< 2 Samueli 18 >
1 Davide anasonkhanitsa anthu amene anali naye ndipo anasankha atsogoleri ena olamulira ankhondo 1,000 ndi ena olamulira ankhondo 100.
David counted the soldiers who were with him and appointed captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 Davide anatumiza asilikaliwo atawagawa patatu: gulu loyamba limalamulidwa ndi Yowabu, gulu lachiwiri limalamulidwa ndi Abisai ndipo gulu lachitatu limalamulidwa ndi Itai Mgiti. Mfumu inawuza asilikaliwo kuti, “Inenso ndipita nanu ndithu.”
Then David sent out the army, one-third under the command of Joab, another third under the command of Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and still another third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the army, “I will certainly go out with you myself, too.”
3 Koma anthuwo anati, “Inu musapite nafe. Ngati tidzathamangitsidwa, iwowo sadzasamala za ife. Ngakhale theka la ife litafa, iwo sadzasamalako. Koma inuyo ndinu ofunika kuposa asilikali 10,000. Nʼkwabwino kwambiri kuti inu muzititumizira chithandizo kuchokera ku mzindako.”
But the men said, “You must not go to battle, for if we flee away they will not care about us, or if half of us die they will not care. But you are worth ten thousand of us! Therefore it is better that you be ready to help us from the city.”
4 Mfumu inayankha kuti, “Ine ndichita chimene chili chokukomerani.” Kotero mfumu inayima pambali pa chipata pamene ankhondo onse amayenda mʼmagulu a anthu 100 ndi a 1,000.
So the king answered them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” The king stood by the city gate while all the army went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Mfumu inalamulira Yowabu, Abisai ndi Itai kuti, “Mumukomere mtima Abisalomu chifukwa cha ine.” Ndipo asilikali onse anamva pamene mfumu imalamula izi za Abisalomu kwa wolamulira aliyense.
The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Absalom.” All the people heard that the king had given the captains this command about Absalom.
6 Ankhondo anayenda kupita kukachita nkhondo ndi Israeli, ndipo nkhondo inachitika mʼnkhalango ya Efereimu.
So the army went out into the countryside against Israel; the battle spread into the forest of Ephraim.
7 Aisraeli anagonjetsedwa kumeneko ndi ankhondo a Davide. Tsiku limenelo anaphedwa anthu okwanira 20,000.
The army of Israel was defeated there before the soldiers of David; there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8 Nkhondo inafalikira ku madera onse akumidzi ndipo anthu akufa chifukwa cha zoopsa za mʼnkhalango anali ambiri tsiku limenelo kuposa akufa ndi lupanga.
The battle spread throughout the whole countryside, and more men were consumed by the forest than by the sword.
9 Tsono zinachitika kuti Abisalomu anakumana ndi asilikali a Davide. Iye anali atakwera bulu ndipo pamene buluyo amadutsa pansi pa nthambi zambiri za mtengo wa thundu, mutu wa Abisalomu unakodwa mu mtengomo. Iye anasiyidwa atatsakamira mʼmalele, pamene bulu amene anakwerapoyo amapitirira.
Absalom happened to meet some of David's soldiers. Absalom was riding his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak tree, and his head was caught up in the tree branches. He was left dangling between the ground and the sky while the mule he was riding kept going.
10 Mmodzi mwa asilikali ataona zimenezi, anamuwuza Yowabu kuti, “Ine ndamuona Abisalomu ali lende mu mtengo wa thundu.”
Someone saw this and told Joab, “Look, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 Yowabu anati kwa munthu amene anamuwuza zimenezi, “Ukuti chiyani! Unamuona? Nʼchifukwa chiyani sunamukanthire pansi pomwepo? Ndipo ine ndikanakupatsa ndalama za siliva khumi ndi lamba wausilikali.”
Joab said to the man who told him about Absalom, “Look! You saw him! Why did you not strike him down to the ground? I would have given you ten silver shekels and a belt.”
