2 Samuel 18
1 Devid gụkọtara ndị ya na ha so ma họpụta ndịisi agha. Doo ụfọdụ ka ha chịa ọtụtụ puku ndị agha, ụfọdụ ka ha chịa ọtụtụ narị ndị agha.
Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
2 Devid zipụrụ ndị agha ya, otu ụzọ nʼime ụzọ atọ nʼokpuru Joab, Ọ họpụtakwara Abishai, nwanne Joab, nwa Zeruaya, ka ọ chịa otu ụzọ. Ma otu ụzọ nke fọdụrụ ka o tinyere nʼaka Itai onye Gat. Eze gwara ndị agha ahụ sị, “Mụ onwe m ga-edu unu gaa agha.”
He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
3 Ma ndị ikom ahụ sịrị, “Ị gaghị apụkwa ọzọ nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na anyị atụgharịa bido ịgba ọsọ, ọ bụrụkwa na otu ọkara nʼime anyị anwụọ, nke ahụ agaghị emetụ ha nʼobi. Naanị gị ka ha na-achọ. Ị dịkwa mkpa karịa puku ndị agha iri. Ọ ga-akara anyị mma ugbu a ka ị na-ezitere anyị inyeaka site nʼime obodo.”
But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”
4 Eze zara nʼikpeazụ sị, “Ihe ọbụla dị mma nʼanya unu ka m ga-eme.” Ya mere, eze guzoro nʼakụkụ ọnụ ụzọ ama dịka ndị ikom ya niile na-apụ nʼusu nke ọtụtụ narị, nakwa nʼusu nke ọtụtụ puku.
“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Eze nyere ndịisi agha ya, bụ Joab, Abishai na Itai, iwu sị ha, “Bikonu, nʼihi m, werenụ nwayọọ nʼebe nwokorobịa ahụ bụ Absalọm nọ.” Ndị agha niile nụkwara mgbe eze nyere ndịisi niile iwu a banyere Absalọm.
Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
6 Ndị agha Devid si nʼobodo pụọ izute ndị Izrel nʼagha. Alụrụ agha a nʼọhịa Ifrem.
So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 Ndị agha Devid tigbukwara ndị agha Izrel. Ha gburu iri puku ndị agha abụọ nʼụbọchị ahụ.
There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
8 Agha ahụ gbasara nʼelu ala ahụ niile. Ndị nwụrụ nʼọhịa nʼetiti ụmụ Izrel karịrị ndị e gburu egbu.
The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
9 Absalọm zutere ndị agha Devid. Ọ na-anọkwasị nʼelu ịnyịnya ya nʼoge a, dịka ịnyịnya ahụ sitere nʼokpuru osisi ook ukwu dị nʼọhịa ahụ na-agbafee, agịrị isi ya konyere nʼalaka osisi ahụ, tụhịkọtaakwa, nke mere na ọ kwụrụ nʼetiti eluigwe na ala. Ma ịnyịnya ya gbaara na-aga.
Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.
10 Otu nʼime ndị ikom ahụ hụrụ ya, kọọrọ Joab, “Lee, ahụrụ m Absalọm ebe ọ kwụ nʼelu osisi ook.”
When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 Joab sịrị nwoke ahụ onye gwara gị, “Gịnị, ị hụrụ ya? Gịnị mere i tigbughị ya ka o ruo nʼala nʼebe ahụ? Mgbe ahụ, agaara m enye gị shekel ọlaọcha iri, na belịt a na-enye onye bụ dike nʼagha.”
“You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”
12 Ma nwoke ahụ zara sị, “A sịkwarị na e nyere m puku ọlaọcha nʼaka m a, agaraghị m egbu ya. Nʼihi na anyị niile nụrụ mgbe eze na-agwa gị na Abishai na Itai sị, ‘Lezienụ anya banyere nwokorobịa bụ Absalọm, nʼihi m.’
The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
13 A sị na m gburu ya, ọ ga-abụ imegide eze. Ọ ga-emesiekwa chọpụta onye mere ya. Ma gị onwe gị agaraghị apụta kwuchite ọnụ m.”
If I had jeopardized my own life —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
14 Joab sịrị, “Ọ bụghị otu a ka m ga na-eche nʼihu gị.” Ya mere, ọ chịịrị ùbe atọ nʼaka ya, dubaa ha nʼobi Absalọm, mgbe Absalọm ka dị ndụ makwụrụ nʼelu osisi ook.
But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
15 Ụmụ okorobịa iri ndị na-ebu ihe agha Joab gbara Absalọm gburugburu, tigbuo ya.
And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
16 Emesịa, Joab fụrụ opi ike nke mere ka ndị agha Devid na-achụ ndị Izrel kwụsị ịchụ ha ọsọ, nʼihi na Joab kwụsịrị ha.
Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
17 Ha buuru ozu Absalọm tụba ya nʼolulu ukwu dị nʼoke ọhịa ahụ, werekwa nkume tụọ ya nʼelu. Ndị agha Izrel niile gbalara nʼụlọ ha.
They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.
