1 Samuel 20
1 Devid sitere na Naịọt nʼime Rema gbapụ ọsọ, chọta Jonatan, sị ya, “Ọ bụ gịnị ka m mere? Gịnị bụkwa ihe ọjọọ m mere? Olee ụzọ m si mejọọ nna gị, mere o ji na-achọsi ike ka ọ napụ m ndụ m?”
David ran from Naioth in Ramah to Jonathan and asked him, “What have I done? What is my wrong have I done? What terrible thing have I done to your father that he wants to kill me?”
2 Jonatan sịrị ya, “Nke a abụghị eziokwu. Ị gaghị anwụ! Ihe dị otu a adịghị nna m nʼobi, nʼihi na ọ na-agwa m ihe ọbụla ọ na-ezube ime, ọ bụladị ihe ukwu maọbụ ihe ntakịrị. Amakwaara m na ọ gaghị ezonarị m ihe dị otu a. Mba, ọ bụghị eziokwu.”
“Nothing!” Jonathan replied. “You're not going to die! Listen! My father tells me everything he's planning, whatever it is. Why would my father keep something like this from me? It's not true!”
3 Devid ṅụrụ iyi sị, “Nna gị maara nke ọma na m anatala amara nʼebe ị nọ, nʼihi ya, o kwuola nʼime onwe ya sị, ‘Agaghị m agwa Jonatan, ka ọ ghara iwute ya.’ Ma eji m Onyenwe anyị na mkpụrụobi gị na-aṅụ iyi na-asị na ọ bụ naanị otu nzọ ụkwụ dị ugbu a nʼetiti mụ na ọnwụ.”
But David swore an oath again, saying, “Your father knows very well that I'm your friend, and so he's told himself, ‘Jonathan can't find out about this, otherwise he'll be really upset.’ I swear on the life of the Lord, and on your own life, my life is hanging by a thread.”
4 Jonatan sịrị Devid, “Ihe ọbụla ị chọrọ ka m mee, aga m emere gị ya.”
“Tell me what you want me to do for you and I'll do it,” Jonathan told David.
5 Devid sịrị ya, “Lee echi ga-abụ mmemme ọnwa ọhụrụ, e kwesiri m iso eze rie nri. Ma hapụ m ka m ga zoo onwe m nʼọhịa tutu ruo uhuruchi nke nwanne echi.
“Well, the New Moon festival is tomorrow, and I'm meant to sit down and eat with the king. But if it's alright with you, I plan to go and hide in the field until the evening three days from now.
6 Ọ bụrụ na nna gị ajụọ ase m, sị ya, ‘Devid rịọsiri m arịrịọ ike ka m hapụ ya ka ọ gbaga Betlehem, bụ obodo ya, nʼihi a na-achụ aja nke dịrị agbụrụ ya kwa afọ.’
If your father does indeed miss me, tell him, ‘David had to urgently ask my permission to hurry down to Bethlehem, his hometown, because of a yearly sacrifice there for his whole family group.’
7 Ọ bụrụ na ọ sị, ‘Ọ dị mma,’ mgbe ahụ, udo ga-adịrị ohu gị. Ma ọ bụrụ na o wee iwe nke ukwuu, mara nʼezie na o zubere ime m ihe ọjọọ.
If he says, ‘That's fine,’ then there's no problem for me, your servant, but if he gets mad, you'll know he intends to do me harm.
8 Ma gị onwe gị, meere ohu gị ebere, nʼihi na i meela ka o sooro gị baa nʼọgbụgba ndụ nʼihu Onyenwe anyị. Ọ bụrụ na ikpe mara m, gị onwe gị gbuo m. Nʼihi gịnị ka ị ga-eji nyefee m nʼaka nna gị?”
So please treat me well, as you promised when you made a agreement with me before the Lord. If I've done wrong, then kill me yourself! Why take me to your father for him to do it?”
9 Jonatan sịrị, “Agaghị m eme ya, lee, a sịkwa na m maara na nna m na-achọ igbu gị, ọ bụ na m agaghị agwa gị?”
“Absolutely not!” Jonathan replied. “If I knew for certain that if my father had plans to harm you, don't you think I'd tell you?”
