< 2 Samuel 4 >

1 When Saul’s son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed at Hebron, [he realized that he might also be killed]. He became discouraged, and all the Israeli people (trembled/became afraid).
Esi Saul ƒe viŋutsu, Is Boset, se be Abner ku le Hebron la, dzi ɖe le eƒo eye dzidzi ƒo Israel blibo la.
2 Ishbosheth had two officers who were leaders of groups that raided other villages. [They were brothers; ] their names were Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon from Beeroth [town] in the tribe of Benjamin. Beeroth is in the area that had [been assigned to] the tribe of Benjamin.
Azɔ la, ŋutsu eve nɔ Saul ƒe viŋutsu si eye wonye adzohawo nunɔlawo. Ɖeka ŋkɔe nye Baana eye evelia ŋkɔe nye Rekab. Wonye Rimon, Beerot tɔ, ame si tso Banyamin to la me la ƒe viwo. Wobua Beerot abe Benyamin ƒe akpa aɖe ene
3 But the people of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim [town], and they still live there.
elabena ame siwo tso Beerot la si yi Gitaim eye wonɔ afi ma abe amedzrowo ene va se ɖe egbe.
4 Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth. When Mephibosheth was five years old, Saul and Jonathan died in the battle. When people brought that news from Jezreel, Mephibosheth’s nursemaid picked him up and ran away. She ran very fast, with the result that she dropped him, and his legs became crippled.
Fia Saul ƒe tɔgbuiyɔvi aɖe si nye ŋutsuvi tekunɔ aɖe la li; fofoae nye Yonatan eye eŋkɔe nye Mefiboset. Exɔ ƒe atɔ̃ esime wowu Saul kple Yonatan le aʋa me le Yezreel. Esi wose aʋa la me nyawo la, nyɔnu si nɔ ɖevi la dzi kpɔm la si kple ɖevi la yina. Ke ɖevi la ge dze anyi eye to esia me la ɖevia zu tekunɔ.
5 One day, Rechab and Baanah left [their home] to go to Ishbosheth’s house. They arrived there about noontime, when Ishbosheth was taking his midday nap.
Rekab kple Baana, Rimon kple Beerot ƒe viwo yi Fia Is Boset ƒe aƒe me gbe ɖeka ŋdɔ esi Is Boset nɔ ŋdɔlɔ̃ dɔm.
6 The woman who was the doorkeeper was sifting wheat. While doing that, she became sleepy, and fell asleep. So Rechab and his brother Baanah were able to creep in quietly.
Woge ɖe aƒea me abe lu tsɔ ge woyi le titinaxɔ me ene; wotɔ hɛ dɔme nɛ eye wosi dzo.
7 They entered Ishbosheth’s bedroom, where he was sleeping. They killed him [with their swords] and cut off his head. They carried his head and walked all night through the Jordan [River] Valley.
Woyi aƒea me esime wòmlɔ anyi ɖe eƒe xɔ gã me. Esime wowui la, wotso ta le enu. Wokɔ eƒe ta ɖe asi eye wozɔ mɔ zã blibo la heto tagbamɔ.
8 They took the head of Ishbosheth to David at Hebron. They said to him, “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul, who tried to kill you. Your majesty, today Yahweh has allowed you to get revenge on Saul and his descendants!”
Wotsɔ Is Boset ƒe ta na Fia David hegblɔ nɛ be, “Kpɔ ɖa, esiae nye Saul, wò futɔ, ame si di vevie be yeawu wò la ƒe vi Is Boset ƒe ta. Egbe la Yehowa bia hlɔ̃ Saul kple eƒe ƒome blibo la na wò!”
9 But David replied to them, “Yahweh is the one who has rescued me from all my troubles. And just as surely as Yahweh lives, what I am now saying is also true.
Ke David ɖo eŋu be, “Metsɔ Yehowa, ame si ɖem tso nye futɔwo ƒe asi me la ka atam
10 When a messenger came to Ziklag and told me ‘Saul is dead!’ and he thought that the news that he was bringing to me was good news, I seized him and [commanded one of my soldiers to] kill him. That was the reward I gave to him for his news!
be esi ame aɖe gblɔ nam be Saul ku eye yee wui kple susu be dzidzɔnya aɖe gblɔm yele nam la, mewui le Ziklag. Nenemae mexe fe nɛ ɖe eƒe dzidzɔnya la tae nye esi!
11 So because you two evil men murdered a man who is (innocent/has done nothing wrong) when he was sleeping on his bed in his own house, I will do something worse to you. I will surely [RHQ] get revenge on you two for murdering [MTY] him, and (wipe you/cause you to disappear) from the earth!”
Ekema nu ka ta nyemabia hlɔ̃ ame vɔ̃ɖi siwo wu ame nyui la le eya ŋutɔ ƒe aƒe me le eƒe aba dzi o mahã? Ele be mabia eƒe ʋu tso miaƒe asi me eye matsrɔ̃ mi ɖa le anyigba dzi.”
12 Then, following David’s orders, his soldiers killed the two men, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hung their bodies (OR, their hands and feet) [on a pole] near the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it [respectfully] in the tomb of Abner, there at Hebron.
Ale David ɖe gbe na eƒe ɖekakpuiwo eye wowu wo, wolã woƒe asiwo kple afɔwo eye wotsi woƒe kukuawo ɖe Hebron ta la to. Woɖi Is Boset ƒe ta ɖe Abner ƒe yɔdo me le Hebron.

< 2 Samuel 4 >