¹Zvino Dhavhidhi wakatiza paNaioti paRama, akaenda akati kuna Jonatani, Ndadiniko? Kutadza kwangu ndokwei? Chivi changu pamberi pababa vako ndechipi, zvavanotsvaka kundiuraya?

¹And David fled from Naioth by Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity, and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeks my life?

²Iye akati kwaari, Ngazvisadaro, usadaro, haungafi; tarira baba vangu havangaiti chinhu chikuru kana chiduku, vasingandizivisi icho; zvino baba vangu vangandivanzirireiko chinhu ichi? Hazvizi izvo.

²And he said to him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, and not apprise me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.

³Ipapo Dhavhidhi akapikazve akati, Baba vako vanoziva kwazvo kuti ini ndakawana nyasha kwauri; naizvozvo vakati, Jonatani ngaarege kuzviziva, zvimwe ungazvidya moyo; asi zvirokwazvo, naJehovha mupenyu, nomweya wako mupenyu, kune nhambwe imwechete pakati pangu norufu.

³And David swore again and again, and said, Thy father certainly knows that I have found favour in thy sight: and he has thought, Jonathan shall not know this, lest he be grieved; but truly [as] Jehovah liveth, and [as] thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

⁴Ipapo Jonatani akati kuna Dhavhidhi, Zvose zvinodikamwa nomoyo wako, ndichakuitira izvozvo.

⁴And Jonathan said to David, What thy soul may say, I will even do it for thee.

⁵Dhavhidhi akati kuna Jonatani, Tarira, mangwana mwedzi wogara, ndichafanira kundogara pakudya namambo; asi nditendere, ndiende kundovanda mumunda kusvikira madekwana ezuva rechitatu.

⁵And David said to Jonathan, Behold, to-morrow is new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field until the third evening.

⁶Kana baba vako vakandishaiwa, uti kwavari, Dhavhidhi wakakumbira zvikuru kwandiri, kuti amhanyire Bheterehemu, kuguta rake; nekuti ikoko kunoitwa chibayiro chegore rimwe nerimwe chavose veimba yake.

⁶If thy father should actually miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

⁷Kana vakati, Zvakanaka hazvo! Muranda wako uchava norugare; asi kana vakatsamwa, uzive kuti vagara vandifungira zvakaipa.

⁷If he say thus, It is well, -- thy servant shall have peace; but if he be very wroth, be sure that evil is determined by him.

⁸Naizvozvo chiitira hako muranda wako zvakanaka; nekuti wakaita sungano nomuranda wako pamberi paJehovha, asi kana zvakaipa zviriko kwandiri, undiuraye iwe, nekuti uchandiisireiko kuna baba vako?

⁸Deal kindly then with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of Jehovah with thee; but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?

⁹Jonatani akati, Usadaro, nekuti dai ndaiziva kuti baba vangu vagara vafunga kukuitira zvakaipa, handizaikuudza here?

⁹And Jonathan said, Far be it from thee; for, if I knew with certainty that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, would I not tell it thee?

¹⁰Dhavhidhi akati kuna Jonatani, Ndianiko uchandiudza kana baba vako vachinge vakupindura nehasha?

¹⁰Then said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father answer thee roughly?

¹¹Jonatani akati kuna Dhavhidhi, Hendei kusango. Ivo vakaenda vari vaviri kusango.

¹¹And Jonathan said to David, Come and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.

¹²Zvino Jonatani akati kuna Dhavhidhi, Jehovha Mwari waIsiraeri ngaave chapupu; kana ndabvunzisisa baba vangu nenguva ino mangwana, kana kuswera mangwana, kana ndikaona kuti vanomoyo wakanaka kuna Dhavhidhi, handingakutumiri shoko, ndikakuzivisa here?

¹²And Jonathan said to David, Jehovah, God of Israel, when I sound my father about this time to-morrow, [or] the next day, and behold, there be good toward David, and I then send not to thee, and apprise thee of it,

¹³Jehovha ngaarove Jonatani, arambe achidaro, kana baba vangu vachinge vachida kukuitira zvakaipa, ini ndikasakuzivisa izvozvo, ndikakuendisa norugare, Jehovha ngaave newe, sezvaaiva nababa vangu.

¹³Jehovah do so and much more to Jonathan. Should it please my father [to do] thee evil, then I will apprise thee of it, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and Jehovah be with thee, as he has been with my father.

