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?”
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 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!”
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 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!”
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 sɛ, “Kyerɛ me deɛ menyɛ!”
Then Jonathan said to David, “Whatever your soul desires, I will even do it 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.
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 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, 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 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, ‘It is well,’ your servant shall have peace; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.
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 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 teaam sɛ, “Ɛmpare me! Wo ara wonim sɛ, sɛ menim mʼagya nsusuiɛ no ho biribi a, anka maka akyerɛ wo dada.”
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 sɛ, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mahunu sɛ wʼagya bo afu anaasɛ ne bo mfuiɛ?”
Then David said to Jonathan, “Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?”
11 Yonatan buaa sɛ, “Bra na yɛnkɔ wiram 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 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.
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 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.
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 nokorɛ dɔ no bi dɔ me ɛberɛ a mete ase yi. Na sɛ mewu,
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 atamfoɔ nyinaa gu firi asase ani mpo a, nyi wʼadɔeɛ mfiri me fiefoɔ 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 sɛ, “Awurade ntɔre Dawid atamfoɔ nyinaa ase.”
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 enti, ɔmaa no tii ne ntam no mu bio, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔdɔ no sɛdeɛ 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 sɛ, “Ɔkyena na ɛyɛ ɔbosome foforɔ afahyɛ no. Yɛrenhunu wo, ɛfiri sɛ, wʼakonnwa 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 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, go down quickly and come to the place where you hid yourself when this started, and remain by the stone Ezel.
20 Mɛto agyan mmiɛnsa afa ne nkyɛn, te sɛ deɛ mereto abɔ biribi no.
I will shoot three arrows on its side, as though I shot at a mark.
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.
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 sɛ, ‘Hwɛ, bɛmma no wɔ wʼanim’ a, ɛnneɛ, na ɛsɛ sɛ wokɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade na ɔse 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 yɛnni ɛbɔ a yɛahyehyɛ yɛn ho yɛn ho no so, ɛfiri sɛ 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 kɔtɛɛ wiram, na ɛberɛ a ɔbosome foforɔ afahyɛ no duruiɛ no, ɔhene no tenaa ase sɛ ɔrebɛdidi.
So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon had come, the king sat himself down to eat food.
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.
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 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.”
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 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?”
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 buaa sɛ, “Nokorɛm, Dawid srɛɛ me ɛkwan sɛ ɔrekɔ Betlehem.
Jonathan answered Saul, “David earnestly asked permission of me 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.”
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 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 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 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 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 sɛ, “Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkum no? Ɛdeɛbɛn 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 too pea sɛ ɔde rewɔ no, akum no. Afei Yonatan hunuu sɛ nʼagya asi nʼadwene pi sɛ ɔbɛkum 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 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.
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 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 into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little boy 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 his boy, “Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.” As the boy ran, he 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 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 teaam sɛ, “Ka wo ho! Kɔ ntɛm! Nnyina.” Abarimaa no faa bɛmma no sane 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 yei ho hwee; Yonatan ne Dawid nko ara na na wɔnim.
But the boy didn’t know anything. Only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 Na Yonatan de nʼakodeɛ maa abarimaa no kaa sɛ, “Kɔ, soa sane fa kɔ kurom.”
Jonathan gave his weapons to his boy, and said to him, “Go, carry them 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.
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 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.
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.
