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.”
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 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?”
“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 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 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 Kisha Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Lolote utakalosema, nitakufanyia.”
“Tell me what you want me to do for you and I'll do it,” Jonathan told David.
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.
“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 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 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 Kama atasema kuwa ni vyema, 'basi mtumishi wako atakuwa na amani. Lakini kama atakasirika sana, ndipo utajua kwamba ameamua kunitendea uovu.
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 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?”
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 Yonathani akasema, “La hasha! Ikiwa ninajua kwamba baba ameamua baya likupate, siwezi kukuambia?”
“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 Ndipo Daudi akamwambia Yonathani, “Ni nani ataniambia ikiwa imetokea, baba yako akakujibu kwa ukali?”
“So who's going to let me know if your father gives you a nasty answer?” David asked.
11 Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Njoo, hebu twende huko shambani.” Ndipo wote wakaondoka kwenda shambani.
“Come on, let's go out into the countryside,” Jonathan said. So they both of them went out into the countryside.
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?
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 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 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 Kama bado nikiwa hai, hautanionesha uaminifu wa agano la BWANA, kwamba siwezi kufa?
While I live, please show me trustworthy love like that of the Lord so I don't 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 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 Basi Yonathani akafanya agano na nyumba ya Daudi na kusema, “Naye BWANA atawaondoa maadui wa Daudi.”
Jonathan made a solemn agreement with the family of David, saying, “May the Lord impose retribution on David's enemies.”
17 Yonathani akamtaka Daudi aape tena kwa sababu ya upendo aliokuwa nao juu yake, kwa sababu alimpenda kama alivyopenda roho yake mwenyewe.
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 Kisha Yonathani akamwambia Daudi, “Kesho ni siku ya mwezi mpya. Hautakuwapo, kwa sababu kiti chako kitakuwa wazi.
Then Jonathan said to David, “The New Moon festival is tomorrow. You'll be missed, because your place will be empty.
19 Utakapokuwa umekaa huko siku tatu, uende upesi hadi mahala ulipojificha mara ya kwanza, wakati shughuli ikifanyika, na ukaye karibu jiwe Ezeli.
In three days time, go quickly to where you hid when all this started, and stay there beside the pile of stones.
20 Nitatupa mishale mitatu pembeni mwa jiwe, kama vile ninalenga kitu fulani.
I'll shoot three arrows to the side of it as if I were shooting 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'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 “Lakini kama nikimwambia kijana hivi, 'Tazama, mishale iko mbele yako,' ndipo utakapokwenda zako, maana BWANA ametaka uende zako.
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 Kulingana na makubaliano ambayo mimi na wewe tumeongea, angalia, BWANA yupo kati yangu na wewe milele.'”
As for what you and I talked about, remember that 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 himself in the field. When the New Moon festival arrived, 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. Abner sat next to Saul, 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 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 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 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 Yonathani akamjibu Sauli, “Daudi aliomba kwangu ruhusa kwa dhati ili aende Bethlehemu.
Jonathan answered, “David had to urgently ask 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.”
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 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?
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 Kwa kuwa mwana wa Yese anaishi duniani, siyo wewe wala ufalme wako utakaoimarika. Sasa basi, tuma watu wamlete kwangu, kwa sababu inampasa kufa.”
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 Yonathani akamjibu Sauli baba yake, “Kwa sababu gani inampasa kuuwawa? Amefanya nini?”
“Why does he have to be put to death?” Jonathan asked. “What has he done?”
33 Ndipo Sauli akamtupia mkuki apate kumuua. Kwa hiyo Yonatani akatambua kwamba baba yake alinuia kumuua Daudi.
Saul threw his spear at Jonathan, trying to kill him, so he knew that his father definitely wanted David dead.
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 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 Ikawa asubuhi, Yonathani akaenda huko shambani kama walivyoahidiana na Daudi, akiwa pamoja na kijana wake.
In the morning Jonathan went to the field to the place he had agreed with David, and a young boy was with him.
36 Akamwambia yule kijana wake, “Kimbia utafute ile mishale niliyoitupa.” Na kijana alikimbia, akatupa mshale mwingine mbele yake.
He told the boy, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” The boy started running and Jonathan shot an arrow past 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 got to the place where Jonathan's arrow had landed, Jonathan shouted to him, “Isn't the arrow farther past you?
38 Kisha Yonathani akamwita yule kijana, “Upesi, harakisha, usikawie!” Hivyo kijana wa Yonathani akaikusanya mishale na kurudi kwa bwana wake.
Hurry up! Do it quickly! Don't wait!” The boy picked up the arrows and took them back to his master.
39 Lakini huyo kijana hakujua lolote. Ni Yonathani na Daudi tu ndio walijua habari yenyewe.
The boy didn't suspect anything—only Jonathan and David knew what it meant.
40 Yonathani akampa kijana wake silaha na kumwambia, “Nenda, uzipeleke mjini.”
Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and said, “Take these back to town.”
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.
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 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.
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.