¹⁴Newewo undiitire tsitsi dzaJehovha ndichiri mupenyu, ndirege kufa,

¹⁴And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of Jehovah, that I die not,

¹⁵uye usabvisa tsitsi dzako kuna veimba yangu nokusingaperi, kunyange kana Jehovha abvisa vavengi vaDhavhidhi, mumwe nomumwe panyika yose.

¹⁵but thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever, no, not when Jehovah cuts off the enemies of David, every one from the face of the earth.

¹⁶Naizvozvo Jonatani akaita sungano neimba yaDhavhidhi, akati, Jehovha ngaazvitsvake kumaoko avavengi vaDhavhidhi

¹⁶And Jonathan made [a covenant] with the house of David, [saying,] Let Jehovah even require [it] at the hand of David's enemies!

¹⁷Naizvozvo akapikisa Dhavhidhizve norudo rwake kwaari, nekuti wakange achimuda sezvaakada moyo wake.

¹⁷And Jonathan caused David to swear again, by the love he had for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

¹⁸Zvino Jonatani akati kwaari, Mangwana mwedzi wogara; iwe uchashaikwa, nekuti chigaro chako chichashaiwa munhu.

¹⁸And Jonathan said to him, To-morrow is the new moon; and thou wilt be missed, for thy seat will be empty;

¹⁹Kana wagara mazuva matatu, unofanira kukurumidza kuburukira kunzvimbo iya pawakavanda musi watakataurirana pamusoro peshoko riya, ugogara pabwe rinonzi Ezeri.

¹⁹but on the third day thou shalt go down quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself on the day of the business, and abide by the stone Ezel.

²⁰Zvino ini ndichaposha miseve mitatu kurutivi rwaro, ndichiita sendinoposhera chinhu chakatimikwa.

²⁰And I will shoot three arrows on the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.

²¹Ipapo, tarira, ndichatuma mukomana, ndichiti, Enda undotsvaka miseve. Kana ndikati kumukomana, Tarira miseve iri nechokuno kwako, uya nayo, ipapo ungauya hako, nekuti kunorugare kwauri, hakuna mhosva, naJehovha mupenyu.

²¹And behold, I will send the lad, [saying,] Go, find the arrows. If I expressly say to the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee, take them; then come, for there is peace for thee, and it is nothing; [as] Jehovah liveth.

²²Asi kana ndikati kumukomana, Tarira, miseve iri mberi kwako, ipapo uende hako, nekuti Jehovha wakuendisa.

²²But if I say thus to the youth: Behold, the arrows are beyond thee, -- go thy way; for Jehovah sends thee away.

²³Kana riri shoko ratakataurirana pamusoro paro iwe neni, tarira Jehovha uri pakati pako neni nokusingaperi.

²³And as to the matter which thou and I have spoken of, behold, Jehovah is between me and thee for ever.

²⁴Naizvozvo Dhavhidhi akandovanda musango; zvino mwedzi wakati wagara, mambo akagara pakudya kuti adye.

²⁴And David hid himself in the field; and it was the new moon, and the king sat at table to eat.

²⁵Mambo akagara pachigaro chake, sapanguva dzose, pachigaro chaiva pamadziro, Jonatani akasimuka, Abhineri akagara parutivi rwaSauro; asi chigaro chaDhavhidhi chakashaiwa munhu.

²⁵And the king sat on his seat, as at other times, on the seat by the wall; and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side, and David's place was empty.

²⁶Asi Sauro haana kutaura chinhu musi iwoyo; nekuti wakati, zvimwe wawirwa nechinhu, zvimwe haana kunaka, zvirokwazvo haana kunaka.

²⁶And Saul said nothing that day; for he thought, Something has befallen [him], that he is not clean: surely he is not clean.

²⁷Zvino pazuva rakatevera kugara komwedzi, pazuva rechipiri, chigaro chaDhavhidhi chakashaiwazve munhu; ipapo Sauro akati kuna Jonatani mwanakomana wake, Mwanakomana waJese wakaregereiko kuuya kuzodya zuro kana nhasi?

²⁷And it came to pass the next day after the new moon, the second [day of the month], as David's place was empty, that Saul said to Jonathan his son, Why has not the son of Jesse come to table, neither yesterday nor to-day?

