1 Samuel 20
1 Dawid dwane firii Naiot a ɛwɔ Rama kɔhunuu Yonatan. Ɔbisaa sɛ, “Bɔne bɛn na mayɛ? Bɔne bɛn na mayɛ wʼagya, a enti ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkum me yi?”
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 Yonatan teaam sɛ, “Ɛnyɛ nokorɛ. Menim yie sɛ ɔnnwenee biribi a ɛte saa ho, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔka ne nsɛm nyinaa kyerɛ me; mpo, ne nsɛm nketenkete nyinaa ɔma mʼaso te. Menim sɛ ɔrentumi mfa saa asɛm a ɛte sɛɛ nsie me da. Ɛnte saa ara da!”
“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 Ɛhɔ ara, Dawid kaa ntam wɔ Yonatan anim sɛ, “Wʼagya nim yɛn ayɔnkofa yi mu pefee enti, waka wɔ ne tirim sɛ, ‘Merenka nkyerɛ Yonatan. Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mede ɔhaw to no so?’ Nanso, meka wo ntam sɛ, mene owuo ntam kwan nware koraa! Mede Awurade ne wo ara wo ɔkra ka ntam!”
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 Na Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ, “Kyerɛ me deɛ menyɛ!”
Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever you desire, I will do for you.”
5 Dawid buaa sɛ, “Ɔkyena yɛbɛdi Ɔbosome Foforɔ Afahyɛ. Ɛberɛ biara, sɛ dapɔnna no duru saa a, me ne wʼagya to nsa didi. Nanso, ɔkyena deɛ, mɛkora me ho wɔ wiram ara kɔsi ne nnansa so anwummerɛ.
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 Na sɛ wʼagya bisa sɛ mewɔ he a, ka kyerɛ no sɛ, ‘mesrɛɛ ɛkwan sɛ merekɔ me kurom Betlehem, na me ne me fiefoɔ akɔbɔ afirinhyia afɔdeɛ.’
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 Sɛ ɔka sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ’ a, wobɛhunu sɛ biribiara da yie. Na sɛ nso ne bo fu, na ɔgye hwanyan a, wobɛhunu sɛ, ɔrehyehyɛ ho sɛ, ɔbɛkum me.
If he says, ‘Good,’ then your servant is safe, but if he is enraged, you will know he has evil intentions.
8 Ɛda saa adɔeɛ yi adi kyerɛ me, sɛ adamfo a maka ntam adi nse akyerɛ wo, ɛfiri sɛ, 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 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 Yonatan teaam sɛ, “Ɛmpare me! Wo ara wonim sɛ, sɛ menim mʼagya nsusuiɛ no ho biribi a, anka maka akyerɛ wo dada.”
“Never!” Jonathan replied. “If I ever found out that my father had evil intentions against you, would I not tell you?”
10 Na Dawid bisaa Yonatan sɛ, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mahunu sɛ wʼagya bo afu anaasɛ ne bo mfuiɛ?”
Then David asked Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?”
11 Yonatan buaa sɛ, “Bra na yɛnkɔ wiram hɔ.” Na wɔn nyinaa kɔɔ hɔ.
“Come,” he replied, “let us go out to the field.” So the two of them went out into the field,
12 Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ, “Ɔkyena akyi sɛsɛɛ, mɛhyɛ bɔ wɔ Awurade Israel Onyankopɔn din mu sɛ me ne mʼagya bɛkasa, na mɛma woahunu deɛ ɔka fa wo ho. Sɛ ɔdi wo ho adanseɛ pa a, mɛma woate no ntɛm.
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 Nanso sɛ mʼagya bo afu, na ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkum wo, na sɛ manka ankyerɛ wo ma wo annwane a Awurade nkum me. Awurade nka wo ho sɛdeɛ ɔkaa mʼagya ho no.
