2 Samwiri 18
1 Awo Dawudi n’akuŋŋaanya abasajja be yalina, n’abalondamu abaduumizi b’enkumi n’abaduumizi b’ebikumi.
David arranged his soldiers for the battle. He divided them into groups, and appointed a commander for each 100 soldiers and a commander for each 1,000 soldiers.
2 Dawudi n’abalagira bagende, ekimu kya kusatu nga kiduumirwa Yowaabu, ekimu kya kusatu ekirala nga kiduumirwa muganda wa Yowaabu, Abisaayi batabani wa Zeruyiya, n’ekimu kya kusatu ekirala nga kiduumirwa Ittayi Omugitti. Kabaka n’agamba abasajja nti, “Nange n’agenda nammwe.”
He sent them out in three groups. Joab commanded one group, Joab’s brother Abishai commanded a second group, and Ittai from Gath commanded the third group. David said to them, “I myself will go with you [to the battle].”
3 Naye abasajja ne boogera nti, “Toteekwa kugenda naffe, kubanga ffe bwe tunadduka tebaatufeeko. Ekitundu ku ffe ne bwe tunaafa tebaafeeyo. Ggwe olimu abantu omutwalo gumu ku ffe ffenna. Ekisinga obulungi weeteeketeeke okutudduukirira ng’osinziira mu kibuga.”
But his soldiers said, “No, we will not allow you to go with us. If they force us all to run away, they will not be concerned about that happening. Or if they kill half of us, that will also not be what they want. To them, [killing] you is more important than [killing] 10,000 of us. So it will be better that you [stay here] in the city and send help to us.”
4 Kabaka n’addamu nti, “Kye musiimye kye nnaakola.” Awo kabaka n’ayimirira ku mabbali ga wankaaki, ng’eggye lyonna likumba okufuluma mu bibinja eby’ekikumi n’eby’olukumi.
The king replied, “Okay, I will do whatever seems best to you.” So he stood at the gate [and watched] while his soldiers marched out, group by group.
5 Kabaka n’alagira Yowaabu, ne Abisaayi ne Ittayi ng’ayogera nti, “Omuvubuka Abusaalomu mumukwate n’ekisa ku lwange.” Abantu bonna ne bawulira kabaka ng’awa abaduumizi bonna ebiragiro ebikwata ku Abusaalomu.
[While they were leaving, ] the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “For my sake, do not harm my son Absalom!” And all the troops heard it when David gave that order about Absalom to those three commanders.
6 Awo eggye ne lifuluma ku ttale okulwana ne Isirayiri, olutalo ne luba mu kibira kya Efulayimu.
So the army went out to fight against the Israeli soldiers [who were with Absalom]. They fought the battle in the forest [where people from the tribe] of Ephraim [lived].
7 Abasajja ba Isirayiri ne bakubibwa abasajja ba Dawudi, era bangi ne battibwa ku lunaku olwo. Baawera ng’emitwalo ebiri.
David’s soldiers defeated Absalom’s soldiers. They killed 20,000 of them!
8 Olutalo ne lubuna ensi yonna, abantu bangi ne bafiira mu kibira okusinga n’abattibwa n’ekitala.
The battle was fought {They fought the battle} all over that area, and the number of men who died because of [dangerous things in] the forest [PRS] was greater than the number of men who were killed (in the battle/by swords).
9 Awo Abusaalomu n’asisinkana n’abasajja ba Dawudi. Yali yeebagadde ennyumbu ye. Ennyumbu n’eyita wansi w’amatabi amangi ag’omwera omunene, omutwe gwa Abusaalomu ne gulaaliramu, n’asigala ng’alengejja mu bbanga, ennyumbu gye yali yeebagadde n’egenda mu maaso.
During the battle, Absalom suddenly came near [some of] David’s soldiers. Absalom was riding on his mule; and when the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head/hair was caught in the branches. The mule kept going, but Absalom was left dangling in the air.
10 Omu ku basajja bwe yakiraba n’ategeeza Yowaabu nti, “Laba nnalengedde Abusaalomu ng’awanikiddwa ku mwera.”
One of David’s soldiers saw what happened, and went and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 Yowaabu n’agamba omusajja eyajja okumubuulira nti, “Kiki, wamulabye? Kiki ekyakulobedde okumuttirawo? N’andikusasudde gulaamu kikumi mu kkumi na ttaano eza ffeeza ne nkuwa n’olukoba olw’obuzira.”
Joab said to the man, “What? You say that you saw him hanging there, so why did you not kill him immediately [RHQ]? [If you had killed him, ] I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt!”
