2 Samuel 18
1 Afei, Dawid yiyii asahene ne asafohene dii nʼakofo anim.
And David mustered the people who were with him, and appointed commanders of thousands and commanders 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.”
David divided the army into three, 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 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 they said, "You must not go out, for if we retreat, no one will care about us. If half of us die, no one will care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. So it is better for you to be in the city to help."
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.
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 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.
The king gave this order to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Be gentle for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people were listening when the king gave orders to all the commanders 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 took place 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 struck there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter took place 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 spread over the entire region, 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 happened to meet the servants of David. And he was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head got caught in the oak, and he was left suspended in midair, while the mule that was under him kept going.
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 someone saw it and told Joab, and said, "Look, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak."
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.”
Then Joab said to the man who reported it, "Look, you saw this. So why didn't you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a belt."
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.’
But the man said to Joab, "Even if I could feel in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn't lay a hand on the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Be gentle for my sake with 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 treacherously against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have dissociated yourself from me."
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 Joab said, "I'm not going to waste time with you." So he took three sharp sticks in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the midst of the oak.
15 Yoab akodekurafo no mu mmerante du twaa Absalom ho hyiae, na wokum no.
Then ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded and struck Absalom and killed him.
16 Na Yoab hyɛn torobɛnto, maa asraafo no gyaee Israel taa.
Then Joab blew the trumpet and the people turned back from pursuing Israel, for Joab had called for the people to halt.
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 threw him into a large pit in the forest, and heaped up over him a huge pile of stones. Then all Israel fled, each 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 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; and it is called Absalom's monument, to this day.
19 Na Sadok babarima Ahimaas kae se, “Momma mintu mmirika nkɔbɔ ɔhene amanneɛ sɛ, Awurade ayi no afi atamfo nsam.”
Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run, let me carry the king news how that the LORD has 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.”
But Joab said, "You are not to bring the news today, but you may bring news another day. But today you are to bring no news." For it was because the king's son was 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 Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." So the Cushite bowed before Joab and departed.
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 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, "Whatever happens, please let me go after the Cushite." But Joab said, "Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?"
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 he said, "But whatever happens, I will run." So he said to him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran 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 was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall and raised his eyes and looked, and there was a man running alone towards him.
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,
Then the watchman shouted and informed the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth." And he kept coming nearer.
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.”
Then the watchman saw another man running. And the watchman above the gate called out, and said, "Look, another man running alone." And the king said, "He also brings good news."
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.”
Then the watchman said, "I think the first runner is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news."
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 came near and said to the king, "All is well." Then he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground, and said, "Blessed is the LORD your God, who has defeated the men who opposed 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 asked, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab, the king's servant, sent your servant off, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was."
30 Ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Gyina nkyɛn ha na twɛn.” Enti ogyinaa nkyɛn twɛnee.
Then the king said, "Step aside and stand here." So he stepped aside and waited.
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.”
Then look, the Cushite arrived, and he said, "Good news for my lord the king, for the LORD has delivered you today from all those who rose up against you."
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.”
Then the king asked the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you with evil intent be like that young man."
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 shaken, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. And as he wept he said, "My son Absalom. My son, my son Absalom. If only I had died in your place, Absalom, my son, my son."
