2 Samuel 20
1 Ɔtɔkwapɛfo bi a na wɔfrɛ no Seba na ɔyɛ Bikri a ofi Benyamin babarima, hyɛn torobɛnto teɛɛ mu se, “Yɛne Dawid nni hwee yɛ. Yenni agyapade biara wɔ Yisai babarima no nkyɛn. Israel mmarima, mommra na yɛn nyinaa nkɔ yɛn kurom!”
There also happened to be at the same place a troublemaker whose name was Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite. He blew the trumpet and said, “We have no part in David, neither have we any inheritance in the son of Jesse. Let every man go back to his home, Israel.”
2 Enti Israel mmarima gyaw Dawid hɔ, kodii Seba akyi. Nanso Yuda mmarima no de, wɔtenaa wɔn hene nkyɛn, na wɔwowaw no fi Asubɔnten Yordan ho, kosii Yerusalem.
So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah followed closely their king, from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem.
3 Bere a oduu nʼahemfi hɔ wɔ Yerusalem no, ɔhyɛɛ sɛ ne mpenanom du a ogyaw wɔn hɔ no, wɔmfa wɔn nkɔhyɛ kokoa mu baabi. Na ɛsɛ sɛ wɔma wɔn wɔn ahiade nyinaa, nanso ɔne wɔn renna bio. Enti wɔn mu biara tenaa ase sɛ okunafo, kosii ne wuda.
When David came to his palace at Jerusalem, he took the ten slave wives whom he had left to keep the palace, and he put them in a house under guard. He provided for their needs, but he did not sleep with them any longer. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living as if they were widows.
4 Ɔhene no hyɛɛ Amasa sɛ ɔmfa nnansa mmoaboa Yuda asraafo ano, na ɔmmɛka biribi nkyerɛ no saa bere no mu.
Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together within three days; you must be here, too.”
5 Enti Amasa kɔbɔɔ asraafo no amanneɛ, nanso nʼahoboa no boroo nnansa no.
So Amasa went to call Judah, but he was delayed beyond the time that the king had allotted for him.
6 Na Dawid ka kyerɛɛ Abisai se, “Saa ɔtɔkwapɛfo Seba no rebɛhaw yɛn asen sɛ nea Absalom haw yɛn no. Fa mʼakofo no, na taa no ansa na waguan akɔbɔ ne ho aguaa wɔ hintabea nkurow no mu baabi a yɛn nsa renka no.”
So David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's servants, my soldiers, and pursue after him, or he will find fortified cities and escape out of our sight.”
7 Enti Abisai ne Yoab yiyii awɛmfo a wodi mu fii Yoab asraafo ne ɔhene no ankasa de mu de tiw Seba.
Then Joab's men went out after him, along with the Kerethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty warriors. They left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
8 Na woduu Gibeon ɔbo kɛse no ho no, Amasa hyiaa wɔn. Na Yoab hyɛ nʼakotade a ɔde afoa abɔ nʼataaso. Otuu nten kɔɔ nʼanim sɛ ɔrekokyia Amasa no, afoa no fii boha no mu tɔɔ fam.
When they were at the great stone which is at Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing the battle armor that he had put on, which included a belt around his waist with a sheathed sword fastened to it. As he walked forward, the sword fell out.
9 Yoab bisaa no se, “Me nua, wo ho te dɛn?” Ɛhɔ ara na Yoab de ne nsa nifa soo nʼabogyesɛ mu, sɛ nea ɔrefew nʼano.
So Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my cousin?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
10 Amasa anhu sɛ afoa no hyɛ ne nsa benkum mu. Na Yoab de afoa no wɔɔ ne yam, maa ne nsono tu guu fam. Ɛho anhia sɛ Yoab betia ne so koraa, na Amasa wui. Yoab ne ne nuabarima Abisai gyaw no hɔ, toaa so tiw Bikri babarima Seba.
Amasa did not notice the dagger that was in Joab's left hand. Joab stabbed Amasa in the stomach and his bowels spilled out to the ground. Joab did not strike him again, and Amasa died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
11 Yoab asraafo no mu aberante a ɔyɛ panyin wɔ nsraadɔm no so no mu baako teɛɛ mu kyerɛɛ Amasa asraafo no se, “Obiara a ɔtaa Yoab akyi ne obiara a ɔwɔ Dawid afa no, ommedi Yoab akyi.”
