2 Samuel 14
1 Joab wuod Zeruya nongʼeyo ni chuny ruoth gombo Abisalom.
Joab, son of Zeruiah, knew that the king kept on thinking about Absalom.
2 Omiyo Joab nooro ngʼat moro Tekoa mi okelne dhako moro mariek koa kuno. Nowachone niya, “Wuondri ni ikuyo. Rwak lep ywak kendo kik iwirri gi mo del. Chal ka dhako mosebet ka ywago ngʼate motho kuom ndalo mangʼeny.
So Joab sent a messenger to Tekoa to bring back a wise woman who lived there. He told her, “Pretend to be a mourner. Put on clothes for mourning, and don't use any scented oils. Be like a woman who has been in mourning for the dead a long time.
3 Bangʼe idhi ir ruoth kendo iwachne wechegi.” Joab nomiye weche monego owach.
Then go to the king and tell him this.” Joab told her what to say.
4 Kane dhako moa Tekoa odhi ir ruoth, nokulore nyaka e lowo auma mar miye luor, eka nowachone niya, “Konya, yaye ruoth!”
When the woman from Tekoa went to see the king, she bowed facedown to the ground in respect, and said, “Please help me, Your Majesty!”
5 Ruoth nopenje niya, “Angʼo machandi?” Nowacho niya, “Chutho, an dhako ma chwore otho; chwora nosetho.
“What's the matter?” the king asked her. “Sadly I'm a widow. My husband is dead,” she replied.
6 An jatichni, ne an gi yawuowi ariyo. Negigore ka gin oko e pap, ne onge ngʼato machiegni mane nyalo thegogi. Achiel nogoyo machielo mi onege.
“Your Majesty, I had two sons. They had a fight outside, and there was nobody there to stop them. One of them hit the other, and killed him.
7 Koro anywola duto orido ni jatichni matek; kagiwacho ni, Gol ngʼat mane onego owadgi, mondo wanege, kaka ne onego owadgi; eka wanatieki nyaka jarit girkeni bende. Koro gidwaro nego mirni maliel madongʼ-go, ka giweyo chwora dongʼ maonge nying kata kothe modongʼ e wangʼ piny.”
Now the whole family is against me. They're saying, ‘Hand over your son who killed his brother so we can put him to death for murdering his brother. That way he won't inherit anything either!’ By doing this they would snuff out the last ember of hope I have to carry on my husband's name and family in the world.”
8 Ruoth nowacho ni dhakoni niya, “Dhi dala, kendo abiro golo chik e wachnino.”
“Go on home,” the king told the woman, “and I myself will make sure your case is dealt with for you.”
9 To dhako moa Tekoa nowachone niya, “Ruodha ma en ruoth, we mondo ketho odongʼ e wiya kendo ewi dhood wuora, to mondo ruoth gi kom ruodhe obed maonge ketho.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said the woman. “I and my family will take the blame, and may Your Majesty and your family be held to be innocent.”
10 Ruoth nodwoke niya, “Ka ngʼato owachoni gimoro, to mondo ikele ira, ma ok nochak ochandi kendo.”
“If anyone complains to you about it, bring him here to me, and he won't bother you again!” the king told her.
11 Nowacho niya, “Kara koro ruoth osingre gi nying Jehova Nyasaye ni odhi tamo jachul kuor mondo kik omed ketho kendo mondo wuoda kik negi.” Nowacho niya, “Akwongʼora gi nying Jehova Nyasaye mangima ni onge yie wi wuodi kata achiel manolwar piny.”
“Please, Your Majesty,” the woman continued, “swear by the Lord your God that you will stop the person wanting to avenge the murder from making it worse by killing my son!” “As the Lord lives,” he promised, “not a single hair from your son's head will fall to the ground.”
12 Eka dhakono nowachone niya, “Yie iwe jatichni owach wach moro ni ruodhe ma en ruoth.” Nodwoke niya, “Wachi.”
“Could I please ask for one other thing, Your Majesty?” the woman asked. “Go ahead,” he replied.
13 Kendo dhakono nowacho niya, “Kara en angʼo momiyo isengʼado wach marach kama kuom jo-Nyasaye? Ka ruoth wacho kama, donge ongʼado bura ne en owuon, nikech ruoth pok odwogo wuode mane oriembi.
“So why have you schemed in a similar way against the people of God?” the woman asked. “Since Your Majesty just decided my case by what you said, haven't you convicted yourself because you refuse to bring back the son you banished?
14 Kaka pi mopukore piny ma ok nyal tuom kendo, omiyo nyaka watho. To Nyasaye ok neg ngʼato; kar timo kamano, to oloso yore mondo ngʼat mane oriembi kik osiki ka en jasike.
Yes, we all have to die. We're like water spilled on the ground that can't be collected again. But that's not what God does. Instead he works out ways for anyone who is banished to come back home to him.
15 “To koro sani asebiro mondo awach ma ni ruodha ma en ruoth nikech ji osemiya luoro. Jatichni noparo ni, ‘Abiro wuoyo gi ruoth; kamoro dipo kotimo gima jatichne okwaye.
That's why I've come to explain this to Your Majesty, because someone has frightened me. So I thought to myself, I will go and speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant my request.
16 Kamoro dipo ruoth biro yie mondo okony jatichne e lwet ngʼat madwaro tieka an kaachiel gi wuoda e girkeni mane Nyasaye omiyowa.’
Perhaps the king will listen and save me from the man who would cut off both me and my son from God's chosen people.
