2 Samuel 14
1 Joab, nwa Zeruaya matara na obi eze dị nʼebe Absalọm nọ.
And when now Joab the son of Zeruyah perceived that the heart of the king was [turned] toward Abshalom:
2 Joab zigara ozi na Tekoa, si nʼebe ahụ kpọta otu nwanyị maara ihe. Mgbe nwanyị ahụ bịaruru, Joab gwara ya sị, “Mee onwe gị dịka onye na-eru ụjụ. Yiri akwa mkpe, etekwala mmanụ otite. Kpaa agwa dịka nwanyị nọ nʼiru ụjụ ogologo oge.
Then sent Joab to Tekoa', and he fetched thence a wise woman, and said to her, Feign. I pray thee, as though thou mournest, and do put on mourning garments, and anoint thyself not with oil; but be as a woman that hath these many days been mourning for the dead.
3 Emesịa, jekwuru eze, gwa ya okwu ndị a m na-agwa gị.” Joab tinyere okwu ndị ahụ nʼọnụ ya.
And thou must come to the king and speak with him after these words: and Joab put the words into her mouth.
4 Mgbe nwanyị ahụ si Tekoa gara na nke eze, ọ dara nʼala kpuo ihu ya nʼala ịsọpụrụ eze. Ọ sịrị, “Biko nyere m aka, gị onye a na-asọpụrụ!”
And the woman from Tekoa' spoke to the king, and fell on her face to the ground, and bowed herself, and said, Help, O king!
5 Eze jụrụ ya ajụjụ sị, “Gịnị bụ mkpa gị?” Ọ zara sị, “Abụ m nwanyị isi mkpe, di m anwụọla.
And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she said, Truly, I am a widow-woman; since my husband is dead.
6 Enwere m ụmụ ndị ikom abụọ ndị gara lụọ ọgụ nʼọhịa. Mgbe ha na-alụ ọgụ ahụ, o nweghị onye pụtara gboo ha. Nʼihi ya, otu nʼime ha tigburu ibe ya.
And thy hand-maid had two sons, and they two quarreled together in the field, and there was no one between them to help [either]; so the one smote the other, and slew him.
7 Ma ugbu a, ndị ikwu di m na-esogbu m na-asị ‘Kpọpụta onye ahụ gburu nwanne ya ka anyị gbuo ya nʼihi ndụ nwanne ya o wepụrụ, ka anyị si otu a memilaa onye nke fọdụrụ ga-erita oke ezinaụlọ.’ Ha chọrọ isi otu a menyụọ icheku ọkụ nke fọdụụrụ m, nke bụ na di m agaghị enwezikwa aha maọbụ onye fọdụụrụ ya nʼelu ụwa.”
And, behold, the whole family is risen up against thy handmaid, and they said, Give up the slayer of his brother, that we may have him put to death, for the life of his brother whom he hath killed; and we will destroy also the heir: and thus they will quench my coal which is remaining, so as not to allow to my husband either name or remainder upon the face of the earth.
8 Eze sịrị nwanyị ahụ, “Laa nʼụlọ gị, aga m ahụ na o nweghị onye metụrụ ya aka.”
And the king said unto the woman, Go to thy house, and I will issue [my] charge concerning thee.
9 Ma nwanyị ahụ si Tekoa sịrị ya, “Ka onyenwe m, bụ eze, gbaghara mụ na ezinaụlọ m, ka ikpe ọmụma ọbụla ghara ịdịrị eze na ocheeze ya.”
Then said the woman of Tekoa unto the king, On me, my Lord, O king, be the iniquity, and on my father's house: and may the king and his throne be guiltless.
10 Eze zara ya, “Enyela onwe gị nsogbu maka nke ahụ. Ọ bụrụ na onye ọbụla agwa gị okwu ọbụla, kpọtara m ya. Onye dị otu a agaghị enyekwa gị nsogbu ọzọ.”
And the king said, Whosoever speaketh aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.
11 Mgbe ahụ ọ zara, “Biko, ka eze kpọkuo aha Onyenwe anyị Chineke ya ka ọ kwụsị onye na-agwa ọchụ, ka ọ ghara igbu onye ọzọ, ka a gharakwa ịla nwa m nwoke nʼiyi.” Ọ sịrị, “Dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, otu agịrị isi agaghị esi nʼisi nwa gị dapụ nʼala.”
Then said she, Let the king, I pray thee, remember the Lord thy God, so as not to suffer the avenger of the blood to cause yet more destruction, and that they may not destroy my son. And he said, As the Lord liveth, there shall not fall one hair of thy son to the earth.
