2 Samuela 18
1 Pea naʻe lau hake ʻe Tevita ʻae kakai naʻe ʻiate ia, mo ne fakanofo ʻae ngaahi ʻeiki ke pule ki he ngaahi toko afe, ngaahi ʻeiki ke pule ki he ngaahi toko teau.
And David inspects the people who [are] with him, and sets over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds,
2 Pea naʻe fekau atu ʻe Tevita ʻa hono vahe tolu ʻoe kakai ke puleʻi ʻe Soape, mo hono vahe ʻe taha ke puleʻi ʻe ʻApisai ko e tama ʻo Seluia, ko e tokoua ʻo Soape, pea mo e vahe ʻe taha ke puleʻi ʻe Itei ko e tangata Kati. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi ki he kakai, “Ko au foki te u ʻalu atu moʻoni fakataha mo kimoutolu.”
and David sends the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king says to the people, “I certainly go out—I also—with you.”
3 Ka naʻe pehēange ʻe he kakai, “ʻE ʻikai te ke ʻalu atu: he kapau te mau hola, ʻe ʻikai tenau tokanga kiate kimautolu; pea kapau ʻe mate haʻamau vaheua mālie, ʻe ʻikai tenau tokanga kiate kimautolu: ka ko koe ʻoku ke mahuʻinga ʻi ha toko mano ʻokimautolu: ko ia foki ʻoku lelei hake ke ke tokoni mai koe kiate kimautolu mei he loto kolo.”
And the people say, “You do not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set [their] heart on us; and if half of us die, they do not set [their] heart to us—for [you are] now like ten thousand of us; and now, [it is] better that you are for a helper to us from the city.”
4 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi kiate kinautolu, “Ko e meʻa ʻoku lelei hake kiate kimoutolu te u fai pe ia.” Pea naʻe tuʻu ʻae tuʻi ki he veʻe matapā [ʻoe kolo], pea naʻe ʻalu atu ʻae kakai ʻi he ngaahi toko teau mo e ngaahi toko afe.
And the king says to them, “That which is good in your eyes I do”; and the king stands at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,
5 Pea naʻe fekau ʻe he tuʻi kia Soape mo ʻApisai mo Itei, ʻo pehē, “Faifai mālie koeʻuhi ko au ki he talavou ko ʻApisalomi.” Pea naʻe ongoʻi ʻe he kakai kotoa pē ʻa ʻene tuku ʻe he tuʻi ʻae fekau naʻe kau kia ʻApisalomi.
and the king charges Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “[Deal] gently—for me, for the youth, for Absalom”; and all the people heard in the king’s charging all the heads concerning Absalom.
6 Pea pehē, naʻe ʻalu atu ʻae kakai kituaʻā ke tauʻi ʻa ʻIsileli: pea naʻe hoko ʻae tau ʻi he vao ʻakau ʻi ʻIfalemi;
And the people go out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;
7 ʻAia naʻe tāmateʻi ʻi ai ʻae kakai ʻo ʻIsileli ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kau tamaioʻeiki ʻa Tevita, pea naʻe fai ʻi ai ʻae tāmateʻi lahi ʻi he ʻaho ko ia, ko e kau tangata ʻe toko ua mano.
and the people of Israel are struck there before the servants of David, and the striking there is great on that day—twenty thousand;
8 He naʻe fai ʻae tau ʻo foliaki ʻi he funga fonua kotoa pē: pea naʻe maumauʻi ʻo tokolahi hake ʻae kakai ʻi he vao ʻakau ʻi he ʻaho ko ia, kae siʻi ʻae maumau ʻe he heletā.
and the battle there is scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplies to devour among the people more than those whom the sword has devoured in that day.
9 Pea naʻe fetaulaki ʻa ʻApisalomi mo e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻa Tevita. Pea naʻe heka ʻa ʻApisalomi ki ha miuli, pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae miuli ʻi he lalo vaʻa mālohi ʻoe oke lahi, pea naʻe ʻefihiaʻi hono ʻulu ʻi he oke, pea naʻe tautau hake ia ʻi he vahaʻa ʻoe langi mo e [funga ]kelekele; pea naʻe moleange ʻae miuli mei lalo ʻiate ia.
