< 2 Samuel 14 >

1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart longed for Absalom.
Na rĩrĩ, Joabu mũrũ wa Zeruia nĩamenyete atĩ ngoro ya mũthamaki nĩyeriragĩria kuona Abisalomu.
2 So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, Joabu agĩtũma mũndũ athiĩ Tekoa akagĩĩre mũndũ-wa-nja warĩ mũũgĩ, areehwo kuuma kũu. Akĩĩra mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio atĩrĩ, “Wĩtue atĩ nĩũracakaya. Wĩhumbe nguo cia macakaya, na ndũkehake maguta o na marĩkũ. Wĩtue ta mũndũ-wa-nja ũikarĩte matukũ maingĩ akĩrĩrĩra mũndũ mũkuũ.
3 Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.
Ũcooke ũthiĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki ũmwarĩrie ciugo ici.” Nake Joabu akĩmwĩra ũrĩa ekuuga.
4 When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell facedown in homage and said, “Help me, O king!”
Rĩrĩa mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio wa kuuma Tekoa aathiire kũrĩ mũthamaki, akĩĩgũithia, agĩturumithia ũthiĩ thĩ nĩguo amũhe gĩtĩĩo, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee mũthamaki, ndeithia!”
5 “What troubles you?” the king asked her. “Indeed,” she said, “I am a widow, for my husband is dead.
Nake mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ kĩragũthĩĩnia?” Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ niĩ ndĩ mũndũ-wa-nja wa ndigwa; mũthuuri wakwa nĩakuĩte.
6 And your maidservant had two sons who were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him.
Niĩ ndungata yaku ndĩrarĩ na ariũ eerĩ. Nao maroogitana me mũgũnda, na harakĩaga mũndũ hau wa kũmateithũrana. Ũmwe aragũtha ũrĩa ũngĩ na aramũũraga.
7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, ‘Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!’ So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on the earth.”
Na rĩrĩ, mũhĩrĩga wothe nĩũũkĩrĩire ndungata yaku; ũkoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Tũnengere mũndũ ũrĩa ũragĩte mũrũ wa nyina, nĩgeetha tũmũũrage nĩ ũndũ wa muoyo wa mũrũ wa nyina ũrĩa ooragĩte; tũkĩniine mũgai o nake.’ Nao mangĩĩka ũguo no mahorie ikara rĩrĩa rĩraakana, na no rĩo riiki ndigairie, maniine rĩĩtwa rĩa mũthuuri wakwa, o na maniine njiaro ciake gũkũ thĩ.”
8 “Go home,” the king said to the woman, “and I will give orders on your behalf.”
Nake mũthamaki akĩĩra mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio atĩrĩ, “Inũka, na nĩngũruta watho nĩ ũndũ waku.”
9 But the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord the king, may any blame be on me and on my father’s house, and may the king and his throne be guiltless.”
No mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio wa Tekoa akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, reke ũũru ũcio ũnjookerere hamwe na nyũmba ya baba, na ũreke wee mũthamaki na gĩtĩ gĩaku gĩa ũthamaki wage gũcookererwo nĩ ũũru o na ũrĩkũ.”
10 “If anyone speaks to you,” said the king, “bring him to me, and he will not trouble you again!”
Nake mũthamaki agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ o na ũ angĩkwĩra ũndũ o na ũrĩkũ, mũrehe kũrĩ niĩ, nake ndagacooka gũgũthĩĩnia rĩngĩ.”
11 “Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
Nake mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Reke mũthamaki agwete rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova Ngai wake, nĩguo agirĩrĩrie mũrĩhĩria wa thakame ndakae kũũragana rĩngĩ, nĩgeetha mũriũ wakwa ndakae kũũragwo.” Nake mũthamaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo-rĩ, gũtirĩ rũcuĩrĩ o na rũmwe rwa mũtwe wa mũrũguo rũkũgũa thĩ.”
12 Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied.
Ningĩ mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Reke ndungata yaku ĩkwĩre kiugo wee mũthamaki, mwathi wakwa.” Nake agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Kĩarie.”