17 “To koro sani jatichni wacho ni, ‘Mad wach ruodha kelna kwe, nimar ruodha ma en ruoth chal gi malaika mar Nyasaye manono ber gi rach. Mad Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasachi bed kodi.’”
I thought: May what Your Majesty says bring me peace, for Your Majesty is able to tell the difference between good and evil, just like an angel of God. May the Lord your God be with you!”
18 Eka ruoth nowacho ni dhakono niya, “Kik ipandna dwoko e gima adwaro penji.” Dhakono nowacho niya, “Ruodha ma en ruoth owuo.”
“Please don't refuse to answer the question I'm about to ask,” the king said to the woman. “Please ask your question, Your Majesty,” she replied.
19 Ruoth nopenje niya, “Donge Joab ni kodi e wechegi duto?” Dhakono nodwoke niya, “Akwongʼora e nyimi ni in ruodha ma en ruoth kendo ni gima iwachono en adier. Ee, ne en jatichni Joab mane onyisa mondo atim ma kendo en bende ema noketo wechegi e dho jatichni.
“Is all this Joab's doing?” the king asked. The woman replied, “As you live, Your Majesty, no one can hide anything from you. Yes, it was Joab, your officer, who ordered me to do this—he told me exactly what to say.
20 Jatichni Joab notimo ma mondo okel lokruok kuom gik matimore sanigi. Ruodha nigi rieko ka mar malaika mar Nyasaye kendo ongʼeyo gik moko duto matimore e pinywa ka.”
He did so to show the other side of the situation, but Your Majesty is as wise as an angel of God, and you know everything that happens in this country.”
21 Ruoth nowacho ni Joab niya, “Mano kare, abiro timo kamano. Dhiyo mondo iom wuowi ma Abisalom oduogi.”
The king said to Joab, “Fine, I'll do it. Go and bring young Absalom back.”
22 Joab nopodho piny auma e nyime mondo omiye duongʼ, kendo nogwedho ruoth. Joab nowacho niya, “Kawuononi jatichni ongʼeyo ni ogene gi ruodha ma en ruoth, nikech ruoth oseyie timo gima jatichne okwaye.”
Joab bowed down with his face to the ground in respect, and blessed the king. “Today,” said Joab, “I, your servant, know that you approve of me, Your Majesty, because you have granted my request.”
23 Eka Joab nodhi Geshur mi okelo Abisalom Jerusalem.
Joab went to Geshur, and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
24 To ruoth nowachone niya, “Nyaka odhi e ode owuon; kendo kik obi buta.” Omiyo Abisalom nodhi e ode owuon kendo ne ok osudo machiegni gi ruoth.
But the king gave this order, “He may return to his home, but he's not to come and see me.” So Absalom returned to his own home, but he didn't go and see the king.
25 Ei Israel duto ne onge ngʼama ipako ni jaber ka Abisalom. Koa e wiye nyaka e pat tiende ne oonge gi mbala moro amora kuome.
Absalom was admired as the most handsome man in the whole of Israel. He didn't have a single blemish from head to toe.
26 E kinde duto mane olielo yie wiye, nimar nojaliel wiye kinde ka kinde nikech yie wiye ne dongo piyo kendo bedone mapek, kane opime to ne oloyo kilo ariyo kopim gi rapim mar joka ruoth.
He cut his hair every year because it got so heavy—it weighed two hundred royal shekels.
27 Abisalom nonywolo yawuowi adek gi nyako achiel. Nyare ne iluongo ni Tamar, kendo nodongo nyako ma jaber.
He had three sons, and a daughter named Tamar—a very beautiful woman.
28 Abisalom nodak Jerusalem kuom higni ariyo kapok osudo machiegni but ruoth.
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years but was not permitted to see the king.
29 Eka Abisalom noluongo Joab mondo oore ir ruoth, to Joab nodagi dhi ire. Omiyo nochako ooro wach mar ariyo to nochako odagi.
Absalom called Joab to arrange for him to see the king, for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come. Absalom called Joab again, but Joab still wouldn't come.
30 Eka nowachone jotije niya, “Neuru puoth Joab omakore gi mara, kendo cham mar shairi ni e iye. Dhiuru umokie mach.” Omiyo jotij Abisalom nodhi momoko mach e puodhono.
So Absalom told his servants, “Look, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley growing there. Go and set it on fire!” Absalom's servants went and set the field on fire.
31 Eka Joab nodhi ir Abisalom e ode mowachone niya, “Angʼo momiyo jotiji owangʼo puotha?”
Joab went to Absalom's house and asked “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
32 Abisalom nowacho ni Joab niya, “Ne, naoroni wach kawacho ni, ‘Bi mondo aori ir ruoth mondo ipenje kama: “Angʼo momiyo nabiro kawuok Geshur? Dine ber kane pod an kuno!”’ Sani koro adwaro dhi neno ruoth, to ka an gi ketho moro, to mondo onega.”
“Look here,” said Absalom, “I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here. I want you to go to the king and ask: Why did I bother coming back from Geshur? It would have been better for me to stay there.’ So go and arrange for me to see the king, and if I'm guilty of anything, he can kill me.”
33 Omiyo Joab nodhi ir ruoth mowachone wechegi. Eka ruoth noluongo Abisalom, mi nodonjo kendo nokulore auma piny e nyim ruoth. Ruoth nonyodho Abisalom.
So Joab went and told the king what Absalom had said. Then David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed down with his face to the ground before him in respect. Then the king kissed Absalom.
