1 Samũeli 20
1 Na rĩrĩ, Daudi akĩũra, akiuma Naiothu kũu Rama agĩthiĩ kũrĩ Jonathani, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ atĩa njĩkĩte? Nĩ ngero ĩrĩkũ niĩ ngerete? Thoguo ndĩmũhĩtĩirie atĩa atĩ nĩkĩo arageria kũnjũraga?”
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 Jonathani akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Kũroaga gũtuĩka ũguo; wee ndũgũkua! Atĩrĩrĩ, baba ndarĩ ũndũ ekaga o na ũmwe mũnene kana mũnini ataamenyithĩtie. Egũkĩĩhitha ũndũ ta ũcio nĩkĩ? Ũguo ti guo!”
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 No Daudi akĩĩhĩta akiuga atĩrĩ, “Thoguo nĩoĩ o wega mũno atĩ nĩnjĩtĩkĩrĩkĩte nĩwe, nake nĩeĩrĩte atĩrĩ, ‘Jonathani ndagĩrĩirwo nĩ kũmenya ũndũ ũyũ, ndakae kũnyiitwo nĩ kĩeha.’ No rĩrĩ, ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo, na ũrĩa wee mwene ũtũũraga muoyo-rĩ, hatigaire o ikinya rĩmwe gatagatĩ gakwa na gĩkuũ.”
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 Jonathani akĩĩra Daudi atĩrĩ, “Ũndũ o wothe ũngĩenda njĩke-rĩ, nĩngũgwĩkĩra.”
Jonathan said to David, “I will do whatever you tell me to do.”
5 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Daudi akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Atĩrĩrĩ, rũciũ nĩ gĩathĩ gĩa Karũgamo ka Mweri na nĩnjagĩrĩirwo gũkaarĩanĩra hamwe na mũthamaki, no reke thiĩ ngehithe mĩgũnda-inĩ nginya mũthenya wa gatatũ hwaĩ-inĩ.
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 No thoguo angĩnjaga-rĩ, mwĩre atĩrĩ, ‘Daudi nĩarathaithire ndĩmwĩtĩkĩrie aguthũke Bethilehemu itũũra-inĩ rĩao, nĩ ũndũ nĩ kũrĩ na igongona rĩkũrutwo kuo rĩa mwaka nĩ ũndũ wa mũhĩrĩga wao wothe.’
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 Angĩkoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ wega mũno,’ hĩndĩ ĩyo ndungata yaku nĩĩgakorwo na thayũ. No angĩkaarakara-rĩ, nĩũkamenya na ma atĩ nĩatuĩte nĩekũngera ngero.
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 No wee rĩ, onania wendani kũrĩ ndungata yaku, nĩ ũndũ nĩũgĩĩte kĩrĩkanĩro nayo mbere ya Jehova. Kũngĩkorwo ndĩ na mahĩtia-rĩ, njũraga wee mwene! Ũgũkĩneana kũrĩ thoguo nĩkĩ?”
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 Jonathani akiuga atĩrĩ, “Kũroaga gũtuĩka ũguo! Korwo nĩ kũrĩ kaũndũ o na kanini njũũĩ atĩ baba nĩatuĩte gũkũgera ngero-rĩ, githĩ to ngwĩre?”
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 akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Thoguo angĩgagũcookeria arĩ na marũrũ-rĩ, ngaaheo ũhoro nũũ?”
David asked him, “How will I find out if your father answers you harshly?”
11 Jonathani akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũka, tũthiĩ na kũu mũgũnda-inĩ.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩthiĩ kuo me hamwe.
Jonathan replied, “Come with me. We will go out into the field.” So they went together out into the field.
12 Ningĩ Jonathani akĩĩra Daudi atĩrĩ, “Nĩ ũndũ wa Jehova o we Ngai wa Isiraeli, ti-itherũ nĩngaaria na baba ihinda ta rĩrĩ mũthenya wa gatatũ! Angĩgakorwo akenetio nĩ wee-rĩ, githĩ to ngũtũmanĩre ngũmenyithie ũhoro ũcio?
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 No baba angĩtua nĩ egũkũgera ngero-rĩ, Jehova aroherithia na anjĩke ũũru makĩria, ingĩkaaga gũkũmenyithia, na ndeke ũthiĩ na thayũ. Jehova arokorwo hamwe nawe o ta ũrĩa akoretwo arĩ hamwe na baba.
