2 Samũeli 14

1 Na rĩrĩ, Joabu mũrũ wa Zeruia nĩamenyete atĩ ngoro ya mũthamaki nĩyeriragĩria kuona Abisalomu.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

2 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, Joabu agĩtũma mũndũ athiĩ Tekoa akagĩĩre mũndũ-wa-nja warĩ mũũgĩ, areehwo kuuma kũu. Akĩĩra mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio atĩrĩ, “Wĩtue atĩ nĩũracakaya. Wĩhumbe nguo cia macakaya, na ndũkehake maguta o na marĩkũ. Wĩtue ta mũndũ-wa-nja ũikarĩte matukũ maingĩ akĩrĩrĩra mũndũ mũkuũ.

And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched from there a wise woman, and said to her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman who has a long time mourned for the dead.

3 Ũcooke ũthiĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki ũmwarĩrie ciugo ici.” Nake Joabu akĩmwĩra ũrĩa ekuuga.

And go in to the king, and speak on this manner to him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 Rĩrĩa mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio wa kuuma Tekoa aathiire kũrĩ mũthamaki, akĩĩgũithia, agĩturumithia ũthiĩ thĩ nĩguo amũhe gĩtĩĩo, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee mũthamaki, ndeithia!”

And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

5 Nake mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ kĩragũthĩĩnia?” Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ niĩ ndĩ mũndũ-wa-nja wa ndigwa; mũthuuri wakwa nĩakuĩte.

And the king said to her, What troubles thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

6 Niĩ ndungata yaku ndĩrarĩ na ariũ eerĩ. Nao maroogitana me mũgũnda, na harakĩaga mũndũ hau wa kũmateithũrana. Ũmwe aragũtha ũrĩa ũngĩ na aramũũraga.

And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and killed him.

7 Na rĩrĩ, mũhĩrĩga wothe nĩũũkĩrĩire ndungata yaku; ũkoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Tũnengere mũndũ ũrĩa ũragĩte mũrũ wa nyina, nĩgeetha tũmũũrage nĩ ũndũ wa muoyo wa mũrũ wa nyina ũrĩa ooragĩte; tũkĩniine mũgai o nake.’ Nao mangĩĩka ũguo no mahorie ikara rĩrĩa rĩraakana, na no rĩo riiki ndigairie, maniine rĩĩtwa rĩa mũthuuri wakwa, o na maniine njiaro ciake gũkũ thĩ.”

And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they say, Deliver him who smote his brother that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also. Thus they will quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.

8 Nake mũthamaki akĩĩra mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio atĩrĩ, “Inũka, na nĩngũruta watho nĩ ũndũ waku.”

And the king said to the woman, Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

9 No mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio wa Tekoa akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, reke ũũru ũcio ũnjookerere hamwe na nyũmba ya baba, na ũreke wee mũthamaki na gĩtĩ gĩaku gĩa ũthamaki wage gũcookererwo nĩ ũũru o na ũrĩkũ.”

And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.

10 Nake mũthamaki agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ o na ũ angĩkwĩra ũndũ o na ũrĩkũ, mũrehe kũrĩ niĩ, nake ndagacooka gũgũthĩĩnia rĩngĩ.”

And the king said, Whoever says anything to thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

11 Nake mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Reke mũthamaki agwete rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova Ngai wake, nĩguo agirĩrĩrie mũrĩhĩria wa thakame ndakae kũũragana rĩngĩ, nĩgeetha mũriũ wakwa ndakae kũũragwo.” Nake mũthamaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo-rĩ, gũtirĩ rũcuĩrĩ o na rũmwe rwa mũtwe wa mũrũguo rũkũgũa thĩ.”

Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood not destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah lives, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

12 Ningĩ mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Reke ndungata yaku ĩkwĩre kiugo wee mũthamaki, mwathi wakwa.” Nake agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Kĩarie.”

