2 Samũeli 15
1 Na rĩrĩ, thuutha wa maũndũ macio, Abisalomu agĩĩthondekera ngaari cia ita na mbarathi, na andũ mĩrongo ĩtano a gũthiiaga mbere yake matengʼerete.
Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.
2 Nake ookĩraga rũciinĩ tene akarũgama mũkĩra-inĩ wa njĩra ĩrĩa yathiiaga kĩhingo-inĩ gĩa itũũra rĩrĩa inene. Na rĩrĩa mũndũ o wothe ooka arĩ na mateta ma gũtwarĩra mũthamaki nĩguo atue itua-rĩ, Abisalomu akamwĩta, akamũũria atĩrĩ, “Uumĩte itũũra rĩrĩkũ?” Nake akamũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ndungata yaku yumĩte mũhĩrĩga-inĩ ũmwe wa Isiraeli.”
He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”
3 Ningĩ Abisalomu akamwĩra atĩrĩ, “Atĩrĩrĩ mateta maku nĩ ma kĩhooto na nĩ magĩrĩire, no gũtirĩ mũndũ ũthuurĩtwo wa kũrũgamĩrĩra mũthamaki ũngĩgũthikĩrĩria.”
Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.”
4 Ningĩ Abisalomu akamwĩra atĩrĩ, “Naarĩ korwo ndaatuuo mũciiri wa bũrũri ũyũ! Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũndũ o wothe ũrĩ na mateta kana ciira no ooke kũrĩ niĩ, na niĩ ngatigĩrĩra ciira wake nĩwatuuo na kĩhooto.”
And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”
5 Ningĩ hĩndĩ ciothe rĩrĩa mũndũ wothe amũkuhĩrĩria ainamĩrĩre mbere yake, Abisalomu agatambũrũkia guoko, akamũhĩmbĩria na akamũmumunya.
Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.
6 Abisalomu ekaga ũguo kũrĩ andũ othe a Isiraeli arĩa mookaga kũrĩ mũthamaki gũcaria kĩhooto, na nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩguucĩrĩria ngoro cia andũ a Isiraeli.
Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 Na rĩrĩ, mĩaka ĩna yathira, Abisalomu akĩĩra mũthamaki atĩrĩ, “Njĩtĩkĩria thiĩ Hebironi nĩgeetha ngahingie mwĩhĩtwa ũrĩa ndeehĩtire harĩ Jehova.
After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD.
8 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndungata yaku yatũũraga Geshuru kũu Suriata, nĩndehĩtire na mwĩhĩtwa ngiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Jehova angĩkanjookia Jerusalemu, nĩngamũhooya ndĩ kũu Hebironi.’”
For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’”
9 Nake mũthamaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ na thayũ.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Abisalomu agĩthiĩ Hebironi.
“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.
10 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Abisalomu agĩtũma andũ na hitho mĩhĩrĩga-inĩ yothe ya Isiraeli makoige atĩrĩ, “Rĩrĩa mũrĩigua tũrumbeta twahuhwo, hĩndĩ ĩyo muuge atĩrĩ, ‘Abisalomu nĩwe mũthamaki wa Hebironi.’”
Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”
11 Andũ magana meerĩ kuuma Jerusalemu nĩo maathiĩte hamwe na Abisalomu. Meetĩtwo marĩ ageni, na magĩthiĩ matekũmenya nĩ ũũru meekaga, matirĩ ũndũ maamenyaga ũhoro-inĩ ũcio.
Two hundred men from Jerusalem accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and they went along innocently, for they knew nothing about the matter.
12 Na hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Abisalomu aarutaga magongona-rĩ, agĩtũmanĩra Ahithofeli ũrĩa Mũgiloni, o ũrĩa waheaga Daudi kĩrĩra, oke kuuma itũũra rĩao rĩa Gilo. Na nĩ ũndũ ũcio ndundu ya gũũkĩrĩra mũthamaki ĩkĩgĩa na hinya, nao arũmĩrĩri a Abisalomu magĩkĩrĩrĩria kũingĩha.
