< Samuel 2 10 >

1 Le ɣeyiɣi aɖe megbe la, Amonitɔwo ƒe fia ku eye via Hanun ɖu fia ɖe eteƒe.
Sometime after this, Nahash, the Ammonite king died and his son Hanun succeeded him.
2 David gblɔ be, “Manyo dɔ me na Hanun, Nahas ƒe vi abe ale si fofoa nyo dɔ me nam ene.” Ale David dɔ amewo be woado babaa na Hanun le fofoa ƒe ku ta. Esi David ƒe amewo va ɖo Amonitɔwo ƒe anyigba dzi la,
David said, “I will be kind to Hanun, son of Nahash, just as his father was kind to me.” So David sent representatives to take his condolences to Hanun regarding his father. But when they arrived in the country of the Ammonites,
3 Amonitɔwo ƒe amegãwo gblɔ na woƒe kplɔla Hanun be, “Ɖe nèbu be David le bubu dem ye fofo ŋu to ame siawo dɔdɔ ɖe gbɔwò be woado babaa na wò mea? Menye ɖe David dɔ ame siawo be woava tsa ŋku le anyigba la dzi eye yewoaho aʋa ɖe eŋu oa?”
the Ammonite military leaders said to Hanun their king, “Do you really believe David sent condolences to you out of respect for your father? Isn't it more likely that David sent his representatives to scout out the city, spy on it, and then conquer it?”
4 Ale Hanun lé David ƒe amewo, ƒlɔ ge afãafã na wo eye wòlã woƒe awuwo ɖe woƒe gɔnu. Ale Hanun do mɔ ameawo.
So Hanun had David's representatives detained, shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their clothes at the buttocks, and then sent them back home.
5 Esi David se nya sia la, edɔ amewo woɖakpe ŋutsuawo kple gbedeasi be woatsi Yeriko va se ɖe esime woƒe ge nato elabena wodo ŋukpe wo ŋutɔ.
When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet them, because they were very embarrassed. The king instructed them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have re-grown, and then you can return.”
6 Esi Amonitɔwo kpɔ be yewozu David ƒe ketɔwo la, wobia aʋawɔla akpe blaeve Aramtɔwo tso Bet Rehobnyigba kple Zobahnyigba dzi kpe ɖe ame akpe ɖeka tso Maaka fia gbɔ kple ame akpe wuieve tso Tobnyigba dzi.
When the Ammonites realized they had become like a bad smell to David, they sent a request to the Arameans and hired twenty thousand of their foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as one thousand men from the king of Maakah, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 Esi David se nya sia la, eɖo Yoab kple aʋakɔ blibo la ɖa.
When David learned of this, he sent Joab and the entire army to confront them.
8 Amonitɔwo va nɔ woƒe dua ƒe agbo nu hena aʋawɔwɔ le esime Aramtɔwo tso Zoba kple Rehob kple ame siwo tso Tob kple Maaka nɔ wo ɖokui si le gbedzi.
The Ammonites set up their battle lines near the entrance to their town gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah took up positions by themselves in the open fields.
9 Yoab kpɔ be wodze aʋa ɖe ye ŋgɔ kple ye megbe siaa, eya ta etia Israel ƒe asrafo siwo bi ɖe aʋawɔwɔ me, eye wòna woɖakpe aʋa kple Aramtɔwo.
Joab realized he would have to fight both in front of him and behind him, he chose some of Israel's best troops and he took charge of them to lead the attack the Arameans.
10 Ena akpa evelia si nɔ nɔvia Abisai ƒe kpɔkplɔ te la kpe aʋa kple Amonitɔwo.
He put the rest of the army under the command of Abishai, his brother. They were to attack the Ammonites.
11 Yoab gblɔ na nɔvia be, “Ne Aramtɔwo sẽ nam akpa la, nàva kpe ɖe ŋunye, ke ne Amonitɔwo sẽ na wò akpa la, mava kpe ɖe ŋuwò.
Joab told him, “If the Arameans are stronger than me, you come and help me. If the Ammonites are stronger than you, I'll come and help you.
12 Lé dzi ɖe ƒo, eye na míawɔ aʋa la kalẽtɔe na míaƒe dukɔ kple míaƒe Mawu la ƒe duwo. Yehowa awɔ nu si nyo le eŋkume.”
Be brave, and fight your best for our people and the towns of our God. May the Lord do what he sees as good!”
13 Ale Yoab kple eƒe aʋakɔwo lũ ɖe Aramtɔwo dzi be woakpe aʋa kpli wo eye Aramtɔwo si le wo nu.
Joab attacked the Arameans with his forces and they ran away from him.
14 Esi Amonitɔwo kpɔ be Aramtɔwo nɔ sisim la, woawo hã lé du tsɔ le Abisai ŋgɔ eye woɖage ɖe du la me eya ta Yoab trɔ dzo yi Yerusalem.
When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had run away, they also ran away from Abishai, and retreated into the town. So Joab went back to Jerusalem after fighting the Ammonites.
15 Esime Aramtɔwo kpɔ be Israelviwo ɖu yewo dzi la, wogbugbɔ ƒo ƒu wo ɖokuiwo.
As soon as the Arameans saw they had been defeated by the Israelites they reassembled their forces.
16 Hadadezer na Aramtɔwo tso tɔsisi la godo yi Helam eye wonɔ Sobak, Hadadezer ƒe aʋafia ƒe kpɔkplɔ te.
Hadadezer sent for more Arameans to be brought from beyond the Euphrates River. They arrived in Helam under the leadership of Shobach, commander of Hadadezer's army.
17 Esi wogblɔ nya sia na David la, eya ŋutɔ kplɔ Israel ƒe aʋakɔ la yi Helam. Aramtɔwo ho aʋa ɖe David ŋu eye wowɔ aʋa kplii.
When this was reported to David, he assembled all Israel together. He crossed the Jordan and advanced on Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle line against David and fought him.
18 Ke Aramtɔwo gasi le Israelviwo nu. David wu Aramtɔwo ƒe sɔdola alafa adre kple afɔzɔla akpe blaene. Ede abi woƒe aʋafia, Sobak hã ŋu wòku le afi ma.
But the Aramean army ran away from the Israelites, and David killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 infantry. He also attacked Shobach, their army commander, and he died there.
19 Esi Hadadezer ƒe kpeɖeŋutɔwo kpɔ be woɖu Aramtɔwo dzi la wona ta eye wozu David tenɔlawo. Tso ɣe ma ɣi la, Aramtɔwo vɔ̃na be yewoagakpe ɖe Amonitɔwo ŋu.
When all the kings allied with Hadadezer realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. As a result, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites any more.

< Samuel 2 10 >