And Absalom meets before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule comes in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head takes hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that [is] under him has passed on.
10 Pea naʻe sio ki ai ʻae tangata ʻe tokotaha, ʻo ne tala ia kia Soape, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, naʻaku mamata kia ʻApisalomi kuo tautau ʻi ha oke.”
And one man sees, and declares [it] to Joab, and says, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
11 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape ki he tangata naʻe fakahā mai ia kiate ia, “Pea vakai, naʻa ke sio [ki ai], pea ko e hā naʻe ʻikai ai te ke taaʻi hifo ia ʻi ai ki he kelekele? Ka ne ke pehē, kuo u tuku kiate koe ha [sikeli ]siliva ʻe hongofulu pea mo ha noʻovala.”
And Joab says to the man who is declaring [it] to him, “And behold, you have seen—and why did you not strike him there to the earth—and [it would be] on me to give to you ten pieces of silver and one girdle?”
12 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tangata kia Soape, “Ka ne u maʻu ha [sikeli ]siliva ʻe afe ki hoku nima, neongo ia ʻe ʻikai te u ala atu hoku nima ki he ʻalo ʻoe tuʻi: he naʻa mau fanongo ki he fekauʻi ʻa koe mo ʻApisai, mo Itei, ʻe he tuʻi, ʻo pehē, ‘Mou vakai kotoa pē telia naʻa alasi ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi.’
And the man says to Joab, “Indeed, though I am weighing on my hand one thousand pieces of silver, I do not put forth my hand to the son of the king; for in our ears the king has charged you, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe who [is] against the youth—against Absalom;
13 Ka ne u fai pehē, pehē kuo u fai ʻae lohiakiʻi ki heʻeku moʻui ʻaʻaku: he ʻoku ʻikai fufū ha meʻa mei he tuʻi, pea naʻa mo koe te ke ʻita kiate au.”
or I had done a vain thing against my soul, and no matter is hid from the king, and you would station yourself opposite from [me].”
14 Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe Soape, “ʻE ʻikai ʻaonga ʻa ʻeku tatali mo koe.” Pea naʻa ne toʻo ʻi hono nima ʻae foʻi tao ʻe tolu, ʻo ne velo ʻaki ia ke ʻasi ʻi he mafu ʻo ʻApisalomi lolotonga ʻa ʻene kei moʻui ʻi he lotolotonga ʻoe [ʻakau ko e ]oke.
And Joab says, “[It is] not right [that] I linger before you”; and he takes three darts in his hand, and strikes them into the heart of Absalom, while he [is] alive, in the midst of the oak.
15 Pea naʻe kāpui mo taaʻi ʻa ʻApisalomi ʻe he kau talavou ʻe toko hongofulu naʻe fua ʻae mahafutau ʻa Soape, ʻonau tāmateʻi ia.
And they go around—ten youths carrying weapons of Joab—and strike Absalom, and put him to death.
16 Pea naʻe ifi ʻe Soape ʻae meʻalea, pea naʻe foki mai ʻae kakai mei heʻenau tuli ki ʻIsileli: he naʻe taʻofi ʻae kakai ʻe Soape.
And Joab blows with a horn, and the people turn back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab has kept back the people;
17 Pea naʻa nau ʻave ʻa ʻApisalomi ʻo lī ia ki ha fuʻu luo lahi naʻe ʻi he vao ʻakau, pea naʻe fokotuʻu ki ʻolunga ʻiate ia ha fuʻu ʻesi maka lahi; pea naʻe feholaki ʻa ʻIsileli kātoa taki taha ki hono fale fehikitaki.
and they take Absalom and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and set up a very great heap of stones over him, and all Israel has fled—each to his tent.