While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh. So the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept increasing.
13 Na rĩrĩ, hagĩũka mũndũ ũmwe watũmĩtwo kũrĩ Daudi, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ngoro cia andũ othe a Isiraeli irũmĩrĩire Abisalomu.”
Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”
14 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Daudi akĩĩra anene ake othe arĩa aarĩ nao Jerusalemu atĩrĩ, “Ũkai! No nginya tũũre; kwaga ũguo gũtirĩ o na ũmwe witũ ũkũhonoka kũũragwo nĩ Abisalomu. No nginya tũthiĩ o ro rĩu, kana Abisalomu oke narua atũkorerere, atũhubanĩrie na atwanange, na ahũũre itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene na rũhiũ rwa njora.”
And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”
15 Nao anene a mũthamaki makĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ndungata ciaku nĩciĩhaarĩirie gwĩka ũndũ o wothe ũrĩa mũthamaki mwathi witũ angĩthuura wĩkwo.”
The king’s servants replied, “Whatever our lord the king decides, we are your servants.”
16 Nake mũthamaki akiumagara, arũmĩrĩirwo nĩ andũ a nyũmba yake yothe; no agĩtiga thuriya ikũmi cia kũmenyerera nyũmba ya mũthamaki.
Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
17 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki akiumagara, arũmĩrĩirwo nĩ andũ acio othe, magĩthiĩ handũ haraaya, makĩrũgama ho.
So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house,
18 Nao andũ ake othe makĩmũhĩtũka, hamwe na Akerethi othe, na Apelethi, na Agiti othe magana matandatũ arĩa maatwaranĩte hamwe nake kuuma Gathu, makĩhĩtũka magĩthiĩ mbere ya mũthamaki.
and all his servants marched past him—all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath.
19 Mũthamaki akĩũria Itai ũrĩa Mũgiiti atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma ũthiĩ hamwe na ithuĩ? Cooka ũgaikare hamwe na Mũthamaki Abisalomu. Wee ũrĩ mũndũ wa kũngĩ, mũndũ ũthaamĩte akoima bũrũri wake.
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the new king, since you are both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland.
20 Ũrookire o ira. Ingĩgwĩtĩkĩria atĩa wambĩrĩrie kũũrũũra na ithuĩ, o rĩrĩa itaramenya kũrĩa ndĩrathiĩ? Hũndũka, woe andũ a bũrũri wanyu ũcooke nao. Naguo ũtugi na wĩhokeku iroikara hamwe nawe.”
In fact, you arrived only yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I do not know where I am going? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness.”
21 No Itai agĩcookeria mũthamaki atĩrĩ, “Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo, na o ta ũrĩa wee mũthamaki mwathi wakwa ũtũũraga muoyo-rĩ, harĩa hothe mũthamaki mwathi wakwa angĩkorwo arĩ, o na kũngĩkorwo nĩ gũtũũra muoyo kana gũkua, hau no ho ndungata yaku ĩgaakorwo ĩrĩ.”
But Ittai answered the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!”
22 Nake Daudi akĩĩra Itai atĩrĩ, “Thiĩ na mbere, ũthiĩ ũhĩtũkĩte.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Itai ũrĩa Mũgiiti agĩthiĩ ahĩtũkĩte hamwe na andũ ake othe, na andũ a nyũmba yake arĩa maarĩ hamwe nake.
“March on then,” said David to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.
23 Nao andũ othe a bũrũri ũcio makĩrĩra na mũgambo mũnene rĩrĩa andũ acio othe maahĩtũkaga. Mũthamaki o nake akĩringa mũrĩmo ũrĩa ũngĩ wa karũũĩ ga Kidironi, nao andũ othe magĩthiĩ merekeire werũ-inĩ.
Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly as all the people passed by. And as the king crossed the Kidron Valley, all the people also passed toward the way of the wilderness.
24 Zadoku o nake aarĩ ho, na Alawii othe arĩa maarĩ hamwe nake nĩo maakuuĩte ithandũkũ rĩa kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa Ngai. Nao makĩiga ithandũkũ rĩa kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa Ngai thĩ, nake Abiatharu akĩruta magongona nginya rĩrĩa andũ othe maarĩkirie kuuma itũũra rĩu inene.
Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had passed out of the city.
25 Ningĩ mũthamaki akĩĩra Zadoku atĩrĩ, “Oya ithandũkũ rĩa Ngai ũrĩcookie itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene. Ingĩĩtĩkĩrĩka maitho-inĩ ma Jehova-rĩ, nĩakanjookia na atũme ndĩrĩone na nyone gĩikaro gĩake rĩngĩ.
Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.
26 No angĩkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ndikenetio nĩwe,’ hĩndĩ ĩyo niĩ nĩndĩhaarĩirie; nĩanjĩke o ũrĩa wothe angĩona kwagĩrĩire.”
But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”
27 Ningĩ mũthamaki akĩĩra Zadoku ũrĩa mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai atĩrĩ, “Githĩ wee ndũrĩ muoni-maũndũ? Cooka ũthiĩ itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene na thayũ, mũrĩ na mũrũguo Ahimaazu, na Jonathani mũriũ wa Abiatharu. Wee na Abiatharu mũthiĩ na ariũ acio anyu eerĩ.
The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.
28 Na niĩ ngũikara njetereire mariũko-inĩ kũu werũ-inĩ, o nginya hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ũkaandehithĩria ũhoro ũnjĩĩre ũrĩa maũndũ matariĩ.”
See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
29 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Zadoku na Abiatharu magĩkuua ithandũkũ rĩa Ngai, makĩrĩcookia Jerusalemu na magĩikara kuo.
So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30 No Daudi agĩthiĩ na mbere kwambata kĩrĩma kĩa mĩtamaiyũ, o akĩrĩraga; nĩehumbĩrĩte mũtwe, na aarĩ magũrũ matheri. Andũ othe arĩa aarĩ nao-rĩ, o nao nĩmehumbĩrĩte mĩtwe, nao maambatire o makĩrĩraga.
But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
31 Na rĩrĩ, Daudi nĩamenyithĩtio atĩrĩ, “Ahithofeli aarĩ hamwe na arĩa maarĩ ndundu na Abisalomu.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Daudi akĩhooya atĩrĩ, “Wee Jehova, garũra kĩrĩra kĩa Ahithofeli, ũgĩtue ũrimũ.”
Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
32 Na rĩrĩa Daudi aakinyire gacũmbĩrĩ ga kĩrĩma, harĩa andũ maahooyagĩra Ngai-rĩ, Hushai ũrĩa Mũariki aarĩ hau kũmũtũnga, atembũrangĩte nguo yake ndaaya, na akeitĩrĩria tĩĩri mũtwe.
When David came to the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.
33 Nake Daudi akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũngĩkorwo nĩũgũthiĩ na niĩ, ũgũtuĩka mũrigo harĩ niĩ.
David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.
34 No ũngĩcooka itũũra-inĩ rĩu inene na wĩre Abisalomu atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩngũtuĩka ndungata yaku wee mũthamaki; ndĩratũire ndĩ ndungata ya thoguo mbere ĩyo, no rĩu ngũtuĩka ndungata yaku,’ hĩndĩ ĩyo no ũndeithie gũthũkia mataaro ma Ahithofeli.
But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’
35 Githĩ Zadoku na Abiatharu arĩa athĩnjĩri-Ngai matiigũkorwo kũu hamwe nawe? Meerage ũndũ o wothe ũngĩigua nyũmba-inĩ ya mũthamaki.
Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.
36 Ariũ ao eerĩ, Ahimaazu mũrũ wa Zadoku, na Jonathani mũrũ wa Abiatharu marĩ kũu hamwe nao. Matũmage kũrĩ niĩ na ũndũ o wothe ũngĩigua.”
Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”
37 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Hushai mũrata wa Daudi agĩcooka, na agĩkinya Jerusalemu o rĩrĩa Abisalomu aatoonyaga itũũra rĩu inene.
So David’s friend Hushai arrived in Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.
