2 Samuel 17

1 Ahitofel ka kyerɛɛ Absalom sɛ, “Mɛyi akodɔm mpem dumienu, na mafiri ha anadwo yi akɔtaa Dawid so.

Then Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight.

2 Mɛto no wɔ ɛberɛ a wabrɛ na nʼaba mu abu. Ɔne nʼakodɔm nyinaa bɛbɔ hu na wɔadwane. Ɔhene no nko ara na mɛbɔ no ahwe,

I will come on him while he is weary and weak and will surprise him with fear. The people who are with him will flee, and I will attack only the king.

3 na mede nnipa no asane abrɛ wo, sɛdeɛ ayeforɔ kɔ ne kunu nkyɛn. Saa onipa yi nkwa nko ara na worehwehwɛ. Afei nnipa no nyinaa bɛka a wɔrenha obiara.”

I will bring back all the people to you, like a bride coming to her husband, and all the people will be at peace under you.”

4 Saa nhyehyɛeɛ yi sɔɔ Absalom ne Israel mpanimfoɔ nyinaa ani.

What Ahithophel said pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Nanso, Absalom kaa sɛ, “Momfrɛ Husai a ɔfiri Arki no mmra na yɛntie deɛ ɔwɔ ka.”

Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Arkite, too, and let us hear what he says.”

6 Husai baeɛ no, Absalom kaa deɛ Ahitofel aka no kyerɛɛ no. Afei ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Wʼadwene ne sɛn? Yɛmfa Ahitofel afotuo no anaa? Na sɛ ɛnte saa a, kyerɛ yɛn wʼadwene.”

When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom explained to him what Ahithophel had said and then asked Hushai, “Should we do what Ahithophel has said? If not, tell us what you advise.”

7 Husai buaa Absalom sɛ, “Mʼadwene ne sɛ saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ Ahitofel ayɛ mfomsoɔ.

So Hushai said to Absalom, “The advice that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.”

8 Wonim wʼagya ne ne dɔm; wɔyɛ akofoɔ akɛseɛ. Saa ɛberɛ yi, wɔn ani abre sɛ sisire a wɔawia ne mma wɔ wiram. Ɛno da nkyɛn a, wʼagya nim de wɔ akodie mu. Ɔne nʼakodɔm no rentena anadwo yi.

Hushai added, “You know your father and his men are strong warriors, and that they are bitter, and they are like a bear robbed of her cubs in a field. Your father is a man of war; he will not sleep with the army tonight.

9 Sɛ merekasa yi, wakɔtɛ ɔbodan bi mu anaa baabi foforɔ. Na sɛ ɔdi ɛkan to hyɛ mo so na mo mu kakra bi mpo totɔ a, ehu bɛtɔ wo dɔm no so na obiara bɛteam sɛ wɔrekunkum wo dɔm no.

Look, right now he is probably hidden in some pit or in some other place. It will happen that when some of your men have been killed at the beginning of an attack, that whoever hears it will say, 'A slaughter has taken place among the soldiers who follow Absalom.'

10 Na sɛ ɛba saa a, ɔsraani a ɔyɛ nnam a nʼakoma te sɛ gyata no koraa, ehu bɛma wabɔ hu. Na Israel nyinaa nim sɛ wʼagya yɛ ɔkofoɔ, na wɔn a wɔka ne ho no nso bo yɛ duru.

Then even the bravest soldiers, whose hearts are like the heart of a lion, will be afraid because all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that the men who are with him are very strong.

11 “Enti, metu wo fo sɛ, boa Israel nyinaa ano, ɛfiri Dan kɔsi Beer-Seba. Woyɛ saa a wobɛnya akodɔm a wɔn dodoɔ bɛyɛ sɛ mpoano anwea. Na megye medi sɛ wʼankasa bɛdi akodɔm no anim.

So I advise you that all Israel should be gathered together to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as numerous as the sands that are by the sea, and that you go to battle in person.

12 Na sɛ yɛhunu Dawid a, yɛbɛto ahyɛ no so, sɛdeɛ bosuo gu asase so, a ɔno ne mmarima no mu baako mpo nka.

Then we will come on him wherever he may be found, and we will cover him as the dew falls on the ground. We will not leave even one of his men, or him himself, alive.

13 Na sɛ Dawid adwane kɔ kuropɔn bi so a, wode Israel akodɔm nyinaa bɛkɔ hɔ. Afei, yɛbɛtumi afa ntampehoma de atwe kuro no afasuo, akɔgu bɔnhwa a ɛbɛn mu, kɔsi sɛ ɛboɔ biara a ɛwɔ mu no bɛyam.”

If he retreats into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city and we will drag it into the river, until there is no longer even a small stone found there.”

14 Afei, Absalom ne Israel mpanimfoɔ nyinaa kaa sɛ, “Husai afotuo no yɛ sene Ahitofel deɛ no.” Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade ahyehyɛ sɛ Ahitofel afotuo pa a ɔde ama no bɛsɛe, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ bɛba Absalom so.

Then Absalom and the men of Israel said, “Hushai the Arkite's advice is better than Ahithophel's.” Yahweh had ordained the rejection of Ahithophel's good advice in order to bring destruction on Absalom.

15 Na Husai kɔkaa asɛm a Ahitofel aka ne ɔno ankasa adwenkyerɛ no kyerɛɛ asɔfoɔ Sadok ne Abiatar.

Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel in such and such a way, but I have advised something else.

