1 Ahemfo 2
1 Dawid rebewu no, ɔde adwuma hyɛɛ Salomo nsa sɛ:
As the time drew near for David to die, he charged his son Solomon,
2 “Merekɔ faako a ɛsɛ sɛ da bi ɔteasefo biara kɔ, enti yɛ den na kyerɛ wo mmaninyɛ,
“I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man.
3 na yɛ nea Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn, hwehwɛ sɛ woyɛ. Nantew nʼakwan so, na di ne mmara ne nʼahyɛde so sɛnea wɔakyerɛw wɔ Mose mmara no mu no, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wobɛkɔ so wɔ biribiara a wobɛyɛ mu ne baabiara a wobɛkɔ nso.
And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn,
4 Sɛ woyɛ eyi a na Awurade bedi ne bɔ a ɔhyɛɛ me no so se, ‘Sɛ wʼasefo hwɛ wɔn asetena, na wofi wɔn koma ne wɔn kra nyinaa mu nantew nokware mu wɔ mʼanim a, wɔn mu baako bɛtena Israel ahengua no so.’
and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
5 “Wunim se Seruia babarima Yoab kum mʼakofo asahene baanu no a ɛyɛ Ner babarima Abner ne Yeter babarima Amasa no. Okunkum wɔn, hwiee wɔn mogya gui, asomdwoe bere mu a ɛnyɛ ɔko bere mu, na ɔde wɔn mogya kekaa nʼabɔso a ɛbɔ nʼasen mu ne ne mpaboa a ɛhyɛ ne nan so.
Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. (Sheol h7585)
7 “Na yɛ Barsilai a ofi Gilead no mmabarima adɔe, na ma wɔnka wɔn a wodidi wɔ wo didipon so no ho. Bere a miguan fii wo nuabarima Absalom ho no, wɔyɛɛ me adɔe.
But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
8 “Kae Gera Benyaminni a ofi Bahurim no babarima Simei. Ɔdomee me denneennen, da a mereguan akɔ Mahanaim no. Na obehyiaa me wɔ Yordan no, mede Awurade din kaa ntam sɛ, Merenkum no.
Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
9 Nanso ntam no mma onni bem. Woyɛ onyansafo na wubehu ɔkwan a wobɛfa so aka ne mogya agu.” (Sheol h7585)
Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.” (Sheol h7585)
10 Na Dawid wui, na wosiee no wɔ Dawid kurom.
Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
11 Odii hene wɔ Israel mfe aduanan a ne nkyerɛmu ne sɛ, odii Hebron so mfe ason na Yerusalem nso, odii ade mfe aduasa abiɛsa.
The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12 Enti Salomo tenaa nʼagya Dawid ahengua so, na nʼadedi ase timii yiye.
So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.
13 Na Hagit babarima Adoniya kɔɔ Salomo ne na Batseba nkyɛn. Batseba bisaa no se, “Wobaa no asomdwoe so ana?” Obuaa no se, “Ɛyɛ asomdwoe so.”
Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied.
14 Na ɔka kaa ho se, “Mepɛ sɛ woyɛ me adɔe bi.” Na Batseba bisae se, “Adɔe bɛn.”
Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered.
15 Adoniya kae se, “Sɛnea wunim no, na ahemman no yɛ me dea. Na Israel nyinaa hwɛ me kwan sɛ wɔn hene. Nanso nneɛma sesae, na ahemman no kɔɔ me nuabarima nkyɛn, efisɛ Awurade pɛ no saa.
“You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD.
16 Mprempren, ade baako na mepɛ sɛ mesrɛ wo. Mfa nkame me.” Ɔkae se, “Wutumi ka.”
So now I have just one request of you; do not deny me.” “State your request,” she told him.
17 Na ɔtoaa so se, “Kɔsrɛ ɔhene Salomo ma me, na ɔremfa dekode no nkame wo. Ka na ɔmfa Abisag Sunamni no mma me sɛ me yere.”
Adonijah replied, “Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
18 Na Batseba buae se, “Eye mɛka ho asɛm akyerɛ ɔhene ama wo.”
“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”
19 Enti Batseba kɔɔ ɔhene Salomo nkyɛn sɛ ɔrekɔkasa ama Adoniya. Ɔhene no sɔree sɛ ɔrebehyia no, bɔɔ ne mu ase ansa na ɔretena nʼahengua so. Na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔmfa agua mmrɛ ɔhene na, na ɔtenaa ɔhene nifa so.
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, and sat down on his throne. Then the king had a throne brought for his mother, who sat down at his right hand.
20 Ɔka kyerɛɛ ɔhene se, “Mewɔ ade ketewaa bi srɛ wo, na mfa nkame me.” Ɔhene no buaa no se, “Ka, me na. Meyɛ ama wo.”
“I have just one small request of you,” she said. “Do not deny me.” “Make your request, my mother,” the king replied, “for I will not deny you.”
21 Enti ɔkae se, “Ma wɔmfa Sunamni Abisag mma wo nuabarima Adoniya aware.”
So Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”
22 Ɔhene Salomo bisaa ne na se, “Adɛn nti na wopɛ sɛ Adoniya ware Sunamni Abisag? Ɛno de, sɛ wubebisa ahemman nso ama no. Wunim sɛ ɔyɛ me nua panyin na ɔsɔfo Abiatar ne Seruia babarima Yoab nso boa no!”
King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23 Na ɔhene Salomo de Awurade din kaa ntam se, “Sɛ Adoniya amfa ne nkwa antwa saa abisade yi so a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no dennen so pa ara.
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.
