2 Samuel 18
1 Afei, Dawid yiyii asahene ne asafohene dii nʼakofo anim.
And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2 Yoab na na otua wɔn mu nkyemu abiɛsa mu baako ano. Yoab nuabarima Abisai a na ɔyɛ Seruia babarima na na otua nkyemu abiɛsa mu baako nso ano. Ɛnna nkyemu abiɛsa mu baako a aka no, Gatni Itai na na otua ano. Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ nʼakofo no se, “Me ne mo na ɛrekɔ.”
And David sent forth the people, 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. And the king said unto the people: 'I will surely go forth with you myself also.'
3 Nanso ne mmarima no tiaa mu denneennen se, “Ɛnsɛ se wokɔ bi. Na sɛ ɛba sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ yegyae, na yeguan, na sɛ mpo, yɛn mu fa koraa wuwu a, ɛrennu Absalom asraafo no ho hwee. Wo ara na wɔbɛhwehwɛ. Wo nko ara yɛ yɛn mu mpem du, enti eye sɛ wobɛtena kurom na sɛ mmoa bi ho hia yɛn a, wode bɛba.”
But the people said: 'Thou shalt not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us; but thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour us out of the city.'
4 Ɔhene penee so se, “Sɛ modwene sɛ ɛno ne adwene pa de a, mate.” Enti okogyinaa kurow no pon ano, bere a asraafo no rekɔ no.
And the king said unto them: 'What seemeth you best I will do.' And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Na ɔhene no hyɛɛ Yoab, Abisai ne Itai se, “Me nti mo ne abofra Absalom nni no bɔkɔɔ.” Na asraafo no nyinaa tee saa ɔhyɛ a ɔhene hyɛɛ nʼasafohene no.
And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying: 'Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.' And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6 Enti ɔko no fii ase wɔ Efraim kwae mu.
So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
7 Na Dawid mmarima no yɛɛ Israel asraafo no pasaa. Ɛyɛ afoa ano kum, na da no, mmarima mpem aduonu na wɔhweree wɔn nkwa.
And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8 Ɔko no didi kɔɔ nkurow so, na esiane kwae no nti, nnipa pii wuwu sen wɔn a wowuwuu wɔ afoa ano no.
For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9 Ɔko no gyina mu no, Absalom puee prɛko pɛ wɔ Dawid mmarima no bi mu. Ɔpɛɛ sɛ oguan wɔ nʼafurumpɔnkɔ so, nanso oguan kɔfaa ɔdɔtɔ bi mu wɔ odum bi ase. Ɔdɔtɔ no kyekyeree ne tinwi, ma ɔkaa mu. Nʼafurumpɔnkɔ no de, na kɔ ara na ɔrekɔ enti, ogyaw no hɔ a, ɔsensɛn ɔdɔtɔ no mu a ɔretow donko wɔ wim.
And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his head caught hold of the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
10 Dawid mmarima no baako huu asɛm a asi no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Yoab se, “Mihuu Absalom sɛ ɔsensɛn dua bi so wɔ ɔdɔtɔ mu.”
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said: 'Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth.'
11 Yoab bisae se, “Asɛm pa ara? Wuhuu no na woankum no? Anka mɛma wo dwetɛ gram ɔha ne dunan ne akokoduru nkyekyeremu sɛ siade.”
And Joab said unto the man that told him: 'And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have had to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.'
12 Ɔbarima no buae se, “Sɛ anka wobɛma me dwetɛ kilogram dubaako ne fa koraa a, anka merenyɛ saa. Yɛn nyinaa tee sɛ, ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ wo, Abisai ne Itai se, ‘Me nti, obiara nnyɛ aberante Absalom bɔne.’
And the man said unto Joab: 'Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying: Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
13 Na sɛ mibu ɔhene asɛm so kum ne babarima a, anka nea ɛbɛyɛ biara, ɔhene bɛhwehwɛ nea ɔyɛɛ saa. Na anka wʼankasa ne onipa a anka wubeyi me ama.”
Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against mine own life — and there is no matter hid from the king — then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.'
14 Yoab kae se, “Merentwentwɛn me nan ase mma wo wɔ eyi ho.” Enti, ɔtwee mpɛmɛ abiɛsa de wowɔɔ Absalom koma mu bere a na ɔsensɛn odum no so a na onwui no.
Then said Joab: 'I may not tarry thus with thee.' And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the terebinth.
15 Yoab akodekurafo no mu mmerante du twaa Absalom ho hyiae, na wokum no.
And ten young men that bore Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16 Na Yoab hyɛn torobɛnto, maa asraafo no gyaee Israel taa.
And Joab blew the horn, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.
17 Wɔfaa Absalom amu no tow kyenee amoa donkudonku bi mu wɔ kwae mu hɔ, na wɔsoaa abotan guu ne so. Na Israelfo no nyinaa guan kɔɔ wɔn afi.
And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones; and all Israel fled every one to his tent. —
18 Bere a Absalom te ase no, osii nkaedum bi wɔ ɔhene bon mu de kaee ɔno ara ne ho, efisɛ ɔdwenee se, “Minni ɔbabarima biara a ɔbɛyɛ nkae ade biara de akae me din.” Ɔde nkaedum no too ne ho, na wɔfrɛ no Absalom Nkaedum de besi nnɛ.
