< 2 Samwiri 14 >
1 Awo Yowaabu mutabani wa Zeruyiya n’ategeera nga omutima gwa kabaka gulumirwa Abusaalomu.
Joab, son of Zeruiah, knew that the king kept on thinking about Absalom.
2 Yowaabu n’atumya omukazi omugezigezi okuva e Tekowa, n’amugamba nti, “Weefuule akungubaga, oyambale engoye ez’okukungubaga, teweesiiga mafuta, obeere ng’omukyala amaze ennaku ennyingi ng’akungubagira omufu.
So Joab sent a messenger to Tekoa to bring back a wise woman who lived there. He told her, “Pretend to be a mourner. Put on clothes for mourning, and don't use any scented oils. Be like a woman who has been in mourning for the dead a long time.
3 Genda eri kabaka, omugambe ebigambo bino.” Yowaabu n’amuwa ebigambo eby’okwogera.
Then go to the king and tell him this.” Joab told her what to say.
4 Awo omukazi ow’e Tekowa n’agenda eri kabaka, n’avuunama amaaso ge ku ttaka, ne yeeyanza, n’ayogera nti, “Mbeera, ayi kabaka.”
When the woman from Tekoa went to see the king, she bowed facedown to the ground in respect, and said, “Please help me, Your Majesty!”
5 Kabaka n’amubuuza nti, “Nkubeere mu ki?” N’addamu nti, “Ndi nnamwandu baze yafa.
“What's the matter?” the king asked her. “Sadly I'm a widow. My husband is dead,” she replied.
6 Nalina batabani bange babiri. Bombi baalwanira ku ttale ne wataba n’omu abataasa, omu n’atta munne.
“Your Majesty, I had two sons. They had a fight outside, and there was nobody there to stop them. One of them hit the other, and killed him.
7 Kaakano ekika kyonna kiyimukidde omuweereza wo, nga boogera nti, ‘Tuwe omusajja oyo asse muganda we, tumutte olw’obulamu bwa muganda we gwe yatta, tutte n’omusika.’ Mu ngeri eyo banaaba bazikizza etabaaza yokka gye nsigazza, obutalekaawo linnya lya baze wange newaakubadde obusika bwe ku nsi yonna.”
Now the whole family is against me. They're saying, ‘Hand over your son who killed his brother so we can put him to death for murdering his brother. That way he won't inherit anything either!’ By doing this they would snuff out the last ember of hope I have to carry on my husband's name and family in the world.”
8 Awo kabaka n’agamba omukazi nti, “Ddayo eka, nzija kukola ku nsonga yo.”
“Go on home,” the king told the woman, “and I myself will make sure your case is dealt with for you.”
9 Naye omukazi ow’e Tekowa n’agamba kabaka nti, “Mukama wange kabaka, omusango ka gubeere ku nze, n’ennyumba ya kitange; kabaka n’obwakabaka bwe buleme kubeerako musango.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” said the woman. “I and my family will take the blame, and may Your Majesty and your family be held to be innocent.”
10 Kabaka n’addamu nti, “Bwe wanaabeerawo omuntu yenna abaako kya kugamba, mundeetere, taddeyo nate kukutawanya.”
“If anyone complains to you about it, bring him here to me, and he won't bother you again!” the king told her.
11 Omukazi n’ayogera nti, “Nkwegayiridde, kabaka, ondayirire eri Mukama Katonda wo, awalana eggwanga olw’omusaayi era aziyiza obubi okweyongera ku bubi, mutabani wange aleme okuzikirizibwa.” N’amuddamu nti, “Mukama nga bw’ali omulamu, tewaliba luviiri olwa mutabani wo olulimuva ku mutwe.”
“Please, Your Majesty,” the woman continued, “swear by the Lord your God that you will stop the person wanting to avenge the murder from making it worse by killing my son!” “As the Lord lives,” he promised, “not a single hair from your son's head will fall to the ground.”
