< 2 Samuel 15 >

1 Te phoeiah tah Absalom loh amah ham leng neh marhang neh a hmaiah aka yong la hlang sawmnga te a hmoel.
Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.
2 Te phoeiah Absalom te hlah uh tih vongka kah longpuei kaep ah pai. Te vaengah tuituknah a khueh tih manghai mikhmuh kah laitloeknah paan ham aka om hlang carhui te Absalom loh a khue. Te phoeiah, “Nang me kho lamkah lae?” a ti nah hatah, “Na sal he Israel koca pakhat ni,” a ti nah.
He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”
3 Te vaengah anih te Absalom loh, “So lah, na ol tah then tih langya dae nang ol te manghai loh a hnatun moenih,” a ti nah.
Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”
4 Te phoeiah khaw Absalom loh, “Khohmuen ah lai aka tloek la kamah he dawk ng'khueh koinih tuituknah aka khueh hlang boeih loh kai taengla ha pawk vetih laitloeknah dongah anih te ka tang sak suidae,” a ti nah.
Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”
5 Te dongah a om nah kung ah anih bawk hamla aka mop hlang boeih te a kut a doe tih a kop phoeiah a mok.
When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.
6 Hekah olka bangla Absalom loh manghai kah laitloeknah aka paan Israel rhoek boeih taengah a saii. Te dongah Absalom loh Israel hlang rhoek kah lungbuei te a huen pah.
This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.
7 Kum sawmli a poeng nen tah Absalom loh manghai taengah, “Ka cet mai saeh lamtah Hebron ah BOEIPA taengah ka saii ka olcaeng te ka thuung mai pawn eh.
Four years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.
8 Aram Geshuri kah kho ka sak vaengah ni na sal loh olcaeng he a caeng coeng. Te vaengah, 'BOEIPA loh kai he Jerusalem ah m'bal la m'bal puei atah BOEIPA taengah tho ka thueng eh?,’ ka ti ta,” a ti nah.
For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”
9 Te daengah anih te manghai loh, “Sading la cet ne,” a ti nah. Te dongah thoo tih Hebron la cet.
“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom went to Hebron.
10 Tedae Absalom loh Israel koca boeih taengah longyam a tueih tih, “Tuki ol na yaak uh vaengah, 'Absalom tah Hebron ah manghai la om coeng,'ti uh ne,” a ti nah.
Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”
11 Te vaengah Jerusalem lamkah a khue hlang yahnih loh Absalom te a caeh puei. Amih te ngaimong ngaitoe la cet uh dae olka pakhat khaw a ming uh moenih.
Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.
12 David kah olrhoep Giloh Ahithophel te hmueih a nawn na kungah amah kho Giloh lamkah te Absalom loh a tah. Anih neh lairhui te om rhapsat dae pilnam khaw Absalom taengla muep cet.
While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.
13 Te vaengah David taengla aka puen te ha pawk tih, “Israel hlang kah a lungbuei tah Absalom taengla om coeng,” a ti nah.
A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”
14 Te dongah David loh Jerusalem kah amah taengah aka om a sal rhoek boeih te, “Thoo uh lamtah, yong uh pawn sih, Absalom mikhmuh lamloh mamih ham loeihnah om mahpawh, pahoi caeh ham om. Mamih he buengrhuet ng'kae vetih mamih soah yoethae hang heh phoeiah tah khopuei te cunghang ha neh ngawn ve,” a ti nah.
David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”
15 Manghai kah sal rhoek loh manghai te, “Ka boei manghai kah a coelh bangla na sal rhoek boeih ka om uh he,” a ti uh.
“Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.
16 Te phoeiah tah manghai neh a kho kung kah a imkhui pum tah pahoi hlah uh. Tedae a yula huta parha te tah im tawt la manghai loh a caehtak.
The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.
17 Manghai neh a kho kungkah pilnam boeih te hlah uh tih khohla bangsang kah im la pai uh.
The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,
18 Te vaengah a kut hmuiah aka pongpa a sal boeih neh Kerethi boeih, Phelethi boeih neh Gath lamloh anih kho kungah aka pongpa Ghitti boeih tah hlang ya rhuk la manghai mikhmuh ah cet uh.
and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.
19 Tedae manghai loh Ghitti Ittai te, “Balae tih, kaimih taengah nang na pongpa he?, Mael lamtah manghai taengah ana om ngawn. Nang tah kholong neh na hmuen lamloh m'poelyoe uh nang khaw.