16 Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ntɛm! Monkɔhwehwɛ Dawid, na monka nkyerɛ no sɛ, ɔnntena Asubɔnten Yordan aworɔso hɔ anadwo yi. Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwa kɔ ɛserɛ no so akyi, anyɛ saa a, ɔne nʼakodɔm nyinaa bɛwuwu.”

Now then, go quickly and report to David; say to him, 'Do not camp tonight at the fords of the Arabah, but by all means cross over, or the king will be swallowed up along with all the people who are with him.'”

17 Yonatan ne Ahimaas tenaa En-Rogel, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wɔrenkɔ kuro no mu na wɔnnsane mpue. Na wɔayɛ nhyehyɛeɛ bi sɛ abaawa bi de nkra a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde kɔma ɔhene Dawid no bɛbrɛ wɔn.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at the spring of Rogel. A female servant used to go and inform them what they needed to know, for they could not risk being seen going into the city. When the message came, then they were to go and tell King David.

18 Nanso abarimaa bi hunuu wɔn sɛ wɔrefiri En-Rogel akɔ Dawid nkyɛn enti, ɔkɔka kyerɛɛ Absalom. Na wɔdwane kɔɔ Bahurim, maa ɔbarima bi de wɔn kɔsiee abura bi a ɛwɔ nʼadihɔ mu.

But a young man saw them this time and told Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz went away quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard, into which they descended.

19 Ɔbarima no yere de ntoma hataa abura no so, de atokoɔ guu so te sɛ deɛ ɔrehata no awia so, na obiara ansusu sɛ nnipa hyɛ abura no mu.

The man's wife took the covering for the well and spread it over the well's opening, and tossed grain over it, so no one knew Jonathan and Ahimaaz were in the well.

20 Ɛberɛ a Absalom mmarima no duruu hɔ no, wɔbisaa ɔbaa no sɛ, “Woahunu Ahimaas ne Yonatan anaa?” Ɔbuaa wɔn sɛ, “Na wɔwɔ ha deɛ, nanso wɔatwa asuwa no kɔ.” Absalom mmarima no hwehwɛɛ wɔn, nanso wɔanhunu wɔn enti, wɔsane kɔɔ Yerusalem.

Absalom's men came to the woman of the house and said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” The woman told them, “They have crossed over the river.” So after they had looked around and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 Afei mmarima baanu no firii abura no mu, de mmirika kɔɔ ɔhene Dawid nkyɛn kɔbɔɔ no amaneɛ sɛ, “Firi ha tware asuo no ntɛm so anadwo yi!” Wɔkaa Ahitofel afotuo a ɛbɛma wɔakyere no akum no no kyerɛɛ no.

It came about after they had left that Jonathan and Ahimaaz came up out of the well. They went to report to King David; they said to him, “Get up and cross quickly over the water because Ahithophel has given such and such advice about you.”

22 Enti, Dawid ne nnipa no nyinaa tutuu so, kɔtwaa Yordan. Ɛduruu ahemadakye no, na obiara atwa Yordan kɔ nʼagya.

Then David arose and all the people who were with him, and they crossed over the Jordan. By morning daylight not one of them had failed to cross over the Jordan.

23 Ahitofel hunuu sɛ nʼanim agu ase, ɛfiri sɛ wɔamfa nʼafotuo no, ɔhyehyɛɛ nʼafunumu tenaa ne so, kɔɔ ne kurom. Ɔtotoo ne nneɛma yie, na ɔhyɛɛ ne ho akɔmfo. Enti, ɔwuiɛ ma wɔsiee no wɔ nʼagya da mu.

When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and left. He went home to his own city, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself. In this way he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

24 Ankyɛre na Dawid duruu Mahanaim. Saa ɛberɛ yi na Absalom aboaboa Israel akodɔm no nyinaa ano a ɔdi wɔn anim rekɔtwa Asubɔnten Yordan.

Then David came to Mahanaim. As for Absalom, he crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25 Absalom yii Amasa de no tuaa akodɔm no ano, sii Yoab a na anka ɔyɛ Dawid sahene no ananmu. Amasa yɛ ɔbarima bi a wɔfrɛ no Yitra, a ɔyɛ Israelni a ɔwaree Abigail a ɔyɛ Nahas babaa, na ɔyɛ Seruia nuabaa, a ɔyɛ Yoab na no ba.

Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of Jether the Ishmaelite, who had slept with Abigail, who was the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab.

26 Israelfoɔ no ne Absalom tenaa Gilead asase so.

Then Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 Na Dawid duruu Mahanaim no, Nahas a ɔfiri Raba babarima Sobi Amonni no, kyeaa no fɛ so. Saa ara na Amiel a ɔfiri Lo-debar babarima Makir ne Gileadni Barsilai a ɔfiri Rogelim nso gyee no fɛ so.

It came about when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,

28 Wɔbrɛɛ no kɛtɛ, nkuku ne nkaka, atokoɔ, asikyiresiam, nkyeweɛ, asɛ ne asɛdua,

brought sleeping mats and blankets, bowls and pots, and wheat, barley flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,

29 ɛwoɔ ne nufosuo ani sradeɛ ne anantwie nufosuo a akyenkyene mua. Wɔde brɛɛ Dawid ne ne nkurɔfoɔ a wɔka ne ho no. Na wɔkaa sɛ, “Mo nyinaa moabrɛbrɛ, na ɛkɔm ne sukɔm de mo ɛfiri sɛ moanante ɛkwan tenten wɔ ɛserɛ so.”

honey, butter, sheep, and milk curds, so that David and the people with him could eat. These men had said, “The people are hungry, weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.”