Then the woman said, Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

13 Mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte wee ũthondeke ũndũ ta ũyũ wa gũũkĩrĩra andũ a Ngai? Rĩrĩa mũthamaki oiga ũguo-rĩ, githĩ tiwe wĩtuĩrĩire ciira, nĩgũkorwo mũthamaki ndacooketie mũriũ wake ũrĩa mũingate mũciĩ?

And the woman said, Why then have thou devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as he who is guilty, in that the king does not fetch home again his banished one.

14 Ta ũrĩa maaĩ maitĩkaga thĩ, marĩa matangĩoeka-rĩ, no taguo arĩ o nginya ithuĩ tũkue. No Ngai ndarutaga mũndũ muoyo; handũ ha gwĩka ũguo-rĩ, athondekaga njĩra nĩgeetha mũndũ ũrĩa mũingate ndakae gũtũũra ta ateetwo biũ agathengio harĩ we.

For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, neither does God take away life, but devises means that he who is banished be not an outcast from him.

15 “Na rĩrĩ, njũkĩte gũkwĩra ũhoro ũyũ wee mũthamaki mwathi wakwa tondũ andũ nĩmatũmĩte niĩ ndĩtigĩre. Ndungata yaku ĩciirĩtie atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ nĩngwarĩria mũthamaki; no gũkorwo nĩegwĩka ũrĩa ndungata yake ĩkũmũũria;

Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid. And thy handmaid said, I will now speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.

16 no gũkorwo mũthamaki nĩegwĩtĩkĩra kũhonokia ndungata yake kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa mũndũ ũrĩa ũrageria gũtũniina niĩ hamwe na mũriũ wakwa, matweherie kuuma kũrĩ igai rĩrĩa twaheirwo nĩ Ngai.’

For the king will hear to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

17 “Na rĩrĩ, ndungata yaku ĩgũkwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Kiugo gĩaku mũthamaki mwathi wakwa kĩrondeehere ũhurũko, nĩgũkorwo mũthamaki mwathi wakwa ahaana ta mũraika wa Ngai wa gũkũũrana wega na ũũru. Jehova Ngai waku aroikara nawe.’”

Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be gracious, for as an agent of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. And Jehovah thy God be with thee.

18 Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũthamaki akĩĩra mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio atĩrĩ, “Ndũkaahithe ũndũ o wothe ũrĩa ngũkũũria.” Nake mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki mwathi wakwa nĩakĩarie.”

Then the king answered and said to the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, anything that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

19 Nake mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Githĩ mũtinyiitanĩire na Joabu ũhoro-inĩ ũyũ wothe?” Nake mũndũ-wa-nja akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa ũtũũraga muoyo, wee mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, gũtirĩ mũndũ ũngĩĩhũgũra mwena wa ũrĩo kana wa ũmotho, aregane na ũndũ o wothe ũrĩa mũthamaki mwathi wakwa angiuga. Ĩĩ nĩguo, nĩ ndungata yaku Joabu yanjĩĩrire njĩke ũndũ ũyũ, na nĩwe wĩkĩrĩte ciugo ici ciothe kanua-inĩ ka ndungata yaku.

And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul lives, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken, for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid.

20 Nake Joabu, ndungata yaku nĩwe wĩkĩte ũguo nĩgeetha agarũre ũndũ ũrĩa ũrĩ ho ihinda rĩĩrĩ. Mwathi wakwa arĩ ũũgĩ ta wa mũraika wa Ngai; nĩamenyaga ũndũ wothe ũrĩa wĩkĩkaga bũrũri-inĩ.”

Thy servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. And my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an agent of God, to know all things that are on the earth.

21 Mũthamaki akĩĩra Joabu atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wega, nĩngwĩka ũguo. Thiĩ, ũcookie mwanake ũcio ti Abisalomu.”

And the king said to Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.

