< Samuel 2 18 >

1 David ƒo aʋawɔla siwo nɔ eŋu la nu ƒu eye wòɖe aʋakplɔlawo ɖo ame akpewo kple alafawo nu.
And David numbered the people that were with him, and he set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds.
2 Akpa ɖeka nɔ Yoab nɔviŋutsu, Abisai, Zeruya ƒe viŋutsu te. Akpa evelia nɔ Itai, Gititɔ la te eye Fia David ɖo be akpa etɔ̃lia nanɔ ye ŋutɔ yeƒe kpɔkplɔ te hafi, gake ameawo gbe nɛ
And David sent forth the people a third part under the command of Joab, and a third part under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruyah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I myself also will without fail go forth with you.
3 hegblɔ be, “Mele be wò ŋutɔ nàkplɔ aʋalɔgo aɖeke o, elabena ne wòahiã be míasi eye woawu aʋalɔgo la ƒe afã la, womatsɔ ɖeke le eme o. Woanɔ wò ɖeka ko dim, eya ta enyo wu be nànɔ dua me le afi sia eye ne aɖaŋu aɖe hiã mí la, nàɖoe ɖe mí.”
But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth; for if we should have to flee away, they will not care for us; and if half of us die, they will not care for us; for now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou shouldst be a succor to us out of the city.
4 Fia la ɖo eŋu be, “Enyo, mawɔ nu sia nu si nyo na mi ko.” Ale David nɔ tsitre ɖe dua ƒe agbonu esime aʋawɔlawo katã va tso eme.
And the king said unto them, What seemeth good in your eyes will I do. And the king placed himself by the side of the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Fia la gblɔ na Yoab, Abisai kple Itai be, “Mixa ɖe tanye ne miakpɔ nublanui na vinye Absalom.” Aʋawɔlawo katã se nya si fia la gblɔ na wo.
And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Abshalom. And all the people heard when the king charged all the captains with respect to Abshalom.
6 Ale David ƒe aʋakɔ la ho aʋa ɖe Israel ŋu eye wodze aʋa la gɔme le Efraim ƒe ave la me.
So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 David ƒe amewo ɖu Israel ƒe aʋakɔ la dzi. Wowu ame akpe blaeve sɔŋ le Israelviwo dome gbe ma gbe.
And the people of Israel were smitten there before David's servants, and the slaughter was great there on that day—twenty thousand men.
8 Ame siwo bu le avea me la sɔ gbɔ wu ame siwo wowu.
And the battle became extended there over the face of all the country: and the forest devoured yet more of the people than the sword had devoured on that day.
9 Le aʋa la me la, Absalom va do go David ƒe amewo. Esi Absalom nɔ eƒe tedzisɔ dzi si yina la, tedzisɔa to logoti aɖe ƒe alɔdzewo te eye eƒe taɖa ku alɔdze aɖe. Tedzisɔ la si dzo, do le ete le esime eya ŋutɔ tsi ɖe alɔdze la ŋu henɔ nyenyem segblesegble le yame.
And Abshalom happened to come before the servants of David. And Abshalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule came under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was left hanging between the heaven and the earth: and the mule that was under him passed on.
10 David ƒe amewo dometɔ ɖeka kpɔe eye wògblɔe na Yoab bena, “Kpɔ ɖa, mekpɔ Absalom wòtsi klẽti aɖe ŋu.”
And a certain man saw, and told it to Joab, and said, Behold, I have seen Abshalom hanging on an oak.
11 Yoab biae be, “Nyateƒea? Èkpɔe le afi ma hafi mèwui oa? Nenye ɖe nèwui la, anye ne mana klosalo ewo kple alidziblaka ewo wò.”
And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him: why then didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and it would have been obligatory on me to give thee ten shekels of silver and a girdle.
12 Ŋutsu la ɖo eŋu be, “Ne àna klosalo akpe ɖeka teƒe akpe ɖekam hã la, nyemawui o. Mí katã míese fia la wògblɔ na wò kple Abisai kple Itai be, ‘Le tanye la, migawɔ nuvevi aɖeke vinye Absalom o.’
