1 Saamuʼeel 20
1 Daawitis Naayot ishee Raamaa keessatti argamtuu baqatee Yoonaataan bira deemee, “Ani maalin godhe? Yakki koos maali? Cubbuun ani fuula abbaa keetii duratti hojjedhee inni na ajjeesuu barbaaduuf kami?” jedhee gaafate.
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 Yoonaataanis deebisee, “Kun gonkumaa hin taʼu; ati hin ajjeefamtu! Abbaan koo waan xinnaas taʼu waan guddaa utuu na wajjin hin mariʼatin hin hojjetu. Yoos abbaan koo akkam waan kana na dhoksa ree? Wanni kun akkas miti!” jedhe.
“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 Daawit garuu akkana jedhee kakate; “Akka ani fuula kee duratti fudhatama argadhe abbaan kee sirriitti beeka; kanaafuu inni, ‘Yoonaataan waan gadduuf akka waan kana beeku hin godhinaa’ jedheera. Garuu dhugaa Waaqayyo jiraataa ti; duʼa kee ti; anaa fi duʼa giddu tarkaanfii tokko qofatu jira.”
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 Yoonaataanis Daawitiin, “Waan ati akka ani siif godhu barbaaddu hunda siifin godha” jedhe.
“Tell me what you want me to do for you and I'll do it,” Jonathan told David.
5 Kanaafuu Daawit akkana jedhe; “Bor Ayyaana Baatii ti; anis mootii wajjin maaddiitti dhiʼaachuun qaba; garuu akka ani dhaqee hamma galgala iftaaniitti ala dhokadhu naa eeyyami.
“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 Yoo abbaan kee na barbaadee na dhabe, ‘Daawit waan aarsaan waggaa sababii maatii isaa guutuutiif achitti dhiʼeeffamaa jiruuf akka ariitiidhaan gara Beetlihem magaalaa ofii isaa dhaquuf cimsee eeyyama na gaafatee jira’ jedhiin.
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 Yoo inni, ‘Haa taʼu’ jedhe, garbichi kee ooleera; yoo inni aare garuu akka inni hammina natti yaade hubachuu dandeessa.
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 Ati garuu garbicha keetiif garaa laafi. Atii fi garbichi kee fuula Waaqayyoo duratti kakuu galtaniirtuutii. Yoo ani yakka qabaadhe atuu na ajjeesi! Maaliif dabarsitee abbaa keetti na kennita?”
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 Yoonaataanis, “Wanni kun sirraa haa fagaatu! Ani utuu akka abbaan koo si miidhuu barbaade beekee silaa sitti hin himun turee?” jedhe.
“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 Daawitis, “Yoo abbaan kee dheekkamsaan siif deebise eenyutu natti hima?” jedhee gaafate.
“So who's going to let me know if your father gives you a nasty answer?” David asked.
11 Yoonaataan, “Kottu alatti baanaa” jedhe. Kanaafuu isaan lamaanuu walii wajjin deeman.
“Come on, let's go out into the countryside,” Jonathan said. So they both of them went out into the countryside.
12 Kana irratti Yoonaataan Daawitiin akkana jedhe; “Ani Waaqayyo Waaqa Israaʼeliin nan kakadha; dhugumaan iftaan yoona yaada abbaa koo nan ilaala! Yoo inni yaada tolaa siif qabaate ani dhaamsa sitti ergeen si beeksisa.
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 Garuu yoo abbaan koo si miidhuu barbaadee ani immoo si beeksisee nagaadhaan si erguu baadhe, Waaqayyo Yoonaataanin haa adabu; waan caalus itti haa fidu. Waaqayyo akkuma abbaa koo wajjin taʼe sana si wajjinis haa taʼu.
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 Akka ani hin ajjeefamneef ati gara laafina hin geeddaramne kan akka gara laafina Waaqayyoo sana bara jireenya kootii keessa na argisiisi.
While I live, please show me trustworthy love like that of the Lord so I don't die,
15 Yeroo Waaqayyo diinota Daawit lafa irraa barbadeessutti illee gara laafinni kee maatii koo irraa hin citin.”
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 Kanaafuu Yoonaataan, “Waaqayyo diinota Daawit itti gaafatamtoota haa godhu” jedhee mana Daawit wajjin kakuu seene.
Jonathan made a solemn agreement with the family of David, saying, “May the Lord impose retribution on David's enemies.”
17 Yoonaataan sababii akkuma lubbuu ofii isaatti Daawitin jaallateef akka inni amma illee isaaf kakatu godhe.
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 Yoonaataanis Daawitiin akkana jedhe: “Bori Guyyaa Ayyaana Baatii ti. Sababii iddoon ati teessu sun duwwaa taʼuuf akka ati hin jirre ni beekama.
Then Jonathan said to David, “The New Moon festival is tomorrow. You'll be missed, because your place will be empty.
19 Iftaan galgala iddoo yeroo rakkinni kun jalqabetti itti dhokatte sana dhaqiitii dhagaa Ezeel bira turi.
In three days time, go quickly to where you hid when all this started, and stay there beside the pile of stones.
20 Ani akka nama waan tokkotti xiyyeeffatee darbatuutti xiyya sadii naannoo dhagaa sanaatti nan darbadha.
I'll shoot three arrows to the side of it as if I were shooting at a target.
21 Ergasiis gurbaa tokko ergee, ‘Dhaqiitii xiyya barbaadi’ nan jedha. Yoo ani, ‘Ilaa, xiyyi siin garana jira; as fidi’ jedheen, dhugaa Waaqayyo jiraataa, ati homaa hin taatuutii kottu; balaan tokko iyyuu hin jiru.
