David Is Kind to Mephibosheth
1 One day, David thought, “I wonder if any of Saul's family are still alive. If they are, I will be kind to them, because I made a promise to Jonathan.” 2 David called in Ziba, one of the servants of Saul's family. David said, “So you are Ziba.”
“Yes, Your Majesty, I am.”
3 David asked, “Are any of Saul's family still alive? If there are, I want to be kind to them.”
Ziba answered, “One of Jonathan's sons is still alive, but he can't walk.”
4 “Where is he?” David asked.
Ziba replied, “He lives in Lo-Debar with Machir the son of Ammiel.”
5-6 David sent some servants to bring Jonathan's son from Lo-Debar. His name was Mephibosheth, and he was the grandson of Saul. He came to David and knelt down.
David asked, “Are you Mephibosheth?”
“Yes, I am, Your Majesty.”
7 David said, “Don't be afraid. I'll be kind to you because Jonathan was your father. I'm going to give you back the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul. Besides that, you will always eat with me at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth knelt down again and said, “Why should you care about me? I'm worth no more than a dead dog.”
9 David called in Ziba, Saul's chief servant, and told him, “Since Mephibosheth is Saul's grandson, I've given him back everything that belonged to your master Saul and his family. 10 You and your 15 sons and 20 servants will work for Mephibosheth. You will farm his land and bring in his crops, so that Saul's family and servants will have food. But Mephibosheth will always eat with me at my table.”
11-13 Ziba replied, “Your Majesty, I will do exactly what you tell me to do.” So Ziba's family and servants worked for Mephibosheth.
Mephibosheth was lame, but he lived in Jerusalem and ate at David's table, just like one of David's own sons. And he had a young son of his own, named Mica.
David na Mefiboset
1 Eyuva rimwe David wa pura nai: “Inga pena omundu weṱunḓu ra Saul ngwa hupa? Ami me vanga okumuraisira otjari mena ra Jonatan.”
2 Nu monganda ya Saul mwa ri omukarere wena Siba; neye wa raerwa kutja a yende ku David. Nombara ye mu pura ai tja: “Oove Siba?”
Neye arire tja ziri nai: “Ii, owami omukarere woye Siba.”
3 Nombara ya pura ai tja: “Kape hupire omundu weṱunḓu ra Saul kutja mbi mu raisire otjari otja pu mba kwizikira Ndjambi are?”
Siba arire tja ziri nai kombara: “Ingee pe nomuzandu wa Jonatan, neye wa remana ozombaze azeyembari.”
4 Nombara ya pura nai: “Eye u ri pi?”
Siba wa zira a tja: “U ri mondjuwo ya Makir, omuzandu wa Amiel, mOlo-Dabar.” 5 Ombara David otja hinda ovandu ve kemuete.
6 Mefiboset, omuzandu wa Jonatan, omuzandu wa Saul, tje ya ku David, wa wa onḓurumika ne ripete. David wa tja nai: “Mefiboset!” Neye a ziri a tja: “Omukarere woye eye ngwi.”
7 Tjazumba David arire tja tja ku ye: “O tira! Ami me ku raisire otjari mena raiho Jonatan, nu me ku yarurire ehi arihe raiho mukururume Saul; nove omuini aruhe mo ri kotjiriro tjandje.”
8 Mefiboset we ripeta na tja: “Omukarere woye omukwatjike kutja mo raisa otjari tjoye kombwa ndja koka otja ami?”
9 Nombara otji ya isana Siba, omukarere wa Saul, nai tja ku ye: “Oviṋa avihe mbya ri ovya Saul neṱunḓu re, me vi yandja komuatje womuzandu womuhona woye. 10 Ove novazandu novakarere voye, mamu ungurire eṱunḓu romuhona woye Saul ehi romakunino, nu mamu wongo omakondero okuveparura. Nungwari Mefiboset omuini aruhe ma ri kotjiriro tjandje.” Nu Siba wa ri novazandu omurongo na vetano, novakarere omirongo vivari.
11 Siba wa zira a tja: “Otja omuhona wandje ombara punga a hee komukarerere we, opunga ame tjiti.”
Nu Mefiboset aa ri kotjiriro tja David otja ngu ri umwe wovazandu vombara. 12 Mefiboset wa ri nomuzandona wena Mika nu avehe, mba turire monganda ya Siba, va rira ovakarere va Mefiboset. 13 Nu Mefiboset ngwa remanene ozombaze azeyembari, wa turire mOjerusalem, nu aa ri kotjiriro tjombara.
