2 Samuel 19

1 Ankyɛre na nkra duruu Yoab nkyɛn sɛ ɔhene no resu, redi awerɛhoɔ wɔ Absalom ho.

And it was told unto Joab, Behold, the king is weeping and he mourneth for Abshalom.

2 Ɛberɛ a akodɔm no tee ɔhene no awerɛhoɔ a ɔredi wɔ ne ba no ho no, nkonimdie mu anigyeɛ a na wɔwɔ mu saa da no danee awerɛhoɔ.

And the victory on that day was turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people heard it said on that day, that the king was grieved for his son.

3 Wɔwiaa wɔn ho kɔɔ kuro no mu sɛdeɛ wɔn a wɔadi nkoguo de aniwuo dwane firi ɔko mu.

And the people repaired by stealth on that day when coming into the city, as usually steal away the people who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

4 Ɔhene de ne nsa kataa nʼanim, kɔɔ so twaa adwo sɛ, “Ao, me ba Absalom! Ao, Absalom, me ba, me ba!”

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Abshalom, O Abshalom, my son, my son!

5 Na Yoab kɔɔ ɔhene no dan mu kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ɛnnɛ yɛagye wo, ne wo mmammarima, ne wo mmammaa, ne wo yerenom, ne wo mpenafoɔ nkwa. Nanso, woreyɛ yei de gu yɛn anim ase te sɛ deɛ yɛayɛ bɔne bi.

And Joab came to the king, into the house, and said, Thou hast covered with shame this day the faces of all thy servants, who have saved thy life this day, and the life of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines;

6 Wodɔ wʼatamfoɔ, na wotan wʼadɔfoɔ. Woada no adi ɛnnɛ sɛ, yɛnsɛ hwee mma wo. Sɛ Absalom te ase, na yɛn nyinaa awuwu a, anka wopɛ no saa.

Since thou lovest thy enemies, and hatest thy friends: for thou hast declared this day, that thou hast neither princes nor servants; for I perceive this day, that if Abshalom were but alive, and we all were dead this day, that then it would have been just right in thy eyes.

7 Afei, firi kɔ seesei, na kɔma akodɔm no amo, na mebɔ Awurade din, ka ntam sɛ, sɛ woanyɛ saa a, wɔn mu baako koraa nka ha anadwo yi. Na ɛbɛma woagyigya asene kane no.”

And now arise, go forth, and speak to the heart of thy servants; for by the Lord have I sworn, that if thou go not forth, there shall not remain one man with thee this night: and this would be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now.

8 Na ɔhene no firii adi kɔtenaa kuro no abɔntenpono no ano. Na asɛm no trɛɛ kuro no mu nyinaa sɛ ɔwɔ hɔ no, obiara kɔɔ ne nkyɛn. Saa ɛberɛ no na Israelfoɔ a wɔtaa Absalom akyi no nyinaa adwane kɔ wɔn afie mu.

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told it unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king is sitting in the gate. And all the people came before the king; but Israel fled, every man to his tents.

9 Na Israel mmusuakuo no nyinaa mu, na wɔredi abooboo, gye akyinnyeɛ. Na nnipa no reka sɛ, “Ɔhene no gyee yɛn firii atamfoɔ a wɔyɛ Filistifoɔ nsam, nanso Absalom taa no so, pamoo no firii ɔman no mu.

And all the people were contending throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king hath saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he it was that hath delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from before Abshalom.

10 Na seesei Absalom a yɛsraa no sɛ ɔmmɛdi yɛn so ɔhene no nso awu. Momma yɛnkɔka nkyerɛ Dawid na ɔnsane mmra mmɛdi yɛn so.”

And Abshalom, whom we had anointed over us, died in battle: and now why are ye silent about bringing the king back?

11 Na ɔhene Dawid somaa asɔfoɔ Sadok ne Abiatar, ma wɔkɔbisaa Yuda mpanimfoɔ sɛ, “Adɛn enti na mo deɛ, mompɛ sɛ mode ɔhene ahennie bɛsane ama no? Na mate sɛ Israel nyinaa ayɛ krado, na mo nko ara na motwentwɛn mo nan ase.

And king David sent to Zadok and to Ebyathar the priests, saying, Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why will you be the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is already come to the king, to his house.

12 Moyɛ mʼabusuafoɔ, mʼabusuakuo, mʼankasa me honam ne me mogya. Na ɛno enti, adɛn enti na motwa toɔ wɔ wɔn a wɔpene sɛ mɛsane aba no mu?”

My brothers are ye, my bone and my flesh are ye: wherefore then will you be the last to bring back the king?

13 Dawid ma wɔkɔka kyerɛɛ Amasa sɛ, “Sɛ woyɛ me wɔfaase yi, sɛ manyɛ wo ɔsahene ansi Yoab ananmu a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no nwononwono.”

And to 'Amassa shall ye say, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and may he thus continue to do, if thou shalt not be captain of the army before me continually in the room of Joab.

