< Samuel 2 20 >

1 Seba nye yakame aɖe eye wòganye Bikri, Benyamintɔ la ƒe vi. Eku kpẽ eye wòdo ɣli be, “Migbugbɔ le David yome! Migadze eyome o, Israel ŋutsuwo, mina míadzo: menye míaƒe fiae o!”
And it happened that there was, in that place, a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a man of Benjamin. And he sounded the trumpet, and he said: “There is no portion for us in David, nor any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Return to your own tents, O Israel.”
2 Ke Israel ŋutsuwo katã gblẽ David ɖi eye wodze Seba, Bikri vi yome! Ke Yuda ŋutsuwo nɔ woƒe fia la ŋu eye wokplɔe tso Yɔdan tɔsisi la ŋu yi Yerusalem.
And all of Israel separated from David, and they were following Sheba, the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah clung to their king, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem.
3 Esi wòɖo eƒe fiasã me le Yerusalem la, ede se be woaɖe yeƒe ahiãvi ewo siwo yegblẽ ɖi be woakpɔ fiasã la dzi la ɖe aga, woakpɔ wo dzi le go ɖe sia ɖe me gake yemagadɔ wo gbɔ abe yeƒe ahiãviwo ene o. Ale wotrɔ zu abe ahosiwo ene va se ɖe woƒe kugbe.
And when the king had entered his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women concubines, whom he had left behind to care for the house, and he put them into custody, allowing them provisions. But he did not enter to them. Instead, they were enclosed, even until the day of their deaths, living as widows.
4 Fia la gblɔ na Amasa be wòaƒo Yuda ƒe aʋawɔlawo nu ƒu le ŋkeke etɔ̃ me eye wòana yeanya.
Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon to me all the men of Judah on the third day, and you shall be present also.”
5 Ale Amasa yi ɖana nyanya aʋawɔlawo gake nu sia wɔwɔ xɔ wu ŋkeke etɔ̃ si wonae.
Therefore, Amasa went away, so that he might summon Judah. But he delayed beyond the agreed time that the king had appointed to him.
6 David gblɔ na Abisai be, “Azɔ Seba, Bikri vi awɔ nuvevi mí wu nu si Absalom wɔ. Netsɔ! Wò kple nye dɔlawo miti eyome hafi wòaɖo du aɖe si woɖo gli ƒo xlãe la me eye míaƒe asi magate ŋu asu edzi o.”
And David said to Abishai: “Now Sheba, the son of Bichri, will afflict us more so than Absalom did. Therefore, take the servants of your lord, and pursue him, otherwise he may find fortified cities, and escape from us.”
7 Ale Abisai kple Yoab kple ame ɖeka tso Yoab ƒe aʋawɔlawo dome kple fia la ŋutɔ ŋudzɔla dze Seba, Bikri vi la yome.
And so, the men of Joab departed with him, along with the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And all the able-bodied men went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bichri.
8 Esi wova ɖo agakpe gã si le Gibeon gbɔ la, wodo go Amasa. Yoab do aʋawu eye adekpui si nɔ aku me la, nɔ eƒe alidziblaka ŋu. Esi wòɖe zɔ la, eɖe adekpui la le eƒe aku me.
And when they were beside the great stone, which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a close-fitting coat of equal length with his garment. And over these, he was girded with a sword hanging down to his thigh, in a scabbard which was made so that the sword could be removed with the least motion, and then strike.
9 Yoab te ɖe Amasa ŋu hebiae be, “Èfɔa?” Yoab ku asi Amasa ƒe ge me kple ɖusi abe ɖe wòdi be yeagbugbɔ nu nɛ ene.
Then Joab said to Amasa, “Be well, my brother.” And he held Amasa by the chin with his right hand, as if to kiss him.
10 Amasa mekpɔ yi ɖaɖɛ si Yoab lé kple miasi la o. Ale Yoab nyrɔ yi la ɖe dɔme nɛ flo, eƒe dɔmenuwo kaka ɖe anyigba eye wòku ɖe afi ma enumake. Yoab kple nɔvia Abisai gblẽe ɖe afi ma eye woti Seba, Bikri vi la yome.
But Amasa did not notice the sword that Joab had. And he struck him in the side, and his intestines poured out to the ground. And he did not inflict a second wound, and he died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri.
11 Yoab ƒe aʋakplɔlawo dometɔ ɖeka do ɣli gblɔ na Amasa ƒe aʋawɔlawo be, “Ne miele David dzi la, ekema miva dze Yoab yome.”
Meanwhile, certain men, from the company of Joab, when they had stopped beside the dead body of Amasa, said: “Behold, the one who wished to be in the place of Joab, the companion of David.”
12 Ke Amasa ƒe kukua mlɔ eƒe ʋu me le mɔa titina. Esi Yoab ƒe aʋakplɔlawo kpɔ be ameawo nɔ ƒu ƒom na ame kuku la kpɔkpɔ la, wohe ame kuku la tso mɔa dzi do ɖe gbe me eye wotsɔ awu aɖe tsyɔ edzi.
