2 Samũeli 19

1 Nake Joabu akĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki nĩararĩra agĩcakayagĩra Abisalomu.”

Then it was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.”

2 Naguo ũhootani wa mũthenya ũcio wa mbũtũ cia ita ciothe ũkĩgarũrũka, ũgĩtuĩka macakaya, tondũ mũthenya ũcio mbũtũ cia ita nĩciaiguire gũkĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki arĩ na kĩeha nĩ ũndũ wa mũriũ.”

And that day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the people, because on that day they were told, “The king is grieving over his son.”

3 Mũthenya ũcio andũ magĩcooka itũũra-inĩ inene na hitho, o ta ũrĩa andũ macookaga na hitho maconokete rĩrĩa moorĩte kuuma mbaara-inĩ.

So they returned to the city quietly that day, as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing a battle.

4 Nake mũthamaki akĩhumbĩra ũthiũ, akĩrĩra na mũgambo mũnene akiugaga atĩrĩ, “Ũũi Abisalomu, mũrũ wakwa! Ũũi Abisalomu, mũrũ wakwa, mũrũ wakwa!”

But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Joabu agĩtoonya nyũmba kũrĩ mũthamaki, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũmũthĩ nĩũconorithĩtie andũ aku othe, arĩa marĩkĩtie kũhonokia muoyo waku, na mĩoyo ya ariũ aku na ya airĩtu aku, na mĩoyo ya atumia aku o na ya thuriya ciaku.

Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines.

6 Wee wendete arĩa magũthũire, na ũkamena arĩa makwendete. Ũmũthĩ nĩwonanĩtie biũ atĩ ndũrĩ bata na anene a mbũtũ cia ita o na andũ ao. Niĩ nguona atĩ wee gĩkeno gĩaku kĩngĩrĩ rĩrĩa Abisalomu angĩrĩ muoyo ũmũthĩ na ithuothe tũkorwo tũkuĩte.

You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!

7 Rĩu ũkĩra ũthiĩ ũkoomĩrĩrie andũ aku ũmekĩre hinya. Niĩ ngwĩhĩta na rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova atĩ aakorwo ndũkuuma ũthiĩ gũtanatuka, gũtirĩ mũndũ o na ũmwe ũgũkorwo mwena waku. Ũndũ ũyũ ũgũtuĩka mũũru kũrĩ we gũkĩra maũndũ mothe mooru marĩa managũkora kuuma ũrĩ mũnini nginya rĩu.”

Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now!”

8 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki agĩũkĩra, agĩikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩake kĩhingo-inĩ. Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa andũ meerirwo atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki aikarĩte kĩhingo-inĩ,” othe magĩũka mbere yake. Na rĩrĩ, andũ a Isiraeli nĩmoorĩte magacooka kwao mĩciĩ.

So the king got up and sat in the gate, and all the people were told: “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” So they all came before the king. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled, each man to his home.

9 Mĩhĩrĩga-inĩ yothe ya Isiraeli, andũ othe maakararanagia makoiga atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki nĩwe watũkũũrire kuuma guoko-inĩ gwa thũ ciitũ; nĩwe watũhonokirie kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa Afilisti. No rĩu nĩorĩte akoima bũrũri-inĩ akĩũrĩra Abisalomu;

And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom.

10 nake Abisalomu ũrĩa twaitĩrĩirie maguta atũthamakĩre-rĩ, nĩakuĩrĩire mbaara-inĩ. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mwagĩte kwaria ũhoro wa gũcookia mũthamaki nĩkĩ?”

But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?”

11 Mũthamaki Daudi nĩatũmanire kũrĩ Zadoku na Abiatharu, athĩnjĩri-Ngai, makeerwo atĩrĩ, “Ũriai athuuri a Juda atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma mũrigie thuutha harĩ gũcookia mũthamaki nyũmba-inĩ yake ya ũthamaki, kuona atĩ ũrĩa kũraario Isiraeli guothe nĩgũkinyĩire mũthamaki kũrĩa aikaraga?

