David hears of Saul’s death
1After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honour.
3‘Where have you come from?’ David asked him.
He answered, ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp.’
4‘What happened?’ David asked. ‘Tell me.’
‘The men fled from the battle,’ he replied. ‘Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.’
5Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’
6‘I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,’ the young man said, ‘and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7When he turned round and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, “What can I do?”
8‘He asked me, “Who are you?”
‘ “An Amalekite,” I answered.
9‘Then he said to me, “Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.”
10‘So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.’
11Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘Where are you from?’
‘I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,’ he answered.
14David asked him, ‘Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?’
15Then David called one of his men and said, ‘Go, strike him down!’ So he struck him down, and he died. 16For David had said to him, ‘Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, “I killed the Lord’s anointed.” ’
David’s lament for Saul and Jonathan
17David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):
19‘A gazelle1:19 Gazelle here symbolises a human dignitary. lies slain on your heights, Israel.
How the mighty have fallen!
20‘Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.
21‘Mountains of Gilboa,
may you have neither dew nor rain,
may no showers fall on your terraced fields.1:21 Or / nor fields that yield grain for offerings
For there the shield of the mighty was despised,
the shield of Saul – no longer rubbed with oil.
22‘From the blood of the slain,
from the flesh of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
23Saul and Jonathan –
in life they were loved and admired,
and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
24‘Daughters of Israel,
weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.
25‘How the mighty have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
more wonderful than that of women.
27‘How the mighty have fallen!
The weapons of war have perished!’
Dawid Te Saulo Wu
1Saulo wu akyi no, Dawid san fii nkonim a odii Amalekfo so no mu bɛtenaa Siklag nnaanu. 2Ne nnansa so no, ɔbarima bi fi Saulo nsraban mu a watetew ne ntade mu, atu mfutuma agu ne ti mu, de rekyerɛ sɛ ɔretwa adwo bae. Oduu Dawid nkyɛn no, ɔdan ne ho hwee fam nidi mu.
3Dawid bisaa no se, “Ɛhe na wufi?”
Obuae se, “Maguan afi Israel nsraban mu.”
4Dawid bisaa no se, “Na ɛyɛɛ dɛn? Ɔko no kosii dɛn?”
Ɔkae se, “Mmarima no guan fii akono. Bebree totɔe. Na Saulo ne ne babarima Yonatan nso atotɔ.”
5Enti Dawid bisaa aberante a ɔbɛbɔɔ no saa amanneɛ no se, “Ɛyɛɛ dɛn na wuhuu sɛ Saulo ne ne babarima Yonatan awuwu?”
6Aberante no buae se, “Mikofii Gilboa bepɔw so, na mekɔtoo sɛ Saulo sɛn ne peaw so a atamfo no nteaseɛnam ne nʼapɔnkɔsotefo mmɛn no ara. 7Ɔdan ne ho a ohuu me no, ɔteɛɛ mu frɛɛ me se memmra. Mibisaa no se, ‘Menyɛ dɛn?’
8“Obisaa me se, ‘Wo ne hena?’
“Mibuaa no se, ‘Meyɛ Amalekni.’
9“Na ɔsrɛɛ me se, ‘Begyina me so na kum me, na me ho yeraw me yiye, na mepɛ sɛ me wu.’
10“Enti migyinaa ne so kum no, efisɛ na minim sɛ tebea a ɔwɔ mu no, ɔrennya nkwa. Na mituu nʼahenkyɛw a ɛhyɛ no no ne nʼabasa so atweaban no sɛ mede rebrɛ wo, me wura.”
11Dawid ne ne mmarima no tee asɛm no, wɔde awerɛhow sunsuan wɔn ntade mu. 12Wotwaa ho agyaadwo, sui, bua daa da mu no nyinaa wɔ Saulo ne ne babarima Yonatan wu ne Awurade asraafo ne Israelman sɛ wɔn mu pii wuwuu saa da no.
13Na Dawid bisaa aberante a ɔbɛbɔɔ wɔn saa amanneɛ no se, “Wufi he?”
Na obuae se, “Meyɛ ɔhɔho Amalekni a mete mo asase so.”
14Dawid bisaa no se, “Na wunsuro sɛ wukum obi a Awurade asra no no?”
15Dawid ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima no mu baako se, “Kum no!” Enti ɔbarima no twee nʼafoa de wɔɔ Amalekni no, kum no. 16Na Dawid kae se, “Wʼano ayi mmusu ama wo ama woawu, efisɛ wo ara na wokae se woakum obi a Awurade asra no no.”
Dawid Dwom A Ɔhyehyɛ Maa Saulo Ne Yonatan
17Na Dawid too kwadwom maa Saulo ne Yonatan. 18Na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔnkyerɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ Yuda nyinaa to. Wɔtoo no din sɛ agyan dwom a wɔakyerɛw wɔ Yasar Nhoma mu.
19“Wʼanuonyam ne wʼahosɛpɛw, Israel, awu da mmepɔw so!
Akofo akɛse atotɔ!
20“Monnka asɛm yi wɔ Gat,1.20 Gat ne Askelon yɛ Filisti nkurow.
na Filistifo abɔ ose!
Monnka wɔ Askelon mmɔnten so,
na abosonsomfo anserew ahosɛpɛw mu.
21“Gilboa mmepɔw,
mma obosu anaa osu ntɔ ngu wo so
anaa wo nsian so.
Efisɛ ɛhɔ na woguu ɔkofo kɛse no akokyɛm ho fi;
wɔremfa ngo nsra Saulo nkatabo ho bio.
22“Saulo ne Yonatan kunkum wɔn atamfo ahoɔdenfo!
Wɔamfi akono amma no nsapan.
23Ɔdɔ ne ahoɔfɛ bɛn
na na Saulo ne Yonatan nni,
wɔn mu antetew da, nkwa ne owu mu.
Na wɔn ho yɛ hare kyɛn akɔre;
na wɔn ho yɛ den kyɛn gyata.
24“Israel mmabea,
munsu Saulo,
efisɛ ofuraa mo ntama pa,
hyehyɛɛ mo sikakɔkɔɔ agude.
25“Akofo akɛse atotɔ akono.
Yonatan awu da mmepɔw no so.
26Misu wo, me nua Yonatan!
Na wosom me bo yiye.
Na wo dɔ a wowɔ ma me no yɛ nwonwa;
emu dɔ sen ɔbea dɔ!
27“Hwɛ sɛnea akofo akɛse atotɔ!
Ɔko mu akode ayerayera!”
