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 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 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!”
He said to him, “Far from it; you will not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small, but that he discloses it to me. Why would 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.”
David swore moreover, and said, “Your father knows well that I have found favour in your eyes; and he says, ‘Don’t let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved;’ but truly as the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, 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 your soul desires, I will even do it 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, “Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to dine with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field to 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; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.’
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 shall have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
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 the LORD with you; but if there is iniquity in me, kill me yourself, for why 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; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come on you, then wouldn’t I tell you that?”
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 your father answers you roughly?”
11 Yonatan buae se, “Bra na yɛnkɔ wuram hɔ.” Na wɔn nyinaa kɔɔ hɔ.
Jonathan said to David, “Come! Let’s go out into the field.” 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, “By the LORD, the God of Israel, when I have sounded out my father about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if there is good towards David, won’t I then send to you and disclose it 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.
The LORD do so to Jonathan and more also, should it please my father to do you evil, if I don’t disclose it to you and send you away, that you may go in peace. May the LORD 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,
You shall not only show me the loving kindness of the LORD while I still live, that I 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.”
but you shall also not cut off your kindness from my house forever, no, not when the LORD has cut off every one of the enemies of David from the surface of the earth.”
16 Enti Yonatan ne Dawid yɛɛ apam se, “Awurade ne Dawid atamfo nni.”
So Jonathan made a covenant with David’s house, saying, “The LORD will require it at the hand of David’s 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.
Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for 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, and 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 this started, and remain by the stone Ezel.
20 Mɛtow agyan abiɛsa afa ne nkyɛn, te sɛ nea meretow abɔ biribi no.
I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
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.
Behold, I will send the boy, saying, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ If I tell the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are on this side of you. Take them;’ then come, for there is peace to you and no danger, as the LORD 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 this to the boy, ‘Behold, the arrows are beyond you,’ then go your way, for the LORD 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.”
Concerning the matter which you and I have spoken of, behold, the LORD 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 had come, the king sat himself 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 at other times, even on the seat by the wall; and 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.”
Nevertheless Saul didn’t say anything that day, for 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?”
On the next day after the new moon, the second day, David’s place was empty. Saul said to Jonathan his son, “Why didn’t the son of Jesse come to eat, either yesterday, or today?”
28 Yonatan buae se, “Nokware, Dawid srɛɛ me kwan sɛ ɔrekɔ Betlehem.
Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of 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. My brother has commanded me to be there. Now, if I have found favour in your eyes, please let me go away and see my brothers.’ Therefore 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 burnt against Jonathan, and he said to him, “You son of a perverse rebellious woman, don’t I 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, you will not be established, nor will your kingdom. Therefore now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die!”
32 Yonatan bisaa nʼagya se, “Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wokum no? Dɛn na wayɛ?”
Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, “Why 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.
Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this 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.
So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, because his father had treated him shamefully.
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 at the time appointed with David, and a little 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.
He said to his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy 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 boy had come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the boy, and said, “Isn’t 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.
Jonathan cried after the boy, “Go fast! Hurry! Don’t delay!” Jonathan’s boy 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 boy didn’t 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 boy, and said to him, “Go, carry 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 boy was gone, David arose out of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times. They kissed one another and wept with one another, and David wept the most.
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 LORD’s name, saying, ‘The LORD is between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” He arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.