22 Joabu akĩĩgũithia aturumithĩtie ũthiũ thĩ nĩguo amũhe gĩtĩĩo, na akĩrathima mũthamaki. Joabu akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũmũthĩ ndungata yaku nĩyamenya atĩ nĩĩrĩkĩtie gwĩtĩkĩrĩka maitho-inĩ maku mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, tondũ mũthamaki nĩetĩkĩrĩte ihooya rĩa ndungata yake.”

And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king. And Joab said, Today thy servant knows that I have found favor in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.

23 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Joabu agĩthiĩ Geshuru, na agĩcookia Abisalomu Jerusalemu.

So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24 Nowe mũthamaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “No nginya athiĩ mũciĩ gwake mwene; ndakarekwo oone ũthiũ wakwa.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Abisalomu agĩthiĩ mũciĩ gwake na ndaigana kuona ũthiũ wa mũthamaki.

And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and did not see the king's face.

25 Thĩinĩ wa Isiraeli guothe gũtiarĩ mũndũ ũngĩ o na ũmwe waganagwo gũthakara ta Abisalomu. Kuuma rũcuĩrĩ rwake rwa mũtwe nginya nyarĩrĩ ciake ndaarĩ na kameni.

Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

26 Rĩrĩa rĩothe eenjaga njuĩrĩ cia mũtwe wake, nĩenjagwo o mwaka wathira rĩrĩa njuĩrĩ yamũritũhĩra mũno, angĩamĩthimire, ũritũ wayo wakoragwo ũrĩ cekeri magana meerĩ, kũringana na gĩthimi kĩa mũthamaki.

And when he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year's end that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.

27 Nake Abisalomu nĩaciarire aanake atatũ na mũirĩtu ũmwe. Nake mwarĩ eetagwo Tamaru, na aarĩ mũndũ-wa-nja mũthaka.

And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of a fair countenance.

28 Abisalomu aatũũrire mĩaka ĩĩrĩ Jerusalemu atarĩ oona ũthiũ wa mũthamaki.

And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and he did not see the king's face.

29 Ningĩ Abisalomu agĩtũmanĩra Joabu nĩguo amũtũme kũrĩ mũthamaki, no Joabu akĩrega gũthiĩ kũrĩ we. Ningĩ akĩmũtũmanĩra riita rĩa keerĩ, no akĩrega gũthiĩ.

Then Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

30 Hĩndĩ ĩyo akĩĩra ndungata ciake atĩrĩ, “Atĩrĩrĩ, mũgũnda wa Joabu ũhakanĩte na wakwa, na arĩ na cairi kuo. Thiĩi mũmĩcine na mwaki.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ndungata cia Abisalomu ikĩgwatia mũgũnda ũcio mwaki ũkĩhĩa.

Therefore he said to his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

31 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Joabu agĩthiĩ mũciĩ kwa Abisalomu, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũma ndungata ciaku icine mũgũnda wakwa?”

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, Why have thy servants set my field on fire?

32 Nake Abisalomu akĩĩra Joabu atĩrĩ, “Ndagũtũmanĩire, ngĩkwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ũka, nĩguo ngũtũme kwa mũthamaki, ũkamũũrie atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũmire nyume Geshuru? Ũngĩrĩ ũndũ mwega korwo nĩkuo ndũũraga o na rĩu!”’ Rĩu-rĩ, nĩngwenda kuona ũthiũ wa mũthamaki, na hangĩkorwo nĩ harĩ na ũndũ njĩkĩte mũũru, nĩakĩĩnjũrage.”

And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come here, that I may send thee to the king to say, Why have I come from Geshur? It were better for me to still be there. Now therefore let me see the king's face, and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.

33 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Joabu agĩthiĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki, na akĩmũhe ũhoro ũcio. Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũthamaki agĩĩta Abisalomu, nake agĩũka, akĩinamĩrĩra aturumithĩtie ũthiũ thĩ mbere ya mũthamaki. Nake mũthamaki akĩmumunya Abisalomu.

So Joab came to the king, and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.