10 Devid jụrụ ya, “Onye ga-agwa m ma ọ bụrụ na nna gị aza gị okwu ike ike?”
“So who's going to let me know if your father gives you a nasty answer?” David asked.
11 Jonatan sịrị ya, “Bịa ka anyị pụọ gaa nʼọhịa.” Ya mere, ha abụọ pụrụ jee nʼọhịa.
“Come on, let's go out into the countryside,” Jonathan said. So they both of them went out into the countryside.
12 Jonatan gwara Devid sị, “Eji m aha Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel na-ekwe nkwa na-asị gị, nʼoge ugbu a echi, maọbụ nwanne echi, aga m akpanyere nna m ụka banyere gị, meekwa ka ị mata ihe ọ na-eche banyere gị. Ọ bụrụ na obi dị ya mma nʼebe ị nọ, aga m eme ka ị mata.
Jonathan said to David, “I promise by the Lord, the God of Israel, that I will question my father by this time tomorrow or the day after. If things look good for you, I'll send a message to you and let you know.
13 Ma ọ bụrụ na nna m na-achọ imerụ gị ahụ, ka Onyenwe anyị mesoo Jonatan mmeso, otu ọbụla o si dị njọ, ma ọ bụrụ na m abịaghị gwa gị, zilaga gị ka ị laa nʼudo. Ka Onyenwe anyị nọnyere gị dịka o si nọnyere nna m.
But if my father plans to do you harm, then may the Lord punish me very severely, if I don't let you know by sending you a message so you can get away safely. May the Lord be with you, just as he was with my father.
14 Chetakwa, i ghaghị igosi m ịhụnanya na obi ebere Onyenwe anyị, ma ọ bụrụ na m anwụọ.
While I live, please show me trustworthy love like that of the Lord so I don't die,
15 E wezugakwala ịhụnanya gị na obi ebere gị site nʼebe ezinaụlọ m dị, ọ bụladị mgbe Onyenwe anyị bipụchara ndị iro Devid niile site nʼelu ụwa.”
and please don't ever remove your trustworthy love for my family, even when the Lord has removed every one of your enemies from the earth.”
16 Jonatan na ụlọ Devid gbara ndụ. O kwuru sị, “Ka Onyenwe anyị kpee ndị iro Devid niile ikpe.”
Jonathan made a solemn agreement with the family of David, saying, “May the Lord impose retribution on David's enemies.”
17 Jonatan mere ka Devid site nʼịhụnanya ọ hụrụ ya ṅụọra ya iyi. Nʼihi na Jonatan hụrụ Devid nʼanya dịka ọ hụrụ onwe ya.
Jonathan made David swear this once more by making an oath based on David's love for him, for Jonathan already loved David as he loved himself.
18 Mgbe ahụ, Jonatan sịrị Devid, “Echi bụ mmemme ọnwa ọhụrụ. A ga-ele anya gị, nʼihi na ọnọdụ gị ga-atọgbọrọ nʼefu.
Then Jonathan said to David, “The New Moon festival is tomorrow. You'll be missed, because your place will be empty.
19 Nwanne echi ya, nʼoge uhuruchi, gaa nʼebe ahụ i zoro onwe gị mgbe nsogbu a malitere, chere nʼebe ahụ, nʼakụkụ nkume Ezel.
In three days time, go quickly to where you hid when all this started, and stay there beside the pile of stones.
20 Aga m abịa gbaa àkụ atọ nʼakụkụ ya dịka a ga-asị na o nwere ihe m chọrọ iji ụta m gbata.
I'll shoot three arrows to the side of it as if I were shooting at a target.
21 Emesịa, aga m ezipu otu nwantakịrị sị ya, ‘Gaa chọta àkụ ndị ahụ.’ Ọ bụrụ na ị nụ ka m na-agwa ya okwu sị, ‘Lee àkụ ndị a dị nʼakụkụ azụ gị, chita ha ebe a,’ mgbe ahụ, pụta nʼihi, dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, udo dịrị gị, egwu ọbụla adịghị.
