< 2 Samuel 15 >
1 It came about after this that Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, with fifty men to run before him.
Baada ya muda, Absalomu akajipatia magari ya vita na farasi pamoja na watu hamsini wa kupiga mbio mbele yake.
2 Absalom would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. When any man had a dispute to come to the king for judgment, Absalom called to him and said, “From what city have you come?” Then the man would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
Akawa anaamka asubuhi na mapema na kusimama kando ya barabara inayoelekea kwenye lango la mji. Wakati wowote alipokuja mtu yeyote mwenye mashtaka yanayohitaji kuletwa mbele ya mfalme kwa maamuzi, Absalomu naye angemwita na kumuuliza, “Wewe unatoka mji upi?” Naye angejibu, “Mtumishi wako anatoka katika mojawapo ya makabila ya Israeli.”
3 So Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right, but there is no one empowered by the king to hear your case.”
Kisha Absalomu angemwambia, “Tazama, malalamiko yako ni ya haki na sawasawa, lakini hakuna mwakilishi wa mfalme wa kukusikiliza.”
4 Absalom added, “I wish that I were made judge in the land, so that every man who had any dispute or cause might come to me, and I would bring him justice!”
Absalomu aliongeza, “Laiti tu ningeteuliwa kuwa mwamuzi katika nchi. Ndipo kila mmoja mwenye mashtaka au shauri angekuja kwangu nami ningeona kwamba anapata haki.”
5 So it came about that when any man came to Absalom to honor him, Absalom would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
Pia, wakati mtu yeyote alipomkaribia ili kusujudu mbele yake, Absalomu alinyoosha mkono wake na kumshika pia kumbusu.
6 Absalom acted in this way to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
Absalomu akaendelea na tabia hii mbele ya Waisraeli wote waliomjia mfalme kumwomba awape haki; kwa hiyo Absalomu akaiba mioyo ya watu wa Israeli.
7 It came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay a vow that I have made to Yahweh in Hebron.
Mnamo mwisho wa mwaka wa nne, Absalomu akamwambia mfalme, “Naomba unipe ruhusa niende Hebroni nikatimize nadhiri niliyomwekea Bwana.
8 For your servant made a vow while I was living at Geshur in Aram, saying,' If Yahweh will indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will worship Yahweh.'”
Wakati mtumishi wako alipokuwa huko Geshuri katika nchi ya Aramu, niliweka nadhiri hii, ‘Ikiwa Bwana atanirudisha Yerusalemu, nitamwabudu Bwana huko Hebroni.’”
9 So the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom arose and went to Hebron.
Mfalme akamwambia, “Enenda kwa amani.” Hivyo akaenda Hebroni.
10 But then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you must say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.'”
Kisha Absalomu akatuma wajumbe kwa siri katika makabila yote ya Israeli, kusema, “Mara mtakaposikia sauti ya tarumbeta basi semeni, ‘Absalomu ni mfalme huko Hebroni.’”
11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem, who were invited. They went in their innocence, not knowing anything that Absalom had planned.
Watu mia mbili kutoka Yerusalemu walikuwa wamefuatana na Absalomu. Walikuwa wamealikwa kama wageni nao walikwenda kwa nia njema, pasipo kujua lolote.
12 While Absalom offered sacrfices, he sent for Ahithophel from his hometown of Giloh. He was David's counselor. Absalom's conspiracy was strong, for the people following Absalom were constantly increasing.
Wakati Absalomu alipokuwa anatoa dhabihu, pia akatuma aitwe Ahithofeli, Mgiloni, mshauri wa Daudi, aje kutoka Gilo, ambao ndio mji wake wa nyumbani. Kwa hiyo mpango wa hila ukapata nguvu, na idadi ya waliofuatana na Absalomu ikaongezeka.
13 A messenger came to David saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are following after Absalom.”
Mjumbe akaja na kumwambia Daudi, “Mioyo ya watu wa Israeli inaambatana na Absalomu.”
14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Prepare to leave immediately, or he will quickly overtake us, and he will bring down disaster on us and attack the city with the edge of the sword.”
Ndipo Daudi akawaambia maafisa wake wote waliokuwa pamoja naye huko Yerusalemu, “Njooni! Ni lazima tukimbie, la sivyo hakuna hata mmoja wetu atakayeokoka kutoka mkononi mwa Absalomu. Ni lazima tuondoke kwa haraka, la sivyo atakuja mbio na kutupata, atatuangamiza na kuupiga mji kwa upanga.”
15 The king's servants said to the king, “Look, your servants are ready to do whatever our master the king decides.”
Maafisa wa mfalme wakamjibu, “Watumishi wako tu tayari kufanya lolote mfalme bwana wetu analochagua.”
16 The king left and all his family after him, but the king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the palace.
Mfalme akatoka, pamoja na watu wa nyumbani mwake wakimfuata; lakini akawaacha masuria kumi ili kuangalia jumba la kifalme.
17 After the king went out and all the people after him, they stopped at the last house.
Hivyo mfalme akaondoka, pamoja na watu wote wakimfuata, wakatua mahali mbali kiasi.
18 All his army marched with him, and before him went all the Kerethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites—six hundred men who had followed him from Gath.
Watu wake wote wakatembea, wakampita wakiwa wamefuatana na Wakerethi na Wapelethi wote; pia Wagiti wote mia sita waliokuwa wamefuatana naye kutoka Gathi wakapita mbele ya mfalme.
19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why will you come with us? Return and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and an exile. Return to your own place.
Mfalme akamwambia Itai, Mgiti, “Kwa nini ufuatane na sisi? Rudi ukakae pamoja na Mfalme Absalomu. Wewe ni mgeni, mkimbizi kutoka nchini mwako.