13 The woman asked, “Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, since he has not brought back his own banished son?
Mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte wee ũthondeke ũndũ ta ũyũ wa gũũkĩrĩra andũ a Ngai? Rĩrĩa mũthamaki oiga ũguo-rĩ, githĩ tiwe wĩtuĩrĩire ciira, nĩgũkorwo mũthamaki ndacooketie mũriũ wake ũrĩa mũingate mũciĩ?
14 For surely we will die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him.
Ta ũrĩa maaĩ maitĩkaga thĩ, marĩa matangĩoeka-rĩ, no taguo arĩ o nginya ithuĩ tũkue. No Ngai ndarutaga mũndũ muoyo; handũ ha gwĩka ũguo-rĩ, athondekaga njĩra nĩgeetha mũndũ ũrĩa mũingate ndakae gũtũũra ta ateetwo biũ agathengio harĩ we.
15 Now therefore, I have come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the request of his maidservant.
“Na rĩrĩ, njũkĩte gũkwĩra ũhoro ũyũ wee mũthamaki mwathi wakwa tondũ andũ nĩmatũmĩte niĩ ndĩtigĩre. Ndungata yaku ĩciirĩtie atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ nĩngwarĩria mũthamaki; no gũkorwo nĩegwĩka ũrĩa ndungata yake ĩkũmũũria;
16 For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’
no gũkorwo mũthamaki nĩegwĩtĩkĩra kũhonokia ndungata yake kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa mũndũ ũrĩa ũrageria gũtũniina niĩ hamwe na mũriũ wakwa, matweherie kuuma kũrĩ igai rĩrĩa twaheirwo nĩ Ngai.’
17 And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king bring me rest, for my lord the king is able to discern good and evil, just like the angel of God. May the LORD your God be with you.’”
“Na rĩrĩ, ndungata yaku ĩgũkwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Kiugo gĩaku mũthamaki mwathi wakwa kĩrondeehere ũhurũko, nĩgũkorwo mũthamaki mwathi wakwa ahaana ta mũraika wa Ngai wa gũkũũrana wega na ũũru. Jehova Ngai waku aroikara nawe.’”
18 Then the king said to the woman, “I am going to ask you something; do not conceal it from me!” “Let my lord the king speak,” she replied.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũthamaki akĩĩra mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio atĩrĩ, “Ndũkaahithe ũndũ o wothe ũrĩa ngũkũũria.” Nake mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki mwathi wakwa nĩakĩarie.”
19 So the king asked, “Is the hand of Joab behind all this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave me orders; he told your maidservant exactly what to say.
Nake mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũtinyiitanĩire na Joabu ũhoro-inĩ ũyũ wothe?” Nake mũndũ-wa-nja akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa ũtũũraga muoyo, wee mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, gũtirĩ mũndũ ũngĩĩhũgũra mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho, aregane na ũndũ o wothe ũrĩa mũthamaki mwathi wakwa angiuga. Ĩĩ nĩguo, nĩ ndungata yaku Joabu yanjĩĩrire njĩke ũndũ ũyũ, na nĩwe wĩkĩrĩte ciugo ici ciothe kanua-inĩ ka ndungata yaku.
20 Joab your servant has done this to bring about this change of affairs, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that happens in the land.”
Nake Joabu, ndungata yaku nĩwe wĩkĩte ũguo nĩgeetha agarũre ũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ ho ihinda rĩĩrĩ. Mwathi wakwa arĩ ũũgĩ ta wa mũraika wa Ngai; nĩamenyaga ũndũ wothe ũrĩa wĩkĩkaga bũrũri-inĩ.”
21 Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
Mũthamaki akĩĩra Joabu atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wega, nĩngwĩka ũguo. Thiĩ, ũcookie mwanake ũcio ti Abisalomu.”
22 Joab fell facedown in homage and blessed the king. “Today,” said Joab, “your servant knows that he has found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted his request.”