Now Absalom in his life-time had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said: 'I have no son to keep my name in remembrance'; and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument unto this day.
19 Na Sadok babarima Ahimaas kae se, “Momma mintu mmirika nkɔbɔ ɔhene amanneɛ sɛ, Awurade ayi no afi atamfo nsam.”
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok: 'Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.'
20 Na Yoab nso ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Sɛ ɔhene ba awu a, ɛnyɛ asɛm papa mma no. Wubetumi akɔbɔ saa amanneɛ no da foforo bi, na ɛnyɛ nnɛ.”
And Joab said unto him: 'Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, forasmuch as the king's son is dead.'
21 Na Yoab ka kyerɛɛ Kusni bi se, “Kɔ na kɔka nea woahu no kyerɛ ɔhene.” Ɛhɔ ara na Kusni no bɔɔ ne mu ase wɔ Yoab anim, na otuu mmirika kɔe.
Then said Joab to the Cushite: 'Go tell the king what thou hast seen.' And the Cushite bowed down unto Joab, and ran.
22 Bio, Sadok babarima Ahimaas ka kyerɛɛ Yoab se, “Nea ɛbɛba biara mmra, ma me ne Kusni no nkɔ.” Nanso Yoab bisaa no se, “Me ba, adɛn nti na wopɛ sɛ wokɔ? Wunni amanneɛbɔ biara a ɛbɛma wo abasobɔde biara.”
Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab: 'But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite.' And Joab said: 'Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?'
23 Ɔkae se, “Mepene so, nanso ma menkɔ.” Enti Yoab ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Kɔ!” Na Ahimaas faa tataw no so kɔ kotwaa Kusni no ho.
'But come what may, said he, I will run.' And he said unto him: 'Run.' Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran the Cushite.
24 Bere a Dawid te kurow no pon ano no, ne wɛmfo no kɔɔ kurow no pon no atifi wɔ ɔfasu no so. Ɔtoo nʼani no, ohuu sɛ obi de mmirika reba.
Now David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
25 Ɔwɛmfo no teɛɛ mu ka kyerɛɛ Dawid na ɔhene no buae se, “Sɛ ɔno nko ara na ɔnam de a, ebia, na ɔde asɛm pa nam.” Bere a ɔsomafo no rebɛn no,
And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said: 'If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth.' And he came apace, and drew near.
26 ɔwɛmfo no huu sɛ ɔbarima foforo nso di so reba, na ɔteɛɛ mu se, “Hwɛ onipa foforo bi de mmirika reba!” Ɔhene no kae se, “Ebia na ɔno nso de asɛm pa na ɛnam.”
And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said: 'Behold another man running alone.' And the king said: 'He also bringeth tidings.'
27 Ɔwɛmfo no kae se, “Ɔbarima a odi kan no sɛ Sadok babarima Ahimaas.” Ɔhene no kae se, “Ɔyɛ onipa pa a, ɔde asɛm pa nam.”
And the watchman said: 'I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.' And the king said: 'He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.'
28 Na Ahimaas teɛɛ mu, frɛɛ ɔhene no se, “Biribiara ye!” Ɔkotow wɔ ɔhene no anim, de nʼanim butuw fam kae se, “Anuonyam nka Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn. Ɔde nnipa a wɔyɛɛ adɔm tiaa me wura ɔhene ahyɛ ne nsa.”
And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king: 'All is well.' And he bowed down before the king with his face to the earth, and said: 'Blessed be the LORD thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.'
29 Ɔhene bisae se, “Na aberante, Absalom ho ye ana?” Ahimaas buae se, “Bere a Yoab yɛɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔsoma ɔhene somfo ne me wo somfo no, mihuu sɛ nneɛma ayɛ basaa a na minhu mu yiye.”
And the king said: 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And Ahimaaz answered: 'When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.'
30 Ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Gyina nkyɛn ha na twɛn.” Enti ogyinaa nkyɛn twɛnee.
And the king said: 'Turn aside, and stand here.' And he turned aside, and stood still.
31 Na Kusni no bedu kae se, “Me wura, Nana, tie asɛm pa a mede nam! Nnɛ, Awurade ayi wo afi wɔn a wɔsɔre tiaa wo no nyinaa nsam.”
And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said: 'Tidings for my lord the king; for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.'
32 Na ɔhene bisaa Kusni no se, “Na aberante Absalom ho te dɛn?” Kusni no buae se, “Me wura ɔhene, atamfo nyinaa ne wɔn a wɔsɔre tia wo, pɛ sɛ wɔyɛ wo bɔne no, nhu amane sɛ saa aberante no.”
And the king said unto the Cushite: 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And the Cushite answered: 'The enemies of my lord the king and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.'
33 Ɔhene ho wosowee. Ɔfaa ɔkwan ano pon no mu kɔɔ ne dan mu kosui, twaa adwo. Ɔrekɔ no, ɔkae se, “Ao, me ba Absalom! Me ba, me ba Absalom! Anka minwu nnya wo! Ao, Absalom, me ba, me ba!”
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, thus he said: 'O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!'
