2 Samuel 15
1 Some time later, Absalom acquired a chariot and horses [to pull it]. He [hired] 50 men to run in front of him [to honor him while he was riding around Jerusalem in the chariot].
Quelque temps après, Absalon se procura un char et des chevaux, avec cinquante coureurs qui le précédaient.
2 Furthermore, he always rose early [each morning] and stood by the city gate. Whenever someone came there with a dispute/quarrel that he wanted the king to decide, Absalom would call out to him, asking “What city are you from?” When the person told him what [city and] tribe he was from,
Chaque matin, Absalon se tenait au bord de la route qui conduisait à la porte, et toutes les fois qu’un homme ayant un procès se rendait auprès du roi pour obtenir justice, Absalon l’appelait et disait: "De quelle ville es-tu? A quoi l’on répondait: "De telle des tribus d’Israël."
3 Absalom would say to him, “Listen, [I am sure that] what you are saying/claiming is right. But there is no one whom the king has appointed/authorized to listen to [people like] you.”
Absalon répliquait: "Vois, ta cause est bonne et juste, mais on ne t’écoutera pas chez le roi.
4 Absalom would then add, “I wish that I were a judge in this land. If I were a judge, anyone who had a dispute could come to me, and I would decide it fairly/justly.”
Ah! continuait Absalon, que ne suis-je institué juge en ce pays! Quiconque aurait un différend, un procès, s’adresserait à moi, et je lui ferais justice."
5 And whenever anyone came near to Absalom to bow respectfully in front of him, Absalom would reach out and embrace him and kiss him.
Et lorsqu’un individu s’approchait pour se prosterner devant lui, il lui tendait la main, l’étreignait et l’embrassait.
6 Absalom did this to everyone in Israel who came to the king because of having a dispute with someone. In that way, Absalom persuaded all the Israeli people to be more pleased with him [IDM] [than they were pleased with David].
Absalon agissait de la sorte avec tout Israélite venant demander justice au roi, et il capta ainsi le cœur des gens d’Israël.
7 Four years later, Absalom [went to] the king and said, “Please allow me to go to Hebron [city], in order that I can do what I promised Yahweh that I would do.
A la fin de la quarantième année, Absalon dit au roi: "Permets-moi d’aller à Hébron, m’acquitter d’un vœu que j’ai fait à l’Eternel;
8 When I was living in Geshur, in Syria, I promised Yahweh that if he brought me back to Jerusalem, I would worship him [in Hebron].”
car ton serviteur, pendant son séjour à Guechour, en Syrie, a prononcé le vœu suivant: Si l’Eternel me ramène à Jérusalem, je ferai acte d’adoration au Seigneur.
9 The king replied, “You may go.” So Absalom went to Hebron.
Va en paix", répondit le roi. Et il partit et se rendit à Hébron.
10 But [while he was there, ] he secretly sent messengers to all the tribes in Israel, to tell them, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets [being blown], shout ‘Absalom has become the king at Hebron!’”
Puis Absalon envoya des émissaires dans toutes les tribus d’Israël avec ce message: "Quand vous entendrez le son du cor, vous direz: Absalon a été proclamé roi à Hébron."
11 Absalom had taken with him to Hebron 200 men from Jerusalem, but they did not know [what Absalom was planning to do].
Avec Absalon étaient partis de Jérusalem deux cents hommes, invités par lui et le suivant de bonne foi, car ils ne savaient rien de l’affaire.
12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices [at Hebron], he sent a message to Ahithophel, from Giloh [town], requesting him to come. Ahithophel was one of the king’s advisors. So the number of people who joined Absalom and who were ready to rebel [against David] became larger.
Absalon, tandis qu’il offrait les sacrifices, envoya quérir Ahitofel le Ghilonite, conseiller de David, dans sa ville de Ghilo; la conspiration devint puissante, et une foule de plus en plus nombreuse se joignit à Absalon.
13 Soon a messenger came to David and said to him, “All [HYP] the Israeli people [SYN] are joining Absalom to rebel against you!”
Un messager vint en donner avis à David, en disant: "Le cœur des gens d’Israël s’est prononcé pour Absalon."
14 So David said to all his officials, “We must leave immediately if we want to escape from Absalom! We must go quickly, before he [and his men] arrive. If we do not do that, they will kill us and everyone else in the city!”
Alors David dit à tous ses serviteurs, qui étaient avec lui à Jérusalem: "Debout, fuyons! Nous ne pouvons autrement échapper à Absalon. Hâtez-vous de me suivre, de peur qu’il ne nous gagne de vitesse, ne précipite notre malheur et ne livre à l’épée les habitants de la ville."
15 The king’s officials said, “Okay, your majesty, we are ready to do whatever you decide.”
Les serviteurs du roi lui répondirent: "Quoi que décide mon seigneur le roi, tes serviteurs sont prêts."
16 So the king left ten of his slave wives there to take care of the palace, but all the other people in his palace went with him.
Le roi sortit donc, suivi de toute sa maison, et laissa dix femmes, ses concubines, pour garder le palais.
17 When they all were leaving [the city], they stopped at the last house.
Le roi partit, avec tout le peuple à sa suite, et ils s’arrêtèrent à Beth-Hammerhak.
18 The king and his officials stood there while his bodyguards went by in front of him. 600 soldiers from Gath [city] also walked by in front of him.
Tous ses serviteurs défilèrent devant lui, tous les Kerêthi et Pelêthi; pareillement tous les Ghittéens, les six cents hommes venus de Gath sous ses ordres, défilèrent devant le roi.
19 Then David said to Ittai, [the leader of the soldiers] from Gath, “(Why are you going with us?/You should not be going with us.) [RHQ] Go back and stay with [Absalom] the [new] king. You are not an Israeli; you are living away from your own land.