Then I'll send a boy and tell him, ‘Go and find the arrows!’ Now, if I say to him specifically, ‘Look, the arrows are this side of you; bring them over here,’ then I swear on the life of the Lord it's safe for you to come out—there's no danger.
22 Ma ọ bụrụ na m agwa nwantakịrị ahụ okwu sị ya, ‘Lee, àkụ ahụ dị nʼihu gị,’ ọ pụtara na ị ghaghị isi nʼebe a pụọ, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ezipụla gị.
But if I tell the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are way past you,’ then you'll have to leave, for the Lord wants you to go away.
23 Ma ihe banyere okwu ahụ anyị kwuru, cheta na Onyenwe anyị bụ onye akaebe, nʼetiti mụ na gị ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.”
As for what you and I talked about, remember that the Lord is a witness between you and me forever.”
24 Ya mere, Devid gara zoo onwe ya nʼọhịa. Mgbe oge mmemme ọnwa ọhụrụ ruru, eze Sọl nọdụrụ ala iri nri.
So David hid himself in the field. When the New Moon festival arrived, the king sat down to eat.
25 Ọ nọdụrụ ọdụ nʼakụkụ aja ụlọ, bụ ebe ọ dị mbụ anọ, na ncherita ihu Jonatan. Abna nọdụrụ nʼakụkụ Sọl, ma oche Devid na-anọ enweghị onye nọ ya.
He sat in his usual place by the wall opposite Jonathan. Abner sat next to Saul, but David's place was empty.
26 Sọl ekwughị ihe ọbụla banyere ya nʼụbọchị ahụ, nʼihi na o chere na ọ dị ihe ndaba mere, nke tinyere Devid nʼọnọdụ adịghị ọcha. Sọl kwuru nʼobi ya sị, “E, ọ ghaghị ịbụ ihe kpatara ya.”
Saul didn't say anything that day because he thought, “Something has probably happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—yes, he must be unclean.”
27 Ma nʼechi ya, bụ abalị nke abụọ nke ọnwa ọhụrụ, ọnọdụ Devid tọgbọrọ nʼefu ọzọ. Mgbe ahụ, Sọl sịrị nwa ya Jonatan, “Gịnị mere nwa Jesi abịaghị iso rie nri, ma ụnyaahụ ma taa?”
But the second day, the day after the New Moon, David's place was still empty. Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why hasn't the son of Jesse come to dinner either yesterday or today?”
28 Jonatan zara sị, “Devid rịọrọ sị m nye ya ike ka ọ gaa Betlehem.
Jonathan answered, “David had to urgently ask my permission to go to Bethlehem.
29 Ọ sịrị m, ‘Kwere ka m gaa nʼihi na ndị ezinaụlọ anyị nwere aja mmemme ha na-eme nʼobodo. Nwanne m nwoke nyere m iwu sị m na m aghaghị ịbịa. Ọ bụrụ na m ahụta amara nʼebe ị nọ, biko kwere ka m gaa hụ ụmụnne m.’ Ọ bụ nke a mere ọ bịaghị na tebul eze.”
He told me, ‘Please let me go, because our family is having a sacrifice in the town and my brother told me I had to be there. If you think well of me, please let me go and see my brothers.’ That's why he's absent from the king's table.”
30 Iwe were Sọl nke ukwuu. Ọ gwara Jonatan okwu nʼiwe sị ya, “Gị nwa nke nwanyị na-enupu isi, nke uche ya gbagọrọ agbagọ. Ị na-eche na m amaghị na i dịnyere nwa Jesi si otu a wetara onwe gị na nne gị ihe ihere?
Saul got very angry with Jonathan and said, “You rebellious son of a whore! Don't you think I know that you prefer the son of Jesse? Shame on you! You're a disgrace to the mother who bore you!
31 Nʼihi na ụbọchị niile nwa Jesi dị ndụ nʼụwa a, ọnọdụ gị na alaeze gị agaghị eguzosi ike. Ugbu a, pụọ, zipụ ozi kpọtara m ya ka m gbuo ya!”
