1 Samuel 20
1 Dawid guan fii Naiot a ɛwɔ Rama kohuu Yonatan. Obisaa se, “Bɔne bɛn na mayɛ? Bɔne bɛn na mayɛ wʼagya, a enti ɔpɛ sɛ okum me yi?”
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 Yonatan teɛɛ mu se, “Ɛnyɛ nokware. Minim yiye sɛ onsusuw biribi a ɛte saa ho, efisɛ ɔka ne nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛ me; mpo, ne nsɛm nketenkete nyinaa ɔma mʼaso te. Minim sɛ ɔrentumi mfa asɛm a ɛte sɛɛ nsie me da. Ɛnte saa!”
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 Dawid kaa ntam wɔ Yonatan anim se, “Wʼagya nim yɛn ayɔnkofa yi mu pefee nti, waka wɔ ne tirim se, ‘Merenka nkyerɛ Yonatan.’ Nanso sɛnea Awurade te ase na wote ase yi, anammɔn baako pɛ na ɛda me ne owu ntam.”
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 Na Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Nea wopɛ sɛ menyɛ mma wo biara no mɛyɛ.”
Jonathan said to David, “I will do whatever you tell me to do.”
5 Dawid buae se, “Ɔkyena yebedi Ɔsram Foforo Afahyɛ. Bere biara, sɛ dapɔnna no du saa a, me ne ɔhene to nsa didi. Nanso ɔkyena de, mɛkora me ho wɔ wuram ara kosi ne nnansa so anwummere.
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 Na sɛ wʼagya hwehwɛ me a, ka kyerɛ no se, ‘Dawid srɛɛ kwan se ɔrekɔ ne kurom Betlehem, na ɔne ne fifo akɔbɔ afirihyia afɔre.’
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 Sɛ ɔka se, ‘Eye’ a, wubehu sɛ wʼakoa ho sɔnn. Na sɛ nso ne bo fuw, gye hwanyan a, wubehu sɛ ɔrehyehyɛ ho sɛ obekum me.
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 Da saa adɔe yi adi kyerɛ me, sɛ adamfo a maka ntam adi nsew akyerɛ wo, efisɛ yɛn nyinaa wɔ apam wɔ Awurade anim. Na sɛ ɛnte saa, na mayɛ bɔne atia wʼagya a, wo ara kum me. Nanso mesrɛ wo, nyi me mma.”
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 Yonatan teɛɛ mu se, “Ɛmpare me! Wo ara wunim sɛ, sɛ minim mʼagya nsusuwii no ho biribi a, anka maka akyerɛ wo dedaw.”
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 Na Dawid bisaa Yonatan se, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mahu sɛ wʼagya bo afuw anaasɛ ne bo mfuw ɛ?”
David asked him, “How will I find out if your father answers you harshly?”
11 Yonatan buae se, “Bra na yɛnkɔ wuram hɔ.” Na wɔn nyinaa kɔɔ hɔ.
Jonathan replied, “Come with me. We will go out into the field.” So they went together out into the field.
12 Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Mehyɛ bɔ wɔ Awurade Israel Nyankopɔn din mu sɛ ɔkyena akyi sesɛɛ me ne mʼagya bɛkasa, na mɛma woahu nea ɔka fa wo ho. Sɛ ɔwɔ wo ho adwene pa a meremma wo nkra biara.
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 Nanso sɛ mʼagya bo afuw, na ɔpɛ sɛ okum wo, na sɛ manka ankyerɛ wo amma woanguan a Awurade ne minni no ɔyaw so. Awurade nka wo ho sɛnea ɔkaa mʼagya ho no.
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 Na fa Awurade nokware dɔ no bi dɔ me bere a mete ase yi. Na sɛ miwu,
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 ɛba sɛ Awurade twa Dawid atamfo nyinaa gu fi asase ani mpo a, nyi wʼadɔe mfi me fifo so da biara da.”
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 Enti Yonatan ne Dawid yɛɛ apam se, “Awurade ne Dawid atamfo nni.”
[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 Esiane ɔdɔ a Yonatan wɔ ma Dawid no nti, ɔmaa no tii ne ntam no mu, efisɛ na ɔdɔ no sɛnea ɔdɔ ɔno ankasa ho.
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 Afei, Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Ɔkyena na ɛyɛ ɔsram foforo afahyɛ no. Yɛrenhu wo, efisɛ wʼakongua so bɛda hɔ.
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 Ɔkyena akyi, ɛrekɔ anwummere no, kɔ baabi a saa ɔhaw yi fii ase no wukohintaw wo ho no, na twɛn wɔ ɔbo siw no ho.
The day after tomorrow, in the evening, go to the place where you hid before. Wait by the pile of stones.
20 Mɛtow agyan abiɛsa afa ne nkyɛn, te sɛ nea meretow abɔ biribi no.
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 Afei, mɛsoma abarimaa bi aka se, ‘Kɔ na kɔhwehwɛ bɛmma no.’ Sɛ meka kyerɛ no se, ‘Hwɛ, bɛmma no wɔ ha; tase brɛ me a,’ bra, efisɛ mmere dodow a Awurade te ase yi, wo ho sɔnn; bɔne bi nni hɔ.
