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.
David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
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.”
David sent the people out, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I will also surely go out with you myself.”
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.”
But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of 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.
The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went 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.
The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains 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;
So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the 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.
The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
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.
For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
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.
Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went 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.”
A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “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.”
Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a sash.”
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.’
The man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man 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.”
Otherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against 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.
Then Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this with you.” He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the middle 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.
Ten young men who bore Joab’s armour surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.
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.
Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
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.
They took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, each to his own 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.
Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name. It is called Absalom’s monument, 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.”
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and carry the king news, how the LORD has avenged him 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.”
Joab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, 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.
Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
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?”
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?”
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.
“But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran 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.
Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.
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.
The watchman shouted and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.
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.”
The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, a man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”
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.”
The watchman said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”
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.”
Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is the LORD your God, who has delivered 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.”
The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 Pea naʻe pehē atu ʻe he tuʻi, “Tuʻu atu koe ki hena.” Pea naʻa ne tuʻu atu, mo ne tatali ai.
The king said, “Come and stand here.” He came and stood 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.”
Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king, for the LORD has avenged you today of all those who rose 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.”
The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”
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.”
The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