12 Koma munthuyo anayankha kuti, “Ngakhale atandipatsa mʼmanja mwanga ndalama zasiliva 1,000, sindingatambasule dzanja langa kupha mwana wa mfumu. Ife tikumva, mfumu inalamula inu Abisai ndiponso Itai kuti, ‘Mutetezeni mnyamatayo Abisalomu chifukwa cha ine!’
The man replied to Joab, “Even if I received a thousand silver shekels, still I would not have reached out my hand against the king's son, because we all heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'No one must touch the young man Absalom.'
13 Ndipo sindikanayika moyo wanga pa chiswe pakuti palibe chimene chimabisika pamaso pa mfumu komanso inu simukanditeteza.”
If I had risked my life by a falsehood (and there is nothing hidden from the king), you would have abandoned me.”
14 Yowabu anati, “Ine sinditayanso nthawi ndi iwe.” Ndipo anatenga mikondo itatu mʼmanja mwake ndipo anabaya pamtima pa Abisalomu, Abisalomuyo akanali ndi moyo pa mtengo wa thundu.
Then Joab said, “I will not wait for you.” So Joab took three javelins in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was still alive and hanging from the oak.
15 Ndipo anthu khumi onyamula zida za Yowabu anazungulira Abisalomu, kumubaya ndi kumupha.
Then ten young men who carried Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, attacked him, and killed him.
16 Kenaka Yowabu analiza lipenga ndipo asilikali analeka kuthamangitsa Israeli pakuti Yowabu anawaletsa.
Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the army returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held back the army.
17 Iwo anatenga Abisalomu ndi kumuponya mʼdzenje lalikulu mʼchipululumo ndipo anawunjikapo miyala ikuluikulu. Nthawiyi Aisraeli onse anathawa kupita ku nyumba zawo.
They took Absalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest; they buried his body under a very large pile of stones, while all Israel fled, every man to his own home.
18 Abisalomu ali ndi moyo anadzimangira chipilala mʼchigwa cha mfumu, pakuti ankaganiza kuti, “Ine ndilibe mwana wamwamuna amene adzakhale chikumbutso changa.” Chipilalacho anachitchula dzina lake lomwe ndipo mpaka lero chimatchedwa chipilala cha Abisalomu.
Now Absalom, while still alive, had built for himself a large stone pillar in the King's Valley, for he said, “I have no son to carry along the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after his own name, so it is called Absalom's Monument to this very day.
19 Tsono Ahimaazi mwana wa Zadoki anati, “Ndiloleni ndithamange ndi kukapereka uthenga kwa mfumu kuti Yehova wayipulumutsa mʼdzanja la adani ake.”
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me now run to the king with the good news, how Yahweh has rescued him from the hand of his enemies.”
20 Yowabu anamuwuza iye kuti, “Iwe si amene uti ukanene zimenezi lero. Ukapereka uthenga nthawi ina, koma usatero lero, chifukwa mwana wa mfumu wafa.”
Joab answered him, “You will not be the bearer of news today; you must do it another day. Today you will bear no news because the king's son is dead.”
21 Kenaka Yowabu anawuza Mkusi kuti, “Pita ukawuze mfumu zimene waona.” Mkusiyo anawerama pamaso pa Yowabu ndipo anathamanga kupita.
Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down to Joab, and ran.
22 Ahimaazi mwana wa Zadoki ananenanso kwa Yowabu kuti, “Zivute zitani, chonde mundilole kuti ndipite pambuyo pa Mkusiyo.” Koma Yowabu anayankha kuti, “Mwana wanga, nʼchifukwa chiyani ukufuna kupita? Ulibe nkhani yoti ukalandire nayo mphotho.”
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Regardless of what may happen, please let me also run and follow the Cushite.” Joab replied, “Why do you want to run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?”