24 Na mprempren de, mmere dodow a Awurade te ase yi, ɔno a watim mʼase wɔ mʼagya Dawid ahengua so, na wabɔ me fie ahenni mu nnidiso atenase ama me, sɛnea ɔhyɛɛ me bɔ no, Adoniya de, twa ara na etwa sɛ owu nnɛ yi ara.”
And now, as surely as the LORD lives—the One who established me, who set me on the throne of my father David, and who founded for me a dynasty as He promised—surely Adonijah shall be put to death today!”
25 Enti, Salomo hyɛɛ Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ onkum no, na okum Adoniya.
So King Solomon sent the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who struck down Adonijah, and he died.
26 Na ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ ɔsɔfo Abiatar se, “San kɔ wo kurom Anatot. Wofata sɛ wuwu, nanso merenkum wo mprempren, efisɛ, wosoaa Awurade Tumfo Adaka no maa mʼagya, na wo ne no nyinaa na muhuu amane wɔ nʼabɛbrɛsɛ nyinaa mu.”
Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”
27 Enti Salomo nam so dii mmara a Awurade hyɛɛ wɔ Silo fa Eli asefo ho no so.
So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.
28 Ɛwɔ mu, mfiase no na onni Absalom akyi, nanso Yoab de ne ho kɔdɔm Adoniya atuatew no. Bere a Yoab tee Adoniya wu no, otuu mmirika kɔɔ Awurade ntamadan kronkron no mu, na okosusoo mmɛn a etuatua afɔremuka no ho no mu.
When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
29 Bere a ɔhene Salomo tee asɛm yi, ɔsomaa Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ onkokum no.
It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar.” So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down!”
30 Na Benaia kɔɔ Awurade ntamadan kronkron no mu kɔka kyerɛɛ Yoab se, “Ɔhene se fi adi.” Nanso Yoab buae se, “Dabi, mewu wɔ ha.” Enti Benaia san kɔɔ ɔhene no nkyɛn kɔkaa asɛm a Yoab aka no kyerɛɛ no.
And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, “This is how Joab answered me.”
31 Ɔhene no tee asɛm a Yoab kae no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Benaia se, “Yɛ nea ɔkae no. Kum no wɔ afɔremuka no ho, na sie no. Eyi beyi adwenhare mogyahwiegu ho afɔdi afi me ne mʼagya fifo so.
And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.
32 Na Awurade betua no kum a okum mmarima atreneefo ankasa baanu a na woye sen no no so ka. Na mʼagya nnim Ner babarima Abner a na ɔyɛ Israel asraafo so sahene ne Yeter babarima Amasa a na ɔno nso yɛ Yuda asraafo so sahene no wu ho hwee.
The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
33 Yoab ne nʼasefo de, saa awudi ahorow yi ho afɔdi ntena wɔn so, na Awurade mma Dawid ne nʼasefo ne nʼahengua asomdwoe afebɔɔ!”
Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”
34 Enti Yehoiada babarima Benaia san kɔɔ ntamadan kronkron no mu, kokum Yoab, na wosiee Yoab wɔ ne kurom wuram baabi.
So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, struck down Joab, and killed him. He was buried at his own home in the wilderness.
35 Na ɔhene no yii Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ onsi Yoab anan sɛ ɔsahene. Na oyii ɔsɔfo Sadok de no sii Abiatar anan mu.
And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.
36 Ɔhene no soma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ Simei ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Si ofi wɔ Yerusalem ha na tena mu. Na mfi kurow no mu nkɔ baabiara.
Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
37 Na da a wubetwa Kidron bon no, wubewu; na wo mogya begu wʼankasa wo ti so.”
On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
38 Na Simei buae se, “Wʼatemmu no yɛ kronkron. Biribiara a me wura ɔhene bɛhyɛ sɛ menyɛ no, mɛyɛ.” Enti Simei tenaa Yerusalem kyɛe yiye.
“The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 Na mfe abiɛsa akyi no, Simei asomfo baanu guan kɔɔ Gathene Akis, Maaka babarima nkyɛn. Bere a Simei huu faako a wɔwɔ no,
After three years, however, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
40 ɔhyehyɛɛ nʼafurum, kɔɔ Gat, kɔhwehwɛɛ wɔn. Ohuu wɔn no, ɔde wɔn san baa Yerusalem.
So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves, and he brought them back from Gath.
41 Salomo tee sɛ Simei afi Yerusalem akɔ Gat asan aba no,
When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,
42 ɔsoma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ Simei bae, na obisaa no se, “Mamma woanka ntam Awurade din mu sɛ, worenkɔ baabiara, na sɛ anyɛ saa a, wubewu? Na wubuae se, ‘Atemmu no yɛ kronkron; na medi asɛm a woaka no so.’
the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die’? And you told me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will comply.’
43 Adɛn nti na woanni wo ntam no so amma Awurade, na woanyɛ mʼahyɛde?”
So why have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you?”
44 Na ɔhene no ka kaa ho se, “Akyinnye biara nni ho sɛ wokae amumɔyɛ a woyɛɛ mʼagya, ɔhene Dawid. Awurade bɛtwe wʼaso wɔ ho.
The king also said, “You know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD will bring your evil back upon your head.
45 Na me de, menya Awurade nhyira, na daa Dawid aseni atena ahengua no so.”
But King Solomon will be blessed and David’s throne will remain secure before the LORD forever.”
46 Na ɔhene no hyɛɛ Yehoiada babarima Benaia ma ɔfaa Simei de no fii adi kokum no. Enti ahemman no tim wɔ Salomo nsam.
Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was firmly established in the hand of Solomon.