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 Na sɛ meka kyerɛ abarimaa no se, ‘Hwɛ, bɛmma no wɔ wʼanim’ a, ɛno de, na ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ, efisɛ Awurade na ose kɔ.
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 Na Awurade mmoa yɛn na yenni bɔ a yɛahyehyɛ yɛn ho yɛn ho no so, efisɛ ɔno ne yɛn danseni.”
I hope/desire that Yahweh will watch you and me and enable us to never forget what we have promised each other.”
24 Na Dawid kɔtɛwee wuram, na bere a ɔsram foforo afahyɛ no dui no, ɔhene no tenaa ase sɛ ɔrebedidi.
So David went and hid in the field. When the Festival of the New Moon started, the king sat down to eat.
25 Ɔtenaa nʼatenae a ɛbɛn ɔfasu ho a ɛne Yonatan di nhwɛanim, na Abner tena dii Saulo so, nanso Dawid atenae hɔ de, ɛdaa mpan.
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 Na da no, Saulo anka asɛm biara. Na ɔdwenee se, “Gyama asɛm bi ato Dawid a ɛmma ne ho ntew mma saa afahyɛ no ase. Ɛno nti na onni ha nnɛ no.”
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 Na ade kyee a Dawid afa hɔ ada mpan bio no, Saulo bisaa ne ba Yonatan se, “Adɛn nti na Yisai babarima no amma adidi nnɛra ne nnɛ?”
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 Yonatan buae se, “Nokware, Dawid srɛɛ me kwan sɛ ɔrekɔ Betlehem.
Jonathan replied, “David earnestly requested me that I permit him to go to Bethlehem.
29 Ɔkae se, ‘Ma menkɔ, efisɛ, me fifo rebɔ afɔre wɔ kurow no mu nti, me nuabarima ahyɛ me sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ mewɔ hɔ bi. Sɛ afei, manya wʼanim anuonyam a, ma me kwan na menkɔhwɛ me nuanom mmarima.’ Ɛno nti na wamma ɔhene didipon ho no.”
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 Saulo bo fuw Yonatan, ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Wo ɔba kwasea, ɔbea brakyewni tuatewni ba! Wususuw sɛ minnim sɛ wopɛ sɛ Dawid di hene si wo anan mu de hyɛ wo ne wo na aniwu?
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 Mmere dodow a Yisai babarima no te ase wɔ asase yi so no, worennya ɔhene nni da. Soma mprempren ara na wɔnkɔfa no mmrɛ me, na minkum no!”
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 Yonatan bisaa nʼagya se, “Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wokum no? Dɛn na wayɛ?”
Jonathan asked his father, “Why should David be executed? What wrong has he done?”
33 Ɛhɔ ara, Saulo tow peaw sɛ ɔde rewɔ no, akum no. Afei Yonatan huu sɛ nʼagya asi nʼadwene pi sɛ obekum Dawid.
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 Yonatan de abufuwhyew sɔre fii didipon no ho. Na da a ɛto so abien wɔ ɔsram no mu no, wannidi, efisɛ ne werɛ how wɔ nʼagya animguasede a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ Dawid no ho.
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 Ade kyee no, Yonatan kɔɔ wuram. Sɛnea wɔahyehyɛ ho no. Ɔfaa abarimaa ketewa bi kaa ne ho a ɔbɛboaboa ne bɛmma ano.
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 Ɔka kyerɛɛ abarimaa no se, “Fi ase tu mmirika kɔhwehwɛ bɛmma a metotow no.” Na abarimaa no retu mmirika akɔ no, Yonatan tow bɛmma no baako traa no.
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 Na bere a abarimaa no duu faako a Yonatan bɛmma no akɔtɔ no, Yonatan frɛɛ no se, “bɛmma no ntraa wo ana?”
When the boy ran to the place where the arrow hit the ground, Jonathan called out, “The arrow is further away!” [RHQ]
38 Enti Yonatan teɛɛ mu se, “Ka wo ho! Kɔ ntɛm! Nnyina.” Abarimaa no faa bɛmma no san baa ne wura nkyɛn.
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 Na abarimaa no nnim eyi ho hwee; Yonatan ne Dawid nko ara na na wonim.
But the boy did not understand the meaning of what Jonathan had said; only Jonathan and David knew.
40 Na Yonatan de nʼakode maa abarimaa no kae se, “Kɔ, soa san fa kɔ kurom.”
Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him, “Go back to the town.”
41 Bere a abarimaa no kɔe ara pɛ, Dawid pue fii baabi a okohintaw hɔ a ɛbɛn abo siw no bae. Na Dawid bɔɔ ne mu ase wɔ Yonatan anim, de nʼanim butuw fam. Na wofifew wɔn ho wɔn ho ano, na wɔmaa wɔn ho wɔn ho nantew yiye, na wosui, ne titiriw no, Dawid.
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 Akyiri yi no, Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Kɔ asomdwoe mu, efisɛ yɛayɛ apam wɔ Awurade din mu. Yɛde yɛn mu biara ne yɛn mu biara mma ahyɛ Awurade nsa afebɔɔ.” Na Dawid kɔe, na Yonatan nso san kɔɔ kurow no mu.
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.