²⁸Jonatani akapindura Sauro akati, Dhavhidhi wakakumbira zvikuru kwandiri kuti aende Bheterehemu,

²⁸And Jonathan answered Saul, David earnestly asked leave of me [to go] to Bethlehem,

²⁹akati, Nditenderewo ndiende, nekuti veimba yedu vanobayira muguta; mukuru wangu wakandiraira kuti ndivepo; zvino kana uchifara nazvo, nditendere hako ndiende kundoshanyira hama dzangu. Naizvozvo haana kuuya patafura yamambo.

²⁹and said, Let me go, I pray thee; for we have a family sacrifice in the city; and my brother himself has commanded me [to be there]; and now, if I have found favour in thy sight, let me go away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. He has therefore not come to the king's table.

³⁰Ipapo Sauro akatsamwira Jonatani, akati kwaari, Iwe mwanakomana womukadzi usinganzwi, wakapanduka, handizivi kanhi kuti wakatsaura mwanakomana waJese unyadzwe iwe, namai vako vanyadzwewo?

³⁰And Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, Son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame and to the shame of thy mother's nakedness?

³¹Nekuti iwe haungasimbiswi noushe hwako, kana mwanakomana waJese achiri mupenyu panyika. Naizvozvo zvino chituma munhu auye naye kwandiri, nekuti zvirokwazvo unofanira kufa.

³¹For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. And now send and fetch him to me, for he must die.

³²Jonatani akapindura Sauro baba vake, akati kwavari, Ko unofanira kuurayirwei? Waiteiko?

³²And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said to him, Why should he be put to death? what has he done?

³³Ipapo Sauro akaposha pfumo .rake kwaari, achida kumubaya. Naizvozvo Jonatani wakaziva kuti baba vake vakagara vafunga kuuraya Dhavhidhi.

³³Then Saul cast the spear at him to smite him; and Jonathan knew that it was determined by his father to put David to death.

³⁴Naizvozvo Jonatani akasimuka patafura, atsamwa kwazvo, akasadya zvokudya nomusi wechipiri womwedzi; nekuti wakange ane shungu pamoyo pamusoro paDhavhidhi, nekuti wakange anyadzwa nababa vake.

³⁴And Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and ate no meat the second day of the new moon; for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.

³⁵Zvino fume mangwana Jonatani akaenda kusango nenguva yakanga yatarwa naDhavhidhi, anomukomana muduku.

³⁵And it came to pass in the morning that Jonathan went out into the field, to the place agreed on with David, and a little lad with him.

³⁶Akati kumukomana wake, Mhanya utsvake miseve yandinoposha. Ipapo mukomana wakati achimhanya, iye akaposha museve mberi kwake.

³⁶And he said to his lad, Run, find now the arrows which I shoot. The lad ran, and he shot the arrow beyond him.

³⁷Zvino mukomana wakati achisvika pakanga paposhwa museve naJonatani. Jonatani akadanidzira kumukomana, akati, Ko museve hausi mberi kwako here?

³⁷And when the lad came to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad and said, Is not the arrow away beyond thee?

³⁸Jonatani akadanidzirazve kumukomana akati, Kasira, kurumidza, usamira. Mukomana waJonatani akanonga miseve, akauya nayo kuna tenzi wake.

³⁸And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not! And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

³⁹Asi mukomana haana kuziva chinhu; asi Jonatani naDhavhidhi voga ndivo vakaziva shoko iro.

³⁹And the lad knew nothing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

⁴⁰Zvino Jonatani akapa mukomana nhumbi dzake dzokurwa nadzo, akati kwaari, Enda nadzo undodziisa kuguta.

⁴⁰And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, Go, carry them to the city.

⁴¹Mukomana wakati aenda, Dhavhidhi akasimuka kurutivi rwezasi, akawira pasi nechiso chake, akakotama katatu, vakatsvodana, vakachema vose, kusvikira Dhavhidhi anyanya kwazvo.

⁴¹The lad went, and David arose from the side of the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times; and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.

⁴²Jonatani akati kuna Dhavhidhi, Enda hako norugare, nekuti takapika tose nezita raJehovha tichiti, Jehovha uchava pakati pangu newe, napakati pavana vangu navako nokusingaperi. Akasimuka, akaenda, naJonatani akapinda muguta.

⁴²And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have both of us sworn in the name of Jehovah, saying, Jehovah be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever! And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.