Now Amasa was covered with blood, and was lying in the middle of the road. A certain man saw this, with all the people standing nearby to look at him, and he removed Amasa from the road into a field. And he covered him with a garment, so that those passing by would not stop because of him.
13 Esi wohe ame kuku la le mɔa dzi la, ame sia ame dze Yoab yome be yewoalé Seba, Bikri vi la.
Then, when he had been removed from the road, all the men continued on, following Joab in the pursuit of Sheba, the son of Bichri.
14 Le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, Seba zɔ to Israelnyigba dzi be yeaƒo aʋakɔ aɖe nu ƒu tso eya ŋutɔ ƒe hlɔ̃, Bikri hlɔ̃ la me le Abel Bet Maka dua me.
Now he had passed through all the tribes of Israel into Abel and Bethmaacah. And all the elect men had gathered together to him.
15 Esi Yoab ƒe aʋawɔlawo va ɖo la, woɖe to ɖe Seba le Abel Bet Maka, ƒu kpo ɖe dua ŋu tso anyigba yi gli la tame eye wode asi gli la gbagbã me.
And so, they went and besieged him at Abel and Bethmaacah. And they surrounded the city with siege works, and the city was blockaded. Then the entire crowd who were with Joab strove to destroy the walls.
16 Ke nyɔnu nyanu aɖe tso dua me yɔ Yoab gblɔ nɛ be, “Va afii, na míaɖo dze.”
And a wise woman exclaimed from the city: “Listen, listen, and say to Joab: Draw near, and I will speak with you.”
17 Esi wòte ɖe eŋu la, nyɔnu la biae be, “Wòe nye Yoab la?” Yoab ɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, nyee.” Nyɔnu la gblɔ be, “Ɖo to wò dɔlanyɔnu ƒe nya.” Ke Yoab be, “Mele to ɖom wò nya.”
And when he had drawn near to her, she said to him, “Are you Joab?” And he responded, “I am.” And she spoke in this way to him, “Listen to the words of your handmaid.” He responded, “I am listening.”
18 Nyɔnu la gblɔ nɛ be, “Wonɔ nya aɖe gblɔm tsã be, ‘Ne èdi be yeawu nyahehe aɖe nu la, ekema bia aɖaŋu le Abel,’ elabena míeɖoa aɖaŋu nyui na ame ɣe sia ɣi.
And again she spoke: “A word was said in the old proverb, ‘Those who would inquire, let them inquire in Abel.’ And so they would reach a conclusion.
19 Èle du tsitsi aɖe si me nɔlawo lɔ̃a ŋutifafa eye wowɔa nuteƒe na Israel la gbãm. Ɖe nàgblẽ nu si nye Yehowa tɔa?”
Am I not the one who responds with the truth in Israel? And yet you are seeking to overthrow the city, and to overturn a mother in Israel! Why would you cast down the inheritance of the Lord?”
20 Yoab ɖo eŋu be, “Mele eme nenema kura o,
And responding, Joab said: “May this be far, may this be far from me! May I not cast down, and may I not demolish.
21 nu si dim mele koe nye ŋutsu aɖe si ŋkɔe nye Seba, Bikri vi; etso Efraim ƒe tonyigba la dzi. Etso ɖe Fia David ŋu eya ta ne miatsɔe ade asi na mí la, ekema míaɖe asi le dua ŋu le ŋutifafa me.” Nyɔnu la gblɔ be, “Enyo, míada eƒe ta do ɖe mi to gli la ta.”
The matter is not as you said. Rather, a man from mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, has lifted up his hand against king David. Deliver him alone, and we will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown down to you from the wall.’
22 Ale nyɔnu la yi ameawo gbɔ kple eƒe aɖaŋu nyui la. Wotso ta le Seba, Bikri vi la nu eye woda eƒe ta la to gli la ta ɖo ɖe Yoab. Enumake Yoab ku kpẽ; ena ameawo dzudzɔ dua gbagbã eye wotrɔ yi fia la gbɔ le Yerusalem.
Therefore, she entered to all the people, and she spoke to them wisely. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and they threw it down to Joab. And he sounded the trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, each one to his own tent. But Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 Yoab nye aʋafia gãtɔ Israelʋakɔ la. Benaya nɔ fia la ŋu dzɔlawo, Keretitɔwo kple Peletitɔwo nu.
Thus Joab was over the entire army of Israel. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cerethites and Phelethites.
24 Adoram kpɔa dɔwɔlawo dzi. Yehosafat, Ahilud ƒe vi, nye nyadzɔdzɔwo ŋlɔla,
Yet truly, Adoram was over the tributes. And Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the keeper of records.
25 Seve nye nuŋlɔla eye Zadok kple Abiata nye nunɔlawo.
Now Sheva was the scribe. And truly Zadok and Abiathar were the priests.
26 Ira, Yairtɔ la nye nunɔla le David ŋutɔ ƒe gbedoxɔ me.
But Ira, the Jairite, was the priest of David.

< Samuel 2 20 >