12 Awo omukazi n’agamba kabaka nti, “Nkwegayiridde, ka mbeeko ekigambo kye ŋŋamba mukama wange kabaka.” N’amuddamu nti, “Yogera.”
“Could I please ask for one other thing, Your Majesty?” the woman asked. “Go ahead,” he replied.
13 Omukazi n’ayogera nti, “Kiki ekikukoza ekigambo bwe kityo abantu ba Katonda? Kabaka aba teyeesalira yekka omusango kubanga takomezaawo omwana we eyagobebwa?
“So why have you schemed in a similar way against the people of God?” the woman asked. “Since Your Majesty just decided my case by what you said, haven't you convicted yourself because you refuse to bring back the son you banished?
14 Ffenna tuli baakufa, ng’amazzi bwe gayiibwa ku ttaka, ne gatayinzika kuyooleka nate. Naye Katonda taggyawo bulamu, anoonya engeri gy’anaayinza okukomyawo omuntu abuze.
Yes, we all have to die. We're like water spilled on the ground that can't be collected again. But that's not what God does. Instead he works out ways for anyone who is banished to come back home to him.
15 “Kale nno ekyo kye kyandeese eri kabaka, kubanga abantu bantiisizza, ne baleetera omuweereza wo okulowooza nti, ‘Bwe nnaayogera ne kabaka, mpozzi aliddamu omuweereza we ky’amusaba.
That's why I've come to explain this to Your Majesty, because someone has frightened me. So I thought to myself, I will go and speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant my request.
16 Oboolyawo kabaka anaawulira ensonga yange, n’alokola omuzaana we mu mukono gw’omusajja agezaako okunzikiriza nze n’omwana wange okutuggyako obusika Katonda bwe yatuwa.’
Perhaps the king will listen and save me from the man who would cut off both me and my son from God's chosen people.
17 “Era omuweereza wo yayogedde mu mutima gwe nti, ‘Ekigambo kya mukama wange kabaka kye kirimpummuza, kubanga mukama wange kabaka ali nga malayika wa Katonda mu kwawulamu ebirungi n’ebibi. Mukama Katonda wo abeere naawe.’”
I thought: May what Your Majesty says bring me peace, for Your Majesty is able to tell the difference between good and evil, just like an angel of God. May the Lord your God be with you!”
18 Awo kabaka n’agamba omukazi nti, “Tobaako n’ekimu ky’onkisa ku bye nnaakubuuza.” Omukazi n’addamu nti, “Mukama wange kabaka ambuuze.”
“Please don't refuse to answer the question I'm about to ask,” the king said to the woman. “Please ask your question, Your Majesty,” she replied.
19 Kabaka n’amubuuza nti, “Omukono gwa Yowaabu guli wamu naawe mu bigambo ebyo byonna?” Omukazi n’amuddamu nti, “Nga bw’oli omulamu mukama wange kabaka, tewali ayinza okukubuzaabuza ng’adda ku mukono ogwa ddyo oba ogwa kkono okukuggya ku ky’oyogera mukama wange kabaka. Weewaawo, omuddu wo Yowaabu yeyandagidde, n’ampa n’ebigambo ebyo byonna.
“Is all this Joab's doing?” the king asked. The woman replied, “As you live, Your Majesty, no one can hide anything from you. Yes, it was Joab, your officer, who ordered me to do this—he told me exactly what to say.
20 Omuddu wo Yowaabu, ekyo y’akikoze okukyusa embeera eriwo kaakano. Naye mukama wange mugezigezi nga malayika wa Katonda amanyi byonna ebifa ku nsi.”
He did so to show the other side of the situation, but Your Majesty is as wise as an angel of God, and you know everything that happens in this country.”
21 Awo kabaka n’agamba Yowaabu nti, “Kale, nzija kukikola. Genda okime omuvubuka Abusaalomu.”
The king said to Joab, “Fine, I'll do it. Go and bring young Absalom back.”