The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.
20 Hlaem ah na pawk tih tihnin ah nang he kam poeng khaw kam poeng puei mai aya? Kaimih neh n'caeh vaengah me la ka pawk akaw ka cet to coeng. Sitlohnah neh oltak la mael lamtah na taengkah na manuca rhoek mael puei laeh,” a ti nah.
You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”
21 Tedae Ittai loh manghai te a doo tih, “BOEIPA kah hingnah neh ka boeipa manghai kah hingnah dongah, ka boeipa manghai te mekah hmuen ah om mai tih, dueknah neh hingnah dongah khaw na sal he ha om bitni,” a ti nah.
But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”
22 Tedae David loh Ittai te, “Cet lamtah kat laeh,” a ti nah. Te dongah Ghitti Ittai neh a hlang rhoek boeih, a taengkah camoe boeih te a kat puei.
“Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.
23 Pilnam te boeih a khum vaengah kho tomah a ol neh bungbung rhap uh. Manghai loh Kidron soklong te a poeng daengah pilnam boeih loh khosoek longpuei kah rhaldan la thoeih uh pueng.
All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.
24 Te vaengah Pathen kah paipi thingkawng aka kawt Zadok neh a taengkah Levi boeih long khaw Pathen kah thingkawng te dalh a hal uh. Te dongah khopuei lamkah aka nong ham pilnam te boeih a cing duela Abiathar loh a dom pah.
Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.
25 Te vaengah manghai loh Zadok te, “Pathen kah thingkawng he khopuei la mael puei laeh, BOEIPA kah mikhmuh ah mikdaithen ka dang tih kai m'mael puei atah amah neh a tolkhoeng te kai n'tueng bitni.
Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.
26 Tedae, 'Nang te kang ngaih moenih,’ a ti oeh atah a mikhmuh ah a then a ti bangla kai taengah han saii nawn saeh,” a ti nah.
But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”
27 Te phoeiah manghai loh khosoih Zadok te, “Na taengkah na ca rhoi, na capa Ahimaaz neh Abiathar capa Jonathan khaw khopuei ah sading la mael puei ham na hmuh a?” a ti nah.
The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.
28 “Ka hmuh, nangmih taeng lamkah ol aka thoeng te kai taengla ha puen hil khosoek kah vahcaeh, kolken ah kan rhing ni,” a ti nah.
I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”
29 Te dongah Zadok neh Abiathar loh Pathen kah thingkawng te Jerusalem la a mael puei rhoi tih pahoi om rhoi.
Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
30 David te olive kham ah a luei. A luei vaengah rhap tih a lu khoep a yil tih khotling la cet. A taengkah pilnam boeih long khaw a lu rhip a yil uh tih a caeh, caeh doela rhap uh.
David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.
31 Te vaengah David taengla a puen pa tih, “Absalom neh aka ven uh rhoek khuiah Ahithophel khaw om,” a ti nah. Te dongah David loh, “BOEIPA aw, Ahithophel kah cilsuep te pavai sak laeh,” a ti.
David was told, “Ahithophel is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”
32 Som la a pawk vaengah David loh Pathen te a bawk. Te vaengah Arkii Hushai loh a angkidung pawnsoem neh a lu dongah laipi hoeng la David tarha a doe.
When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.
33 Te dongah anih te David loh, “Kai taengah na pongpa koinih kai ham hnorhih la na om ni.
David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,
34 Tedae khopuei la na bal tih Absalom taengah, 'Kai tah manghai nang kah sal la ka om eh?, na pa kah sal lam khaw hlamat ah ka om coeng dae nang kah sal la ka om mai pawn eh?,’ na ti koinih Ahithophel kah cilsuep te kai ham na phae suidae.
but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.
35 Na taengah khosoih Zadok neh Abiathar te a om moenih a? Te daengah man manghai im kah olka na yaak boeih te khosoih Zadok neh Abiathar taengah na thui ve.
Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.
36 A ca rhoi, Zadok capa Ahimaaz neh Abiathar capa Jonathan khaw amih taengah pahoi om ta ke. Olka na yaak boeih te amih kut lamkah loh kai taengla nam pat mako,” a ti nah.
Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”
37 Te dongah David kah olrhoep Hushai loh khopuei te a paan tih Jerusalem kah Absalom taengla kun.
David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.

< 2 Samuel 15 >