ya ɖem? Mele ame o!”
And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father is not wont to do a great thing or a small thing, which he doth not inform me of; and why should my father conceal this thing from me? it is not so.
3 Ke David ka atam hegblɔ be, “Fofowò nyae nyuie be nye nu doa dzidzɔ na wò eye wògblɔ na eɖokui be, ‘Mele be Yonatan nanya esia o. Ne menye nenema o la, ava xa nu.’ Meta Yehowa ƒe agbe kple wò ŋutɔ ƒe agbe be afɔɖeɖe ɖeka koe le nye kple ku dome.”
But David swore again, and said, Thy father well knoweth that I have found grace in thy eyes; wherefore he said, Jonathan must not know this, lest he be grieved: nevertheless, as truly as the Lord liveth, and thy soul liveth, there was but one step between me and death.
4 Yonatan gblɔ na David be, “Nu sia nu si ke nedi be mawɔ na ye la, mawɔe na wò.”
Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul sayeth will I do for thee.
5 Ale David gblɔ be, “Kpɔ ɖa, etsɔe nye dzinu yeye ƒe ŋkekenyui eye ele nam be maɖu nu kple fia la, gake na mayi aɖaɣla ɖokuinye ɖe gbe me va se ɖe etsɔ mele eme o ƒe fiẽ.
And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, tomorrow is the new-moon, and I should as usual sit with the king to eat; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.
6 Ne fofowò mekpɔm o eye wòbia tanye la, gblɔ nɛ be, ‘David bia mɔm vevie be yeayi ɖe yewo de, Betlehem elabena woawɔ ƒe sia ƒe ƒe vɔsa na eƒe ƒome blibo la.’
If thy father at all miss me, then do thou say, David asked earnestly leave of me that he might run to Beth-lechem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7 Ke ne egblɔ be, ‘Enyo’ la, ekema wò dɔla le dedie. Gake ne dzi kui la, ekema nyae nyuie be eɖo vɔ̃ ɖe ŋutinye.
If he should say thus, It is well: then shall thy servant have peace; but if it be at all displeasing to him, then know that the evil is determined on by him.
8 Ke wò ya la, ve wò dɔla nu elabena èbla nu kplim le Yehowa ŋkume. Ne medze agɔ la, ekema wò ŋutɔ nàwum! Nu ka ŋuti nàtsɔm ade asi na fofowò?”
And do thou deal kindly with thy servant; for into a covenant of the Lord hast thou brought thy servant with thee; but if there be in me any iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldst thou bring me to thy father?
9 Yonatan ɖo eŋu be, “Madzɔ nenema gbeɖe o; le nyateƒe me la, ne wò nyawo ɖe wole eme la, anye ne megblɔe na wò xoxo.”
And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for if I should know for certain that evil were determined on by my father to come upon thee, would I not tell it thee?
10 David biae be, “Aleke mawɔ anya ne fofowò do dɔmedzoe alo medo dɔmedzoe o?”
Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell it me? or what, if thy father answer thee roughly?
11 Yonatan gblɔ be, “Na míayi gbedzi.” Ale wo ame evea yi gbedzi.
And Jonathan said unto David, Come, let us go out into the field. And they went out, both of them, into the field.
12 Yonatan gblɔ na David be, “Medo ŋugbe na wò le Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu ƒe ŋkɔ me be etsɔ ɣe alawo ɣi alo ne edidi ƒãa la nyitsɔ la, maƒo nu kple fofonye tso ŋuwò eye mana nànya ta me si wòɖo ɖe ŋuwò la enumake.
And Jonathan said unto David, May the God of Israel [punish me] if, when I have sounded my father about this time tomorrow, or of the third day, and, behold, if he be good toward David, I do not then send unto thee, and inform thee of it.
13 Ne edo dɔmedzoe eye wòdi be yeawu wò la, ekema Yehowa nawum ne nyemegblɔe na wò ale be nàsi, anɔ agbe o. Yehowa nanɔ kpli wò abe ale si wònɔ kple fofonye tsã la ene.
May the Lord do so to Jonathan and continue so yet farther, that, if it please my father [to do] thee evil, I will inform thee of it, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and may the Lord be with thee, as he hath been with my father.
14 Ɖo ŋku edzi be ele be nàɖe Yehowa ƒe lɔlɔ̃ kple dɔmenyo afia menye nye ɖeka ko le nye agbenɔɣi me o,
And wilt thou not, should I be yet alive, show me the kindness of the Lord, that I may not die?