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 No nyonia tha iria itathiraga ta iria cia Jehova matukũ marĩa ngũtũũra muoyo, nĩguo ndikanooragwo,
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 na ndũkaneherie tha ciaku o na rĩ kuuma kũrĩ nyũmba yakwa, o na hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Jehova agaakorwo aniinĩte thũ ciothe cia Daudi gũkũ thĩ.”
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jonathani akĩgĩa kĩrĩkanĩro na nyũmba ya Daudi, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Jehova arorĩhĩria Daudi kũrĩ thũ ciake.”
[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 Nake Jonathani agĩtũma Daudi akiindĩre mwĩhĩtwa wake nĩ ũndũ nĩamwendete, nĩgũkorwo aamwendete o ta ũrĩa eyendete we mwene.
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 Ningĩ Jonathani akĩĩra Daudi atĩrĩ, “Rũciũ nĩ gĩathĩ gĩa Karũgamo ka Mweri. Wee nĩũkoneka ndũrĩ ho, nĩ ũndũ gĩtĩ gĩaku gĩgaakorwo kĩrĩ gĩtheri.
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 Mũthenya wa gatatũ gwatua gũtuka-rĩ, ũgaathiĩ handũ harĩa wehithĩte hĩndĩ ĩrĩa thĩĩna ũyũ waambĩrĩirie, na weterere hau ihiga-inĩ rĩa Ezeli.
The day after tomorrow, in the evening, go to the place where you hid before. Wait by the pile of stones.
20 Nĩngaikia mĩguĩ ĩtatũ mwena-inĩ warĩo, taarĩ wathi ngwĩgera.
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 Ningĩ nĩngatũma kahĩĩ ndĩkeere atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩ ũgacarie mĩguĩ ĩyo.’ Ingĩgakeera atĩrĩ, ‘Mĩguĩ ĩrĩ mwena ũyũ waku; mĩrehe haha,’ hĩndĩ ĩyo ũgooka, nĩ ũndũ ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo, ndũrĩ ũũru ũkoona; no thayũ.
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 No ingĩkeera kahĩĩ kau atĩrĩ, ‘Mĩguĩ ĩrĩ mbere yaku,’ hĩndĩ ĩyo no nginya ũthiĩ, nĩ ũndũ Jehova nĩakũrekereirie ũthiĩ.
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 Naguo ũhoro ũrĩa twaranĩirie nawe-rĩ, ririkana, Jehova nĩwe mũira gatagatĩ gakwa nawe nginya tene.”
I hope/desire that Yahweh will watch you and me and enable us to never forget what we have promised each other.”
24 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Daudi akĩĩhitha kũu mũgũnda-inĩ, na hĩndĩ ĩrĩa gĩathĩ gĩa Karũgamo ka Mweri gĩakinyire-rĩ, mũthamaki agĩikara thĩ arĩe irio.
So David went and hid in the field. When the Festival of the New Moon started, the king sat down to eat.
25 Agĩikara thĩ handũ harĩa aamenyerete, kũrigania na rũthingo, angʼethanĩire na Jonathani, nake Abineri agĩikara thĩ kũrigania na Saũlũ, no handũ ha Daudi haarĩ hatheri.
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 Saũlũ ndoigire ũndũ mũthenya ũcio, nĩ ũndũ eeciiririe atĩrĩ, “No nginya gũkorwo kũrĩ ũndũ wĩkĩkĩte kũrĩ Daudi akanyiitwo nĩ thaahu; ti-itherũ arĩ na thaahu.”
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 No mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ, mũthenya wa keerĩ wa mweri ũcio, handũ ha Daudi haarĩ o hatheri rĩngĩ. Hĩndĩ ĩyo Saũlũ akĩũria mũriũ Jonathani atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ kĩgirĩtie mũrũ wa Jesii oke iruga-inĩ ira na ũmũthĩ?”
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 Jonathani agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Daudi nĩarathaithire ndĩmwĩtĩkĩrie athiĩ Bethilehemu.
Jonathan replied, “David earnestly requested me that I permit him to go to Bethlehem.
