< Samuel 2 18 >

1 David ƒo aʋawɔla siwo nɔ eŋu la nu ƒu eye wòɖe aʋakplɔlawo ɖo ame akpewo kple alafawo nu.
And David mustered the people who were with him, and appointed commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds over them.
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
David divided the army into three, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, "I will surely go forth with you myself also."
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 they said, "You must not go out, for if we retreat, no one will care about us. If half of us die, no one will care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. So it is better for you to be in the city to help."
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.
The king said to them, "I will do what seems best to you." The king stood beside 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.
The king gave this order to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Be gentle for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people were listening when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.
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 struck there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter took place that day of twenty thousand men.
8 Ame siwo bu le avea me la sɔ gbɔ wu ame siwo wowu.
For the battle spread over the entire region, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
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 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. And he was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head got caught in the oak, and he was left suspended in midair, while the mule that was under him kept going.
10 David ƒe amewo dometɔ ɖeka kpɔe eye wògblɔe na Yoab bena, “Kpɔ ɖa, mekpɔ Absalom wòtsi klẽti aɖe ŋu.”
And someone saw it and told Joab, and said, "Look, I saw Absalom hanging in 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.”
Then Joab said to the man who reported it, "Look, you saw this. So why didn't you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a belt."
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.’
But the man said to Joab, "Even if I could feel in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn't lay a hand on the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Be gentle for my sake with the young man Absalom.'
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.”
Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have dissociated yourself from me."
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 Joab said, "I'm not going to waste time with you." So he took three sharp sticks in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still 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.
Then ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded and struck Absalom and killed him.
16 Tete Yoab ku kpẽ eye eƒe amewo dzudzɔ Israel ƒe aʋawɔlawo nyanya.
Then Joab blew the trumpet and the people turned back from pursuing Israel, for Joab had called for the people to halt.
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 Absalom and threw him into a large pit in the forest, and heaped up over him a huge pile of stones. Then all Israel fled, each one to his tent.
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 Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the King's Valley; for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in memory." He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument, to 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.”
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run, let me carry the king news how that YHWH has avenged him 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.”
But Joab said, "You are not to bring the news today, but you may bring news another day. But today you are to bring no news." For it was because the king's son was 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 Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed before Joab and departed.
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 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, "Whatever happens, please let me go after the Cushite." But Joab said, "Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?"
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 he said, "But whatever happens, I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.
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.
Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall and raised his eyes and looked, and there was a man running alone towards him.
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.
Then the watchman shouted and informed the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth." And he kept coming nearer.
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.”
Then the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman above the gate called out, and said, "Look, another man running alone." And the king said, "He also brings good news."
27 Gbetakpɔla la gblɔ nɛ be, “Ame gbãtɔ ɖi Ahimaaz, Zadok ƒe vi.” Fia la ɖo eŋu be, “Ame nyuie; etsɔ nya nyui gbɔnae.”
Then the watchman said, "I think the first runner is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."
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 Ahimaaz came near and said to the king, "All is well." Then he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground, and said, "Blessed is YHWH your God, who has defeated the men who opposed 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 asked, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab, the king's servant, sent your servant off, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was."
30 Fia la gblɔ na Ahimaaz be, “Lala le afi sia” Ale Ahimaaz dze ɖe axadzi.
Then the king said, "Step aside and stand here." So he stepped aside and waited.
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.”
Then look, the Cushite arrived, and he said, "Good news for my lord the king, for YHWH has delivered you today from all those who rose up against you."
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!”
Then the king asked the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you with evil intent be like that young man."
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 shaken, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. And as he wept he said, "My son Absalom. My son, my son Absalom. If only I had died in your place, Absalom, my son, my son."

< Samuel 2 18 >