2 Samuel 15
1 Eyi akyi no, Absalom tɔɔ teaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ, na ɔbɔɔ mmarima aduonum paa sɛ wobedi nʼanim.
Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.
2 Adekyee biara, ɔsɔre ntɛm na wakɔtena kuropɔn no pon ano. Na sɛ nnipa bi de asɛm bɛto ɔhene no anim sɛ ommu ho atɛn a, Absalom bebisa faako a wofi, na wɔakyerɛ abusuakuw a wofi mu.
He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”
3 Na Absalom bɛka se, “Wʼasɛm yɛ dɛ de, nanso ɔhene nni obiara a obetie.
Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”
4 Sɛ meyɛ otemmufo anka mepɛ. Anka nnipa de wɔn nsɛm bɛba mʼanim, na mabu wɔn atɛn.”
Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”
5 Sɛ nnipa pɛ sɛ wɔkotow no a, Absalom remma wɔn nyɛ saa na mmom obeso wɔn nsa, ayɛ wɔn atuu.
When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.
6 Absalom yɛɛ saa de nyaa Israelfo no nyinaa wɔ nʼafa.
This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.
7 Mfirihyia anan akyi no, Absalom ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no se, “Ma menkɔ Hebron na menkɔbɔ afɔre mma Awurade sɛnea mahyɛ no bɔ no.
Four years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.
8 Bere a na mewɔ Gesur no na mehyɛɛ saa bɔ no se, ‘Sɛ Awurade de me san ba Yerusalem a, mɛbɔ afɔre ama no wɔ Hebron.’”
For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”
9 Ɔhene no kae se, “Eye, kɔ na kodi wo bɔhyɛ so.” Enti Absalom kɔɔ Hebron.
“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom went to Hebron.
10 Bere a ɔwɔ hɔ no, ɔfaa sum ase somaa abɔfo kɔɔ Israel mmaa nyinaa kɔhwanyan ɔmanfo de tiaa ɔhene no. Ne nkra ne se, “Sɛ mote torobɛnto nne pɛ a, monka se, ‘Absalom adi hene wɔ Hebron.’”
Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”
11 Absalom faa mmarima ahannu fii Yerusalem kaa ne ho a na wonnim Absalom nsusuwii yi ho hwee.
Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.
12 Bere a Absalom rebɔ afɔre no, ɔsoma ma wɔkɔfaa Giloni Ahitofel a na ɔyɛ Dawid fotufo fi ne kurom Gilo bae. Enti pɔwbɔ no mu yɛɛ den na nnipa bebree no ara bɛkaa Absalom ho.
While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.
13 Ankyɛ, ɔbɔfo bi baa Yerusalem bɛka kyerɛɛ ɔhene Dawid se, “Israel nyinaa atu di Absalom akyi sɛ wɔayɛ adɔm atia wo.”
A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”
14 Ɛhɔ ara, Dawid ka kyerɛɛ ne mmarima se, “Monyɛ no ntɛm na yenguan mfi ha, ansa na wadu ha, sɛnea amanehunu bɛpare yɛn ne Yerusalem kurow mu no nyinaa.”
David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”
15 Nʼafotufo no buae se, “Yegyina wʼakyi. Biribiara a wugye di sɛ eye no, yɛ.”
“Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.
16 Enti ɔhene no ne ne fifo sii mu kɔɔ prɛko pɛ a wannyaw biribiara wɔ akyi sɛ ne mpenanom du bi a wɔbɛhwɛ nʼahemfi no so.
The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.
17 Ɔhene no ne ne nkurɔfo no faa fam, na wɔfaa kuropɔn no fa bi,
The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,
18 maa Dawid asraafo no betwaa wɔn ho dii wɔn anim. Nnipa a wɔkaa Dawid ho kɔe no yɛ Gitifo ahansia a wofi Gat a ne bammɔfo nso ka ho.
and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.
19 Na ɔhene no bisaa Gatni Itai a ɔyɛ ɔsafohene no se, “Adɛn nti na woka yɛn ho rekɔ? San kɔka wo nkurɔfo ho, na monkɔ ɔhene Absalom nkyɛn, efisɛ woyɛ ɔhɔho wɔ Israel ne ɔmamfrani a wɔatwa wo asu.
The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.