29 Aranjĩĩrire atĩrĩ, ‘Reke thiĩ, nĩ ũndũ andũ a nyũmba iitũ marĩ na igongona kũu itũũra-inĩ, na mũrũ wa baba nĩanjathĩte ngorwo ho. Ingĩkorwo nĩnjĩtĩkĩrĩkĩte nĩwe-rĩ, reke thiĩ ngoone ariũ a baba.’ Ũndũ ũcio nĩguo ũgirĩtie oke metha-inĩ ya mũthamaki.”
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 Marakara ma Saũlũ magĩakanĩra Jonathani, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee mũrũ wa mũtumia mwaganu na mũremi! Githĩ ndiũĩ atĩ wee nĩũnyiitanĩte na mũrũ wa Jesii nĩguo agũconorithie na aconorithie nyũkwa ũrĩa wagũciarire?
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 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa yothe mũrũ wa Jesii egũtũũra muoyo gũkũ thĩ, wee ndũkehaanda kana ũthamaki waku wĩhaande. Rĩu mũtũmanĩre oke kũrĩ niĩ, tondũ no nginya akue!”
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 Jonathani akĩũria ithe atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma ooragwo? Nĩ atĩa ekĩte?”
Jonathan asked his father, “Why should David be executed? What wrong has he done?”
33 No Saũlũ akĩmũikĩria itimũ rĩake nĩguo amũũrage. Nake Jonathani akĩmenya atĩ ithe nĩatuĩte itua rĩa kũũraga 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 Jonathani agĩũkĩra, akiuma metha-inĩ arĩ mũrakaru mũno; na mũthenya ũcio wa keerĩ wa mweri ũcio, ndaarĩire irio nĩ ũndũ aarĩ na kĩeha nĩ ũrĩa ithe ekĩte Daudi ciĩko cia kũmũconorithia.
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 Rũciinĩ rũrũ rũngĩ Jonathani akiumagara, agĩthiĩ kũu mũgũnda agacemanie na Daudi. Nake agĩthiĩ na kahĩĩ kanini;
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 akĩĩra kahĩĩ kau atĩrĩ, “Tengʼera ũgacarie mĩguĩ ĩrĩa ngũikia.” Na rĩrĩa kahĩĩ kau gaatengʼeraga-rĩ, agĩikia mũguĩ mbere yako.
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 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa kahĩĩ kau gaakinyire harĩa mũguĩ wa Jonathani wagwĩte-rĩ, Jonathani agĩgeeta agĩkeera atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũguĩ ndũrĩ mbere yaku?”
When the boy ran to the place where the arrow hit the ground, Jonathan called out, “The arrow is further away!” [RHQ]
38 Ningĩ akĩanĩrĩra agĩkeera atĩrĩ, “Hiũha! Hanyũka! Ndũkarũgame!” Kahĩĩ kau gakĩoya mũguĩ ũcio, gagĩcooka kũrĩ mwathi wako.
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 (Kahĩĩ kau gatirĩ ũndũ kaamenyaga ũhoro-inĩ ũcio; tiga Jonathani na Daudi maamenyaga ũhoro ũcio.)
But the boy did not understand the meaning of what Jonathan had said; only Jonathan and David knew.
40 Ningĩ Jonathani akĩnengera kahĩĩ kau indo ciake cia mbaara, agĩkeera atĩrĩ, “Kuua, thiĩ na indo ici ũcicookie itũũra-inĩ.”
Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him, “Go back to the town.”
41 Thuutha wa kahĩĩ kau gũthiĩ-rĩ, Daudi agĩũkĩra akiuma mwena wa gũthini wa ihiga rĩu, akĩinamĩrĩra maita matatũ mbere ya Jonathani, agĩturumithagia ũthiũ wake thĩ. Magĩcooka makĩmumunyana o eerĩ, makĩrĩranĩra, no Daudi nĩwe warĩrire mũno makĩria.
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 Jonathani akĩĩra Daudi atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ na thayũ, tondũ nĩtwehĩtire na mwĩhĩtwa tũtũũrie ũrata gatagatĩ gaitũ thĩinĩ wa rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova, tũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Jehova nĩwe mũira gatagatĩ gakwa nawe, na gatagatĩ ka njiaro ciaku na njiaro ciakwa nginya tene.’” Daudi agĩũkĩra agĩĩthiĩra, nake Jonathani agĩcooka itũũra-inĩ.
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.