And the man said unto Joab, And though I should weigh on my hands a thousand shekels of silver, I would not stretch forth my hand against the king's son; for before our ears did the king charge thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take heed, whoever it be, of the young man, of Abshalom.
13 Ne magbe nyemawɔ fia la ƒe gbe dzi o eye mawu via la, fia la ava nya ame si wu via kokoko eye wòe anye ame gbãtɔ si atsɔ nya ɖe ŋunye.”
Or should I even have acted with falsehood against my own life, since there is no matter which can be hidden from the king; thou wouldst surely have placed thyself aloof.
14 Yoab gblɔ be, “Migagblẽ ɣeyiɣi nam o.” Tete wòtsɔ akplɔ etɔ̃ ɖe asi eye wòtsɔ wo nyrɔ ɖe Absalom ƒe dzi gbɔ, le esime wònɔ nyenyem segblesegble le logoti la ƒe alɔdze ŋu.
Then said Joab, I will not wait thus before thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Abshalom, who was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15 Yoab ƒe akpoxɔnutsɔla ewo, ame siwo ƒo xlã Yoab ɣe ma yi hafi la lũ ɖe Absalom dzi hewui.
And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, encompassed and smote Abshalom, and slew him.
16 Tete Yoab ku kpẽ eye eƒe amewo dzudzɔ Israel ƒe aʋawɔlawo nyanya.
And Joab blew the cornet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab restrained the people.
17 Woda Absalom ƒe kukua ɖe do globo aɖe me le avea me eye woli kɔ kpe geɖewo ɖe edzi. Israel ƒe aʋawɔlawo si yi woƒe aƒewo me.
And they took Abshalom, and cast him down in the forest, into the large pit, and erected upon him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled, every one, to his tents.
18 Absalom tu ŋkuɖodzikpe aɖe na eɖokui le eƒe agbenɔɣi ɖe Fia ƒe Balime elabena egblɔ be, “Viŋutsu aɖeke mele asinye si ana nye ŋkɔ natsi anyi o.” Ena ŋkɔe be “Absalom ƒe Ŋkuɖodzikpe.” Wogayɔnɛ nenema egbegbe.
Now Abshalom had taken and reared up for himself in his lifetime, the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son, so as to keep my name in remembrance; and he called the pillar after his own name: and it was called Abshalom's monument, even until this day.
19 Zadok ƒe vi, Ahimaaz gblɔ be, “Na maƒu du ayi aɖagblɔ dzidzɔnya la na David be Yehowa ɖee tso eƒe futɔ, Absalom ƒe asi me.”
And Achima'az the son of Zadok said, Do let me run, I pray thee, and bear the king tidings, that the Lord hath done him justice from the power of his enemies.
20 Yoab gblɔ nɛ be, “Ao, manye dzidzɔnya na fia la be via ŋutsu ku o; nyemele dɔwòm ɖe afi aɖeke o.”
And Joab said unto him, Thou art not the man to bear [good] tidings this day, and thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.
21 Yoab gblɔ na ŋutsu aɖe si tso Kus be, “Yi nàgblɔ nu si nèkpɔ la na fia la.” Ŋutsu la de ta agu eye wòdzo.
Then said Joab to the Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen, And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
22 Ke Zadok vi Ahimaaz gagblɔ na Yoab be, “Ne nu sia nu le dzɔdzɔm hã la, maƒu du adze Kusitɔ la yome.” Yoab ɖo eŋu be, “Vinye, nu ka ta nèdzi be yeayi ɖo? Nya bubu aɖeke megali míagblɔ aɖo ɖe o eye ame aɖeke mele dɔtsɔho xe ge na wò o.”
Then said Achima'az the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, Be it as it may, let me, I pray thee, run also after the Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore is it that thou wilt run, my son, seeing that thou hast no profitable tidings?
23 Ahimaaz gaɖe kuku be, “Ele eme nenema gake na mayi ko.” Yoab gblɔ azɔ be, “Enyo, heyi.” Ahimaaz to mɔ kpui aɖe si to gbadzaƒe la eye wòtre ɖoɖo na ŋutsu si tso Kus.