18 Ka ko eni, lolotonga ʻa ʻene kei moʻui naʻe ngaohi mo fokotuʻu ʻe ʻApisalomi maʻana ha fuʻu pou, ʻaia ʻoku ʻi he teleʻa ʻoe tuʻi: he naʻa ne pehē, ʻOku ʻikai haku foha ke manatuʻi ai ʻa hoku hingoa: pea naʻa ne ui ʻae pou ki hono hingoa ʻoʻona: pea ʻoku ui ia ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni, Ko e potu ʻo ʻApisalomi.
And Absalom has taken, and sets up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that [is] in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to cause my name to be remembered”; and he calls the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called “The Monument of Absalom” to this day.
19 Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe ʻAhimasi ko e foha ʻo Satoki, “Tuku eni ke u lele, pea ʻave ʻae ongoongo ki he tuʻi, ʻoe totongi kuo fai ʻe Sihova ki hono ngaahi fili.”
And Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run, and I bear the king tidings, for YHWH has delivered him out of the hand of his enemies”;
20 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape kiate ia, “ʻE ʻikai te ke ʻave ha ongoongo he ʻaho ni, ka te ke ʻave ʻae ongoongo ʻi ha ʻaho ange: ka ko e ʻaho ni ʻe ʻikai te ke ʻave ha ongoongo, he kuo pekia ʻae ʻalo ʻoe tuʻi.”
and Joab says to him, “You are not a man of tidings this day, but you have borne tidings on another day, and this day you do not bear tidings, because the king’s son [is] dead.”
21 Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe Soape kia Kusi, “ʻAlu ʻo tala ki he tuʻi ʻaia kuo ke mamata ki ai.” Pea naʻe punou hifo ʻa Kusi kia Soape, ʻo ne lele.
And Joab says to Cushi, “Go, declare to the king that which you have seen”; and Cushi bows himself to Joab, and runs.
22 Pea naʻe toe pehē ai ʻe ʻAhimasi ko e foha ʻo Satoki kia Soape, “ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, ha meʻa pe ʻe fai, kae tuku pe au ke u lele muimui ʻia Kusi.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape, “Ko e hā ka ke ka lele ai koe, hoku foha, ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate koe ha ongoongo ʻoku lelei?”
And Ahimaaz son of Zadok adds again and says to Joab, “And whatever it is, please let me run, I also, after the Cushite.” And Joab says, “Why [is] this—you are running, my son, and [there are] no tidings found from you?”
23 [Pea naʻa ne pehē], “Neongo ia tuku ke u lele.” Pea naʻa ne pehē kiate ia, “Lele.” Pea naʻe toki lele ai ʻa ʻAhimasi ʻi he hala ʻoe toafa, pea naʻa ne liʻaki ʻa Kusi.
“And whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.” And he says to him, “Run”; and Ahimaaz runs the way of the circuit, and passes by the Cushite.
24 Pea naʻe nofo ʻa Tevita ʻi he vahaʻa ʻoe ongo matapā ʻoe kolo: pea naʻe ʻalu hake ʻae tangata leʻo ki he tuʻafale ʻi he ʻā ʻo feʻunga hake mo e matapā, pea naʻa ne hanga hake hono mata, ʻo ne sio, pea vakai naʻe lele mai ʻae tangata naʻe tokotaha pe.
And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goes to the roof of the gate, to the wall, and lifts up his eyes, and looks, and behold, a man running by himself.
25 Pea naʻe kalanga ʻe he tangata leʻo, ʻo ne fakahā [ia ]ki he tuʻi. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “Kapau ʻoku ne tokotaha pe ʻoku ai ha ongoongo ʻi hono ngutu.” Pea naʻa ne haʻu fakatoʻotoʻo pe, ʻo[ne ]fakaofiofi mai.
And the watchman calls, and declares [it] to the king, and the king says, “If [he is] by himself, tidings [are] in his mouth”; and he comes, coming on and drawing near.