12 Mgbe ahụ, nwanyị ahụ sịrị, “Biko kwere ka ohu gị nwanyị gwa onyenwe m eze otu mkpụrụ okwu ọzọ.” Ọ sịrị, “Gaa nʼihu kwuo.”
Then said the woman, Let thy hand-maid, I pray thee, speak unto my Lord the king one word. And he said, Speak on.
13 Nwanyị ahụ sịrị, “Ọ bụ nʼihi gịnị ka ị chere ihe dị otu a megide ndị nke Chineke? Mgbe eze na-ekwu otu a, ọ bụ na ọ dịghị ama onwe ya ikpe, nʼihi na eze a jụla ịkpọghachi nwa ya a chụpụrụ achụpụ?
And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? and since the king doth speak this thing, he is as a guilty man, if the king do not permit his banished one to return home.
14 Anyị niile ga-anwụ. Anyị dịkwa ka mmiri a wụsara nʼala, nke a na-apụghị ịchịkọtakwa ọzọ. Ma Chineke adịghị anapụ mmadụ ndụ ya, ma ọ na-emeghepụ ụzọ ga-eme ka onye ọ chụpụrụ achụpụ lọghachikwutekwa ya.
For we must needs die, and are as water which is spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; and yet doth God not take away life; and he deviseth thoughts, so that the banished one may not remain banished from him.
15 “Ma ugbu a, ebe m bịara ịgwa onyenwe m bụ eze, okwu a, nʼihi na ndị mmadụ emenyela m egwu. Ohu gị chere nʼobi ya, ‘Aga m agwa eze okwu; ma eleghị anya, ọ ga-emezuru ohu ya nwanyị ihe ọ rịọrọ.
And now that I am come to speak unto my Lord the king of this thing, [happened] because the people made me afraid; and therefore thy hand-maid said, I will still speak unto the king; perhaps the king may act [in accordance with] the word of his hand-maid.
16 Ma eleghị anya eze ga-anapụta ohu ya nwanyị site nʼaka nwoke ahụ na-agbalị ibipụ mụ na nwa m nwoke site nʼihe nketa nke Chineke.’
For the king may hear [me], to deliver his hand-maid out of the hand of the man [that desireth] to exterminate me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.
17 “Ugbu a, ohu gị nwanyị na-asị, ‘Ka okwu onyenwe m eze kwuru wetara m izuike, nʼihi onyenwe m eze na-enyochapụta ihe ọma maọbụ ihe ọjọọ dịka mmụọ ozi Chineke. Ka Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị nọnyere gị.’”
And thy hand-maid said, May the word of my Lord the king now become [the means of giving] repose; for as an angel of God, so is my Lord the king to comprehend the good and the bad: and may the Lord thy God be with thee.
18 Mgbe ahụ, eze gwara nwanyị ahụ okwu sị, “Achọrọ m ka ị gwa m eziokwu nʼajụjụ a m na-aga ịjụ gị.” Nwanyị ahụ zara sị, “Ka onyenwe m, bụ eze kwuo ihe dị ya nʼobi.”
Then answered the king and said unto the woman, Conceal not, I pray thee, from me a word concerning what I am going to ask thee. And the woman said, Let my Lord the king but speak.
19 Devid jụrụ ya sị, “Aka Joab ọ dị nʼokwu ndị a niile?” Nwanyị ahụ zara sị ya, “Dịka ị na-adị ndụ, onyenwe m, bụ eze, ọ dịghị onye ọbụla ga-esi nʼihe onyenwe m bụ eze kwuru, chee ihu nʼaka nri maọbụ nʼaka ekpe. E, ọ bụ ohu gị Joab nyere m iwu ime nke a, ya gwakwara ohu gị nwanyị okwu niile ndị a.
And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my Lord, O king! none can turn to the right or to the left from all that my Lord the king hath spoken; for it was thy servant Joab who hath bidden me, and it was he that hath put in the mouth of thy hand-maid all these words.
20 Ohu gị bụ Joab mere ihe a ka ọ gbanwee otu ọnọdụ ihe dị ugbu a. Onyenwe m nwere amamihe dịka ndị mmụọ ozi Chineke. Ọ maakwara ihe niile na-eme nʼala.”
In order to change the appearance of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my Lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is [done] on the earth.
21 Eze sịrị Joab, “Ọ dị mma, aga m eme ya. Gaa kpọghachite nwokorobịa ahụ bụ Absalọm.”
And the king said unto Joab, Behold, now, thou hast done this thing: go then, bring back the young man Abshalom.
