2 Samweli 14
1 Yoabu mwana wa Seruya akafahamu kuwa moyo wa mfalme ulikuwa na shauku ya kumwona Absalomu.
And Joab, son of Zeruiah, perceived that the heart of the king was towards Absolom.
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.
So Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched from thence, a wise woman, —and said unto her—I pray thee, feign thyself a mourner, and put on, I pray thee, mourning apparel, and do not anoint thyself with oil, but be as a woman that hath, these many days, been mourning for the dead;
3 Kisha nenda kwa mfalme ukazungumze maneno haya.” Naye Yoabu akaweka maneno kinywani mwa yule mwanamke.
so shalt thou come in unto the king, and speak unto him, after this manner. And 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 came in unto the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did homage, —and said—Save, O king!
5 Mfalme akamuuliza, “Una shida gani?” Akamwambia, “Mimi ni mjane hasa, mume wangu amekufa.
And the king said to her—What aileth thee? And she said—Of a truth, a widow woman, am I, for my husband is 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.
Now, thy maidservant, had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, with none to tear them apart, —so the one smote the other, and slew 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.”
Lo! therefore, all the family hath risen up against thy maidservant, and have said: Give up him that hath smitten his brother, that we may put him to death, for the life of his brother, whom he hath slain, that we may destroy, the heir also. So will they quench my ember that is left, and make my husband without name or remainder, on the face of the ground.
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 command 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.”
Then said the woman of Tekoa unto the king, Upon me, my lord, O king, be the iniquity, and upon the house of my father, —but, the king and his throne, be guiltless.
10 Mfalme akajibu, “Ikiwa mtu yeyote atakusemesha lolote, mlete kwangu, naye hatakusumbua tena.”
And the king said, —He that speaketh unto thee, bring him in unto me, and he shall, no more, annoy thee.
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: Let the king, I pray thee, remember Yahweh thy God; so that the blood-redeemer may not make utter ruin, and that they destroy not my son. And he said—By the life of Yahweh, not one hair of thy son shall fall to the earth.
12 Ndipo huyo mwanamke akasema, “Mruhusu mtumishi wako aseme neno kwa mfalme bwana wangu.” Mfalme akajibu, “Sema.”
Then said the woman, Pray let thy maidservant speak unto my lord the king, a word. And he said—Speak.
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 the like of this, for the people of God; and yet the king, in speaking this word, is verily guilty, unless the king, bring back his fugitive?
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, when we, die, we become as water poured on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again, —therefore doth God not take away the life, but deviseth plans so as not to thrust out from him, a fugitive.
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, [is it] that I have come to speak unto the king my lord this word, because the people kept putting me in fear, —so thy maidservant said—Do let me, I pray you, speak unto the king! peradventure the king will fulfil the request of his handmaid.
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 can hearken, to rescue his handmaid out of the power of the man who would seek to destroy both 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.’”
So thy maidservant said, Pray let the word of my lord the king be comforting, —for, as the messenger of God, so is my lord the king, in hearing the good and the bad, Yahweh thy God, then, be with thee.
18 Basi mfalme akamwambia huyo mwanamke, “Usinifiche jibu kuhusu hilo nitakalokuuliza.” Huyo mwanamke akasema, “Mfalme bwana wangu na aseme.”
Then responded the king, and said unto the woman, Nay, now! do not hide from me, the thing which I am about to ask thee. And the woman said, Pray let my lord the king 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.
Then said the king, Is, the hand of Joab, with thee, in all this? And the woman answered and said—By the life of thy soul, my lord, O king, there is no way to the right or to the left, of anything that my lord the king hath spoken, for, thy servant Joab himself, charged me, and, himself, put, in the mouth of thy maidservant, all these words:
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.”
for the purpose of turning round the face of the matter, hath thy servant Joab done this thing, —my lord being wise, as with the wisdom of a messenger of God, in knowing all that is [done] in the land.
21 Mfalme akamwambia Yoabu, “Vyema sana, nitalifanya jambo hili. Nenda, ukamlete kijana Absalomu.”
Then said the king unto Joab, See, I pray thee, I a have done this thing, —go then—bring back the young man, Absolom.
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.”
So Joab fell with his face to the earth, and did homage, and blessed the king, —and Joab said—To-day, doth thy servant know, that I have found favour in thine eyes, my lord O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of thy servant.
23 Ndipo Yoabu akaenda hadi Geshuri akamrudisha Absalomu Yerusalemu.
And Joab arose, and went to Geshur, —and brought Absolom 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 go round to his own house, and, my face, let him not see. So Absolom went round, unto his own house, and, the face of the king, saw he not.
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, like unto Absolom, was there no man handsome in all Israel, to be greatly praised, —from the sole of his foot, even unto the crown of his head, there was not, in him, a blemish.
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—and it was at every year’s end that he used to poll it, because it was heavy upon him, therefore he used to poll it—he would weigh the hair of his head, two hundred shekels, by the royal standard.
27 Walizaliwa wana watatu na binti mmoja kwa Absalomu. Jina la binti yake aliitwa Tamari, naye akawa mwanamke mzuri wa sura.
And there were born to Absolom three sons, and one daughter, whose name, was Tamar, —she, was a woman beautiful to look upon.
28 Absalomu akaishi miaka miwili huko Yerusalemu pasipo kuuona uso wa mfalme.
So Absolom dwelt in Jerusalem two years of days, —and, the face of the king, had he not seen.
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 sent Absolom unto Joab, to send him unto the king, but he would not come to him, —so he sent yet 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.
Then said he unto his servants—See, the allotted portion of Joab, adjoineth me, and, he, hath barley there, go, and set it on fire. So the servants of Absolom set the portion on fire.
31 Basi Yoabu akaenda nyumbani kwa Absalomu, akamwambia, “Kwa nini watumishi wako wametia moto shamba langu?”
Then rose Joab, and went unto Absolom, in his house, —and said unto him, Wherefore, have thy servants set the portion that pertaineth to me, 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 Absolom said unto Joab—Lo! I sent unto thee, saying—Come hither, that I may send thee unto the king, saying—Wherefore, am I come from Geshur? I, might as well have yet been there. Now, therefore, let me see the face of the king, and, if there is in me iniquity, then let him put me to death.
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 unto the king, and told him, and the king called for Absolom, and he came in unto the king, and bowed himself down with his face to the ground, before the king, —and the king kissed Absolom.
