< 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.”
After this, David enquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” The LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” He said, “To 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 there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, 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.
David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived 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,
The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”
5 akatuma wajumbe kwa watu wa Yabeshi-Gileadi kuwaambia, “Bwana awabariki kwa kuonyesha wema huu kwa kumzika Sauli bwana wenu.
David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even 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.
Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you 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.”
Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord 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.
Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken 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.
He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, 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. But 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.
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.
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.
Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool and the other 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.”
Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” 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.
Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.
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.
They each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
17 Siku hiyo vita vilikuwa vikali sana, naye Abneri na watu wa Israeli wakashindwa na watu wa Daudi.
The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.
18 Wana watatu wa Seruya walikuwako huko: nao ni Yoabu, Abishai na Asaheli. Basi huyo Asaheli alikuwa na mbio kama paa.
The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.
19 Asaheli akamfukuza Abneri, pasipo kugeuka kulia wala kushoto wakati akimfuata.
Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20 Abneri akaangalia nyuma na kumuuliza, “Ni wewe, Asaheli?” Akamjibu, “Ndiyo.”
Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”
21 Ndipo Abneri akamwambia, “Geuka upande wa kulia au kushoto. Mchukue mmoja wa vijana wa kiume na umvue silaha zake.” Lakini Asaheli hakuacha kumfukuza.
Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armour.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.
22 Abneri akamwonya tena Asaheli akimwambia, “Acha kunifukuza! Kwa nini nikuue? Je, nitawezaje kumtazama ndugu yako Yoabu usoni?”
Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”
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.
However, he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same place. 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.
But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 Ndipo watu wa kabila la Benyamini wakakusanyika tena nyuma ya Abneri. Wakaunda kikosi na kujiimarisha juu ya kilima.
The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, 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?”
Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
27 Yoabu akajibu, “Hakika kama aishivyo Mungu, kama hukusema, hawa watu wangeendelea kuwafuatia ndugu zao mpaka asubuhi.”
Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”
28 Basi Yoabu akapiga tarumbeta, nao watu wote wakasimama, hawakuwafuata Israeli tena, wala hawakuwapiga tena.
So Joab blew the shofar; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more.
29 Usiku ule wote Abneri na watu wake wakatembea kupitia Araba. Wakavuka Mto Yordani, wakaendelea wakipitia nchi yote ya Bithroni wakafika Mahanaimu.
Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and 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.
Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.
31 Lakini watu wa Daudi walikuwa wamewaua watu wa kabila la Benyamini 360 waliokuwa pamoja na Abneri.
But David’s servants had struck Benjamin Abner’s men so that three hundred and sixty men 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.
They took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.

< 2 Samweli 2 >