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 Na fa Awurade nokorɛ dɔ no bi dɔ me ɛberɛ a mete ase yi. Na sɛ mewu,
And as long as I live, treat me with the LORD’s loving devotion, that I may not die,
15 na ɛba sɛ Awurade twa Dawid atamfoɔ nyinaa gu firi asase ani mpo a, nyi wʼadɔeɛ mfiri me fiefoɔ so da biara da.”
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 Enti, Yonatan ne Dawid yɛɛ apam sɛ, “Awurade ntɔre Dawid atamfoɔ nyinaa ase.”
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD hold David’s enemies accountable.”
17 Esiane ɔdɔ a Yonatan wɔ ma Dawid no enti, ɔmaa no tii ne ntam no mu bio, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔdɔ no sɛdeɛ ɔdɔ ɔno ankasa ho.
And Jonathan had David reaffirm his vow out of love for him, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself.
18 Afei, Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ, “Ɔkyena na ɛyɛ ɔbosome foforɔ afahyɛ no. Yɛrenhunu wo, ɛfiri sɛ, wʼakonnwa so bɛda hɔ.
Then Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon, and you will be missed if your seat is empty.
19 Ɔkyena akyi, ɛrekɔ anwummerɛ no, kɔ baabi a saa nsɛm yi refiti aseɛ no, wokɔsumaa wo ho no, na twɛn wɔ aboɔ esie no ho.
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 Mɛto agyan mmiɛnsa afa ne nkyɛn, te sɛ deɛ mereto abɔ biribi no.
I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as if I were aiming at a target.
21 Afei, mɛsoma abarimaa bi aka sɛ, ‘Kɔ na kɔhwehwɛ bɛmma no.’ Sɛ meka kyerɛ no sɛ, ‘Hwɛ, bɛmma no wɔ fa ha; tase brɛ me a,’ bra, ɛfiri sɛ, mmerɛ dodoɔ ko a Awurade te ase yi, wo ho sɔnn; bɔne bi nni hɔ.
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 Na sɛ meka kyerɛ abarimaa no sɛ, ‘Hwɛ, bɛmma no wɔ wʼanim’ a, ɛnneɛ, na ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade na ɔse kɔ.
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 Na Awurade mmoa yɛn na yɛnni ɛbɔ a yɛahyehyɛ yɛn ho yɛn ho no so, ɛfiri sɛ ɔno ne yɛn danseni.”
And as for the matter you and I have discussed, the LORD is a witness between you and me forever.”
24 Na Dawid kɔtɛɛ wiram, na ɛberɛ a ɔbosome foforɔ afahyɛ no duruiɛ no, ɔhene no tenaa ase sɛ ɔrebɛdidi.
So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon had come, the king sat down to eat.
25 Ɔtenaa nʼatenaeɛ a ɛbɛn ɔfasuo ho a ɛne Yonatan di nhwɛanim, na Abner tena dii Saulo so, nanso Dawid atenaeɛ hɔ deɛ, ɛdaa hɔ bio.
He sat in his usual place by the wall, opposite Jonathan and beside Abner, but David’s place was empty.
26 Na ɛda no, Saulo anka asɛm biara. Na ɔdwenee sɛ, “Gyama asɛm bi ato Dawid a ɛmma ne ho nte mma saa afahyɛ no ase. Ɛno enti na ɔnni ha ɛnnɛ no.”
Saul said nothing that day because he thought, “Something has happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.”
27 Na adeɛ kyeeɛ a Dawid afa hɔ ada mpan bio no, Saulo bisaa ne ba Yonatan sɛ, “Adɛn enti na Yisai babarima no amma adidie nnora ne ɛnnɛ?”
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 Yonatan buaa sɛ, “Nokorɛm, Dawid srɛɛ me ɛkwan sɛ ɔrekɔ Betlehem.
Jonathan answered, “David urgently requested my permission to go to Bethlehem,
29 Ɔkaa sɛ, ‘Ma menkɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, me fiefoɔ rebɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ kuro no mu enti, me nuabarima ahyɛ me sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ mewɔ hɔ bi. Sɛ afei, manya wʼanim animuonyam a, ma me kwan na menkɔhwɛ me nuanom mmarima.’ Ɛno enti na wamma ɔhene didipono ho no.”