Le roi dit à Ittaï le Ghittéen: "Pourquoi viens-tu, toi aussi, avec nous? Rebrousse chemin et demeure avec le roi, car tu es étranger; tu peux d’ailleurs émigrer dans ton propre pays.
20 You have lived here [in Israel] for only a short time [HYP]. And we do not even know where we will be going. So it is not right [RHQ] for me to force you to wander around with us. And take your troops with you. And I hope/wish that Yahweh will faithfully love and be loyal to you.”
Tu es arrivé d’hier, et aujourd’hui je te ferais partager notre vie errante, allant moi-même je ne sais où! Retourne plutôt et ramène tes frères avec toi, ce sera charité et justice!"
21 But Ittai replied, “Your Majesty, as surely as you live, wherever you go, I will go; I will stay with you, whether they kill me or allow me to live.”
Ittaï répondit au roi: "Par le Dieu vivant et par la vie du roi mon maître! Partout où sera le roi mon maître, pour la mort ou pour la vie, là sera ton serviteur."
22 David replied to Ittai, “Okay, march with us!” So Ittai and all his troops and their families went [with David].
David dit à Ittaï: "Va donc et avance." Et Ittaï le Ghittéen avança, avec tous ses hommes et tous les enfants qui, l’accompagnaient.
23 All the people [along the road] cried when they saw them walking by. The king and all the others crossed the Kidron Valley and then they all went [up the hill] toward the desert.
Tout le pays pleurait bruyamment tandis que cette multitude passait. Le roi traversa le torrent de Cédron, et le peuple s’avança sur la route qui mène au désert.
24 Abiathar and Zadok, [the priests, ] were walking with them. The descendants of Levi [who helped the priests] also went with them, carrying the sacred chest that contained the Ten Commandments. But they set it on the ground until all the others had left the city.
Vint aussi Çadok avec tous les Lévites, portant l’arche d’alliance du Seigneur; on déposa l’arche divine à terre pendant qu’Ebiathar montait, jusqu’à ce que le peuple eût achevé de quitter la ville.
25 Then the king said to Zadok, “You and Abiathar take the sacred chest back into the city. If Yahweh is pleased with me, he will some day allow me to return to see it and the place where it is kept.
Mais le roi dit à Çadok: "Fais rentrer l’arche de Dieu dans la ville. Si je trouve faveur aux yeux du Seigneur, il me ramènera et me la fera revoir ainsi que la demeure où elle réside.
26 But if he says that he is not pleased with me, then I am willing for him to do to me whatever he thinks is good.”
Que s’il dit: "Je ne veux plus de toi," je suis prêt; qu’il me traite comme il lui plaira.
27 He also said to Zadok, “Listen [to what I suggest]. You and Abiathar return to the city peacefully/safely, and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan with you.
Vois-tu, dit le roi au pontife Çadok, retourne en paix à la ville, et que ton fils Ahimaaç et Jonathan, fils d’Ebiathar, vos deux fils, vous accompagnent.
28 I will wait in the desert at the place where people can walk across the river, until you send a message to me.”
Voyez, moi je m’attarderai dans les plaines du désert, attendant qu’un message vienne m’informer de votre part."
29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the sacred chest back to Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
Et Çadok et Ebiathar ramenèrent l’arche de Dieu à Jérusalem, où ils restèrent.
30 David [and those with him] went up Olive [Tree] Hill. David was crying while he walked. He was walking barefoot and had something covering his head [to show that he was sorrowful]. All those who were going with him also covered their heads and were crying while they walked.
Cependant David montait la pente des Oliviers, s’avançant en pleurant, la tête voilée et nu-pieds; et tout le peuple à sa suite avait également la tête voilée et montait en pleurant.
31 Someone told David that Ahithophel had joined with those who were rebelling against David. So David prayed, “Yahweh, cause whatever Ahithophel suggests to Absalom [that he should do to be considered] to be foolish!”
On apprit à David qu’Ahitofel était parmi les conjurés réunis autour d’Absalon; sur quoi il dit: "Daigne confondre, Seigneur, les desseins d’Ahitofel!"
32 When they arrived at the top of the hill, where there was a place where the people worshiped [God], suddenly Hushai, from the Arki people-group, met David. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head [to show that he was very sad].
Comme David arrivait au sommet, où il devait se prosterner devant le Seigneur, voici venir à sa rencontre Houchaï l’Arkéen, la tunique déchirée, la tête couverte de poussière.
33 David said to him, “If you go with me, you will not be able to help me.
David lui dit: "Si tu marches avec moi, tu seras pour moi une gêne.
34 But if you return to the city, [you can help me by] saying to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will serve you as faithfully as I served your father.’ If you do that [and stay near Absalom], you will be able to oppose any advice that Ahithophel gives to Absalom.
Mais si tu retournes à la ville et que tu dises à Absalon: O roi, je veux être ton serviteur; j’étais auparavant celui de ton père, maintenant je serai le tien, tu pourras anéantir à mon profit les desseins d’Ahitofel.
35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests are already there [RHQ]. Whatever you hear people say in the king’s palace, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar.
Et puis, n’y aura-t-il pas là avec toi Çadok et Ebiathar, les pontifes? Or, tout ce que tu apprendras de la maison du roi, tu en informeras les pontifes Çadok et Ebiathar.
36 Keep in mind that Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan are also there. You can tell them whatever you find out, and send them to report it to me.”
Là aussi, avec eux, sont leurs deux fils, celui de Çadok, Ahimaaç, et celui d’Ebiathar, Jonathan: vous me transmettrez par eux toute chose dont vous aurez connaissance."
37 So David’s friend Hushai returned to the city, at the same time that Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
Houchaï, l’ami de David, se rendit donc à la ville, comme Absalon allait entrer à Jérusalem.