12 Naye omusajja n’amuddamu nti, “Ne bwe wandinsasudde kilo kkumi n’emu eza ffeeza, sandigololedde mukono gwange ku mwana wa kabaka. Ffenna twawulidde kabaka ng’abalagira ggwe, Abisaayi ne Ittayi nti, ‘Waleme okubaawo omuntu yenna anaakola Abusaalomu akabi ku lwange.’
The man replied to Joab, “Even if you gave me 1,000 pieces of silver, I would not have done anything to harm [IDM] the king’s son. We all heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, do not harm my son Absalom!’
13 Kale singa mmusse ne ngwa mu mitawaana, tewandimpolerezza, kubanga omanyi nga tewali kigambo ekikwekebwa kabaka.”
If I had disobeyed the king and killed Absalom, the king would have heard about it, because the king hears about everything, and even you would not have defended me!”
14 Yowaabu n’ayogera nti, “Sirina bbanga lya kukwonoonerako.” N’addira obusaale busatu n’abulasa mu kifuba kya Abusaalomu ng’akyali mulamu mu mwera.
Joab said, “I am not going to waste time talking to you!” Then he took three spears [and went to where Absalom was], and thrust them into Absalom’s chest/heart while he was still alive, dangling from the oak tree.
15 N’abavubuka kkumi abaasitulanga ebyokulwanyisa bya Yowaabu ne beetooloola Abusaalomu ne bamukuba ne bamutta.
Then ten young men who carried weapons for Joab surrounded Absalom and [finished] killing him.
16 Awo Yowaabu n’afuuwa ekkondeere, eggye ne lireka okugoberera Isirayiri kubanga Yowaabu yabayimiriza.
Then Joab blew his trumpet [to signal that they should not fight any more], and his soldiers returned from pursuing those Israeli soldiers.
17 Ne batwala Abusaalomu, ne bamusuula mu lunnya oluwanvu mu kibira, ne bamutuumako amayinja. Isirayiri yenna ne badduka nga buli muntu adda ewuwe.
They took Absalom’s body and threw it into a huge pit in the forest, and covered it with a huge pile of stones. Then all the remaining Israeli soldiers [who had been with Absalom] fled to their own towns.
18 Mu bulamu bwe, Abusaalomu yaddira empagi n’agiteeka mu kiwonvu kya kabaka ng’ekijjukizo kye; n’ayogera nti, “Sirina mwana wabulenzi kwe balijjuukirira erinnya lyange.” Empagi n’agituuma erinnya lye, era eyitibwa kijjukizo kya Abusaalomu ne leero.
Absalom had no sons to preserve his [family] name. So, while Absalom was alive, he built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley [near Jerusalem, in order that people would remember him]. He put his name on the monument, and people still call it Absalom’s monument.
19 Akimaazi mutabani wa Zadooki n’ayogera nti, “Ka nziruke, ntwalire kabaka amawulire nga Mukama bw’amulokodde mu mukono gw’omulabe we.”
[After Absalom had been killed, ] Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said to Joab, “Allow me to run to the king to tell him the good news that Yahweh has rescued him from the power of his enemies!”
20 Naye Yowaabu n’amugamba nti, “Si ggwe onootwala amawulire leero. Oligatwala olunaku olulala olutali lwa leero, kubanga mutabani wa kabaka afudde.”
But Joab said to him, “No, I will not allow you to take news to the king today. Some other day I will allow you to take some news, but not today. [If you took news today it would not be good news for the king, ] because his son is dead.”
21 Awo Yowaabu n’agamba omusajja Omukusi nti, “Genda otegeeze kabaka by’olabye.” Omukusi n’avuunama mu maaso ga Yowaabu n’adduka.
Then Joab said to David’s servant who was from Ethiopia, “You go and tell the king what you have seen.” So the man from Ethiopia bowed in front of Joab, and started to run.
22 Akimaazi mutabani wa Zadooki n’agamba Yowaabu nate nti, “Nkwegayiridde, nzikiriza mmale gagoberera Omukusi.” Yowaabu n’amuddamu nti, “Mutabani wange, kiki ekinaaba kikutwala ate nga tolina mawulire g’onootwala aganakuweesa ekirabo?”
Then Ahimaaz said again to Joab, “Even though [that man from Ethiopia is running], allow me to run behind him.” Joab replied, “My boy/son, why do you want to do that? You will not receive any reward for your news!”
23 N’ayogera nti, “Ka mmale gagenda.” Awo Yowaabu n’amugamba nti, “Dduka.” Akimaazi n’addukira mu kkubo ery’olusenyi lwa Yoludaani n’ayisa Omukusi.