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 Yoo ani gurbichaan, ‘Ilaa, xiyyi siin garas jira’ jedhe garuu waan Waaqayyo akka ati deemtu barbaadeef deemuu qabda.
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 Waaʼee waan anaa fi ati mariʼanne sanaa akka Waaqayyo bara baraan anaa fi si gidduutti dhuga baʼaa taʼe yaadadhu.”
As for what you and I talked about, remember that the Lord is a witness between you and me forever.”
24 Kanaafuu Daawit ala dhokate; yeroo Guyyaan Ayyaana Baatii gaʼettis mootichi waa nyaachuuf taaʼe.
So David hid himself in the field. When the New Moon festival arrived, the king sat down to eat.
25 Innis akkuma amala isaa keenyan manaa bira taaʼe; Yoonaataan fuullee isaa, Abneer immoo Saaʼol cina taaʼe; iddoon Daawit garuu duwwaa ture.
He sat in his usual place by the wall opposite Jonathan. Abner sat next to Saul, but David's place was empty.
26 Saaʼol gaafas homaa hin dubbanne; inni, “Wanni akka seeraatti isa xureessu tokko Daawititti dhufuu hin oolu; inni dhugumaanuu xuraaʼaa dha” jedhee yaadaa tureetii.
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 Garuu guyyaa itti aanu jechuunis jiʼa sana keessaa guyyaa lammaffaatti iddoon Daawit ammas duwwaa ture. Kana irratti Saaʼol ilma isaa Yoonaataaniin, “Ilmi Isseey sun maaliif kaleessas harʼas nyaataaf hin dhufin?” jedhe.
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 Yoonaataanis akkana jedhee deebise; “Daawit gara Beetlihem deemuuf jedhee jabeessee eeyyama na gaafate.
Jonathan answered, “David had to urgently ask my permission to go to Bethlehem.
29 Innis, ‘Sababii maatiin keenya magaalaa sana keessatti aarsaa dhiʼeessaa jiruu fi sababii obboleessi koo akka ani achitti argamuuf na ajajeef nan dhaqa. Yoo ani fuula kee duratti fudhatama argadhee jiraadhe akka ani obboloota koo ilaaluu dhaquuf naa eeyyami’ jedhe. Wanni inni utuu maaddii mootichaatti hin dhiʼaatin hafeefis kanuma.”
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 Saaʼolis akka malee Yoonaataanitti aaree akkana jedheen; “Ati yaa ilma dubartii micciiramtuu fi finciltuu sanaa! Akka ati ilma Isseey kan siʼii fi haadha si deesseef qaanii taʼe sanaaf tumsite ani hin beekuu?
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 Hamma ilmi Isseey lafa irra jirutti atis mootummaan kees jabaattanii hin dhaabattan. Kanaafuu amma nama itti ergiitii gara koo fichisiisi; inni duʼuu qabaatii!”
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 Yoonaataanis, “Inni maaliif ajjeefama? Maali godhe?” jedhee abbaa isaa Saaʼolin gaafate.
“Why does he have to be put to death?” Jonathan asked. “What has he done?”
33 Saaʼol garuu isa ajjeesuudhaaf eeboo itti darbate. Kanaafuu Yoonaataan akka abbaan isaa Daawitin ajjeesuuf kutate beeke.
Saul threw his spear at Jonathan, trying to kill him, so he knew that his father definitely wanted David dead.
34 Yoonaataanis akka malee aaree maaddii irraa kaʼe; innis sababii hojii qaanii kan abbaan isaa Daawititti hojjete sanaan gaddeef bultii lammaffaa jiʼa sanaatti homaa hin nyaanne.
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 Yoonaataan ganama barii Daawitin wal arguuf gad baʼe. Gurbaan xinnaan tokkos isa wajjin ture.
In the morning Jonathan went to the field to the place he had agreed with David, and a young boy was with him.
36 Innis gurbaa sanaan, “Fiigiitii xiyya ani darbadhu sana barbaadi” jedhe. Akkuma gurbaan sun fiigeen Yoonaataan isa duubaan xiyya darbate.
He told the boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” The boy started running and Jonathan shot an arrow past him.
37 Yeroo gurbichi iddoo xiyyi Yoonaataan buʼe sana gaʼetti, Yoonaataan isa waamee, “Xiyyi siin achi jira mitii?” jedhe.
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 Ergasiis, “Ariifadhu! Dafiitii deemi! Hin dhaabatin!” jedhee itti iyye; gurbichis xiyya sana fuudhee gara gooftaa isaatti deebiʼe.
Hurry up! Do it quickly! Don't wait!” The boy picked up the arrows and took them back to his master.
39 Gurbaan sun waaʼee waan kana hundaa waan tokko illee hin beekne; Yoonaataanii fi Daawit qofatu beeka ture.
The boy didn't suspect anything—only Jonathan and David knew what it meant.
40 Ergasiis Yoonaataan miʼa isaa kan lolaa gurbichatti kennee, “Fuudhiitii gara magaalaatti deebiʼi” jedheen.
Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and said, “Take these back to town.”
41 Erga gurbichi deemee booddee Daawit karaa kibba dhagaa sanaatii kaʼee yeroo sadii gad jedhee fuula Yoonaataan duratti addaan lafatti gombifame. Ergasiis isaan wal dhungatanii walitti booʼan; Daawit garuu caalaa booʼe.
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 Yoonaataanis Daawitiin, “‘Anaa fi si gidduutti, sanyii koo fi sanyii kee gidduutti Waaqayyo bara baraan dhugaa baatuu dha’ waliin jennee akka firummaan keenya jabaatee dhaabatuuf maqaa Waaqayyootiin walii kakanneerraatii nagaan deemi” jedhe. Ergasii Daawit kaʼee qajeele. Yoonaataanis gara magaalaatti deebiʼe.
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.
