< 2 Samweli 2 >

1 Ikawa baada ya mambo haya, Daudi akamuuliza Bwana, “Je, nipande kwenda katika mojawapo ya miji ya Yuda?” Bwana akasema, “Panda.” Daudi akauliza, “Je, niende wapi?” Bwana akajibu, “Nenda Hebroni.”
And it came to pass after this that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
2 Basi Daudi akakwea kwenda huko pamoja na wake zake wawili, Ahinoamu wa Yezreeli na Abigaili, mjane wa Nabali wa Karmeli.
So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
3 Pia Daudi akawachukua watu waliokuwa pamoja naye, kila mmoja na jamaa yake, nao wakaishi huko Hebroni na miji yake.
And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 Ndipo watu wa Yuda wakaja Hebroni, huko wakamtia Daudi mafuta awe mfalme juu ya nyumba ya Yuda. Daudi alipoambiwa kuwa ni watu wa Yabeshi-Gileadi waliomzika Sauli,
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It is the men of Jabesh-Gilead that have buried Saul.
5 akatuma wajumbe kwa watu wa Yabeshi-Gileadi kuwaambia, “Bwana awabariki kwa kuonyesha wema huu kwa kumzika Sauli bwana wenu.
And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and said to them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah, that ye have shewn this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him!
6 Sasa Bwana na awaonyeshe wema na uaminifu, nami pia nitawaonyesha wema ule ule kwa kuwa mmefanya jambo hili.
And now Jehovah shew kindness and faithfulness to you; and I also will requite you this good, because ye have done this thing.
7 Sasa basi, kuweni hodari na mashujaa, kwa maana bwana wenu Sauli amekufa, nayo nyumba ya Yuda imenitia mafuta niwe mfalme juu yao.”
And now let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.
8 Wakati huo Abneri mwana wa Neri, jemadari wa jeshi la Sauli, alikuwa amemchukua Ish-Boshethi mwana wa Sauli na kumleta hadi Mahanaimu.
And Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9 Akamweka awe mfalme juu ya nchi ya Gileadi, Waasheri, Yezreeli, Efraimu, Benyamini na Israeli yote.
and made him king over Gilead, and over the Asshurites, and over Jizreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 Ish-Boshethi mwana wa Sauli alikuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini alipoanza kutawala Israeli, naye akatawala miaka miwili. Hata hivyo, nyumba ya Yuda ikamfuata Daudi.
Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. However, the house of Judah followed David.
11 Muda ambao Daudi alikuwa mfalme juu ya nyumba ya Yuda huko Hebroni ilikuwa miaka saba na miezi sita.
And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 Abneri mwana wa Neri, pamoja na watu wa Ish-Boshethi mwana wa Sauli, wakatoka Mahanaimu kwenda Gibeoni.
And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 Yoabu mwana wa Seruya na watu wa Daudi wakatoka na kukutana nao kwenye bwawa la Gibeoni. Kikundi kimoja kiliketi upande mmoja wa bwawa, na kikundi kingine upande wa pili.
And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out. And they met together by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, these on the one side of the pool, and those on the other side of the pool.
14 Ndipo Abneri akamwambia Yoabu, “Tuwaweke baadhi ya vijana wasimame na wapigane ana kwa ana mbele yetu.” Yoabu akasema, “Sawa, na wafanye hivyo.”
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and make sport before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
15 Kwa hiyo vijana wakasimama, wakahesabiwa: watu wa Benyamini na wa Ish-Boshethi mwana wa Sauli kumi na wawili, na upande wa Daudi kumi na wawili.
And they arose and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 Kisha kila mtu akakamatana na mpinzani wake kichwani na kuchomana kwa upanga, nao wakaanguka chini pamoja. Kwa hiyo mahali pale katika Gibeoni pakaitwa Helkath-Hasurimu.
And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side, and they fell down together. And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is by Gibeon.
17 Siku hiyo vita vilikuwa vikali sana, naye Abneri na watu wa Israeli wakashindwa na watu wa Daudi.
And the battle that day was very severe; and Abner and the men of Israel were routed before the servants of David.
18 Wana watatu wa Seruya walikuwako huko: nao ni Yoabu, Abishai na Asaheli. Basi huyo Asaheli alikuwa na mbio kama paa.
And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift of foot, as one of the gazelles that are in the field.
19 Asaheli akamfukuza Abneri, pasipo kugeuka kulia wala kushoto wakati akimfuata.
And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from behind Abner.
20 Abneri akaangalia nyuma na kumuuliza, “Ni wewe, Asaheli?” Akamjibu, “Ndiyo.”
Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he said, I am.
21 Ndipo Abneri akamwambia, “Geuka upande wa kulia au kushoto. Mchukue mmoja wa vijana wa kiume na umvue silaha zake.” Lakini Asaheli hakuacha kumfukuza.
And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside, to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold of one of the young men, and take for thyself his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
22 Abneri akamwonya tena Asaheli akimwambia, “Acha kunifukuza! Kwa nini nikuue? Je, nitawezaje kumtazama ndugu yako Yoabu usoni?”
And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: why should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
23 Lakini Asaheli alikataa kuacha kumfuatia, kwa hiyo Abneri akamchoma Asaheli tumboni kwa ncha butu ya mkuki wake, mkuki ukamtoboa ukatokea mgongoni mwake. Akaanguka na kufa papo hapo. Ikawa kila mtu alisimama alipofika mahali pale Asaheli alipoanguka na kufa.
But he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
24 Lakini Yoabu na Abishai walimfuata Abneri, na jua lilipokuwa linatua, wakafika kwenye kilima cha Ama, karibu na Gia kwenye njia ya kuelekea kwenye nyika ya Gibeoni.
And Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner; and the sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 Ndipo watu wa kabila la Benyamini wakakusanyika tena nyuma ya Abneri. Wakaunda kikosi na kujiimarisha juu ya kilima.
And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill.
26 Abneri akamwita Yoabu, akamwambia, “Je, ni lazima upanga uendelee kuangamiza milele? Hutambui kwamba jambo hili litaishia katika uchungu? Utaacha kuwaagiza watu wako waache kuwafuatilia ndugu zao hata lini?”
And Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? and how long shall it be ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
27 Yoabu akajibu, “Hakika kama aishivyo Mungu, kama hukusema, hawa watu wangeendelea kuwafuatia ndugu zao mpaka asubuhi.”
And Joab said, [As] God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.
28 Basi Yoabu akapiga tarumbeta, nao watu wote wakasimama, hawakuwafuata Israeli tena, wala hawakuwapiga tena.
And Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight any more.
29 Usiku ule wote Abneri na watu wake wakatembea kupitia Araba. Wakavuka Mto Yordani, wakaendelea wakipitia nchi yote ya Bithroni wakafika Mahanaimu.
And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.
30 Basi Yoabu akarudi kutoka kumfuatia Abneri, na kuwakusanya watu wake wote. Pamoja na Asaheli, watu kumi na tisa wa Daudi walikuwa wamepotea.
And Joab returned from following Abner, and gathered all the people together; and there lacked of David's servants nineteen men, and Asahel.
31 Lakini watu wa Daudi walikuwa wamewaua watu wa kabila la Benyamini 360 waliokuwa pamoja na Abneri.
And the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men, who had died.
32 Wakamchukua Asaheli, wakamzika katika kaburi la baba yake huko Bethlehemu. Kisha Yoabu na watu wake wakatembea usiku kucha na kufika huko Hebroni wakati wa mapambazuko.
And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

< 2 Samweli 2 >