< 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.
David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
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.”
David sent the people out, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I will also surely go out with you myself.”
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 said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of 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.
The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went 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.
The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.
6 Ndị agha Devid si nʼobodo pụọ izute ndị Izrel nʼagha. Alụrụ agha a nʼọhịa Ifrem.
So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
7 Ndị agha Devid tigbukwara ndị agha Izrel. Ha gburu iri puku ndị agha abụọ nʼụbọchị ahụ.
The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8 Agha ahụ gbasara nʼelu ala ahụ niile. Ndị nwụrụ nʼọhịa nʼetiti ụmụ Izrel karịrị ndị e gburu egbu.
For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
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.
Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
10 Otu nʼime ndị ikom ahụ hụrụ ya, kọọrọ Joab, “Lee, ahụrụ m Absalọm ebe ọ kwụ nʼelu osisi ook.”
A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
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.”
Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a sash.”
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 said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.’
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.”
Otherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against 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.
Then Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this with you.” He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the middle of the oak.
15 Ụmụ okorobịa iri ndị na-ebu ihe agha Joab gbara Absalọm gburugburu, tigbuo ya.
Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded and struck Absalom, 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.
Joab blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
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 and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, each to his own tent.
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.
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name. It is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.
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 the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and carry the king news, how 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.”
Joab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, 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.
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
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.”
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?”
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.
“But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the 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; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, 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,
The watchman shouted and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.
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 the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, a man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”
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, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and 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.”
Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand 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 said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 Eze gwara ya sị, “Chere nʼebe a.” Ahimaaz chigharịrị chere.
The king said, “Come and stand here.” He came and stood still.
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.”
Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king, for the LORD has avenged you today of all those 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 said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”
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 much moved, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”

< 2 Samuel 18 >