23 Iye anati, “Zivute zitani ine ndikufuna kuti ndipite.” Choncho Yowabu anati “Pita!” Ndipo Ahimaazi anathamanga kudzera njira ya ku chigwa ndipo anamupitirira Mkusi uja.
“Whatever happens,” said Ahimaaz, “I will run.” So Joab answered him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
24 Nthawi imeneyo nʼkuti Davide atakhala pakati pa zipata ziwiri, chakubwalo ndi chamʼkati. Mlonda anakwera pa khoma nakayimirira pa denga la chipata. Anati atayangʼana, anaona munthu akuthamanga yekhayekha.
Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates. The watchman had gone up to the roof of the gate to the wall and raised his eyes. As he looked, he saw a man approaching, running alone.
25 Mlonda uja anapita kwa mfumu ndipo anafotokoza. Mfumu inati, “Ngati ali yekha ali ndi nkhani yabwino” Ndipo munthuyo anayandikira.
The watchman shouted out and told the king. Then the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” The runner came closer and neared the city.
26 Mlonda uja anaonanso munthu wina akuthamanga, ndipo anayitana woyangʼanira pa chipata, “Taona, munthu winanso akuthamanga ali yekha!” Mfumu inati, “Iye akubweretsanso nkhani yabwino.”
Then the watchman noticed another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper; he said, “Look, there is another man running alone.” The king said, “He is also bringing news.”
27 Mlonda uja anati, “Munthu akuthamanga patsogoloyo, kathamangidwe kake kakufanafana ndi mmene amathamangira Ahimaazi, mwana wa Zadoki.” Mfumu inati, “Ameneyo ndi munthu wabwino, ndipo akubwera ndi nkhani yabwino.”
So the watchman said, “I think the running of the man in front is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man and is coming with good news.”
28 Ndipo Ahimaazi anafuwula kwa mfumu, “Zonse zili bwino!” Iye anagwada pamaso pa mfumu nkhope yake atagunditsa pansi ndipo anati, “Yehova Mulungu wathu alemekezedwe! Iye wapereka mʼdzanja lathu anthu amene anawukira inu mbuye wanga mfumu.”
Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be Yahweh your God! He has delivered the men who lifted up their hand against my master the king.”
29 Mfumu inafunsa, “Kodi mnyamata uja Abisalomu watetezedwa?” Ahimaazi anayankha, “Pamene Yowabu amati azindituma ine mtumiki wanu ndinaona chipiringu cha anthu, koma sindikudziwa chinali chiyani.”
So the king replied, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent me, the king's servant, to you, king, I saw a great disturbance, but I did not know what it was.”
30 Mfumu inati, “Ima apo ndipo udikire.” Kotero iye anapita pa mbali nayima pamenepo.
Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So Ahimaaz turned aside, and stood still.
31 Kenaka Mkusi uja anafika ndipo anati, “Mbuye wanga mfumu imvani nkhani yabwino! Yehova wakupulumutsani inu lero kwa onse amene anakuwukirani.”
Immediately then the Cushite arrived and said, “There is good news for my master the king, for Yahweh has avenged you today from all who rose up against you.”
32 Mfumu inafunsa Mkusiyo kuti, “Kodi mnyamata uja Abisalomu watetezedwa?” Mkusiyo anayankha kuti, “Adani anu mbuye wanga mfumu, pamodzi ndi anthu onse amene amakuwukirani, ziwaonekere zomwe zamuonekera mnyamatayo.”
Then the king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “The enemies of my master the king, and all who rise up against you to do harm to you, should be as that young man is.”
33 Mfumu inanthunthumira. Inapita ku chipinda cha mmwamba cha pa chipata kukalira. Pamene imapita, inkati: “Iwe mwana wanga Abisalomu! Mwana wanga! Mwana wanga Abisalomu! Zikanakhala bwino ndikanafa ndine mʼmalo mwako! Iwe Abisalomu, mwana wanga, mwana wanga!”
Then the king was deeply unnerved, and he went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went he grieved, “My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”