< 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.
After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag,
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.
on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.
3 David biae be, “Afi ka nètso?” Eɖo eŋu be, “Mesi tso Israel ƒe asaɖa me.”
David said to him, “Where do you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”
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.”
David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5 Tete David bia ɖekakpui si tsɔ du la vɛ nɛ la be: “Aleke nèwɔ nya be Saul kple via Yonatan ku?”
David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
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.
The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him.
7 Esime wònye kɔ la, ekpɔm yɔm eye mebiae be, ‘Nu ka mawɔ na wò?’
When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’
8 “Ebiam be, ‘Ame ka nènye?’ “Meɖo eŋu be ‘Amalekitɔe menye.’
He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9 “Tete wògblɔ nam be, ‘Va, tsi tsitre ɖe gbɔnye eye nàwum! Meɖo kudo nu gake agbe gale menye ko.’
He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers 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 stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
11 David kple eƒe amewo dze woƒe awuwo esi wose nya sia.
Then David took hold on his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise.
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.
They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had 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.”
David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”
14 David biae be, “Nu ka ŋuti mèvɔ̃ o eye nèdo wò asi ɖa wu Yehowa ƒe amesiamina la?”
David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your 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.
David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so 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.’”
David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’”
17 David kpa konyifaha sia tso Saul kple via Yonatan ŋu
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 commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
19 “Oo, Israel, wò ŋutikɔkɔe Nye ekema wowu ɖe wò towo dzi. Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale!
“Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have 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.
Do not tell it in Gath. Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
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.
You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, the shield of Saul was not 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, Jonathan’s bow did not turn back. Saul’s sword did not return 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 were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.
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.
You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25 “Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale! Eye wowu Yonatan le wò toawo dzi.
How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan was slain on your high places.
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 you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.
27 “Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale! Eye woƒe aʋawɔnuwo katã hã tsrɔ̃ ale!”
How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”

< Samuel 2 1 >