2 Samuel 18
1 Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
Davide anasonkhanitsa anthu amene anali naye ndipo anasankha atsogoleri ena olamulira ankhondo 1,000 ndi ena olamulira ankhondo 100.
2 He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
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.”
3 But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”
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.”
4 “I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
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.
5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
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.
6 So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Ankhondo anayenda kupita kukachita nkhondo ndi Israeli, ndipo nkhondo inachitika mʼnkhalango ya Efereimu.
7 There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
Aisraeli anagonjetsedwa kumeneko ndi ankhondo a Davide. Tsiku limenelo anaphedwa anthu okwanira 20,000.
8 The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
Nkhondo inafalikira ku madera onse akumidzi ndipo anthu akufa chifukwa cha zoopsa za mʼnkhalango anali ambiri tsiku limenelo kuposa akufa ndi lupanga.
9 Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.
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.
10 When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
Mmodzi mwa asilikali ataona zimenezi, anamuwuza Yowabu kuti, “Ine ndamuona Abisalomu ali lende mu mtengo wa thundu.”
11 “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”
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.”
12 The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
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!’
13 If I had jeopardized my own life —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
Ndipo sindikanayika moyo wanga pa chiswe pakuti palibe chimene chimabisika pamaso pa mfumu komanso inu simukanditeteza.”
14 But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
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.
15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
Ndipo anthu khumi onyamula zida za Yowabu anazungulira Abisalomu, kumubaya ndi kumupha.
16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
Kenaka Yowabu analiza lipenga ndipo asilikali analeka kuthamangitsa Israeli pakuti Yowabu anawaletsa.
17 They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.
Iwo anatenga Abisalomu ndi kumuponya mʼdzenje lalikulu mʼchipululumo ndipo anawunjikapo miyala ikuluikulu. Nthawiyi Aisraeli onse anathawa kupita ku nyumba zawo.
18 During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
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.
19 Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
Tsono Ahimaazi mwana wa Zadoki anati, “Ndiloleni ndithamange ndi kukapereka uthenga kwa mfumu kuti Yehova wayipulumutsa mʼdzanja la adani ake.”
20 But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
Yowabu anamuwuza iye kuti, “Iwe si amene uti ukanene zimenezi lero. Ukapereka uthenga nthawi ina, koma usatero lero, chifukwa mwana wa mfumu wafa.”
21 So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
Kenaka Yowabu anawuza Mkusi kuti, “Pita ukawuze mfumu zimene waona.” Mkusiyo anawerama pamaso pa Yowabu ndipo anathamanga kupita.
22 Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
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.”
23 “No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
Iye anati, “Zivute zitani ine ndikufuna kuti ndipite.” Choncho Yowabu anati “Pita!” Ndipo Ahimaazi anathamanga kudzera njira ya ku chigwa ndipo anamupitirira Mkusi uja.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.
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.
25 So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,
Mlonda uja anapita kwa mfumu ndipo anafotokoza. Mfumu inati, “Ngati ali yekha ali ndi nkhani yabwino” Ndipo munthuyo anayandikira.
26 the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.
Mlonda uja anaonanso munthu wina akuthamanga, ndipo anayitana woyangʼanira pa chipata, “Taona, munthu winanso akuthamanga ali yekha!” Mfumu inati, “Iye akubweretsanso nkhani yabwino.”
27 The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
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.”
28 Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”
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.”
29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
Mfumu inafunsa, “Kodi mnyamata uja Abisalomu watetezedwa?” Ahimaazi anayankha, “Pamene Yowabu amati azindituma ine mtumiki wanu ndinaona chipiringu cha anthu, koma sindikudziwa chinali chiyani.”
30 “Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.
Mfumu inati, “Ima apo ndipo udikire.” Kotero iye anapita pa mbali nayima pamenepo.
31 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”
Kenaka Mkusi uja anafika ndipo anati, “Mbuye wanga mfumu imvani nkhani yabwino! Yehova wakupulumutsani inu lero kwa onse amene anakuwukirani.”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”
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.”
33 The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
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!”