15 ke boŋ na vinyewo hã ne Yehowa tsrɔ̃ wò futɔwo katã.”
But, surely, thou wilt not withdraw thy kindness from my house for ever, not even when the Lord cutteth off the enemies of David, every one, from off the face of the earth.
16 Ale Yonatan bla nu kple David ƒe ƒometɔwo eye David ka atam be fiƒode dziŋɔ aɖe nava ye kple yeƒe ƒometɔwo dzi ne yewomewɔ nubabla la dzi o.
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, [saying, ] May the Lord require it at the hand of David's enemies.
17 Ke Yonatan na David gaka atam nɛ azɔ kple eƒe lɔlɔ̃ nɛ elabena elɔ̃e abe eɖokui ene.
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 Yonatan gblɔ be, “Dzinu yeye adze egɔme etsɔ. Ne mèva nuɖukplɔ̃a ŋu etsɔ o la, amewo abia tawò vevie.
Then Jonathan said to David, Tomorrow is the new-moon: and thou wilt be missed, because thy seat will be left empty.
19 Ame sia ame anɔ tawò biam tso nyitsɔ, eya ta nɔ afi si nàɣla ɖokuiwò ɖo le afi si woli kɔ kpewo ɖo.
And when thou hast stayed till the third day, then shalt thou go down greatly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself on the work-day; and thou shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
20 Mava da aŋutrɔ etɔ̃ ɖe kpeawo ŋgɔ abe nane medzidze le dadam ene.
And I will myself shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I were shooting at a mark.
21 Emegbe maɖo ɖekakpui aɖe ɖa be wòayi aɖatsɔ aŋutrɔawo vɛ nam. Ne èse megblɔ be, ‘Wole akpa sia’ la, ekema nànya be nya vɔ̃ aɖeke meli o.
And, behold, I will send the lad, saying, Go, find the arrows; if I should now say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee: then take him and come; for there is peace to thee, and it is nothing; as the Lord liveth.
22 Ke ne megblɔ nɛ be, ‘Yi ŋgɔ. Aŋutrɔawo gale ŋgɔ na wò’ la, ekema egɔmee nye ele be nàdzo enumake.
But if thus I should say unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are beyond thee: then go thy way, for the Lord hath sent thee off.
23 Yehowa nana míawɔ míaƒe ŋugbedodowo na mía nɔewo dzi elabena Yehowae nye avuléla le mía dome tegbetegbe.”
And touching the matter of which we have spoken, thou and I, behold, the Lord is between me and thee for ever.
24 Ale David ɣla eɖokui ɖe gbedzi eye esi ɣleti yeyea ƒe ŋkekenyui la ɖo edzi la, fia la nɔ anyi be yeaɖu nu.
So David hid himself in the field: and when the new-moon was come, the king set himself down to the repast to eat.
25 Enɔ gli ŋu afi si wònɔna ɖaa. Yonatan nɔ anyi dze ŋgɔe eye Abner nɔ Saul xa, ke David ƒe teƒe ɖi gbɔlo.
And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall: and when Jonathan arose, Abner seated himself by the side of Saul, and David's place was left empty.
26 Saul megblɔ nya aɖeke tso nu sia ŋu gbe ma gbe o elabena ebu be nya aɖee anya dzɔ alo David ŋu mekɔ o.
Nevertheless Saul spoke not the least on that day; for he thought, Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; because he hath not yet purified himself.
27 Ke esi eƒe teƒe gaɖi gbɔlo le ŋkeke evelia dzi la, Saul bia Yonatan be, “Nu ka ta Yese ƒe vi meva afi sia hena fiẽnuɖuɖu etsɔ kple egbe siaa o?”
And it came to pass on the morrow, the second day of the new-moon, that David's place was left empty; and Saul said unto Jonathan his son, Wherefore is the son of Jesse not come, both yesterday and today, to the repast?
28 Yonatan ɖo eŋu be, “David bia mɔm kple kukuɖeɖe blibo be yeayi Betlehem.
And Jonathan answered Saul, David asked earnestly leave of me to go as far as Beth-lechem.
