< 2 Samuel 18 >

1 Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
Tokosra David el eisani mwet lal nukewa ac kitalik nu ke u — ke kais tausin, ac kais foko, ac sang mwet kol in sapsap nu selos.
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.”
Na el supwalosla ke u tolu. Captain lun kais sie u inge pa Joab, ac Abishai tamulel lal Joab, ac Ittai mwet Gath. Ac tokosra el fahk nu sin mwet lal inge, “Nga sifacna ac wi kowos pac.”
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.”
Na elos fahk nu sel, “Tia fal kom in wi kut som. Kut nukewa fin forla kaingla, ac wangin kalmac nu sin mwet lokoalok lasr. Ku tafu sesr fin misa, ac fah ma pilesr pac selos. Kom mukefanna saok liki singoul tausin sesr, na pa wo kom in mutana in siti uh ac supu mwe kasru nu sesr.”
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.
Tokosra el topuk, “Ma na kowos wotela an, nga ac wi na.” Na el tuyak ke mutunpot in siti sac ke mwet lal ah illa ke u lalos, kais tausin ac kais foko ke u se.
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.
El sapkin nu sel Joab, Abishai ac Ittai, ac fahk, “Ke sripuk, nimet oru kutena ma koluk nu sin mwet fusr sac, Absalom.” Mwet mweun nukewa elos lohng ke David el sapkin nu sin captain tolu lal.
6 So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Mwet mweun lal David elos illa nu inimae, ac mweuni mwet Israel ke insak Ephraim.
7 There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
Mwet Israel elos kutangyukla sin mwet lal David. Arulana upa mweun sac. Oasr mwet longoul tausin misa in len sac.
8 The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
Mweun sac fahsrelik in polo acn sac nufon, ac pisen mwet misa insak ah pus liki mwet anwuki ke mweun ah.
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.
Na Absalom el sun kutu mwet lal David. Absalom el muta fin miul soko, ac ke el kasrusr ye sak oak lulap soko, insifal sremla ke lesak ah. Miul soko ah kasrusr na, a Absalom el atlana ke sak oak soko ah.
10 When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
Sie sin mwet lal David ah liyalak ac fahkang nu sel Joab, “Nga liyalak Absalom el oan atla ke sak oak soko!”
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!”
Ac Joab el fahk, “Fin pwaye kom liyal, efu kom ku tia unilya na we? Nga lukun sifacna sot singoul ipin silver ac sie pel lom.”
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.’
Mwet sac fahk, “Kom finne ase sie tausin ipin silver, a nga tia ku in srukak soko kufinpouk in lain wen natul tokosra. Kut nukewa lohng ke tokosra el sapkin nu sum Abishai ac Ittai, ac fahk, ‘Ke sripuk, nimet oru kutena ma koluk nu sin mwet fusr sac, Absalom.’
13 If I had jeopardized my own life —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
Tusruktu nga funu seakos tokosra ac unilya Absalom, tokosra el lukun lohngak kac mweyen el lohng ma nukewa, na kom lukun tiana kasreyu.”
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.
Joab el fahk, “Nga ac tia sifil sisla pacl luk yurum.” Na el us osra tolkwe ac sang fakisya iniwal Absalom ke el srakna moul oan atla ke sak oak soko ah.
15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
Ac singoul sin mwet mweun lal Joab elos apnulla Absalom ac faksilya nwe ke el misa.
16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
Joab el sap elos in ukya mwe ukuk in tui mweun ah, na mwet lal ah foloko ac tila ukwe mwet Israel.
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.
Elos us manol Absalom, ac sisya in sie luf na loal insak ah, ac sisang yol in eot na lulap in afinya. Mwet Israel nukewa elos kaingla, kais sie mwet nu yen sel.
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.
Ke Absalom el tuh srakna moul, el tulokunak soko sru lulap ke Infahlfal Tokosra, in tuh sie mwe esmak kacl sifacna, mweyen wangin tulik natul in us inel tuh in tia wanginla. Ouinge el sang inel sifacna nu ke sru soko ah, na srakna eteyuk sru soko ah nwe misenge mu Mwe Esmakin Lal Absalom.
