< 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.
And it comes to pass after the death of Saul, that David has returned from striking the Amalekite, and David dwells in Ziklag [for] two days,
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.
and it comes to pass, on the third day, that behold, a man has come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments [are] torn, and earth [is] on his head; and it comes to pass in his coming to David, that he falls to the earth and pays respect.
3 David biae be, “Afi ka nètso?” Eɖo eŋu be, “Mesi tso Israel ƒe asaɖa me.”
And David says to him, “Where do you come from?” And he says 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.”
And David says to him, “What has been the matter? Please declare [it] to me.” And he says, “That the people have fled from the battle, and also a multitude of the people have fallen, and they die; and also Saul and his son Jonathan have died.”
5 Tete David bia ɖekakpui si tsɔ du la vɛ nɛ la be: “Aleke nèwɔ nya be Saul kple via Yonatan ku?”
And David says to the youth who is declaring [it] to him, “How have you known that Saul and his son Jonathan [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.
And the youth who is declaring [it] to him says, “I happened to meet in Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul is leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and those possessing horses have followed him;
7 Esime wònye kɔ la, ekpɔm yɔm eye mebiae be, ‘Nu ka mawɔ na wò?’
and he turns behind him, and sees me, and calls to me, and I say, Here I [am].
8 “Ebiam be, ‘Ame ka nènye?’ “Meɖo eŋu be ‘Amalekitɔe menye.’
And he says to me, Who [are] you? And I say to 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.’
And he says to me, Please stand over me and put me to death, for the arrow has seized me, for all my soul [is] still 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.”
And I stand over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he does not live after his falling, and I take the crown which [is] on his head, and the bracelet which [is] on his arm, and bring them to my lord here.”
11 David kple eƒe amewo dze woƒe awuwo esi wose nya sia.
And David takes hold on his garments, and tears them, and also all the men who [are] with him,
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.
and they mourn, and weep, and fast until the evening, for Saul, and for his son Jonathan, and for the people of YHWH, and for the house of Israel, because they have 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.”
And David says to the youth who is declaring [it] to him, “Where [are] you from?” And he says, “I [am] the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.”
14 David biae be, “Nu ka ŋuti mèvɔ̃ o eye nèdo wò asi ɖa wu Yehowa ƒe amesiamina la?”
And David says to him, “How were you not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the anointed of YHWH?”
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.
And David calls to one of the youths and says, “Draw near—fall on him”; and he strikes him, and he dies;
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.’”
and David says to him, “Your blood [is] on your own head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I put to death the anointed of YHWH.”
17 David kpa konyifaha sia tso Saul kple via Yonatan ŋu
And David laments with this lamentation over Saul, and over his son Jonathan;
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 says to teach the sons of Judah “The Bow”; behold, it is written on the Scroll of the Upright:
19 “Oo, Israel, wò ŋutikɔkɔe Nye ekema wowu ɖe wò towo dzi. Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale!
“The beauty of Israel [Is] wounded 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 declare [it] in Gath, Do not proclaim the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest they rejoice—The daughters of the Philistines, Lest they exult—The daughters of the uncircumcised!
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.
Mountains of Gilboa! No dew nor rain be on you, And fields of raised-offerings! For there has become loathsome The shield of the mighty, The shield of Saul—without the 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 wounded, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan Has not turned backward; And the sword of Saul does 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! They are loved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they have not been parted. They have been lighter than eagles, They have been mightier 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.
Daughters of Israel! Weep for Saul, Who is clothing you [in] scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up 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 midst of the battle! Jonathan [was] wounded 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 in distress for you, my brother Jonathan, You were very pleasant to me; Your love was wonderful to me, Above the love of women!
27 “Aleke kalẽtɔwo tsi aʋa ale! Eye woƒe aʋawɔnuwo katã hã tsrɔ̃ ale!”
How the mighty have fallen, Indeed, the weapons of war perish!”

< Samuel 2 1 >