< 1 Samweli 20 >

1 Kisha Daudi akakimbia kutoka Nayothi huko Rama akaenda na kumwambia Yonathani, “Nimefanya nini? Uovu wangu ni upi? Dhambi yangu ni ipi kwa baba yako, inayofanya atafute kuutoa uhai wangu.”
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came to Jonathan and asked, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? How have I sinned against your father, that he wants to take my life?”
2 Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “La hasha; hautakufa. Baba yangu hafanyi jambo kubwa wala dogo bila kunijulisha. Kwa nini inamlazimu baba yangu anifiche jambo hili? La, siyo hivyo?”
“Far from it!” Jonathan replied. “You will not die. Indeed, my father does nothing, great or small, without telling me. So why would he hide this matter from me? This cannot be true!”
3 Bado Daudi aliapa tena na akasema, “Baba yako anajua wazi kwamba nimepata kibali machoni pako. Pengine anasema, 'Asije Yonathani akajua jambo hili, labda atahuzunika.' Lakini kweli kama BWANA aishivyo, kama wewe uishivyo, kuna hatua moja tu kati yangu na mauti.”
But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”
4 Kisha Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Lolote utakalosema, nitakufanyia.”
Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you desire, I will do for you.”
5 Daudi akamwambia Yonathani, “Kesho ni siku ya mwezi mpya, na inanibidi kukaa na kula pamoja na mfalme. Lakini acha niende, ili niweze kujificha katika shamba hadi siku ya tatu jioni.
So David told him, “Look, tomorrow is the New Moon, and I am supposed to dine with the king. Instead, let me go and hide in the field until the third evening from now.
6 Baba yako akinikosa kabisa, ndipo utasema, 'Daudi aliniomba kwa msisitizo ruhusa aondoke kwenda mjini kwake Bethlehemu; kwa sababu huko ni kipindi cha utoaji wa dhabihu ya mwaka kwa familia yao yote.'
If your father misses me at all, tell him, ‘David urgently requested my permission to hurry to Bethlehem, his hometown, because there is an annual sacrifice for his whole clan.’
7 Kama atasema kuwa ni vyema, 'basi mtumishi wako atakuwa na amani. Lakini kama atakasirika sana, ndipo utajua kwamba ameamua kunitendea uovu.
If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.
8 Kwa hiyo, umtendee wema mtumishi wako. Kwa maana umemweka mtumishi katika agano la BWANA pamoja na wewe. Lakini kama kuna dhambi ndani yangu, wewe mwenyewe uniuwe; maana kwa nini basi unipeleke kwa baba yako?”
Therefore deal faithfully with your servant, for you have brought me into a covenant with you before the LORD. If there is iniquity in me, then kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?”
9 Yonathani akasema, “La hasha! Ikiwa ninajua kwamba baba ameamua baya likupate, siwezi kukuambia?”
“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”
10 Ndipo Daudi akamwambia Yonathani, “Ni nani ataniambia ikiwa imetokea, baba yako akakujibu kwa ukali?”
Then David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11 Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Njoo, hebu twende huko shambani.” Ndipo wote wakaondoka kwenda shambani.
“Come,” he replied, “let us go out to the field.” So the two of them went out into the field,
12 Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Na BWANA, Mungu wa Israeli, awe shahidi. Kesho muda kama huu, nitakuwa nimemuuliza baba yangu, au siku ya tatu, tazama, ikiwa kutakuwa na jambo zuri upande wa Daudi; je, nisikutumie taarifa na kulidhihirisha kwako?
and Jonathan said, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, I will sound out my father by this time tomorrow or the next day. If he is favorable toward you, will I not send for you and tell you?
13 Na kama ikimpendeza baba yangu akufanyie madhara, Basi BWANA ayafanye hayo kwa Yonathani na kuzidi ikiwa sitakujulisha jambo na kukupeleka mbali, ili kwamba uende kwa amani. Na BWANA awe pamoja nawe, kama alivyokuwa na baba yangu.
But if my father intends to bring evil on you, then may the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if I do not tell you and send you on your way in safety. May the LORD be with you, just as He has been with my father.
14 Kama bado nikiwa hai, hautanionesha uaminifu wa agano la BWANA, kwamba siwezi kufa?
And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die,
15 Na usivunje kabisa uaminifu wako wa agano kati yako na nyumba yangu, hata wakati BWANA atakapowaodoa kila mmoja wa adui za Daudi kutoka uso wa dunia.”
and do not ever cut off your loving devotion from my household—not even when the LORD cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.”
16 Basi Yonathani akafanya agano na nyumba ya Daudi na kusema, “Naye BWANA atawaondoa maadui wa Daudi.”
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.”
17 Yonathani akamtaka Daudi aape tena kwa sababu ya upendo aliokuwa nao juu yake, kwa sababu alimpenda kama alivyopenda roho yake mwenyewe.
And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
18 Kisha Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Kesho ni siku ya mwezi mpya. Hautakuwapo, kwa sababu kiti chako kitakuwa wazi.
Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed if your seat is empty.
19 Utakapokuwa umekaa huko siku tatu, uende upesi hadi mahala ulipojificha mara ya kwanza, wakati shughuli ikifanyika, na ukaye karibu jiwe Ezeli.
When you have stayed three days, hurry down to the place you hid on the day this trouble began, and remain beside the stone Ezel.
20 Nitatupa mishale mitatu pembeni mwa jiwe, kama vile ninalenga kitu fulani.
I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as if I were aiming at a target.
21 Kisha nitamtuma kijana wangu na kumwambia, 'Nenda utafute hiyo mishale.' Kama nitamwambia kijana hivi, 'Tazama, mishale iko upande huu wa kwako; kaichukue,” ndipo uje; maana hapo kutakuwa na usalama kwako na siyo madhara, kama BWANA aishivyo.
Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ Now, if I expressly say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them,’ then come, because as surely as the LORD lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger.
22 “Lakini kama nikimwambia kijana hivi, 'Tazama, mishale iko mbele yako,' ndipo utakapokwenda zako, maana BWANA ametaka uende zako.
But if I say to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then you must go, for the LORD has sent you away.
23 Kulingana na makubaliano ambayo mimi na wewe tumeongea, angalia, BWANA yupo kati yangu na wewe milele.'”
And as for the matter you and I have discussed, the LORD is a witness between you and me forever.”
24 Kwa hiyo Daudi akajificha mle shambani. Pindi mwezi ulipoandama, mfalme aliketi chini ale chakula.
So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat.
25 Mfalme alikaa juu ya kiti chake, kama kawaida kwenye kiti karibu na ukuta. Yonathani alisimama wima, na Abneri alikaa ubavuni mwa Sauli. Lakini nafasi ya Daudi ilikuwa wazi.
He sat in his usual place by the wall, opposite Jonathan and beside Abner, but David’s place was empty.
26 Hata hivyo Sauli hakusema kitu siku hiyo, kwa sababu alifikiri, “Kuna jambo limempata Daudi. Hayuko safi; hakika hayuko safi.”
Saul said nothing that day because he thought, “Something has happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.”
27 Lakini siku ya pili, siku moja baada ya mwandamo wa mwezi, bado nafasi ya Daudi ilikuwa tupu. Ndipo Sauli akamuuliza Yonathani mwanaye, “Kwa nini mwana wa Yese hakuja kwenye chakula, jana na hata leo?”
But on the day after the New Moon, the second day, David’s place was still empty, and Saul asked his son Jonathan, “Why hasn’t the son of Jesse come to the meal either yesterday or today?”
28 Yonathani akamjibu Sauli, “Daudi aliomba kwangu ruhusa kwa dhati ili aende Bethlehemu.
Jonathan answered, “David urgently requested my permission to go to Bethlehem,
29 Alisema, 'Tafadhali niruhusu niende. Maana familia yetu wanayo dhabihu huko mjini, na kaka yangu ameniagiza niwe huko. Basi kama nimepata kibali machoni pako, tafadhali niruhusu niende nikawaone kaka zangu.' Hakuja kwenye meza ya mfalme kwa sababu hii.”
saying, ‘Please let me go, because our clan is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has told me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go and see my brothers.’ That is why he did not come to the king’s table.”
30 Ndipo hasira ya Sauli iliwaka juu ya Yonathani, na akamwambia, “Wee mwana wa mwanamke mkaidi na muasi! Wadhani kwamba sijui kuwa umemchagua Mwana wa Yese kwa ajili ya aibu yako, na kwa aibu ya uchi wa mama yako?
Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the disgrace of the mother who bore you?
31 Kwa kuwa mwana wa Yese anaishi duniani, siyo wewe wala ufalme wako utakaoimarika. Sasa basi, tuma watu wamlete kwangu, kwa sababu inampasa kufa.”
For as long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingship shall be established. Now send for him and bring him to me, for he must surely die!”
32 Yonathani akamjibu Sauli baba yake, “Kwa sababu gani inampasa kuuwawa? Amefanya nini?”
“Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”
33 Ndipo Sauli akamtupia mkuki apate kumuua. Kwa hiyo Yonatani akatambua kwamba baba yake alinuia kumuua Daudi.
Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to kill him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.
34 Yonathani alitoka mezani akiwa na hasira kali bila kula chakula siku ya pili ya mwezi, kwa sababu alimhuzunikia Daudi, na kwa sababu baba yake amemwaibisha.
Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger and did not eat any food that second day of the month, for he was grieved by his father’s shameful treatment of David.
35 Ikawa asubuhi, Yonathani akaenda huko shambani kama walivyoahidiana na Daudi, akiwa pamoja na kijana wake.
In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for the appointment with David, and a small boy was with him.
36 Akamwambia yule kijana wake, “Kimbia utafute ile mishale niliyoitupa.” Na kijana alikimbia, akatupa mshale mwingine mbele yake.
He said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” And as the boy ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him.
37 Kijana alipofika katika eneo ambapo mshale ulitua, ule alioutuma Yonathani, akamwita tena kijana, na kusema, “Huo mshale hauko mbele yako?”
When the boy reached the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called to him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”
38 Kisha Yonathani akamwita yule kijana, “Upesi, harakisha, usikawie!” Hivyo kijana wa Yonathani akaikusanya mishale na kurudi kwa bwana wake.
Then Jonathan cried out, “Hurry! Make haste! Do not delay!” So the boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.
39 Lakini huyo kijana hakujua lolote. Ni Yonathani na Daudi tu ndio walijua habari yenyewe.
But the boy did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement.
40 Yonathani akampa kijana wake silaha na kumwambia, “Nenda, uzipeleke mjini.”
Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”
41 Punde tu kijana alipoondoka, Daudi akasimama kutokea upande wa kusini, akiwa amelala kifudifudi, akainama mara tatu. Walibusiana wao kwa wao na wote wakalia kwa pamoja, Daudi akilia zaidi.
When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.
42 Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Nenda kwa amani, kwa sababu wote tumeapa kwa jina la BWANA na tulisema, 'BWANA awe kati yangu na wewe, na awe kati ya uzao wangu na uzao wako, milele.'” Kisha Daudi alisimama na akaondoka, na Yonathani akarudi mjini.
And Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for the two of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘May the LORD be a witness between you and me, and between your descendants and mine forever.’” Then David got up and departed, and Jonathan went back into the city.

< 1 Samweli 20 >