1 UDavide wabaleka eNayoti eRama, weza, wathi phambi kukaJonathani: “Ngenzeni na? Liyini icala lami na? Siyini isono sami phambi kukayihlo ukuba afune ukuphila kwami na?”
2 Wathi kuye: “Makube kude lokho; awuyikufa; bheka, ubaba akenzi lutho olukhulu noma oluncane engakwambuleli kimi; pho, ubaba ubeyakungifihlela le nto na? Akuyikuba njalo.”
3 UDavide wabuye wafunga, wathi: “Uyihlo uyazi kahle ukuthi ngifumene umusa emehlweni akho; uthi: ‘Makangazi lokhu uJonathani, funa abe nosizi.’ Kepha, kuphila kukaJehova nokuphila kwakho, kukhona isinyathelo esisodwa nje phakathi kwami nokufa.”
4 UJonathani wayesethi kuDavide: “Noma kuyini inhliziyo yakho ekushoyo, ngiyakukwenzela khona.”
5 UDavide wathi kuJonathani: “Bheka, kusasa iyakwethwasa inyanga; angifanele ukuphutha ukuhlala nenkosi ekudleni, kepha ngivumele ukuba ngihambe, ngicashe endle kuze kube sosukwini lwesithathu ngakusihlwa.
6 Uma uyihlo engifica ngingekho, wothi: ‘UDavide wacela nokucela ukuba agijimele eBetlehema umuzi wakhe, ngokuba kukhona lapho umhlatshelo weminyaka ngeminyaka owenzelwa wonke umndeni wakubo.’
7 Uma esho ukuthi: ‘Kulungile,’ inceku yakho iyakuba nokuthula; kepha uma ethukuthela, yazi-ke ukuthi unqume okubi.