Joabu akĩĩgũithia aturumithĩtie ũthiũ thĩ nĩguo amũhe gĩtĩĩo, na akĩrathima mũthamaki. Joabu akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũmũthĩ ndungata yaku nĩyamenya atĩ nĩĩrĩkĩtie gwĩtĩkĩrĩka maitho-inĩ maku mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, tondũ mũthamaki nĩetĩkĩrĩte ihooya rĩa ndungata yake.”
23 So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo Joabu agĩthiĩ Geshuru, na agĩcookia Abisalomu Jerusalemu.
24 But the king added, “He may return to his house, but he must not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but he did not see the king.
Nowe mũthamaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “No nginya athiĩ mũciĩ gwake mwene; ndakarekwo oone ũthiũ wakwa.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Abisalomu agĩthiĩ mũciĩ gwake na ndaigana kuona ũthiũ wa mũthamaki.
25 Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw.
Thĩinĩ wa Isiraeli guothe gũtiarĩ mũndũ ũngĩ o na ũmwe waganagwo gũthakara ta Abisalomu. Kuuma rũcuĩrĩ rwake rwa mũtwe nginya nyarĩrĩ ciake ndaarĩ na kameni.
26 And when he cut the hair of his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy—he would weigh it out to be two hundred shekels, according to the royal standard.
Rĩrĩa rĩothe eenjaga njuĩrĩ cia mũtwe wake, nĩenjagwo o mwaka wathira rĩrĩa njuĩrĩ yamũritũhĩra mũno, angĩamĩthimire, ũritũ wayo wakoragwo ũrĩ cekeri magana meerĩ, kũringana na gĩthimi kĩa mũthamaki.
27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman.
Nake Abisalomu nĩaciarire aanake atatũ na mũirĩtu ũmwe. Nake mwarĩ eetagwo Tamaru, na aarĩ mũndũ-wa-nja mũthaka.
28 Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king.
Abisalomu aatũũrire mĩaka ĩĩrĩ Jerusalemu atarĩ oona ũthiũ wa mũthamaki.
29 Then he sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So Absalom sent a second time, but Joab still would not come.
Ningĩ Abisalomu agĩtũmanĩra Joabu nĩguo amũtũme kũrĩ mũthamaki, no Joabu akĩrega gũthiĩ kũrĩ we. Ningĩ akĩmũtũmanĩra riita rĩa keerĩ, no akĩrega gũthiĩ.
30 Then Absalom said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire!” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo akĩĩra ndungata ciake atĩrĩ, “Atĩrĩrĩ, mũgũnda wa Joabu ũhakanĩte na wakwa, na arĩ na cairi kuo. Thiĩi mũmĩcine na mwaki.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ndungata cia Abisalomu ikĩgwatia mũgũnda ũcio mwaki ũkĩhĩa.
31 Then Joab came to Absalom’s house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
Hĩndĩ ĩyo Joabu agĩthiĩ mũciĩ kwa Abisalomu, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũma ndungata ciaku icine mũgũnda wakwa?”
32 “Look,” said Absalom, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king’s face, and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”
Nake Abisalomu akĩĩra Joabu atĩrĩ, “Ndagũtũmanĩire, ngĩkwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ũka, nĩguo ngũtũme kwa mũthamaki, ũkamũũrie atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũmire nyume Geshuru? Ũngĩrĩ ũndũ mwega korwo nĩkuo ndũũraga o na rĩu!”’ Rĩu-rĩ, nĩngwenda kuona ũthiũ wa mũthamaki, na hangĩkorwo nĩ harĩ na ũndũ njĩkĩte mũũru, nĩakĩĩnjũrage.”
33 So Joab went and told the king, and David summoned Absalom, who came to him and bowed facedown before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Joabu agĩthiĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki, na akĩmũhe ũhoro ũcio. Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũthamaki agĩĩta Abisalomu, nake agĩũka, akĩinamĩrĩra aturumithĩtie ũthiũ thĩ mbere ya mũthamaki. Nake mũthamaki akĩmumunya Abisalomu.

< 2 Samuel 14 >