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?”
Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said to Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin before your father, that he seeks to take my life?”
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 said to David, “Far from it; you will not die. My father does nothing either great or small without telling it to me. Why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so.”
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.”
Yet David vowed again and said, “Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes. He has said, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.' But as truly as Yahweh lives, and as you live, there is but a step between me and death.”
4 Na Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Nea wopɛ sɛ menyɛ mma wo biara no mɛyɛ.”
Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”
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 said to Jonathan, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and I ought to sit down to eat with the king. But let me go, so that I may hide myself in the field until the third day at evening.
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 misses me at all, then say, 'David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; because it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the clan.'
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 he says, 'It is well,' your servant will have peace. But if he is very angry, then know that he has decided on evil.
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.”
Therefore deal kindly with your servant. For you have brought your servant into a covenant of Yahweh with you. But if there is sin in me, kill me yourself; for why then should you bring me to your father?”
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 said, “Far be it from you! If I learned my father decided harm to come upon you, would I not tell you?”
10 Na Dawid bisaa Yonatan se, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mahu sɛ wʼagya bo afuw anaasɛ ne bo mfuw ɛ?”
Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if by chance your father should answer you roughly?”
11 Yonatan buae se, “Bra na yɛnkɔ wuram hɔ.” Na wɔn nyinaa kɔɔ hɔ.
Jonathan said to David, “Come, let us go out into the field.” So they both went 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.
Jonathan said to David, “May Yahweh, the God of Israel, be witness. When I have questioned my father around this time tomorrow, or the third day, see, if there is good will toward David, will I not then send to you and make it known to you?
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.
If it pleases my father to do you harm, may Yahweh do to Jonathan and more also if I do not make it known to you and send you away, so that you may go in peace. May Yahweh be with you, as he has been with my father.
14 Na fa Awurade nokware dɔ no bi dɔ me bere a mete ase yi. Na sɛ miwu,
If I am still alive, will you not show me the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh, that I may not die?
15 na ɛba sɛ Awurade twa Dawid atamfo nyinaa gu fi asase ani mpo a, nyi wʼadɔe mfi me fifo so da biara da.”
Do not cut off your covenant faithfulness from my house forever—not even when Yahweh cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”
16 Enti Yonatan ne Dawid yɛɛ apam se, “Awurade ne Dawid atamfo nni.”
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David and said, “May Yahweh require an accounting from the hand of the enemies of David.”
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.
Jonathan made David vow again because of the love that he had for him, because he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 Afei, Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, “Ɔkyena na ɛyɛ ɔsram foforo afahyɛ no. Yɛrenhu wo, efisɛ wʼakongua so bɛda hɔ.
Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon. You will be missed because your seat will be empty.
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.
When you have stayed three days, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself when the business was in hand, and stay by the stone Ezel.
20 Mɛtow agyan abiɛsa afa ne nkyɛn, te sɛ nea meretow abɔ biribi no.
I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target.
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 my young man and say to him, 'Go find the arrows.' If I say to the young boy, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them,” then come; for there will be safety for you and not harm, as Yahweh lives.
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 say to the young man, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then go your way, for Yahweh has sent you away.
23 Na Awurade mmoa yɛn na yenni bɔ a yɛahyehyɛ yɛn ho yɛn ho no so, efisɛ ɔno ne yɛn danseni.”
As for the agreement of which you and I have spoken, see, Yahweh is between you and me forever.'”
24 Na Dawid kɔtɛwee wuram, na bere a ɔsram foforo afahyɛ no dui no, ɔhene no tenaa ase sɛ ɔrebedidi.
So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.
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.
The king sat on his seat, as usual, on the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side. But David's place was empty.
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.”
Yet Saul did not say anything that day, because he thought, “Something has happened to him. He is not clean; surely he is not clean.”
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 on the second day, the day after the new moon, David's place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why has the son of Jesse not come to the meal either yesterday or today?”
28 Yonatan buae se, “Nokware, Dawid srɛɛ me kwan sɛ ɔrekɔ Betlehem.
Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission from me 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 let me go. For our family has a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has ordered me to be there. Now, if I have found favor in your eyes, please let me go and see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table.”
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?
Then Saul's anger burned against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?
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!”
For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now then, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.”
32 Yonatan bisaa nʼagya se, “Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wokum no? Dɛn na wayɛ?”
Jonathan answered Saul his father, “For what reason should he be put to death? What 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 him to kill him. So Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
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 got up from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved over David, because his father had dishonored him.
35 Ade kyee no, Yonatan kɔɔ wuram. Sɛnea wɔahyehyɛ ho no. Ɔfaa abarimaa ketewa bi kaa ne ho a ɔbɛboaboa ne bɛmma ano.
In the morning, Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and a young man was 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.
He said to his young man, “Run and find the arrows that I shoot.” As the young man ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
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 young man came to the place where the arrow that Jonathan shot had landed, Jonathan called after the young man, and said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?”
38 Enti Yonatan teɛɛ mu se, “Ka wo ho! Kɔ ntɛm! Nnyina.” Abarimaa no faa bɛmma no san baa ne wura nkyɛn.
Then Jonathan called after the young man, “Hurry, be quick, do not stay!” So Jonathan's young man gathered up the arrows and came to his master.
39 Na abarimaa no nnim eyi ho hwee; Yonatan ne Dawid nko ara na na wonim.
But the young man did not know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 Na Yonatan de nʼakode maa abarimaa no kae se, “Kɔ, soa san fa kɔ kurom.”
Jonathan gave his weapons to his young man and said to him, “Go, take them to the city.”
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.
As soon as the young man was gone, David stood up from behind the mound, lay facedown on the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another and wept together, with David weeping the more.
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, “Go in peace, because we have both sworn in the name of Yahweh and said, 'May Yahweh be between you and me, and between my descendants and your descendants, forever.'” Then David stood up and left, and Jonathan returned to the city.