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.”
Na Ahimaaz, wen natul Zadok, el fahk nu sel Joab, “Lela ngan kasrusr nu yorol tokosra ac us pweng wo se inge lah LEUM GOD El molella liki mwet lokoalok lal ah.”
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.”
Na Joab el fahk, “Mo! Kom fah tia us kutena pweng misenge. Kom ku in us ke sie na len, tuh tia misenge, mweyen wen nutin tokosra el misa.”
21 So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
Na el fahk nu sin mwet kohs se lal su sie mwet Ethiopia, “Fahla fahk nu sin tokosra ma kom liye ah.” Na mwet kohs sac srimi ac kasrusr som.
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?”
Na Ahimaaz el sifil kwafe ac fahk, “Nga mansis ma nukewa, tuh nga siyuk nunak munas, lela ngan wi pac usyen pweng sacn.” Joab el siyuk, “Wen nutik, efu ku kom lungse us pweng sacn, ke ac wangin molo nu sum?”
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.
Na Ahimaaz el sifilpa fahk, “Finne mea ma ac sikyak, nga srakna lungse wi kom.” Joab el fahk, “Kwal, fahla.” Ouinge Ahimaaz el kasrusr tufoki inkanek soko ke Infahlfal Jordan, ac el alukella mwet kohs sac.
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.
Oasr pot luo raunela siti sac, ac David el muta inmasrlon mutunpot se lik ac mutunpot se loac. Sie mwet topang el fanyak nu fin pot uh, ac tu fin mutunpot sac. Ke el ngetla el liyauk mwet se mukena yume.
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,
El pang ac fahk nu sin tokosra, ac tokosra el fahk, “El fin mukena, el us pweng wo.” Mwet kasrusr sac el yume na.
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.
Na mwet topang sac liyauk sie pac mwet su mukena kasrusr, na el ngeti ac pang nu sin mwet se liyaung mutunoa, “Ngetla liye! Mwet se pa pac yume uh!” Na tokosra el fahk, “El us pac pweng wo.”
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.”
Mwet topang sac fahk, “Nga liye tuh mwet se meet ah kasrusr oana Ahimaaz.” Tokosra el fahk, “El mwet na wo se, ac el us pweng wo.”
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.”
Ahimaaz el wola ac paing nu sin tokosra, ac el putati nu infohk ah ye mutal ac fahk, “Leum luk, kaksakin LEUM GOD lom su asot kutangla nu sum fin mwet lokoalok lom!”
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.”
Tokosra el siyuk, “Ya Absalom nutik ah ku na?” Ahimaaz el topuk, “Ke Joab, captain lom, el supweyume, nga tuh liye oasr mukuikui yohk se orek tuh nga tia ku in etu lah mea se.”
30 “Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.
Tokosra el fahk nu sel, “Fahsrot tu inse ingo.” Ac el fahla nu insac ac tu we.
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!”
Na mwet Ethiopia sac el tuku, ac fahk nu sin tokosra, “Leum fulat, oasr pweng wo se nga us nu sum! Misenge LEUM GOD El asot kutangla nu sum fin mwet nukewa su tuyak lain kom!”
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.”
Ac tokosra el siyuk, “Ya Absalom nutik ah ku na?” Mwet kohs sac fahk, “O Tokosra, leum luk, nga kena tuh ma sikyak nu sel ah in sikyak nu sin mwet lokoalok lom nukewa, oayapa nu sin mwet nukewa su lain kom.”
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!”
Ac insien tokosra sessesla ke asor. El fanyak nu ke infukil se oan lucng ke mutunpot ah, ac tung. Ke el tung el fahk, “We, wen nutik! Wen nutik, Absalom! Absalom nutik! Nga ke in nga pa misa ac tia kom, wen nutik! Absalom nutik!”

< 2 Samuel 18 >