Then King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace, since the talk of all Israel has reached the king at his quarters?

12 Inyuĩ mũrĩ ariũ a baba, tũrĩ a mũthiimo ũmwe, na thakame ĩmwe. Nĩ kĩĩ kĩngĩtũma mũtuĩke a kũrigia thuutha kũinũkia mũthamaki?’

You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?’

13 Ningĩ mwĩre Amasa atĩrĩ, ‘Githĩ wee ndũrĩ wa mũthiimo wakwa, na thakame yakwa? Ngai arothũũra o na anjĩke ũũru makĩria, angĩkorwo kuuma rĩu gũthiĩ na mbere wee tiwe ũgũtuĩka mũnene wa mbũtũ ciakwa cia ita ithenya rĩa Joabu.’”

And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”

14 Nake mũthamaki akĩguucĩrĩria ngoro cia andũ othe a Juda ta ciarĩ ngoro ya mũndũ ũmwe. Nao magĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki, makiuga atĩrĩ, “Cooka, wee hamwe na andũ aku othe.”

So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man, and they sent word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants.”

15 Hĩndĩ ĩyo mũthamaki agĩcooka agĩthiĩ agĩkinya Jorodani. Na rĩrĩ, andũ a Juda nĩmookĩte Giligali nĩguo matũnge mũthamaki mamũringie Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani.

So the king returned, and when he arrived at the Jordan, the men of Judah came to Gilgal to meet him and escort him across the Jordan.

16 Nake Shimei mũrũ wa Gera, Mũbenjamini kuuma Bahurimu, agĩikũrũka na ihenya marĩ na andũ a Juda nĩguo magatũnge Mũthamaki Daudi.

Then Shimei son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David,

17 Nake aarĩ na andũ a Benjamini ngiri ĩmwe, o hamwe na Ziba ndungata ya mũciĩ wa Saũlũ, na ariũ ake ikũmi na atano, na ndungata mĩrongo ĩĩrĩ. Nao makĩhanyũka nginya Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani harĩa mũthamaki aarĩ.

along with a thousand men of Benjamin, as well as Ziba the steward of the house of Saul and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed down to the Jordan before the king

18 Makĩringĩra iriũko-inĩ nĩguo maringie andũ a nyũmba ya mũthamaki na meeke o ũrĩa angĩenda. Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Shimei mũrũ wa Gera aaringire Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani akĩĩgũithia thĩ mbere ya mũthamaki,

and crossed at the ford to carry over the king’s household and to do what was good in his sight. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell down before the king

19 na akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mwathi wakwa nĩ atige kũndua mwĩhia. Tiga kũririkana ũrĩa ndungata yaku yekire mahĩtia mũthenya ũrĩa mũthamaki mwathi wakwa oimire Jerusalemu. Mũthamaki nĩatige kũiga ũhoro ũcio meciiria-inĩ make.

and said, “My lord, do not hold me guilty, and do not remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart.

20 Nĩgũkorwo niĩ ndungata yaku nĩnjũũĩ atĩ nĩnjĩhĩtie, no ũmũthĩ nĩndoka haha ndĩ mũndũ wa mbere wa nyũmba yothe ya andũ a Jusufu; ndaikũrũka njũke ndũnge mũthamaki mwathi wakwa.”

For your servant knows that I have sinned, so here I am today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

21 Ningĩ Abishai mũrũ wa Zeruia akiuga atĩrĩ, “Githĩ Shimei ndagĩrĩire nĩ kũũragwo nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa ekĩte? Nĩarumire mũitĩrĩrie maguta wa Jehova.”

But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”

22 Nake Daudi agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Tũnyiitanĩire ũndũ ũrĩkũ na inyuĩ, inyuĩ ariũ a Zeruia? Ũmũthĩ nĩguo mũgũtuĩka thũ ciakwa! No kũhoteke mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ ooragwo thĩinĩ wa Isiraeli ũmũthĩ? Githĩ niĩ ndikĩũĩ atĩ ũmũthĩ nĩ niĩ mũthamaki wa Isiraeli?”

