2 Samuel 19
1 Ankyɛre na nkra duruu Yoab nkyɛn sɛ ɔhene no resu, redi awerɛhoɔ wɔ Absalom ho.
Someone told Joab that the king was crying and mourning because Absalom had died.
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.
All of David’s soldiers became sad. Instead of rejoicing about defeating [the soldiers who had fought with Absalom], they were sad because they heard that the king was mourning because Absalom [was dead].
3 Wɔwiaa wɔn ho kɔɔ kuro no mu sɛdeɛ wɔn a wɔadi nkoguo de aniwuo dwane firi ɔko mu.
The soldiers returned to the city quietly, like [SIM] soldiers do when they are ashamed because they ran away from battle.
4 Ɔhene de ne nsa kataa nʼanim, kɔɔ so twaa adwo sɛ, “Ao, me ba Absalom! Ao, Absalom, me ba, me ba!”
The king covered his face [with his hands] and kept crying loudly, “O, my son Absalom! O, Absalom, 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.
Then Joab entered the room where the king was, and said to the king, “Today you have caused your soldiers to be ashamed! You have humiliated the men who saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and your ordinary wives and your slave wives!
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.
[It seems that] you love those who hate you and [that] you hate those who love you. You have caused it to be clear today that your commanders and your officers are not at all important to you. I think that if Absalom were still alive and we were all dead today, you would be happy.
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.”
So, now go and thank your soldiers [for what they did]. Because I solemnly declare that if you do not do that, none of them will still be with you by tomorrow morning and that would be worse [for you] than all the disasters/troubles that you have experienced since you were a boy.”
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.
So the king got up and went and sat near the city gate. And all the people were told, “Hey, the king is sitting at the gate!” So they all came and gathered around him. Meanwhile, all the Israeli troops [who had been with Absalom] had returned to their homes.
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.
Then all the people throughout the tribes of Israel started to quarrel among themselves. They said to each other, “King David rescued us from the people of Philistia and from our other enemies. But now he has fled from Absalom and left Israel!
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.”
We appointed [MTY] Absalom to be our king, but he died in the battle [against David’s soldiers]. So (why does someone not try to bring King David back?/surely someone should try to bring King David back.)” [RHQ]
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.
King David [found out what the people were saying. So he] sent the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar, to say to the leaders of Judah, “The king says that he has heard that all the Israeli people [want him to be king again]. And he says, ‘(Why should you be the last ones to bring me back to my palace?/It is not right that you be the last ones to bring me back to my palace.) [RHQ]
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?”
You are my relatives; we have the same ancestor [IDM]. So (why should you be the last ones to bring me back?/you should certainly not be the last ones to bring me back.) [RHQ]’”
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 say to Amasa, “You are one of my relatives. I hope/desire that God strike me dead [IDM] if I do not appoint you to be, from now on, the commander of my army instead 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.”
[By sending that message to them, ] David convinced all the people of Judah [IDM] [that they should (be loyal to him/accept him as their king]). So they sent a message to the king, saying “We want you and all your officials to return here.”
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 [and his officials started back toward Jerusalem]. When they reached the Jordan [River], the people of Judah came there to Gilgal to meet the king, and to bring him across the river.
16 Gera a ɔyɛ Benyaminni a ɔfiri Bahurim babarima Simei ne Yuda mmarima yɛɛ ntɛm kɔhyiaa ɔhene Dawid.
Shimei, the man from the tribe of Benjamin, also came down quickly [to the river] with the people 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.
There were 1,000 men from the tribe of Benjamin who came with him. And Ziba, who had been the servant of Saul, also hurried down to the Jordan [River], bringing 20 of his servants with him. They all came to 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 then they all [prepared to] take the king and all his family across the river, at the place where they could walk across it. They wanted to do whatever the king wanted them to do. As the king was about to cross the river, Shimei came to him and prostrated himself in front of the king.
19 Ɔsrɛɛ no sɛ, “Me wura ɔhene, fa me bɔne kyɛ me. Nkae amumuyɛsɛm a meyɛeɛ ɛberɛ a wofirii Yerusalem.
He said to the king, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. Please do not keep thinking about the terrible thing that I did on the day that you left Jerusalem. Do not think about it any more.
20 Mahunu bɔne a mayɛ, enti na madi ɛkan wɔ Yosef abusua nyinaa mu rebɛkyea wo yi.”
Because I know that I have sinned. Look, I have come today, the first one from the northern tribes to come here to greet you today, Your Majesty.”
21 Na Seruia babarima Abisai kaa sɛ, “Simei sɛ owuo, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔdomee deɛ Awurade asra no no.”
But Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said, “He cursed the one that Yahweh appointed [MTY] to be the king! So (should he not be executed for doing that?/he certainly should be executed for doing that.)” [RHQ]
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!”
But David said, “You sons of Zeruiah, what am I going to do with you? (OR, you are not the ones who should decide [what to do to him]). [It is as though] you have become my enemies today. I know that I am the one who has now become the king of Israel, [so I say that] certainly no one [RHQ] in Israel should be executed today.”
23 Enti, ɔhene no kaa ntam kyerɛɛ Simei sɛ, “Wɔrenkum wo.”
Then the king said to Shimei, “I solemnly promise that I will not execute you.”