20 Wuduu ha nnɛra nko ara. Na ɛsɛ sɛ mehyɛ wo na wo ne yɛn kyin ana? Me mpo, minnim baabi a yɛbɛkɔ. San wʼakyi na kɔfa wo asraafo ka wo ho, na Awurade nkyerɛ wo ne dɔ ne ne nokware.”
You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”
21 Nanso Itai ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no se, “Mede Awurade din ne wo ara wo nkwa ka ntam se, baabiara a wobɛkɔ no, mɛkɔ bi a nea ebesi biara mfa me ho; sɛ ɛyɛ nkwa anaa owu.”
But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”
22 Dawid buaa no se, “Eye, ka yɛn ho.” Ɛno nti, Itai ne ne mmarima ahansia ne wɔn fifo kaa wɔn ho kɔe.
“Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.
23 Awerɛhow kɛse sii asase no so, bere a ɔhene ne nʼakyidifo retwa mu no. Wotwaa Kidron Bon no de wɔn ani kyerɛɛ sare so.
All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.
24 Abiatar ne Sadok ne Lewifo no faa Apam Adaka no, na wɔde sii kwankyɛn. Na wɔbɔɔ afɔre wɔ hɔ kosii sɛ obiara senee.
Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.
25 Na ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Sadok se, “San fa Onyankopɔn Adaka no kɔ kuropɔn no mu. Sɛ minya Awurade anim adom a, ɔbɛsan de me aba ama mahu Adaka no ne ne ntamadan no bio.
Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.
26 Nanso sɛ ɔka se, ‘Mʼani nnye wo ho’ a mepɛ, ma ɔmfa me mfa ɔkwan a onim sɛ eye ma no no so.”
But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”
27 Na ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ ɔsɔfo Sadok se, “Me nhyehyɛe ni: Wo ne Abiatar nyɛ komm nsan nkɔ kuropɔn no mu a wo babarima Ahimaas ne Yonatan a ɔyɛ Abiatar babarima ka ho.
The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.
28 Mɛtwɛn wɔ faako a wotwa Asubɔnten Yordan kɔ sare no so hɔ akosi sɛ mɛte mo nkra. Momma mente asɛm a ebesi wɔ Yerusalem, ansa na makɔ sare so.”
I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”
29 Enti Sadok ne Abiatar faa Onyankopɔn Adaka no de san kɔɔ Yerusalem, na wɔtenaa hɔ.
Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
30 Dawid faa ɔkwan a ɛkɔ Ngo Bepɔw so no so a ɔrekɔ no nyinaa, na ɔretwa adwo. Na wakata ne ti so, na ne nan sisi fam saa ara a ɛkyerɛ awerɛhowdi. Na nnipa a wɔka ne ho no nso katakataa wɔn ti so, twaa adwo bere a wogu so reforo bepɔw no.
David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.
31 Bere a obi ka kyerɛɛ Dawid se, afei de ne fotufo Ahitofel taa Absalom akyi no, Dawid bɔɔ mpae se, “Awurade, ma Ahitofel afotu nnan nkwaseasɛm.”
David was told, “Ahithophel is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”
32 Woduu Ngo Bepɔw no atifi baabi a nnipa som Onyankopɔn no, Dawid huu Husai a ofi Arki a ɔretwɛn no. Na Husai asunsuan nʼatade mu, de dɔte asra ne tirim, de kyerɛ awerɛhowdi.
When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.
33 Na Dawid ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛ wo ne me kɔ a, wobɛyɛ adesoa ama me.
David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,
34 San kɔ Yerusalem, na ka kyerɛ Absalom se, ‘Afei, mɛyɛ wo fotufo sɛnea da bi hɔ no na meyɛ wʼagya fotufo no.’ Ɛba saa a, wubetumi atia Ahitofel afotu mu, asɛe no.
but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.
35 Asɔfo Sadok ne Abiatar wɔ hɔ. Ka adwene a wɔafa wɔ me ho, pɛ sɛ wɔkyere me no kyerɛ wɔn,
Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.
36 na wɔbɛsoma wɔn mmabarima Ahimaas ne Yonatan na wɔabɛhwehwɛ me, aka nea ɛrekɔ so akyerɛ me.”
Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”
37 Enti Dawid adamfo Husai san kɔɔ Yerusalem, koduu hɔ bere koro a Absalom nso duu hɔ no mu.
David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.