Then one of Joab's men stood by Amasa, and the man said, “He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab.”
12 Amasa daa ne mogyabura mu wɔ ɔkwan no mfimfini. Na ɔbarima no huu sɛ asraafo no adu hɔ a wɔagyina rehwɛ Amasa no, ɔtwee no fii ɔkwan no mu, de no too wuram, de atade kataa ne so.
Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa off of the road and into a field. He threw a garment over him because he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
13 Woyii Amasa fii ɔkwan no mu akyi no, mmarima no nyinaa dii Yoab akyi sɛ wɔrekɔkyere Bikri babarima Seba.
After Amasa was taken off the road, all the men followed on after Joab in pursuit of Sheba son of Bikri.
14 Saa bere no, Seba kyinii Israel nyinaa boaboaa ne fifo Bikrifo ano wɔ Abel-Bet-Maaka.
Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth Maacah, and through all the land of the Bikrites, who gathered together and also pursued Sheba.
15 Yoab asraafo no duu hɔ no, wɔtow hyɛɛ Abel-Bet-Maaka so. Wosisii mpie wɔ kurow no akyi, de bɔɔ wɔn ho ban fii atamfo ho na wɔpempem afasu no, pɛɛ sɛ wodwiriw gu.
They caught up with him and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They built up a siege ramp against the city against the wall. All the army who were with Joab battered the wall to knock it down.
16 Na ɔbea nyansafo bi teɛɛ mu fi kurow no mu se, “Muntie! Muntie! Monka nkyerɛ Yoab se ɔmmra ha, na menka asɛm bi nkyerɛ no.”
Then a wise woman cried out of the city, “Listen, please listen, Joab! Come near me so I may speak with you.”
17 Yoab kɔɔ ne nkyɛn, na obisaa no se, “Wo na wɔfrɛ wo Yoab no?” Obuae se, “Yiw.” Ɔkae se, “Tie asɛm a wʼafenaa pɛ sɛ ɔka no.” Obuae se, “Meretie.”
So Joab came near to her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He answered, “I am listening.”
18 Ɔkae se, “Tete no, na yɛka se, ‘Yɛrekɔpɛ afotu wɔ Abel.’
Then she spoke, “They used to say in old times, 'Surely seek advice at Abel,' and that advice would end the matter.
19 Yɛpɛ asomdwoe ne nokware wɔ Israel. Wopɛ sɛ wosɛe kurow a adi nokware wɔ Israel. Adɛn nti na wopɛ sɛ wosɛe ade a ɛyɛ Awurade dea?”
We are a city that is one of the most peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?”
20 Yoab buae se, “Ɛnyɛ sɛ mepɛ sɛ mesɛe wo kuropɔn.
So Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
21 Nea merehwehwɛ no ara ne ɔbarima bi a ne din de Seba a ɔyɛ Bikri babarima a ofi Efraim bepɔw so, na wama ne ho so atia ɔhene, ɔhene Dawid. Fa saa ɔbarima no bra, na mefi kurow no mu.” Ɔbea no ka kyerɛɛ Yoab se, “Wɔbɛtow ne ti afi ɔfasu no so ama wo.”
That is not true. But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, named Sheba son of Bikri, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
22 Afei, ɔbea no kɔkaa nʼafotu pa no kyerɛɛ nnipa no nyinaa. Na wotwaa Bikri babarima Seba ti, tow maa Yoab. Enti ɔhyɛn torobɛnto maa ne mmarima no bɔ hwetee, maa obiara kɔɔ ne fi. Na Yoab san kɔɔ ɔhene nkyɛn wɔ Yerusalem.
Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew the trumpet and Joab's men left the city, every man to his home. Then Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
23 Yoab bɛyɛɛ Dawid asraafo no so sahene bio. Na Yehoiada babarima Benaia nso yɛ ɔhene bammɔfo so panyin.
Now Joab was over all the army of Israel, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and over the Pelethites.
24 Adoram na na ɔhwɛ adwumayɛfo so, na Yehosafat a ɔyɛ Ahilud babarima no kyerɛw ahemfo ho abakɔsɛm.
Adoniram was over the men who did forced labor, and Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder.
25 Na Sewa yɛ asennii kyerɛwfo. Na Sadok ne Abiatar nso yɛ asɔfo.
Sheva was scribe and Zadok and Abiathar were priests.
26 Ɛnna Yairini Ira nso yɛ Dawid sɔfo.
Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.