22 Joab dara nʼala kpuo ihu ya nʼala, kpọọ isiala, gọzie eze. Joab sịrị, “Taa ka ohu gị maara na ahụtala m amara nʼihu gị, onyenwe m bụ eze, nʼihi na eze e merela ohu ya ihe ọ rịọrọ.”
And Joab fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself, and blessed the king: and Joab said, Today is thy servant convinced that I have found grace in thy eyes, my Lord, O king; since the king hath acted in accordance with the word of thy servant.
23 Joab biliri gaa Geshua, kpọlata Absalọm na Jerusalem.
And Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Abshalom to Jerusalem.
24 Mgbe ha bịaruru, eze gwara Joab okwu sị, “Gwa ya ka ọ laa nʼụlọ ya. Ọ gaghị abịa nʼihu m, nʼihi na-achọghị m ịhụ ya anya.” Ya mere, Absalọm lara nʼụlọ ya. Ọ hụkwaghị eze anya.
And the king said, Let him repair to his own house, but my face he shall not see. So Abshalom repaired to his own house, but the king's face he did not see.
25 Ọ dịghị nwoke mara mma dịka Absalọm nʼala Izrel niile. Ọ dịkwaghị onye na-adịghị ekwu okwu banyere ịma mma ya. Nʼihi na ntụpọ ọbụla adịghị ya nʼahụ site nʼopi isi ya ruo nʼọbọ ụkwụ ya.
And like Abshalom there was no man as handsome in all Israel, so that he was greatly praised: from the sole of his foot up to the crown of his head there was no blemish on him.
26 Mgbe ọbụla ọ kpụchara ntutu isi ya, nʼihi na ọ bụ otu ugboro nʼafọ ka ọ na-akpụcha agịrị isi mgbe o bidoro ịnyị ya arọ. Ọ na-atụ agịrị isi a na-akpụchapụta ya nʼisi, ịdị arọ ya na-eru narị shekel abụọ ma a tụọ ya nʼihe ọtụtụ eze.
And when he shaved off [the hair of] his head [and it was at the end of every year that he shaved it off; because it was too heavy on him, so that he had to shave it off: ] he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king's weight.
27 Absalọm mụtara ụmụ ndị ikom atọ, na otu nwanyị, aha ya bụ Tama. Nwaagbọghọ a mara mma nke ukwuu.
And there was born unto Abshalom three sons and one daughter, whose name was Thamar: this one was a woman of handsome appearance.
28 Mgbe Absalọm nọrọ afọ abụọ na Jerusalem na-ahụghị eze anya,
And Abshalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and the king's face he did not see.
29 o ziri ozi ka Joab bịa, ka ọ gaa ziere ya eze ozi, ma Joab abịaghị. Absalọm zigakwara ozi ọzọ ka ọ bịa ma Joab ekweghị ịbịa.
Abshalom sent out therefore for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again the second time; but he would not come.
30 Nʼikpeazụ, Absalọm gwara ndị na-ejere ya ozi okwu sị ha, “Gaanụ sunye ubi ọka balị Joab dị nʼakụkụ nke m ọkụ.” Ha mekwara dịka a gwara ha.
He thereupon said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is alongside of mine, and he hath barley there: go and set it on fire. And Abshalom's servants set the field on fire.
31 Mgbe ahụ, Joab biliri jee nʼụlọ Absalọm, ma sị ya, “Gịnị mere ndị na-ejere gị ozi ji gbaa ubi m ọkụ?”
Then did Joab arise, and he went to Abshalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set the field belonging to me on fire?
32 Absalọm sịrị ya, “Lee ezitere m gị ozi, sị, ‘Bịa nʼebe a ka m ziga gị na nke eze ka ị jụta, “Nʼihi gịnị ka m ji site na Geshua lọghachita? Ọ gara a kara m mma ma a sị na m nọ nʼebe ahụ ruo ugbu a.”’ Ugbu a, achọrọ m ka mụ hụ ihu eze, ọ bụrụ na onwe ajọ omume dị nʼime m, ya mee ka m nwụọ.”
And Abshalom said to Joab, Behold, I had sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it would be better for me were I yet there: and now let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him put me to death.
33 Joab gakwuru eze, gwa ya ihe Absalọm kwuru. Mgbe ahụ, eze kpọrọ Absalọm, onye batara ma kpọọ isiala nʼihu eze. Eze sutukwara ya ọnụ.
So Joab went to the king, and told it to him: and he called for Abshalom, who came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Abshalom.
