2 Samuel 14
1 Joab, nwa Zeruaya matara na obi eze dị nʼebe Absalọm nọ.
Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was towards Absalom.
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.
Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil; but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.
3 Emesịa, jekwuru eze, gwa ya okwu ndị a m na-agwa gị.” Joab tinyere okwu ndị ahụ nʼọnụ ya.
Go in to the king and speak like this to him.” So Joab put the words in 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!”
When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showed respect, 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.
The king said to her, “What ails you?” She answered, “Truly I am a widow, and 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.
Your servant had two sons; and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed 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.”
Behold, the whole family has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”
8 Eze sịrị nwanyị ahụ, “Laa nʼụlọ gị, aga m ahụ na o nweghị onye metụrụ ya aka.”
The king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.”
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.”
The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, may the iniquity be on me, 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.”
The king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he will not bother you 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 she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall 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 the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Say 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?
The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.
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 die, and are like water spilled on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast 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.
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. Your servant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’
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 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 “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.’”
Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May the LORD, your God, be with you.’”
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 the king answered the woman, “Please don’t hide anything from me that I ask you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king now 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.
The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your servant.
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.”
Your servant Joab has done this thing to change the face of the matter. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.”
21 Eze sịrị Joab, “Ọ dị mma, aga m eme ya. Gaa kpọghachite nwokorobịa ahụ bụ Absalọm.”
The king said to Joab, “Behold now, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, and bring the young man Absalom back.”
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.”
Joab fell to the ground on his face, showed respect, and blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favour in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”
23 Joab biliri gaa Geshua, kpọlata Absalọm na Jerusalem.
So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom 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.
The king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face.
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.
Now in all Israel there was no one 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 defect in 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.
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 Absalọm mụtara ụmụ ndị ikom atọ, na otu nwanyị, aha ya bụ Tama. Nwaagbọghọ a mara mma nke ukwuu.
Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman with a beautiful face.
28 Mgbe Absalọm nọrọ afọ abụọ na Jerusalem na-ahụghị eze anya,
Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and he didn’t see the king’s face.
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.
Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. Then he sent again a 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.
Therefore he said to his servants, “Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’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 Joab arose and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field 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.”
Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”’”
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 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.