And David replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, what have I to do with you, that you should be my adversaries today? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? Am I not indeed aware that today I am king over Israel?”

23 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki akĩĩra Shimei atĩrĩ, “Wee ndũgũkua.” Nake mũthamaki akĩmũhe ũhoro ũcio na mwĩhĩtwa.

So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore an oath to him.

24 Na rĩrĩ, Mefiboshethu, mwana wa mũriũ wa Saũlũ, o nake nĩaikũrũkire agĩthiĩ gũtũnga mũthamaki. Nake ndethambĩte magũrũ kana akenja nderu, o na kana akahũũra nguo ciake kuuma mũthenya ũrĩa mũthamaki aathiire nginya mũthenya ũrĩa aacookire arĩ na thayũ.

Then Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, went down to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king had left until the day he returned safely.

25 Rĩrĩa ooimire Jerusalemu agatũnge mũthamaki, mũthamaki akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Mefiboshethu, nĩ kĩĩ kĩagiririe ũthiĩ na niĩ?”

And he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, who asked him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”

26 Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, nĩgũkorwo niĩ ndungata yaku ndĩ mwonju, ‘Ndoigire atĩrĩ, nĩngũigĩrĩra ndigiri yakwa matandĩko na ndĩmĩhaice, nĩguo hote gũthiĩ na mũthamaki’. No Ziba ndungata yakwa akĩngunyanĩra.

“My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me,

27 Na nĩacambĩtie ndungata yaku kũrĩ mũthamaki mwathi wakwa. Mwathi wakwa mũthamaki ahaana ta mũraika wa Ngai; nĩ ũndũ ũcio ĩka ũrĩa ũkuona kwagĩrĩire.

and he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. Yet my lord the king is like the angel of God, so do what is good in your eyes.

28 Njiaro ciothe cia guka ciagĩrĩirwo nĩ kũũragwo nĩ mũthamaki mwathi wakwa. No wee nĩwaheire ndungata yaku handũ na arĩa marĩĩagĩra metha-inĩ yaku. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio ndĩ na kĩhooto kĩrĩkũ gĩa gũgũkaĩra rĩngĩ mũthamaki wakwa?”

For all the house of my grandfather deserves death from my lord the king, yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right, then, do I have to keep appealing to the king?”

29 Mũthamaki akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ kĩngĩtũma warie makĩria ma ũguo? Ndaathana atĩ wee na Ziba mũgayane mũgũnda.”

The king replied, “Why say any more? I hereby declare that you and Ziba are to divide the land.”

30 Mefiboshethu akĩĩra mũthamaki atĩrĩ, “Reke oe mĩgũnda yothe, kuona atĩ wee mwathi wakwa nĩũcookete mũciĩ na thayũ.”

And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has safely come to his own house, let Ziba take it all!”

31 Ningĩ Barizilai, ũrĩa Mũgileadi agĩikũrũka kuuma Rogelimu akaringe Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani me hamwe na mũthamaki, na amumagarie njĩra-inĩ ya kuuma kũu.

Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and send him on his way from there.

32 Na rĩrĩ, Barizilai aarĩ mũthuuri mũkũrũ mũno wa mĩaka mĩrongo ĩnana. Nĩwe waheaga mũthamaki irio hĩndĩ ĩrĩa aikarĩte Mahanaimu, tondũ aarĩ mũndũ mũtongu mũno.

Barzillai was quite old, eighty years of age, and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.

33 Nake mũthamaki akĩĩra Barizilai atĩrĩ, “Nĩtũringe mũrĩmo nawe, tũthiĩ ũikare hamwe na niĩ Jerusalemu, na nĩndĩrĩkũheaga irio.”

The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will provide for you at my side in Jerusalem.”

34 Nowe Barizilai agĩcookeria mũthamaki atĩrĩ, “Nĩ mĩaka ĩngĩ ĩigana atĩa niĩ ngũtũũra muoyo nĩguo nyambate thiĩ Jerusalemu hamwe na mũthamaki?