22 Awo Yowaabu n’agwa bugazi ku ttaka ne yeeyanza, n’asabira kabaka omukisa, n’ayogera nti, “Leero, omuddu wo ategedde ng’alabye ekisa mu maaso go, mukama wange kabaka, kubanga kabaka azeemu okwegayirira okw’omuddu we.”
Joab bowed down with his face to the ground in respect, and blessed the king. “Today,” said Joab, “I, your servant, know that you approve of me, Your Majesty, because you have granted my request.”
23 Yowaabu n’agenda e Gesuli n’akima Abusaalomu n’amukomyawo e Yerusaalemi.
Joab went to Geshur, and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
24 Naye kabaka n’awa ekiragiro nti, “Ateekwa kugenda mu nnyumba eyiye ku bubwe, tateekwa kulaba maaso gange.” Awo Abusaalomu n’abeera mu nnyumba eyiye ku bubwe, n’atalaba maaso ga kabaka.
But the king gave this order, “He may return to his home, but he's not to come and see me.” So Absalom returned to his own home, but he didn't go and see the king.
25 Mu Isirayiri yonna temwali n’omu eyatenderezebwa nga Abusaalomu olw’endabika ye ennungi, kubanga okuviira ddala ku mutwe okutuuka ku bigere teyaliiko kamogo.
Absalom was admired as the most handsome man in the whole of Israel. He didn't have a single blemish from head to toe.
26 Buli lwe yasalanga enviiri ze, lwe zali ng’ennyingi ku mutwe gwe, obuzito bw’azo bw’ali nga kilo bbiri ne desimoolo ssatu ng’ebipimo bya kabaka bwe byali.
He cut his hair every year because it got so heavy—it weighed two hundred royal shekels.
27 Abusaalomu n’azaalirwa abaana basatu aboobulenzi n’owoobuwala omu. Omuwala ye yali Tamali nga mukyala mulungi nnyo ku maaso.
He had three sons, and a daughter named Tamar—a very beautiful woman.
28 Abusaalomu n’abeera mu Yerusaalemi okumala emyaka ebiri nga talaba maaso ga kabaka.
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years but was not permitted to see the king.
29 Awo Abusaalomu n’atumya Yowaabu amutume eri kabaka, naye Yowaabu n’atagendayo. N’amutumya omulundi ogwokubiri, naye era n’agaana okugenda yo.
Absalom called Joab to arrange for him to see the king, for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come. Absalom called Joab again, but Joab still wouldn't come.
30 Abusaalomu n’agamba abaddu be nti, “Ennimiro ya Yowaabu eriraanye eyange, era alinamu sayiri. Mugende mugikumeko omuliro.” Awo abaddu ba Abusaalomu ne bagikumako omuliro ne bagyokya.
So Absalom told his servants, “Look, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley growing there. Go and set it on fire!” Absalom's servants went and set the field on fire.
31 Yowaabu n’agolokoka n’agenda eri Abusaalomu mu nnyumba ye n’amubuuza nti, “Lwaki abaddu bo bookezza ennimiro yange?”
Joab went to Absalom's house and asked “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
32 Abusaalomu n’agamba Yowaabu nti, “Laba, nakutumya, nga ŋŋamba ojje wano nkutume eri kabaka okumubuuza nti, ‘Lwaki nava e Gesuli? Kyandisinze singa nasigala eyo.’ Kaakano njagala kugenda mu maaso ga kabaka, obanga nnina omusango, anzite.”
“Look here,” said Absalom, “I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here. I want you to go to the king and ask: Why did I bother coming back from Geshur? It would have been better for me to stay there.’ So go and arrange for me to see the king, and if I'm guilty of anything, he can kill me.”
33 Awo Yowaabu n’agenda eri kabaka, n’amutegeeza ebigambo ebyo. Kabaka n’atumya Abusaalomu, n’ajja, n’avuunama amaaso ge wansi mu maaso ga kabaka. Kabaka n’amunywegera.
So Joab went and told the king what Absalom had said. Then David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed down with his face to the ground before him in respect. Then the king kissed Absalom.