2 Samũeli 14
1 Na rĩrĩ, Joabu mũrũ wa Zeruia nĩamenyete atĩ ngoro ya mũthamaki nĩyeriragĩria kuona Abisalomu.
Joab, son of Zeruiah, knew that the king kept on thinking about 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.
So Joab sent a messenger to Tekoa to bring back a wise woman who lived there. He told her, “Pretend to be a mourner. Put on clothes for mourning, and don't use any scented oils. Be like a woman who has been in mourning for the dead a long time.
3 Ũcooke ũthiĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki ũmwarĩrie ciugo ici.” Nake Joabu akĩmwĩra ũrĩa ekuuga.
Then go to the king and tell him this.” Joab told her what to say.
4 Rĩrĩa mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio wa kuuma Tekoa aathiire kũrĩ mũthamaki, akĩĩgũithia, agĩturumithia ũthiĩ thĩ nĩguo amũhe gĩtĩĩo, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee mũthamaki, ndeithia!”
When the woman from Tekoa went to see the king, she bowed facedown to the ground in respect, and said, “Please help me, Your Majesty!”
5 Nake mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ kĩragũthĩĩnia?” Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ niĩ ndĩ mũndũ-wa-nja wa ndigwa; mũthuuri wakwa nĩakuĩte.
“What's the matter?” the king asked her. “Sadly I'm a widow. My husband is dead,” she replied.
6 Niĩ ndungata yaku ndĩrarĩ na ariũ eerĩ. Nao maroogitana me mũgũnda, na harakĩaga mũndũ hau wa kũmateithũrana. Ũmwe aragũtha ũrĩa ũngĩ na aramũũraga.
“Your Majesty, I had two sons. They had a fight outside, and there was nobody there to stop them. One of them hit 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.”
Now the whole family is against me. They're saying, ‘Hand over your son who killed his brother so we can put him to death for murdering his brother. That way he won't inherit anything either!’ By doing this they would snuff out the last ember of hope I have to carry on my husband's name and family in the world.”
8 Nake mũthamaki akĩĩra mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio atĩrĩ, “Inũka, na nĩngũruta watho nĩ ũndũ waku.”
“Go on home,” the king told the woman, “and I myself will make sure your case is dealt with for you.”
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.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said the woman. “I and my family will take the blame, and may Your Majesty and your family be held to be innocent.”
10 Nake mũthamaki agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ o na ũ angĩkwĩra ũndũ o na ũrĩkũ, mũrehe kũrĩ niĩ, nake ndagacooka gũgũthĩĩnia rĩngĩ.”
“If anyone complains to you about it, bring him here to me, and he won't bother you again!” the king told her.
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.”
“Please, Your Majesty,” the woman continued, “swear by the Lord your God that you will stop the person wanting to avenge the murder from making it worse by killing my son!” “As the Lord lives,” he promised, “not a single hair from your son's head will fall to the ground.”
12 Ningĩ mũndũ-wa-nja ũcio akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Reke ndungata yaku ĩkwĩre kiugo wee mũthamaki, mwathi wakwa.” Nake agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Kĩarie.”
“Could I please ask for one other thing, Your Majesty?” the woman asked. “Go ahead,” he replied.
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?
“So why have you schemed in a similar way against the people of God?” the woman asked. “Since Your Majesty just decided my case by what you said, haven't you convicted yourself because you refuse to bring back the son you banished?
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.
Yes, we all have to die. We're like water spilled on the ground that can't be collected again. But that's not what God does. Instead he works out ways for anyone who is banished to come back home to 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;
That's why I've come to explain this to Your Majesty, because someone has frightened me. So I thought to myself, I will go and speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant my request.
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.’
Perhaps the king will listen and save me from the man who would cut off both me and my son from God's chosen people.
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.’”
I thought: May what Your Majesty says bring me peace, for Your Majesty is able to tell the difference between good and evil, just like an angel of God. May the Lord your God be with you!”
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.”
“Please don't refuse to answer the question I'm about to ask,” the king said to the woman. “Please ask your question, Your Majesty,” she replied.
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.
“Is all this Joab's doing?” the king asked. The woman replied, “As you live, Your Majesty, no one can hide anything from you. Yes, it was Joab, your officer, who ordered me to do this—he told me exactly what to say.
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.”
He did so to show the other side of the situation, but Your Majesty is as wise as an angel of God, and you know everything that happens in this country.”
21 Mũthamaki akĩĩra Joabu atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wega, nĩngwĩka ũguo. Thiĩ, ũcookie mwanake ũcio ti Abisalomu.”
The king said to Joab, “Fine, I'll do it. Go and bring young 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.”
Joab bowed down with his face to the ground in respect, and blessed the king. “Today,” said Joab, “I, your servant, know that you approve of me, Your Majesty, because you have granted my request.”
23 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Joabu agĩthiĩ Geshuru, na agĩcookia Abisalomu Jerusalemu.
Joab went to Geshur, and brought Absalom back 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.
But the king gave this order, “He may return to his home, but he's not to come and see me.” So Absalom returned to his own home, but he didn't go and see the king.
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.
Absalom was admired as the most handsome man in the whole of Israel. He didn't have a single blemish from head to toe.
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.
He cut his hair every year because it got so heavy—it weighed two hundred royal shekels.
27 Nake Abisalomu nĩaciarire aanake atatũ na mũirĩtu ũmwe. Nake mwarĩ eetagwo Tamaru, na aarĩ mũndũ-wa-nja mũthaka.
He had three sons, and a daughter named Tamar—a very beautiful woman.
28 Abisalomu aatũũrire mĩaka ĩĩrĩ Jerusalemu atarĩ oona ũthiũ wa mũthamaki.
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years but was not permitted to see the king.
29 Ningĩ Abisalomu agĩtũmanĩra Joabu nĩguo amũtũme kũrĩ mũthamaki, no Joabu akĩrega gũthiĩ kũrĩ we. Ningĩ akĩmũtũmanĩra riita rĩa keerĩ, no akĩrega gũthiĩ.
Absalom called Joab to arrange for him to see the king, for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come. Absalom called Joab again, but Joab still wouldn't 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.
So Absalom told his servants, “Look, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley growing there. Go and set it on fire!” Absalom's servants went and set the field on fire.
31 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Joabu agĩthiĩ mũciĩ kwa Abisalomu, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũma ndungata ciaku icine mũgũnda wakwa?”
Joab went to Absalom's house and asked “Why did your 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.”
“Look here,” said Absalom, “I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here. I want you to go to the king and ask: Why did I bother coming back from Geshur? It would have been better for me to stay there.’ So go and arrange for me to see the king, and if I'm guilty of anything, he can 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 went and told the king what Absalom had said. Then David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed down with his face to the ground before him in respect. Then the king kissed Absalom.
