2 Samweli 14

1 Yoabu mwana wa Seruya akafahamu kuwa moyo wa mfalme ulikuwa na shauku ya kumwona Absalomu.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

2 Kwa hiyo Yoabu akamtuma mtu fulani kwenda Tekoa na kumleta mwanamke mwenye hekima kutoka huko. Akamwambia huyo mwanamke, “Jifanye uko katika maombolezo. Vaa nguo za kuomboleza, nawe usitumie mafuta yoyote ya uzuri, jifanye kama mwanamke ambaye amekuwa na huzuni kwa siku nyingi kwa ajili ya kufiwa.

And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her: 'I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead;

3 Kisha nenda kwa mfalme ukazungumze maneno haya.” Naye Yoabu akaweka maneno kinywani mwa yule mwanamke.

and go in to the king, and speak on this manner unto him.' So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 Huyo huyo mwanamke kutoka Tekoa alipofika kwa mfalme, akaanguka kifudifudi kumpa mfalme heshima, akasema, “Ee mfalme, nisaidie!”

And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and prostrated herself, and said: 'Help, O king.'

5 Mfalme akamuuliza, “Una shida gani?” Akamwambia, “Mimi ni mjane hasa, mume wangu amekufa.

And the king said unto her: 'What aileth thee?' And she answered: 'Of a truth I am a widow, my husband being dead.

6 Mimi mtumishi wako nilikuwa na wana wawili. Wakapigana wao kwa wao huko shambani wala huko hapakuwa na mtu hata mmoja wa kuwaamua. Mmoja akampiga mwenzake na kumuua.

And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and killed him.

7 Sasa ukoo wote umeinuka dhidi ya mtumishi wako, wakisema, ‘Utukabidhi huyo aliyemuua ndugu yake, ili tumuue kwa ajili ya uhai wa ndugu yake ambaye alimuua, nasi hapo tutakuwa tumekatilia mbali na mrithi pia.’ Wakifanya hivyo, watakuwa wamezima tumaini langu lililobaki, mume wangu hataachiwa jina wala mzao katika uso wa dunia.”

And, behold, the whole family is risen against thy handmaid, and they said: Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also. Thus will they quench my coal which is left, and will leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the face of the earth.'

8 Mfalme akamwambia huyo mwanamke, “Nenda nyumbani, nami nitatoa agizo kwa ajili yako.”

And the king said unto the woman: 'Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee.'

9 Lakini huyo mwanamke kutoka Tekoa akamwambia, “Mfalme bwana wangu, lawama na iwe juu yangu na juu ya nyumba ya baba yangu, naye mfalme na kiti chake cha enzi na asiwe na hatia.”

And the woman of Tekoa said unto the king: 'My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house; and the king and his throne be guiltless.'

10 Mfalme akajibu, “Ikiwa mtu yeyote atakusemesha lolote, mlete kwangu, naye hatakusumbua tena.”

And the king said: 'Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.'

11 Huyo mwanamke akasema, “Basi mfalme na amwombe Bwana Mungu wake ili kuzuia mlipiza kisasi cha damu kuongeza juu ya uharibifu, ili kwamba mwanangu asije akaangamizwa.” Mfalme akasema, “Hakika kama aishivyo Bwana, hakuna unywele mmoja wa kichwa cha mwanao utakaoanguka chini.”

Then said she: 'I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.' And he said: 'As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.'

12 Ndipo huyo mwanamke akasema, “Mruhusu mtumishi wako aseme neno kwa mfalme bwana wangu.” Mfalme akajibu, “Sema.”

Then the woman said: 'Let thy handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word unto my lord the king.' And he said: 'Say on.'

13 Huyo mwanamke akasema, “Mbona basi wewe umewaza jambo kama hili dhidi ya watu wa Mungu? Je, mfalme asemapo hili, hajitii hatiani mwenyewe, kwa maana mfalme hajamrudisha mwanawe aliyefukuziwa mbali?

And the woman said: 'Wherefore then hast thou devised such a thing against the people of God? for in speaking this word the king is as one that is guilty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished one.

14 Kama vile maji yaliyomwagika ardhini, yasivyoweza kuzoleka tena, hivyo sisi kufa ni lazima. Lakini Mungu haondoi uhai, badala yake, yeye hufanya njia ili kwamba aliyefukuzwa asibaki akiwa amefarikishwa naye.

For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person; but let him devise means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him.

15 “Nami sasa nimekuja kusema hili kwa bwana wangu mfalme kwa sababu watu wameniogopesha. Mtumishi wako alifikiri, ‘Nitanena na mfalme, labda mfalme atamfanyia mtumishi wake kile anachoomba.

Now therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid; and thy handmaid said: I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.

16 Labda mfalme atakubali kumwokoa mtumishi wake kutoka mkononi mwa mtu anayejaribu kunikatilia mbali, mimi na mwanangu, kutoka kwenye urithi Mungu aliotupatia.’

