2 Samuel 19

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

Joab was told, “Look, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

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.

So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the army, for the army heard it said that day, “The king is mourning for his son.”

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

The soldiers had to sneak quietly into the city that day, like people who are ashamed sneak away when they run 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 and cried in a loud voice, “My son Absalom, 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 into the house to the king and said to him, “You have shamed the faces of all your soldiers today, who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of 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.

because you love those who hate you, and you hate those who love you. For today you have shown that commanders and soldiers are nothing to you. Today I believe that if Absalom had lived, and we all had died, then that would have pleased you.

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.”

Now therefore get up and go out and speak kindly to your soldiers, for I swear by Yahweh, if you do not go, not one man will remain with you tonight. That would be worse for you than all the disasters that have ever happened to you from your 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.

So the king got up and sat in the city gate, and all the people were told, “Look, the king is sitting in the gate,” and all the people came before the king. So Israel fled, every man to his home.

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.

All the people were arguing with each other throughout all the tribes of Israel saying, “The king rescued us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines, but now he has run out of the land because of Absalom.

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.”

Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing 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.

King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah saying, 'Why are you the last to bring the king back to his palace, since the talk of all Israel favors the king, to bring him back to his palace?

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 brothers, my flesh and bone. Why then are you 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.”

Then say to Amasa, 'Are you not my flesh and my bone? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of my army from now on in the place 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.”

So he won the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man. They sent to the king saying, “Return, you and all your men.”

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 to the Jordan. Now the men of Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king and then to bring the king across the Jordan.

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

Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried 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.

There were one thousand men from Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants with him. They crossed through the Jordan in the presence of 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.

They crossed to bring over the king's family and to do whatever he thought good. Shimei son of Gera bowed down before the king just before he began to cross the Jordan.

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

Shimei said to the king, “Do not, my master, find me guilty or call to mind the wrong your servant did the day my master the king left Jerusalem. Please, may the king not take it to heart.

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

For your servant knows that I have sinned. See, that is why I have come today as the first from all the family of Joseph to come down to meet my master the king.”

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

But Abishai son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh'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!”

Then David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should today be adversaries to me? Will any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”

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

So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” So the king promised him with an oath.

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 Mephibosheth son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had not dressed his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he came home in peace.

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

So when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you 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.’

He answered, “My master the king, my servant deceived me, for I said, 'I will saddle a donkey so I may ride on it and go with the king, because your 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.

My servant Ziba has slandered me, your servant, to my master the king. But my master the king is like an angel of God. Therefore, do what is good in your 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 my father's house were dead men before my master the king, but you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I that I should still cry any more to the king?”

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

Then the king said to him, “Why explain anything further? I have decided that you and Ziba will divide the fields.”

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

So Mephibosheth replied to the king, “Yes, let him take it all, since my master the king has come safely to his own home.”

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

Then Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim to cross over the Jordan with the king, and he accompanied the king 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 a very old man, eighty years old. He had furnished the king with provisions while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

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 over with me, and I will provide for you to stay with me in Jerusalem.”

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

Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days are left in 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. Can I distinguish between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a burden to my master the king?

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

Your servant would like to just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a 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.”

Please let your servant return back home, so I may die in my own city by the grave of my father and my mother. But see, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my master the king, and do for him what 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 answered, “Kimham will go over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me, I do that for you.”

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 all the people crossed the Jordan, and the king crossed over, and the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him. Then Barzillai returned to his own home.

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

So the king crossed over to Gilgal, and Kimham crossed over with him. All the army of Judah brought the king over, and also half the army 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?”

Soon all the men of Israel began to come to the king and say to the king, “Why have our brothers, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king and his family 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.”

So the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “It is because the king is more closely related to us. Why then are you angry about this? Have we eaten anything that the king had to pay for? Has he 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 Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten tribes related to the king, so we have even more right to David than you. Why then did you despise us? Was not our proposal to bring back our king the first to be heard?” But the words of the men of Judah were even more harsh than the words of the men of Israel.