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 Saulo bo fuu Yonatan, ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo ɔba kwasea, ɔbaa brakyewni tuateni ba! Wosusu sɛ mennim sɛ wopɛ sɛ Dawid di ɔhene si wo anan mu de hyɛ wo ne wo maame aniwuo?
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 Mmerɛ dodoɔ a Yisai babarima no te ase wɔ asase yi so no, worennya ɔhene nni da. Soma seesei ara na wɔnkɔfa no mmrɛ me, na menkum no!”
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 Yonatan bisaa nʼagya sɛ, “Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkum no? Ɛdeɛbɛn na wayɛ?”
“Why must he be put to death?” Jonathan replied. “What has he done?”
33 Ɛhɔ ara, Saulo too pea sɛ ɔde rewɔ no, akum no. Afei Yonatan hunuu sɛ nʼagya asi nʼadwene pi sɛ ɔbɛkum Dawid.
Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan to kill him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to kill David.
34 Yonatan de abufuden sɔre firii didipono no ho. Na ɛda a ɛtɔ so mmienu wɔ bosome no mu no, wannidi, ɛfiri sɛ, ne werɛ hoo wɔ nʼagya animguasedeɛ a ɔpɛ sɛ ɔyɛ Dawid no ho.
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 Ade kyeeɛ no, Yonatan kɔɔ wiram. Sɛdeɛ wɔahyehyɛ ho no. Ɔfaa abarimaa ketewa bi kaa ne ho a ɔbɛboaboa ne bɛmma ano.
In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for the appointment with David, and a small boy was with him.
36 Ɔka kyerɛɛ abarimaa no sɛ, “Hyɛ aseɛ tu mmirika kɔhwehwɛ bɛmma a metoto no.” Na abarimaa no retu mmirika akɔ no, Yonatan too bɛmma no baako traa no.
He said to the boy, “Run and find the arrows I shoot.” And as the boy ran, Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him.
37 Na ɛberɛ a abarimaa no duruu baabi a Yonatan bɛmma no akɔtɔ no, Yonatan frɛɛ no sɛ, “bɛmma no ntraa wo anaa?”
When the boy reached the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called to him, “Isn’t the arrow beyond you?”
38 Enti, Yonatan teaam sɛ, “Ka wo ho! Kɔ ntɛm! Nnyina.” Abarimaa no faa bɛmma no sane baa ne wura nkyɛn.
Then Jonathan cried out, “Hurry! Make haste! Do not delay!” So the boy picked up the arrow and returned to his master.
39 Na abarimaa no nnim yei ho hwee; Yonatan ne Dawid nko ara na na wɔnim.
But the boy did not know anything; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement.
40 Na Yonatan de nʼakodeɛ maa abarimaa no kaa sɛ, “Kɔ, soa sane fa kɔ kurom.”
Then Jonathan gave his equipment to the boy and said, “Go, take it back to the city.”
41 Ɛberɛ a abarimaa no kɔeɛ ara pɛ, Dawid pue firii baabi a ɔkɔhintaeɛ hɔ a ɛbɛn aboɔ sie no baeɛ. Na Dawid bɔɔ ne mu ase wɔ Yonatan anim, de nʼanim butuu fam. Na wɔfefee wɔn ho ano, na wɔmaa wɔn ho wɔn ho nante yie, na wɔsuiɛ, ne titire no, Dawid.
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 Akyire no, Yonatan ka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ, “Kɔ asomdwoeɛ mu, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛayɛ apam wɔ Awurade din mu. Yɛde yɛn mu biara ne yɛn mu biara mma ahyɛ Awurade nsa afebɔɔ.” Na Dawid kɔeɛ, ɛnna Yonatan nso sane kɔɔ kuro no mu.
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.