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.
Then Miphibosheth, Saul’s grandson, came down [to the river] to greet the king. He had not washed his feet or trimmed his beard or washed his clothes, from the time that the king left Jerusalem until the day that he returned.
25 Ɔhene no bisaa no sɛ, “Mefiboset, adɛn enti na wo ne me ankɔ?”
When he arrived from Jerusalem to greet the king, the king said to him, “Mephibosheth, why did you not go with me?”
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.’
He replied, “Your Majesty, [you know that] I am crippled. [When I heard that you were leaving Jerusalem, ] I said to my servant [Ziba], ‘Put a saddle on my donkey in order that I can ride on it and go with the king.’ But he deceived me [and left without me].
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 lied to you about me. But, Your Majesty, you are [as wise] as God’s angel. So do whatever seems right to you.
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?”
All of my grandfather’s family expected/deserved that we would be executed. But [you did not execute me; ] you allowed me to eat food with you at your table! So I certainly do not have [RHQ] the right to request you for anything more.”
29 Ɔhene ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wʼasɛm aware? Mehyɛ mo sɛ, wo ne Siba nkyɛ nsase no mu.”
The king replied, “You certainly do not need to say any more. I have decided that you and Ziba will divide [equally] the land [that belonged to your grandfather Saul].”
30 Mefiboset ka kyerɛɛ ɔhene no sɛ, “Ɛdɔɔ me so sɛ me wura ɔhene asane aba efie dwoodwoo yi, ma Siba mfa biribiara.”
Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Your Majesty, [I am content that] you have returned safely. So allow him to take all the land.”
31 Gileadni Barsilai nso firi Rogelim baa sɛ ɔrebɛboa ama ɔhene atwa Yordan.
Barzillai, the man from [the] Gilead [region], had come down to the Jordan [River] from [his town of] Rogelim, to escort the king across the river.
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.
Barzillai was a very old man, 80 years old. He was a very wealthy man, and he had provided food for the king [and his soldiers] while they were at Mahanaim.
33 Ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ Barsilai sɛ, “Wo ne me ntwa, na wo ne me nkɔtena Yerusalem, na mɛhwɛ wo.”
The king said to Barzillai, “Come with me to Jerusalem, and I will take care of you.”
34 Nanso, Barsilai buaa ɔhene sɛ, “Aka me nna ahe a ɛsɛ sɛ me ne wo kɔtena Yerusalem, Nana?
But Barzillai replied, “I certainly do not have [RHQ] many more years to live. So (why should I go with you to Jerusalem?/there is certainly no reason for me to go with you to Jerusalem.) [RHQ]
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 now 80 years old. I do not [RHQ] know what is enjoyable and what is not enjoyable. I cannot [RHQ] enjoy what I eat and what I drink. I cannot [RHQ] hear the voices of men and women as they sing. So (why should I be another burden to you?/I do not want to be another burden to you.) [RHQ]
36 Animuonyam a mepɛ ara ne sɛ me ne Nana bɛtwa asuo no.
I will cross the Jordan [River] with you and go a little further, and that will be all the reward that I need [for helping you].
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.”
Then please allow me to return to my home, because that is where I want to die, near my parents’ grave. But here is [my son] Chimham. Your Majesty, allow him to go with you [and serve you], and do for him whatever seems good to you!”
38 Ɔhene no gye too mu kaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, Kimham ne me bɛkɔ, na deɛ anka mɛyɛ ama woɔ no, mɛyɛ ama no.”
The king replied, “Okay, he will cross [the river] with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you. And I will do for you whatever you want me to do.”
39 Enti, nnipa no nyinaa ne ɔhene no twaa Yordan. Ɔhene no yɛɛ Barsilai atuu, hyiraa no. Na Barsilai sane nʼakyi kɔɔ ne kurom.
Then King David and all the others crossed the Jordan [River]. He kissed Barzillai and [asked God to] bless him. Then Barzillai returned to his home.
40 Ɔhene faa Kimham kaa ne ho kɔɔ Gilgal. Yuda akodɔm nyinaa ne Israel akodɔm no mu fa de ɔhene twaa asuo no.
[After they crossed the river, ] Chimham went with the king, and all the army of Judah and half the army of the other Israeli tribes escorted/accompanied the king to Gilgal.
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?”
Then all the soldiers from the other Israeli tribes came to the king and said, “(Why is it that our relatives, the men from Judah, took you away from us and wanted to be the only ones to escort you and your family across the river, along with all your men?/It is not right that our relatives, the men from Judah, took you away from us and wanted to be the only ones to escort you and your family across the river, along with all your men.) [RHQ] [Why did you not request us to do that]?” [RHQ]
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.”
The soldiers from Judah replied, “We did it because the king is from Judah. So (why are you angry about that?/you should not be angry about that.) [RHQ] The king has never paid for our food, and he has never given us any gifts.”
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.
The men of the other Israeli tribes replied, “[There are ten tribes in Israel, and only one in Judah. So] it is ten times more right for us to say that David [is our king] than it is for you to say that. So why are you despising us [RHQ]? We were certainly [RHQ] the first ones to talk about bringing David back [to Jerusalem to be our king again].” But the men of Judah spoke more harshly than the men from the other tribes of Israel did.
