< 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 smiting the 'Amalekites, that David abode in Ziklag two days.
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.
And it came 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 it happened, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and prostrated himself.
3 David biae be, “Afi ka nètso?” Eɖo eŋu be, “Mesi tso Israel ƒe asaɖa me.”
And David said unto him, From where 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, What took place there? I pray thee, tell me. And he said, That the people are fled from the battle, and that also many of the people are fallen and have died; and that also Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.
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 is dead as also Jonathan his son?
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, I happened entirely by chance to be upon mount Gilboa', when, behold, there was Saul leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen had overtaken him.
7 Esime wònye kɔ la, ekpɔm yɔm eye mebiae be, ‘Nu ka mawɔ na wò?’
And he turned round, and he saw me, and called unto me, And I said, 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, An 'Amalekite am I.
9 “Tete wògblɔ nam be, ‘Va, tsi tsitre ɖe gbɔnye eye nàwum! Meɖo kudo nu gake agbe gale menye ko.’
And he said unto me, Place thyself, I pray thee, by me, and slay me; for a mortal tremor hath seized on me, although 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 placed myself by him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and I have brought them unto my lord hither.
11 David kple eƒe amewo dze woƒe awuwo esi wose nya sia.
David thereupon took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and [so did] 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 lamented, and wept, and fasted until the evening, 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 said, The son of a stranger, an 'Amalekite, am I.
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 thy 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, Come 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 is upon thy own head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I myself 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.
And he said, That the children of Judah should be taught the bow; behold it is written in the book of Yashar.
19 “Oo, Israel, wò ŋutikɔkɔe Nye ekema wowu ɖe wò towo dzi. Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale!
O beauty of Israel! upon the high places slain: 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 Ashkelon; that the daughters of the Philistines may not be glad, that the daughters of the uncircumcised may not rejoice.
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.
O mountains of Gilboa', no dew, nor rain be upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was stained, the shield of Saul, as though it 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 never back, and the sword of Saul never returned 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, the beloved and the dear in their lives, were even in their death not divided: more than eagles were they swift, more than lions were they strong.
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.
O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with beautiful dresses, 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, on thy high places slain.
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 dear hast thou been unto me: wonderful was thy love for me, passing the love of women.
27 “Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale! Eye woƒe aʋawɔnuwo katã hã tsrɔ̃ ale!”
How are the mighty fallen, and lost the instruments of war!

< Samuel 2 1 >