14 Afei, Amasa korɔkorɔɔ Yuda ntuanofoɔ nyinaa, ma wɔtiee no sɛ nnipa korɔ. Wɔde saa asɛm yi kɔtoo ɔhene anim sɛ, “Wo ne wɔn a wɔne wo wɔ hɔ no nyinaa mmra yɛn nkyɛn.”

And he turned the heart of all the men of Judah, as of one man: and these sent unto the king, Return thou, with all thy servants.

15 Na ɔhene no de nʼani kyerɛɛ Yerusalem. Ɔduruu Asubɔnten Yordan ho no, Yudafoɔ bɛhyiaa no sɛ wɔde no retwa asuo no.

So the king returned, and came as far as the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal, to go forth to meet the king, to conduct the king over the Jordan.

16 Gera a ɔyɛ Benyaminni a ɔfiri Bahurim babarima Simei ne Yuda mmarima yɛɛ ntɛm kɔhyiaa ɔhene Dawid.

Then hastened Shim'i the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bachurim, and went down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

17 Ɔrekɔ no, na Benyaminfoɔ apem ka ne ho a, na Siba a na ɔyɛ Saulo fidua mu soodoni, ne ne mmammarima dunum ne nʼasomfoɔ aduonu ka ho. Wɔyɛɛ ntɛm dii ɔhene no ɛkan kɔduruu Yordan hɔ.

And there were with him a thousand men of Benjamin, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they set hastily over the Jordan before the king.

18 Wɔtwa kɔɔ konkɔnoa kɔfaa ɔhene fiefoɔ de wɔn twaa asuo no, na wɔboaa wɔn wɔ ɛkwan biara a wɔbɛtumi so. Ɛberɛ a ɔhene no rebɛtwa asuo no, Gera babarima Simei kɔhwee nʼanim.

And there went over the ferry-boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what was good in his eyes. And Shim'i the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was passing over the Jordan;

19 Ɔsrɛɛ no sɛ, “Me wura ɔhene, fa me bɔne kyɛ me. Nkae amumuyɛsɛm a meyɛeɛ ɛberɛ a wofirii Yerusalem.

And he said unto the king, Let not my Lord impute it unto me as iniquity, neither do thou remember that in which thy servant acted perversely on the day that my Lord the king went forth out of Jerusalem, so that the king should lay it to his heart.

20 Mahunu bɔne a mayɛ, enti na madi ɛkan wɔ Yosef abusua nyinaa mu rebɛkyea wo yi.”

For thy servant doth know that I have indeed sinned; and, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my Lord the king.

21 Na Seruia babarima Abisai kaa sɛ, “Simei sɛ owuo, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔdomee deɛ Awurade asra no no.”

But Abishai the son of Zeruyah spoke out and said, Shall Shim'i for this not be put to death, because he cursed the Lord's anointed?

22 Na Dawid bisaa sɛ, “Mo Seruia mma, ɛdeɛn na me ne mo wɔ yɛ? Ɛnnɛ nnyɛ da a wɔkum obi. Ɛyɛ anigyeɛ da! Masane abɛdi ɔhene wɔ Israel so bio!”

And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruyah, that ye should become a hindrance this day unto me? shall this day any man be put to death in Israel? for do I not know that this day I am king over Israel?

23 Enti, ɔhene no kaa ntam kyerɛɛ Simei sɛ, “Wɔrenkum wo.”

And the king said unto Shim'i, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore unto him.

24 Mefiboset a ɔyɛ Saulo nana nso kɔhyiaa ɔhene no bi. Ɛfiri ɛberɛ a ɔhene no kɔeɛ no, na ɔnnwaree ne nan ase, mmubuu ne hweneanonwi so, nsii ne ntadeɛ da, kɔsii sɛ ɔhene baa asomdwoeɛ mu no.

And Mephibosheth the [grand] son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had not dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day that the king departed until the day that he came home in peace.

25 Ɔhene no bisaa no sɛ, “Mefiboset, adɛn enti na wo ne me ankɔ?”

And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore didst thou not go with me, Mephibosheth?

26 Ɔbuaa sɛ, “Nana, me ɔsomfoɔ Siba daadaa me. Meyɛ obubuafo enti, mekaa sɛ, ‘hyehyɛ mʼafunumu ma me, na mentena ne so, sɛdeɛ mɛtumi ne ɔhene akɔ.’

And he answered, My Lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said, I will saddle for me the ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is lame.

27 Siba abɛsɛe me akyerɛ me wura ɔhene sɛ mampɛ sɛ meba. Nanso menim sɛ wote sɛ Onyankopɔn ɔbɔfoɔ; ne saa enti, yɛ deɛ wogye di sɛ ɛyɛ.

And he slandered thy servant unto my Lord the king; but my Lord the king is like an angel of God: do then what is good in thy eyes.

28 Biribiara mfata me ne mʼabusuafoɔ sɛ owuo a ɛbɛfiri me wura, ɔhene, nanso, woahyɛ me animuonyam wɔ wɔn a wɔdidi wo ɛpono so no mu. Enti, tumi bɛn na mewɔ sɛ mebisa ɔhene deɛ mehwehwɛ?”