While the son of Jesse remains alive, you and your kingship are not secure. Now go and bring him here to me, for he has to die!”
32 Jonatan jụrụ nna ya Sọl sị, “Gịnị ka o mere? Nʼihi gịnị ka a ga-eji mee ka ọ nwụọ?”
“Why does he have to be put to death?” Jonathan asked. “What has he done?”
33 Ma Sọl tụrụ ùbe o ji nʼaka ya ka o jiri ya tugbuo Jonatan, ma Jonatan zere ya. Nke a mere ka Jonatan mata nʼezie na nna ya na-achọ igbu Devid.
Saul threw his spear at Jonathan, trying to kill him, so he knew that his father definitely wanted David dead.
34 Jonatan si na tebul ahụ bilie nʼoke iwe pụọ, o righịkwa nri nʼụbọchị nke abụọ nke mmemme ahụ, nʼihi na omume ihere nna ya mesoro Devid wutere ya hie nne.
Jonathan left the table absolutely furious. He would not eat anything on the second day of the festival, for he was so upset by the shameful way his father had treated David.
35 Nʼụtụtụ echi ya, dịka ha kara aka, Jonatan gara nʼọhịa, ya na nwantakịrị nwoke so gaa.
In the morning Jonathan went to the field to the place he had agreed with David, and a young boy was with him.
36 Ọ sịrị nwantakịrị nwoke ahụ, “Gbara ọsọ gaa chọta àkụ ndị ahụ niile m na-agba.” Mgbe nwantakịrị ahụ na-agba ọsọ na-aga, Jonatan gbapụrụ àkụ, gbafee ya nʼihu nwantakịrị ahụ.
He told the boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” The boy started running and Jonathan shot an arrow past him.
37 Mgbe nwokorobịa ahụ na-ejeru nso ebe àkụ ahụ Jonatan gbara dị, Jonatan kpọkuru ya sị ya, “Àkụ ahụ dị nʼihu gị.”
When the boy got to the place where Jonathan's arrow had landed, Jonathan shouted to him, “Isn't the arrow farther past you?
38 Mgbe ahụ, o tiri mkpu sị, “Mee ngwangwa! Gawa ọsịịsọ! Eguzokwala!” Nwokorobịa ahụ chịkọtara àkụ ndị ahụ niile gbaghachikwute nna ya ukwu.
Hurry up! Do it quickly! Don't wait!” The boy picked up the arrows and took them back to his master.
39 Ma nwantakịrị nwoke ahụ aghọtaghị ihe Jonatan mere; ma Jonatan na Devid maara ihe gara.
The boy didn't suspect anything—only Jonathan and David knew what it meant.
40 Jonatan nyere nwokorobịa ahụ ụta ya na àkụ ndị ahụ ka ọ chighachi ha nʼobodo.
Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and said, “Take these back to town.”
41 Mgbe nwokorobịa ahụ lara, Devid biliri site nʼakụkụ ndịda nkume ahụ ebe o zoro onwe kpuo ihu ya nʼala, kpọọ isiala ugboro atọ, nʼihu Jonatan. Ha suritere onwe ha ọnụ, bekọkwaa akwa. Ma Devid kwara akwa karịa.
After the boy had gone, David got up from beside the pile of stones, fell facedown to the ground, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and cried together as friends, though David cried the hardest.
42 Nʼikpeazụ, Jonatan gwara Devid okwu sị, “Gaa nʼudo, nʼihi na anyị ejirila aha Onyenwe anyị ṅụọ iyi ịbụ enyi nʼetiti onwe anyị, na-asị, ‘Onyenwe anyị bụ onye akaebe nʼebe mụ na gị, na nʼebe ụmụ ụmụ m, na ụmụ ụmụ gị nọ ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.’” Ha kewara. Devid malitere ịpụ, ma Jonatan tụgharịrị baa nʼobodo.
Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn a solemn oath in the name of the Lord. We said, ‘The Lord will be a witness between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to town.