20 Since you just left yesterday, why should I make you wander all over with us? I do not even know where I am going. So return and take your fellow countrymen back. May loyalty and faithfulness go with you.”
Ulikuja jana tu. Nami leo nikufanye utangetange pamoja nasi, wakati sijui niendako? Rudi, nawe ukawachukue watu wa kwenu. Wema na uaminifu na viwe pamoja nawe.”
21 But Ittai answered the king and said, “As Yahweh lives, and as my master the king lives, surely in whatever place where my master the king goes, there also will your servant go, whether that means living or dying.”
Lakini Itai akamjibu mfalme, “Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo na kama mfalme bwana wangu aishivyo, popote mfalme bwana wangu atakapokuwa, ikiwa ni kuishi au kufa, hapo ndipo mtumishi wako atakapokuwa.”
22 So David said to Ittai, “Go ahead and continue with us.” So Ittai the Gittite marched with the king, along with all his men and all the families who were with him.
Daudi akamwambia Itai, “Songa mbele, endelea.” Kwa hiyo Itai, Mgiti, akaendelea pamoja na watu wake wote, pia jamaa zote waliokuwa pamoja naye.
23 All the country wept with a loud voice as all the people passed by over the Kidron Valley, and as the king also himself crossed over. All the people traveled on the road toward the wilderness.
Watu wote wa nje ya mji wakalia kwa sauti wakati watu wote walipokuwa wakipita. Mfalme naye akavuka Bonde la Kidroni, nao watu wote wakaelekea jangwani.
24 Even Zadok with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God, were present. They set the ark of God down, and then Abiathar joined them. They waited until all the people had passed by out of the city.
Sadoki pia alikuwako, kadhalika Walawi wote waliokuwa pamoja naye walikuwa wamechukua Sanduku la Agano la Mungu. Wakaweka chini Sanduku la Mungu, naye Abiathari akatoa dhabihu mpaka watu wote walipokuwa wameondoka mjini.
25 The king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of Yahweh, he will bring me back here and show me again the ark and the place where he lives.
Kisha mfalme akamwambia Sadoki, “Rudisha Sanduku la Mungu mjini. Ikiwa nitapata kibali mbele za Bwana, atanirudisha, nami nitaliona Sanduku hili tena pamoja na Maskani yake.
26 But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' look, here am I, let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”
Lakini kama yeye atasema, ‘Mimi sipendezwi nawe,’ basi mimi niko tayari; yeye na anifanye chochote aonacho chema kwake.”
27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar.
Pia mfalme alimwambia kuhani Sadoki, “Je, wewe si mwonaji? Rudi mjini kwa amani pamoja na mwanao Ahimaasi na Yonathani mwana wa Abiathari. Wewe na Abiathari wachukueni wana wenu wawili.
28 See, I will wait at the fords of the Arabah until word comes from you to inform me.”
Nitasubiri kwenye vivuko katika jangwa mpaka neno litakapotoka kwenu kuniarifu.”
29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back into Jerusalem, and they stayed there.
Kwa hiyo Sadoki na Abiathari wakarudisha Sanduku la Mungu mpaka Yerusalemu na kukaa huko.
30 But David ascended barefoot and weeping up the Mount of Olives, and he had his head covered. Every man of the people who were with him covered his head, and they went up weeping as they walked.
Bali Daudi akaendelea, akapanda Mlima wa Mizeituni, akaenda huku analia, akiwa amefunika kichwa chake na bila viatu miguuni. Watu wote waliokuwa pamoja naye nao wakafunika vichwa vyao, wakawa wanapanda mlima huku wanalia.
31 Someone told David saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “O Yahweh, please turn Ahithophel's advice into foolishness.”
Basi Daudi alikuwa ameambiwa, “Ahithofeli alikuwa miongoni mwa washiriki wa shauri baya la Absalomu.” Ndipo Daudi akaomba, akisema, “Ee Bwana, geuza shauri la Ahithofeli kuwa ujinga.”
32 It came about that when David arrived at the top of the road, where God used to be worshiped, Hushai the Arkite came to meet him with his coat torn and earth on his head.
Daudi alipofika kwenye kilele cha mlima, mahali ambapo watu walikuwa wamezoea kumwabudu Mungu, Hushai, Mwariki, alikuwako huko kumlaki, joho lake likiwa limeraruka na mavumbi kichwani mwake.
33 David said to him, “If you travel with me, then you will be a burden to me.
Daudi akamwambia, “Kama ukienda pamoja nami, utakuwa mzigo kwangu.
34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant,' then you will confuse Ahithophel's advice for me.
Lakini ikiwa utarudi mjini na kumwambia Absalomu, ‘Nitakuwa mtumishi wako, ee mfalme; nilikuwa mtumishi wa baba yako wakati uliopita, lakini sasa nitakuwa mtumishi wako,’ basi utaweza kunisaidia kwa kupinga shauri la Ahithofeli.
35 Will you not have the priests Zadok and Abiathar with you? So whatever you hear in the king's palace, you must tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
Je, makuhani Sadoki na Abiathari hawatakuwa pamoja nawe? Waambie lolote utakalosikia katika jumba la mfalme.
36 See that they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. You must send to me by their hand everything that you hear.”
Wana wao wawili, Ahimaasi mwana wa Sadoki na Yonathani mwana wa Abiathari, wako pamoja nao huko. Watume kwangu na lolote utakalosikia.”
37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city as Absalom arrived and entered into Jerusalem.
Kwa hiyo Hushai, rafiki wa Daudi, akafika Yerusalemu wakati Absalomu alipokuwa anaingia mjini.