But Barzillai replied, “How many years of my life remain, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king?

35 Rĩu ndĩ na ũkũrũ wa mĩaka mĩrongo ĩnana. No menye ũtiganu wa ũndũ mwega na mũũru? Ndungata yaku yahota gũcama kĩrĩa ĩrarĩa na kĩrĩa ĩranyua? No hote kũigua mĩgambo ya arũme na ya andũ-a-nja makĩina? Nĩ kĩĩ kĩngĩtũma ndungata yaku ĩtuĩke mũrigo ũngĩ kũrĩ mũthamaki mwathi wakwa?

I am now eighty years old. Can I discern what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of singing men and women? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

36 Ndungata yaku nĩĩkũringa Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani hamwe na mũthamaki handũ ha itĩĩna inini, no nĩ kĩĩ kĩngĩtũma mũthamaki andĩhe niĩ na njĩra ĩyo?

Your servant could go with the king only a short distance past the Jordan; why should the king repay me with such a reward?

37 Reke ndungata yaku ĩcooke, nĩgeetha ngaakuĩra itũũra-inĩ rĩakwa hakuhĩ na mbĩrĩra ya baba na maitũ. No rĩrĩ, ndungata yaku Kimuhamu nĩĩringe hamwe na mũthamaki mwathi wakwa. Mĩĩke o ũrĩa ũkuona kwagĩrĩire.”

Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what is good in your sight.”

38 Mũthamaki akiuga atĩrĩ, “Kimuhamu nĩekũringa hamwe na niĩ, na nĩngũmwĩka o ũrĩa ũngĩona kwagĩrĩire. Na ũrĩa wothe ũngĩenda kuuma kũrĩ niĩ nĩ ngũgwĩkĩra.”

The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good in your sight, and I will do for you whatever you desire of me.”

39 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio andũ othe makĩringa Rũũĩ rwa Jorodani, nake mũthamaki agĩcooka akĩringa. Mũthamaki akĩmumunya Barizilai na akĩmũrathima, nake Barizilai agĩcooka gwake mũciĩ.

So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned home.

40 Rĩrĩa mũthamaki aaringire mũrĩmo agĩkinya Giligali, Kimuhamu akĩringa hamwe nake. Nacio mbũtũ ciothe cia ita cia Juda na nuthu ya mbũtũ cia ita cia Isiraeli ikĩringia mũthamaki.

Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham crossed over with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel escorted the king.

41 Thuutha wa kahinda kanini andũ othe a Isiraeli nĩmookaga kũrĩ mũthamaki makamwĩra atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ gĩatũmire ariũ a baba, andũ a Juda, matũtunye mũthamaki na wara, na mamũcookie nyũmba yake kuuma mũrĩmo wa Jorodani, hamwe na andũ ake othe?”

Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, together with all of David’s men?”

42 Andũ othe a Juda magĩcookeria andũ a Isiraeli atĩrĩ, “Twekire ũguo tondũ mũthamaki nĩ wa nyũmba iitũ. Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma mũrakario nĩ ũhoro ũcio? Nĩ irio tũrĩĩte cia mũthamaki? Nĩ harĩ kĩndũ twĩyoeire ithuĩ ene?”

And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is our relative. Why does this anger you? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense or received anything for ourselves?”

43 Ningĩ andũ a Isiraeli magĩcookeria andũ a Juda atĩrĩ, “Ithuĩ tũrĩ na icunjĩ ikũmi kũrĩ mũthamaki, na hamwe na ũguo-rĩ, tũrĩ na kĩhooto gĩa gũtuĩka a Daudi gũkĩra inyuĩ. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma mũtũmene? Githĩ ti ithuĩ twarĩ a mbere kwaria ũhoro wa gũcookia mũthamaki witũ?” No andũ a Juda magĩcookia marĩ na ũũru mũingĩ mũno o na gũkĩra andũ a Isiraeli.

“We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah pressed even harder than the men of Israel.