26 Pea naʻe mamata ʻe he tangata leʻo ki he tangata kehe ʻe tokotaha ʻoku lele: pea naʻe ui ʻe he tangata leʻo ki he tangata naʻe tauhi matapā, ʻo ne pehē, “Vakai ʻoku lele mai tokotaha pe ʻae tangata kehe.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “ʻOku ʻomi ʻae ongoongo ʻe ia foki.”
And the watchman sees another man running, and the watchman calls to the gatekeeper, and says, “Behold, a man running by himself”; and the king says, “This one is also bearing tidings.”
27 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tangata leʻo, “ʻOku ou mahalo ʻoku lele ʻaia ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻo hangē ko e lele ʻa ʻAhimasi, ko e foha ʻo Satoki.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “Ko e tangata lelei ia, pea ʻoku ʻomi ʻe ia ʻae ongoongolelei.”
And the watchman says, “I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” And the king says, “This [is] a good man, and he comes with good tidings.”
28 Pea naʻe ui ʻa ʻAhimasi, ʻo ne pehē ki he tuʻi, “Ke ke fiemālie.” Pea naʻa ne tōmapeʻe hifo ʻi hono mata ki he kelekele ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, ʻo ne pehē, “Fakafetaʻi kia Sihova ko ho ʻOtua, ʻaia kuo ne fakamoʻua ʻae kau tangata naʻe hiki hake honau nima ke angatuʻu ki hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi.”
And Ahimaaz calls and says to the king, “Peace”; and he bows himself to the king, on his face, to the earth, and says, “Blessed [is] your God YHWH who has shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.”
29 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “ʻOku lelei koā ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi?” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ʻAhimasi, “ʻI heʻene fekau ʻa Soape ʻae tamaioʻeiki ʻae tuʻi pea mo au ko hoʻo tamaioʻeiki, naʻaku mamata ki he fuʻu vākē lahi ka naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo ʻa hono ʻuhinga.”
And the king says, “Peace to the youth—for Absalom?” And Ahimaaz says, “I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even your servant [by] Joab, and I have not known what [it is].”
30 Pea naʻe pehē atu ʻe he tuʻi, “Tuʻu atu koe ki hena.” Pea naʻa ne tuʻu atu, mo ne tatali ai.
And the king says, “Turn around, station yourself here”; and he turns around and stands still.
31 Pea vakai, naʻe haʻu ʻa Kusi; pea naʻe pehē ʻe Kusi, “ʻE hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi, ʻoku ou ʻomi ʻae ongoongo: he kuo fai totongi he ʻaho ni ʻe Sihova maʻau kiate kinautolu kotoa pē naʻe tuʻu angatuʻu hake kiate koe.”
And behold, the Cushite has come, and the Cushite says, “Let tidings be proclaimed, my lord, O king; for today YHWH has delivered you out of the hand of all those rising up against you.”
32 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi kia Kusi, “ʻOku lelei koā ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi?” Pea naʻe pehēange ʻe Kusi, “Ke tatau mo e tangata talavou na, ʻae ngaahi fili ʻo hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi, pea mo kinautolu kotoa pē ʻoku tuʻu hake ke fai ha kovi kiate koe.”
And the king says to the Cushite, “Peace to the youth—for Absalom?” And the Cushite says, “Let them be—as the youth—the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against you for evil.”
33 Pea naʻe mamahi lahi ʻaupito ʻae tuʻi, pea naʻa ne ʻalu hake ki he potu fale naʻe ʻi ʻolunga ʻi he matanikolo mo ne tangi ai: pea lolotonga ʻa ʻene ʻalu naʻe pehē ʻa ʻene lea, “ʻE ʻApisalomi ko hoku foha, ʻa hoku foha, ʻa hoku foha ko ʻApisalomi, taumaiā kuo u mate koeʻuhi ko koe, ʻe ʻApisalomi, ko hoku foha, ko hoku foha.”
And the king trembles, and goes up on the upper chamber of the gate, and weeps, and thus he has said in his going, “My son Absalom! My son! My son Absalom! Oh that I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