For all of my father's house were nothing but men deserving death with my Lord the king: and yet didst thou set thy servant among those that eat at thy own table. What other merit therefore have I, and what to complain of yet farther unto the king?

29 Ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wʼasɛm aware? Mehyɛ mo sɛ, wo ne Siba nkyɛ nsase no mu.”

And the king said unto him, For what purpose speakest thou yet thy words? I have said, Thou and Ziba shall divide the field.

30 Mefiboset ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no sɛ, “Ɛdɔɔ me so sɛ me wura ɔhene asane aba efie dwoodwoo yi, ma Siba mfa biribiara.”

And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take the whole, since that my Lord the king is come [back] in peace unto his own house.

31 Gileadni Barsilai nso firi Rogelim baa sɛ ɔrebɛboa ama ɔhene atwa Yordan.

And Barzillai the Gil'adite came down from Rogelim; and he passed over the Jordan with the king, to accompany him over the Jordan.

32 Na Barsilai abɔ akɔkoraa a wadi mfeɛ aduɔwɔtwe, na ɔyɛ ɔdefoɔ kɛseɛ. Ɔno na ɔmaa ɔhene biribi diiɛ ɛberɛ a na ɔte Mahanaim no.

Now Barzillai was very aged, eighty years old: and he had sustained the king while he lay at Machanayim; for he was a very great man.

33 Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Barsilai sɛ, “Wo ne me ntwa, na wo ne me nkɔtena Yerusalem, na mɛhwɛ wo.”

And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee near me in Jerusalem.

34 Nanso, Barsilai buaa ɔhene sɛ, “Aka me nna ahe a ɛsɛ sɛ me ne wo kɔtena Yerusalem, Nana?

But Barzillai said unto the king, How many yet are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35 Madi mfirinhyia aduɔwɔtwe, na biribiara nyɛ me akɔnnɔ. Aduane ne nsã nyɛ me dɛ. Nnwontofoɔ nne so, merente na adesoa nko ara na mɛyɛ ama Nana.

I am eighty years old this day: can I discern between good and evil? or can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? or can I listen yet to the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant become yet a burden unto my Lord the king?

36 Animuonyam a mepɛ ara ne sɛ me ne Nana bɛtwa asuo no.

Thy servant will pass a little way over the Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense me with this reward?

37 Ma wo ɔsomfoɔ nsane nʼakyi, sɛdeɛ mɛwu wɔ me ara me kurom faako a wɔsiee mʼawofoɔ. Na me babarima Kimham nie. Ma ɔne me wura ɔhene nkɔ na ade pa biara a wopɛ no, yɛ ma no.”

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the sepulchre of my father and of my mother. But, behold, thy servant Kimham will pass over with my Lord the king; and do to him what is good in thy eyes.

38 Ɔhene no gye too mu kaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, Kimham ne me bɛkɔ, na deɛ anka mɛyɛ ama woɔ no, mɛyɛ ama no.”

And the king said, Kimham shall pass over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good in thy eyes: and whatsoever thou wilt desire of me, will I do for thee.

39 Enti, nnipa no nyinaa ne ɔhene no twaa Yordan. Ɔhene no yɛɛ Barsilai atuu, hyiraa no. Na Barsilai sane nʼakyi kɔɔ ne kurom.

And all the people passed over the Jordan, after the king had passed over; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

40 Ɔhene faa Kimham kaa ne ho kɔɔ Gilgal. Yuda akodɔm nyinaa ne Israel akodɔm no mu fa de ɔhene twaa asuo no.

Then did the king pass on to Gilgal, and Kimham passed on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

41 Nanso, Israel mmarima nyinaa bɛnwiinwii kyerɛɛ ɔhene sɛ, “Adɛn enti na yɛn nuanom Yuda mmarima awia wo kɔ, na wɔde Ɔhene ne ne fiefoɔ ne Dawid mmarima nyinaa a wɔka ne ho no akɔtwa Yordan aba?”

And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have conducted the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?

42 Yuda mmarima nyinaa buaa Israel mmarima no sɛ, “Yɛyɛɛ saa, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔhene no yɛ yɛn busuani pɛɛ. Adɛn enti na mo bo afu saa asɛm yi ho? Yɛannye no hwee na ɔno nso amma yɛn aduane anaa akyɛdeɛ biara nso.”

And all the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then are ye so angry for this matter? have we eaten the least from the king? or hath he given us any gift?

43 Na Israel mmarima buaa Yuda mmarima no sɛ, “Yɛwɔ mmusuakuo edu wɔ Israel na ɛno enti yɛwɔ ɔhene no mu kyɛfa edu. Na adɛn enti na mobu yɛn abomfiaa? Ɛnyɛ yɛn na yɛdii ɛkan kaa sɛ, wɔmfa yɛn ɔhene nsane mmra?” Na Yuda mmarima no ano yɛɛ den sene Israel mmarima no.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, Ten parts have we in the king, and also in David have we more right than ye: why then did ye esteem us lightly? and was not our word the very first to bring back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.