< Samuel 2 1 >

1 Le Saul ƒe ku megbe la. David trɔ va Ziklag le esime wòɖu Amalekitɔwo dzi vɔ megbe eye wònɔ afi ma ŋkeke eve.
Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
2 Le ŋkeke etɔ̃a gbe la, ame aɖe tso Saul ƒe asaɖa me eƒe awuwo vuvu eye ke nɔ tame nɛ. Ede ta agu eye wòbɔbɔ ɖe David ŋkume kple bubu.
It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and [so] it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3 David biae be, “Afi ka nètso?” Eɖo eŋu be, “Mesi tso Israel ƒe asaɖa me.”
And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4 David yi edzi be, “Nya kae dzɔ? Gblɔe nam.” Ŋutsu la ɖo eŋu be, “Aʋa si ameawo eye wo dometɔ geɖewo ku. Saul kple via Yonatan hã ku.”
And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 Tete David bia ɖekakpui si tsɔ du la vɛ nɛ la be: “Aleke nèwɔ nya be Saul kple via Yonatan ku?”
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 Ɖekakpui la ɖo eŋu be, “Menɔ Gilboa to la dzi eye mekpɔ Saul wòtɔ eɖokui ɖe eƒe akplɔ nu le esime futɔwo ƒe tasiaɖamwo nɔ to ɖem ɖee.
And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7 Esime wònye kɔ la, ekpɔm yɔm eye mebiae be, ‘Nu ka mawɔ na wò?’
And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here [am] I.
8 “Ebiam be, ‘Ame ka nènye?’ “Meɖo eŋu be ‘Amalekitɔe menye.’
And he said unto me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him, I [am] an Amalekite.
9 “Tete wògblɔ nam be, ‘Va, tsi tsitre ɖe gbɔnye eye nàwum! Meɖo kudo nu gake agbe gale menye ko.’
He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life [is] yet whole in me.
10 “Ale mete ɖe eŋu hewui elabena menyae be ale si wòdze anyii la, maganɔ agbe o. Meɖe fiakuku la le ta nɛ kple abɔga si wòdo eye metsɔ wo va afii na nye aƒetɔ.”
So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
11 David kple eƒe amewo dze woƒe awuwo esi wose nya sia.
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that [were] with him:
12 Wofa konyi, fa avi eye wotsi nu dɔ va se ɖe fiẽ ɖe Saul kple via Yonatan kple Yehowa ƒe aʋakɔ kple Israel ƒe aƒe la ta elabena wotsi yi nu.
And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13 David bia ɖekakpui si gblɔ nya la nɛ be, “Afi ka nètso?” Ɖekakpui la ɖo eŋu be, “Amalekitɔ aɖe si nye amedzro la ƒe viŋutsue menye.”
And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence [art] thou? And he answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14 David biae be, “Nu ka ŋuti mèvɔ̃ o eye nèdo wò asi ɖa wu Yehowa ƒe amesiamina la?”
And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?
15 Enumake David yɔ eƒe amewo dometɔ ɖeka eye wògblɔ nɛ be, “Yi, nàƒu nui ƒu anyi!” Ale wòyi ɖaƒu nui ƒu anyi eye wòku.
And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, [and] fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 Elabena David gblɔ nɛ be, “Wò ʋu ava wò ŋutɔ wò ta dzi. Wò ŋutɔ wò nue ɖu ɖasefo ɖe ŋuwò esi negblɔ be, ‘Mewu Yehowa ƒe amesiamina la.’”
And David said unto him, Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed.
17 David kpa konyifaha sia tso Saul kple via Yonatan ŋu
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18 eye wòde se na Yuda ŋutsuwo be woafia aŋutrɔ ƒe konyifaha sia abe ale si woŋlɔe ɖe Yasar ƒe agbalẽ me ene.
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of] the bow: behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.)
19 “Oo, Israel, wò ŋutikɔkɔe Nye ekema wowu ɖe wò towo dzi. Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale!
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
20 “Migagblɔe le Gat o; migaɖe gbeƒãe le Askelon ƒe ablɔwo dzi o. Ne menye nenema o la, Filistitɔwo ƒe vinyɔnuwo akpɔ dzidzɔ eye bolotɔwo ƒe vinyɔnuwo atso aseye.
Tell [it] not in Gath, publish [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 “Oo, mi Gilboa towo, zãmu alo tsi magadza ɖe mia dzi o, eye miaƒe anyigbawo magawɔ nuku o. Elabena afi ma, wodo gu kalẽtɔ ƒe akpoxɔnu le, Saul ƒe akpoxɔnu le abe ɖe womegasi ami ɖe eŋu o ene.
Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither [let there be] rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, [as though he had] not [been] anointed with oil.
22 “Yonatan ƒe aŋutrɔ metrɔ gbɔ ƒuƒlu eye Saul ƒe yi metrɔ gbɔ numagblemagblẽ tso aʋatsilawo ƒe ʋu me kple kalẽtɔwo ƒe ŋutilã ŋu o,
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 Saul kple Yonatan, le agbe me la, wolɔ̃ wo eye wovea ame nu. Le ku me hã wo me mema o. Woɖi du wu hɔ̃wo, eye wosẽ wu dzatawo.
Saul and Jonathan [were] lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 “O Israel vinyɔnuwo, mifa avi na Saul ame si ta aɖabɛvɔ na mi eye wòtsɔ nu nyuiwo na mi ame si ɖo atsyɔ̃ na miaƒe awuwo kple sikanuwo.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with [other] delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 “Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale! Eye wowu Yonatan le wò toawo dzi.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, [thou wast] slain in thine high places.
26 Nɔvinye Yonatan, tɔwò le veyem elabena èxɔ asi nam vevie ŋutɔ. Wò lɔlɔ̃ nam de to ŋutɔ ede to wu nyɔnuwo ƒe lɔlɔ̃ gɔ̃ hã.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27 “Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale! Eye woƒe aʋawɔnuwo katã hã tsrɔ̃ ale!”
How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

< Samuel 2 1 >