But Ahimaaz replied, “That does not matter, I want to go.” So Joab said, “Okay, go.” So Ahimaaz ran along [another] road through the Jordan Valley and arrived [where David was] before the man from Ethiopia arrived.
24 Awo Dawudi yali atudde wakati w’emiryango ebiri ogw’omunda n’ogw’ebweru, omukuumi n’alinnya waggulu ku wankaaki ku bbugwe. Bwe yayimusa amaaso ge n’alengera omusajja ng’ajja adduka yekka.
David was sitting between the outer gate and the inner gate [of the city]. The watchman/lookout went up on top of the city wall and stood on the roof over the gates. He looked out and saw one man running alone.
25 Omukuumi n’ayogerera waggulu n’ategeeza kabaka. Awo kabaka n’amugamba nti, “Bw’aba ng’ali yekka ateekwa okuba ng’aleeta mawulire malungi.” Omusajja n’asembera.
The watchman called down and reported it to the king. The king said, “If he is alone, [that indicates/means that] he is bringing [good] news.” The man who was running continued to come closer.
26 Omukuumi n’alengera omusajja omulala ng’ajja adduka, n’akoowoola omuggazi nti, “Laba omusajja omulala ajja adduka yekka.” Kabaka n’ayogera nti, “Naye ateekwa okuba ng’aleeta mawulire malungi.”
Then the watchman saw another man running. So he called down to the gatekeeper, “Look! There is another man running!” And the king said, “He also is bringing [some good] news.”
27 Awo omukuumi n’ayogera nti, “Kindabikira nga enziruka ey’oli akulembedde eri ng’eya Akimaazi mutabani wa Zadooki.” Kabaka n’ayogera nti, “Oyo musajja mulungi era ajja n’amawulire malungi.”
The watchman said, “I think the first man [must be Ahimaaz, because he] is running like Ahimaaz runs.” The king said, “He is a good man, and [I am sure] he is coming with good news.”
28 Awo Akimaazi n’ayogerera mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka ng’agamba kabaka nti, “Byonna birungi.” N’avuunama mu maaso ga kabaka, ne yeeyala wansi n’ayogera nti, “Yeebazibwe Mukama Katonda wo, azikirizza abasajja abayimusizza omukono ku mukama wange kabaka.”
[When] Ahimaaz [reached the king, he] called out “I hope/desire that things will go well with you!” Then he prostrated himself on the ground in front of the king and said, “Your Majesty, praise Yahweh our God, who has rescued you from the men who were rebelling against you!”
29 Awo kabaka n’abuuza nti, “Omuvubuka Abusaalomu ali bulungi?” Akimaazi n’addamu nti, “Yowaabu bwe yabadde ng’anaatera okutuma omuddu wa kabaka, nange omuddu wo, nalabye oluyoogaano olunene, naye saategedde kyabadde wo.”
The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe/all right?” Ahimaaz [did not want to answer that question, so he] replied, “When Joab sent me, I saw that there was a lot of confusion, but I do not know what it was about.”
30 Kabaka n’amugamba nti, “Ggwe dda wabbali.” N’adda wabbali n’ayimirira awo.
Then the king said, “Stand aside.” So Ahimaaz stepped aside and stood there.
31 Awo Omukusi n’atuuka, n’ayogera nti, “Wulira amawulire amalungi mukama wange kabaka. Mukama akulokodde leero mu mukono gw’abo bonna abakuyimukiramu.”
Suddenly the man from Ethiopia arrived, and said, “Your Majesty, I have good news for you! Yahweh has enabled your soldiers to defeat all those who rebelled against you!”
32 Kabaka n’abuuza Omukusi nti, “Omuvubuka Abusaalomu mulamu?” Omukusi n’addamu nti, “Ekituuse ku muvubuka oyo, kituuke ku balabe ba mukama wange kabaka, n’abo bonna abamuyimukiramu okumukola akabi.”
The king said to him, “Is the young man Absalom safe/all right?” And the man from Ethiopia replied, “Sir, I wish/desire that what happened to him would happen to all of your enemies and to all those who rebel against you!”
33 Kabaka n’afuna ensisi, n’ayambuka mu kisenge ekyali waggulu wa wankaaki, n’akaaba. N’agenda nga bw’ayogera nti, “Mutabani wange Abusaalomu, mutabani wange, mutabani wange Abusaalomu. Singa nze nfudde mu kifo kyo, Abusaalomu, mutabani wange!”
The king [realized that he meant that Absalom was dead, so he] became (extremely distressed/overcome with grief), and he went up to the room above the gateway and cried. While he was going up, he kept crying out, “O, my son Absalom! My son! O, my son Absalom, I desire/wish that I had died instead of you!”