29 Egblɔ be, ‘Na mayi elabena míaƒe ƒometɔwo le vɔ sa ge egbea le dua me eye nɔvinyeŋutsu aɖe ɖo du ɖem. Ne edze ŋuwò la, ekema ɖe mɔ nam mayi aɖakpɔ nɔvinyewo.’ Esia tae meva fia ƒe kplɔ̃ ŋu o.”
And he said, Let me go, I pray thee; for we have a family-sacrifice in the city, and my brother himself hath commanded it to me; and now, if I have found favor in thy eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, that I may see my brothers: therefore is he not come unto the king's table.
30 Saul do dɔmedzoe ŋutɔ, eblu ɖe Yonatan hegblɔ be, “Wò, nyɔnu ɖigbɔ, dzeaglã ƒe vi! Ɖe nèbu be nyemenya be yedi be Yese vi ma naɖu fia ɖe nye teƒe eye nàdo ŋukpe wò ŋutɔ kple dawò siaa oa?
And the anger of Saul was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of perverse rebelliousness! do I not know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thy own shame, and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?
31 Ŋkeke ale si ɖekakpui ma le agbe la, màɖu fia gbeɖegbeɖe o. Yi, nàkplɔe vɛ ale be mate ŋu awui!”
For all the days that the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou wilt not have any permanence with thy kingdom: therefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.
32 Yonatan biae be, “Nu kae wòwɔ? Nu ka tae woawui?”
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be put to death? what hath he done?
33 Tete Saul da akplɔ Yonatan be yeawui. Nu sia na Yonatan dze sii azɔ be menye fefenya ye fofo gblɔ be ele be David naku o.
And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him: and Jonathan understood that it was determined on by his father to put David to death.
34 Yonatan dzo le kplɔ̃ la ŋu kple dɔmedzoe eye wògbe nuɖuɖu ŋkeke blibo la elabena fofoa ƒe ŋukpenanuwɔnawo ɖe David ŋu vee ŋutɔ.
And Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food on the second day of the new-moon; for he was grieved for David; because his father had made him feel ashamed.
35 Esi ŋu ke la, Yonatan yi gbedzi abe ale si eya kple David ɖoe da ɖi ene. Ekplɔ ŋutsuvi sue aɖe ɖe asi be wòafɔ eƒe aŋutrɔwo nɛ.
And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field to the place appointed with David, and a little lad was with him.
36 Egblɔ na ŋutsuvi la be, “Dze duƒuƒu gɔme ale be nàte ŋu akpɔ aŋutrɔawo ne meda wo.” Ale ŋutsuvia ƒu du eye Yonatan da aŋutrɔ ɖeka wòdze le eŋu.
And he said unto his lad, Run, do find out the arrows which I shoot: and the lad ran, and he shot the arrow so as to pass beyond him.
37 Esi wòsusɔ vie ɖevia naɖo afi si aŋutrɔ la dze la, Yonatan do ɣli be, “Aŋutrɔ la gale ŋgɔ na wò.
And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad, and said, Behold, the arrow is beyond thee!
38 Ƒu du sesĩe; netsɔ! Mègatɔ o!” Ale ŋutsuvi la fɔ aŋutrɔawo eye wòƒu du yi eƒe aƒetɔ gbɔ.
And Jonathan called after the lad, Make haste, speed, stay not: and Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39 Ke ŋutsuvi la ya mese nu si Yonatan wɔ la gɔme o; Yonatan kple David koe se egɔme.
But the lad knew not the least: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 Yonatan tsɔ eƒe dati kple aŋutrɔ na ŋutsuvi la eye wògblɔ nɛ be wòatsɔ wo ayi dua me.
And Jonathan gave his weapons unto the lad who was with him, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
41 Esi ŋutsuvi la dzo teti ko la, David do go tso afi si wòbe ɖo le gbegbe la ƒe dziehe lɔƒo. Ebɔbɔ de ta agu na Yonatan zi etɔ̃. Wokpla asi kɔ na wo nɔewo eye wofa avi, ke David fa avi wu Yonatan.
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose from the south side [of the stone], and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
42 Mlɔeba la, Yonatan gblɔ na David be, “Lé dzi ɖe ƒo elabena míetsɔ mía nɔewo kple mía nɔewo ƒe viwo de asi na Mawu tegbetegbe.” Ale woklã. David dzo eye Yonatan hã trɔ yi dua me.
And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace: what we have sworn, both of us, in the name of the Lord, saying, The Lord shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever, [shall be kept]. And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.

< Samuel 1 20 >