But be it as it may, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. And Achima'az ran by the way of the plain, and passed the Cushi.
24 David nɔ anyi ɖe dua ƒe agbo eve, egodotɔ kple emetɔ dome le ɣe ma ɣi me. Esi gbetakpɔla la lia gli la yi gbeta kpɔ ge la, ekpɔ ame ɖeka wònɔ du dzi gbɔna wo gbɔ.
And David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate, upon the wall, and as he lifted up his eyes, he saw, and behold, a man was running alone.
25 Edo ɣli gblɔ nya la na David. Fia la ɖo eŋu be, “Nenye eya ɖekae la, ekema nya aɖe le esi.” Esi dɔla la te ɖe wo ŋu la.
And the watchman cried, and told it to the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there are tidings in his mouth. And he came nearer and nearer continually.
26 Gbetakpɔla la hã kpɔ ame bubu; eya hã nɔ du dzi gbɔna wo gbɔ. Edo ɣli gblɔ be, “Ame bubu aɖe hã gbɔna.” Fia la ɖo eŋu be, “Ɖewohĩ eya hã anya tsɔ nya nyui aɖe gbɔnae.”
And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the gate-keeper, and said, Behold, here is a man running alone. And the king said, Also this one bringeth tidings.
27 Gbetakpɔla la gblɔ nɛ be, “Ame gbãtɔ ɖi Ahimaaz, Zadok ƒe vi.” Fia la ɖo eŋu be, “Ame nyuie; etsɔ nya nyui gbɔnae.”
And the watchman said, I regard the running of the foremost as the running of Achima'az the son of Zadok. And the king said, That is a good man, and with good tidings must he come.
28 Tete Ahimaaz do ɣli gblɔ na Fia la be, “Nu sia nu dze edzi nyuie!” Ebɔbɔ, de ta agu heyi edzi be, “Woakafu Yehowa, wò Mawu la ame si tsrɔ̃ aglãdzela siwo tsi tsitre ɖe ŋuwò.”
And Achima'az called, and said unto the king, Peace. And he prostrated himself to the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath surrendered the men that had lifted up their hand against my Lord the king.
29 Fia la bia be, “Vinye Absalom ɖe? Ele dediea?” Ahimaaz ɖo eŋu be, “Esi Yoab gblɔ nam be mava la, ameawo nɔ ɣli dom hoo, ke nyemenya nu si tututue dzɔ o.”
And the king said, Is the young man Abshalom safe? And Achima'az answered, I saw the greatest crowd when Joab sent off the king's servant, and thy servant; but I know not what hath happened.
30 Fia la gblɔ na Ahimaaz be, “Lala le afi sia” Ale Ahimaaz dze ɖe axadzi.
And the king said, Turn aside, place thyself here. And he turned aside, and remained standing.
31 Kustɔ la va do eye wògblɔ be, “Mehe nya nyui aɖe vɛ na nye aƒetɔ kple nye fia. Egbe la, Yehowa ɖe wò tso ame siwo katã tso ɖe ŋuwò la ƒe asi me.”
And, behold, the Cushi came [next]; and the Cushi said, Let my lord the king receive the tidings, that the Lord hath done thee justice this day from the power of all those that had risen up against thee.
32 Fia la bia Kustɔ la be, “Vinye Absalom ɖe? Ele dediea?” Ŋutsu la ɖo eŋu be, “Nye aƒetɔ fia, wò futɔwo katã nanɔ abe ale si ɖekakpui ma le fifia ene!”
And the king said unto the Cushi, Is the young man Abshalom safe? And the Cushi answered, May like the young man be the enemies of my Lord the king, and all that have risen up against thee for evil.
33 Fia la de asi avifafa me enumake. Eyi eƒe xɔ me le xɔ tame. Efa avi hegblɔ be, “Oo, vinye Absalom, vinye, vinye Absalom, ɖe maku ɖe nuwò hafi! Oo, Absalom, vinye, vinye!”
And the king was much moved, and he went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept: and thus he said as he went, O my son Abshalom, my son, my son Abshalom! who would grant that I had died in thy stead, O Abshalom, my son, my son!

< Samuel 2 18 >