1 Ahemfo 2
1 Dawid rebewu no, ɔde adwuma hyɛɛ Salomo nsa sɛ:
The time of David's death was approaching, so he gave his son Solomon these last instructions:
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 everybody on earth must go. Be brave, and act like 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.
Do what God orders you to do, follow his ways. Keep his rules, his commands, and his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses, so you may be successful in everything you do, and in everything you give your attention to.
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.’
If so, then the Lord will keep his promise to me when he said: ‘If your descendants are to live right before me, faithfully and with complete commitment, then you will always have one of them 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.
In addition, you know what Joab, son of Zeruiah, did to me and what he did to Abner, son of Ner, and Amasa, son of Jether, the two army commanders of Israel. He murdered them, spilling the blood of war during a time of peace. He smeared the blood of war on his belt and on his sandals.
Do what you think is right, but don't let his gray head go down peacefully into the grave. (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 be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Bring them into your royal court, for they helped me when I ran 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.
Don't you forget Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who cursed me with painful words when I went to Mahanaim. When he met me at the Jordan I swore to him by the Lord, ‘I will not kill you with the sword.’
9 Nanso ntam no mma onni bem. Woyɛ onyansafo na wubehu ɔkwan a wobɛfa so aka ne mogya agu.” (Sheol h7585)
So don't leave him unpunished. You're a wise man and you know what you have to do to him—send him down into the grave with blood on his gray head.” (Sheol h7585)
10 Na Dawid wui, na wosiee no wɔ Dawid kurom.
Then David died and his 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.
His reign over Israel lasted 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.
Solomon took over as king, sitting on the throne of his father David, and his hold on his kingdom was secure.
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.”
Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to see Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She asked him, “Have you come here with good intentions?” He replied, “Yes, with good intentions.”
14 Na ɔka kaa ho se, “Mepɛ sɛ woyɛ me adɔe bi.” Na Batseba bisae se, “Adɔe bɛn.”
“I have something I'd like to ask of you,” he continued. “Go on,” she said.
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 kingdom was mine,” he declared, “and everyone in Israel was looking forward to me being their next king. But everything was turned upside-down, and the kingdom passed to my brother, because that's what the Lord wanted.
16 Mprempren, ade baako na mepɛ sɛ mesrɛ wo. Mfa nkame me.” Ɔkae se, “Wutumi ka.”
Now I've just one request to ask of you—please don't say no.” “Tell me,” she said.
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.”
He went on, “Please talk to King Solomon for me because he won't turn you down. Ask him to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife.”
18 Na Batseba buae se, “Eye mɛka ho asɛm akyerɛ ɔhene ama wo.”
“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will talk 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 talk to King Solomon for Adonijah. The king got up from his throne to meet her, and bowed before her. Then he sat back down and ordered another throne brought in for his mother. She sat to his right.
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 to ask of you,” she said. “Please don't say no.” The king replied, “Ask away, dear mother. I won't say no to you.”
21 Enti ɔkae se, “Ma wɔmfa Sunamni Abisag mma wo nuabarima Adoniya aware.”
“Please give Abishag from Shunem to your brother Adonijah as his wife,” she replied.
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 on earth are you asking me to give Abishag to Adonijah? You might as well ask me to give my brother the kingdom! He is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab, son of Zeruiah, are on his side!”
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 vowed before the Lord, “May God punish me, really punish me, if what Adonijah has asked for doesn't cost him 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.”
So I vow, as the Lord lives, who affirmed me as king and placed me on the throne of my father David, making me the head of a dynasty as he promised, Adonijah shall be executed today.”
25 Enti, Salomo hyɛɛ Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ onkum no, na okum Adoniya.
King Solomon sent Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, who carried out the king's orders and executed Adonijah.
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.”
In the case of Abiathar, the high priest, the king told him, “Go home and take care of your fields. You should be condemned to death, but I will not kill you right now because you carried the Ark of the Lord God ahead of my father David and went through all his hard times with him.”
27 Enti Salomo nam so dii mmara a Awurade hyɛɛ wɔ Silo fa Eli asefo ho no so.
So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, and so fulfilled what the Lord had said at Shiloh regarding the descendants 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 Joab heard the news he ran to the Lord's Tent and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. (He had not supported Absalom's rebellion but he had supported Adonijah.)
29 Bere a ɔhene Salomo tee asɛm yi, ɔsomaa Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ onkokum no.
When King Solomon was told that Joab was seeking sanctuary by the altar, he sent Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to execute him.
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.
Benaiah went to the Lord's Tent and told called to Joab, “The king orders you to come out!” “No! I'll die here!” Joab replied. Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said.
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.
“Do as he says,” the king told Benaiah. “Strike him down and bury him. In that way you will remove from me and my family the guilt of 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 pay him back for the blood he shed, for without my father David's knowledge, he killed two good men who were better than he was. With his sword he killed 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!”
May the responsibility for shedding their blood come back on Joab and his descendants forever; but may the Lord give peace and prosperity to David, his descendants, his family, and his dynasty 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 returned and killed Joab. He was buried at his 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.
The king appointed Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to take over Joab's role as army commander, and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.
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 told him, “Go and build yourself a house in Jerusalem and stay there, but don't leave and go anywhere else.
37 Na da a wubetwa Kidron bon no, wubewu; na wo mogya begu wʼankasa wo ti so.”
You should know for certain that the day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley you will die. Your death will be your own responsibility.”
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.
“What Your Majesty says is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has ordered.” 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,
But three years later, two of Shimei's slaves escaped to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. 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 up his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to look for his slaves. He found them and brought them back from Gath.
41 Salomo tee sɛ Simei afi Yerusalem akɔ Gat asan aba no,
Solomon was informed that Shimei had left Jerusalem to go to Gath, and had then 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 asked him, “Didn't I vow to you by the Lord, didn't I warn you that the day you left and went somewhere else that you should know for certain that you would die? Didn't you reply to me, ‘What Your Majesty says is fair; I'll do as you ordered’?
43 Adɛn nti na woanni wo ntam no so amma Awurade, na woanyɛ mʼahyɛde?”
So why haven't you kept your vow to the Lord, and obeyed my orders?”
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 told Shimei, “Deep down you know all the evil things you did to my father David. That's why the Lord will repay you for your evil.
45 Na me de, menya Awurade nhyira, na daa Dawid aseni atena ahengua no so.”
But I, King Solomon, will be blessed and David's dynasty will be kept safe in the presence of 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.
The king ordered Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to execute Shimei, so he went and killed Shimei. In this way Solomon's hold on the kingdom was made secure.