For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

17 “Basi sasa mtumishi wako anasema, ‘Neno la bwana wangu mfalme na linipatie pumziko, kwa maana bwana wangu mfalme ni kama malaika wa Mungu katika kutambua jema na baya. Bwana Mungu wako na awe pamoja nawe.’”

Then thy handmaid said: Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for my comfort; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and the LORD thy God be with thee.'

18 Basi mfalme akamwambia huyo mwanamke, “Usinifiche jibu kuhusu hilo nitakalokuuliza.” Huyo mwanamke akasema, “Mfalme bwana wangu na aseme.”

Then the king answered and said unto the woman: 'Hide not from me, I pray thee, aught that I shall ask thee.' And the woman said: 'Let my lord the king now speak.'

19 Mfalme akauliza, “Je, mkono wa Yoabu haupo pamoja nawe katika jambo hilo lote?” Huyo mwanamke akajibu, “Hakika kama uishivyo, bwana wangu mfalme, hakuna yeyote anayeweza kugeuka kulia wala kushoto kutokana na chochote anachosema bwana wangu mfalme. Naam, ni mtumishi wako Yoabu ndiye alinifundisha kufanya hivi, naye ndiye aliweka maneno haya yote kinywani mwa mtumishi wako.

And the king said: 'Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this?' And the woman answered and said: 'As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king hath spoken; for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thy handmaid;

20 Mtumishi wako Yoabu amefanya hivi ili kubadili hali iliyopo. Bwana wangu ana hekima kama ile ya malaika wa Mungu, hufahamu kila kitu kinachotokea katika nchi.”

to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing; and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.'

21 Mfalme akamwambia Yoabu, “Vyema sana, nitalifanya jambo hili. Nenda, ukamlete kijana Absalomu.”

And the king said unto Joab: 'Behold now, I have granted this request; go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.'

22 Yoabu akaanguka kifudifudi mpaka ardhini kumpa mfalme heshima, naye akambariki mfalme. Yoabu akasema, “Leo mtumishi wako anajua kuwa amepata kibali machoni pako, bwana wangu mfalme, kwa sababu mfalme amemjalia mtumishi wake ombi lake.”

And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and prostrated himself, and blessed the king; and Joab said: 'To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found favour in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the request of thy servant.'

23 Ndipo Yoabu akaenda hadi Geshuri akamrudisha Absalomu Yerusalemu.

So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

24 Lakini mfalme akasema, “Lazima Absalomu aende kwenye nyumba yake mwenyewe; kamwe asiuone uso wangu.” Kwa hiyo Absalomu akaenda kwenye nyumba yake na hakuuona uso wa mfalme.

And the king said: 'Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face.' So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

25 Katika Israeli yote hakuna mtu yeyote aliyesifiwa kwa uzuri wa sura kama Absalomu. Kuanzia utosi wa kichwa chake hadi wayo wa mguu wake hapakuwa na kasoro.

Now in all Israel there was none 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 blemish in him.

26 Kila mara aliponyoa nywele za kichwa chake, kwa kuwa alikuwa akinyoa mara kwa mara zilipokuwa zinamwia nzito, alizipima uzito wake ulikuwa shekeli mia mbili kwa kipimo cha kifalme.

And when he polled his head — now it was at every year's end that he polled it; because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it — he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king's weight.

27 Walizaliwa wana watatu na binti mmoja kwa Absalomu. Jina la binti yake aliitwa Tamari, naye akawa mwanamke mzuri wa sura.

And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of a fair countenance.

28 Absalomu akaishi miaka miwili huko Yerusalemu pasipo kuuona uso wa mfalme.

And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw not the kings face.

29 Basi Absalomu akamwita Yoabu kwa kusudi la kumtuma kwa mfalme, lakini Yoabu akakataa kuja kwa Absalomu. Ndipo akamwita tena mara ya pili, lakini pia akakataa kuja.

Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him; and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

30 Ndipo akawaambia watumishi wake, “Tazama, shamba la Yoabu liko jirani na langu, naye ana shayiri humo. Nendeni mkalitie moto.” Kisha watumishi wa Absalomu wakalitia moto shamba hilo.

Therefore he said unto his servants: 'See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire.' And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

31 Basi Yoabu akaenda nyumbani kwa Absalomu, akamwambia, “Kwa nini watumishi wako wametia moto shamba langu?”

Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him: 'Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?'

32 Absalomu akamwambia Yoabu, “Tazama, nilikutumia ujumbe na kusema, ‘Njoo ili niweze kukutuma kwa mfalme kuuliza, “Kwa nini nimekuja kutoka Geshuri? Ingekuwa bora zaidi kwangu kama ningebaki huko!”’ Sasa basi, nataka kuuona uso wa mfalme, na ikiwa nina hatia ya jambo lolote, basi na aniue.”

And Absalom answered Joab: 'Behold, I sent unto thee, saying: Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say: Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still; now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.'

33 Basi Yoabu akaenda kwa mfalme na kumwambia jambo hili. Kisha mfalme akamwita Absalomu, naye akaingia ndani akasujudu uso wake mpaka ardhini mbele ya mfalme. Naye mfalme akambusu Absalomu.

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.