18 Nʼoge Absalọm dị ndụ, o wuuru onwe ya ogidi ncheta. O wuru ogidi a na Ndagwurugwu Eze, nʼihi na o chere nʼime onwe ya sị, “Enweghị m nwa nwoke ga-aza aha m.” Ya mere, ọ gụrụ ogidi ahụ aha nke ya onwe ya. Ọ bụkwa Ogidi Absalọm ka a na-akpọ ya ruo taa.
During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
19 Mgbe ahụ, Ahimaaz, nwa Zadọk, bịakwutere Joab sị ya, “Biko, ka m gbara ọsọ gaa zie eze oziọma a, na Onyenwe anyị azọpụtala ya site nʼaka ndị iro ya.”
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
20 Ma Joab zara sị ya, “Ọ bụghị gị ga-ezi eze ozi taa. I nwere ike ime ya mgbe ọzọ, ma ọ bụghị taa, nʼihi na nwa eze nwụrụ.”
But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Joab gwara otu nwoke onye Kush sị ya, “Gaa gwa eze ihe ị hụrụ.” Nwoke ahụ kpọrọ isiala, gbapụ ọsọ.
So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
22 Ahimaaz nwa Zadọk rịọkwara Joab ọzọ sị ya, “Otu ọbụla o si dị, biko kwere ka m gbaso onye Kush a.” Ma Joab zara sị, “Nwa m nwoke, gịnị mere i ji chọọ ị ga? I nweghị ozi ọbụla ị ga-ezi nke ga-ewetara gị ụgwọ ọrụ.”
Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
23 Ọ rịọrọ sị, “Otu ọbụla o si dị, hapụ m ka m gaa.” Nʼikpeazụ Joab kwenyere sị ya, “Ọ dị mma, gbara ọsọ gaa.” Ahimaaz sitere nʼụzọ dị mkpụmkpụ nke gafere obosara ala Jọdan buru nwoke Kush ahụ ụzọ gbaruo.
“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 Devid nọ nʼọnụ ụzọ ama nʼoge a. Mgbe onye nche rigoruru nʼelu mgbidi ebe ọ na-anọ, ọ hụrụ otu nwoke ka ọ na-agba ọsọ naanị ya.
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.
25 Onye nche ahụ kpọrọ Devid oku gwa ya na o nwere onye na-abịa. Ma eze zara ya sị, “Ọ bụrụ naanị ya, o nwere oziọma.” Mgbe onyeozi ahụ na-abịaru nso,
So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,
26 onye nche ahụ lepụkwara anya hụ otu nwoke ọzọ ka o ji ọsọ na-abịa naanị ya. Ọ kpọkwara oku ọzọ sị, “Onye ọzọ na-abịakwa.” Eze zara sị, “Onye ahụ ga-enwekwa oziọma.”
the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.
27 Onye nche ahụ zara sị, “Onye nke mbụ na-abịa dị ka Ahimaaz, nwa Zadọk,” Eze zara sị, “Ọ bụ ezi mmadụ, ọ bụkwa oziọma ka o ji na-abịa.”
The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
28 Mgbe ahụ, Ahimaaz kpọrọ eze oku sị, “Udo!” Ọ kpọrọ isiala nye eze. Kpuokwa ihu ya nʼala sị, “Ngọzị na-adịrị Onyenwe anyị Chineke gị. Onye nke mebiri nzube ndị ahụ niile weliri aka imegide onyenwe m bụ eze.”
Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”
29 Eze jụrụ ya sị, “Oleekwanụ maka nwokorobịa ahụ bụ Absalọm? Ọ nọkwa nʼudo?” Ahimaaz zara sị, “Mgbe Joab zipụrụ ohu eze, na mụ onwe m, oke ụzụ dị, ma amaghị m ihe kpatara ya.”
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
30 Eze gwara ya sị, “Chere nʼebe a.” Ahimaaz chigharịrị chere.
“Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.
31 Mgbe ahụ, onye Kush ahụ bịarutere sị, “Onyenwe m bụ eze, nụrụ oziọma a. Taa Onyenwe anyị ekpepụtala gị site nʼịnapụta gị nʼaka ndị niile biliri imegide gị.”
Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”
32 Eze jụrụ onye Kush ahụ, “Nwokorobịa ahụ bụ Absalọm, ọ nọkwa nʼudo?” Onye Kush ahụ zaghachiri, “Ka ndị iro onyenwe m bụ eze na ndị niile na-ebili imejọ gị dị ka nwokorobịa ahụ!”
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”
33 Okwu a metụrụ eze nʼahụ nke ukwuu, o biliri rigoo nʼụlọ nke dị nʼọnụ ụzọ ama, nọdụ nʼebe ahụ kwaa akwa. Ọ nọ na-akwa akwa mgbe ọ na-aga, na-eti mkpu akwa na-asị, “O, nwa m, Absalọm! O nwa m, nwa m, Absalọm. A sịkwarị na m nwụrụ nʼọnọdụ gị! O, Absalọm nwa m, nwa m oo!”
The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
