2 Samuel 19

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

And it was told to Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth 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.

And the victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people: for the people heard it said that day how 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 withdrew by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away 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 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.

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives 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.

In that thou lovest thy enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

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 arise, go forth, and speak kindly to thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou shalt not go forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse to 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 rose, and sat in the gate. And they told to all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

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 at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines; and now he hath fled out of the land for 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.”

And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of 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 Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even 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?”

Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: why then are ye 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 say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually 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.”

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word to the king, Return thou, and 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 to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

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

And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hasted and came 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 a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over 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 a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he came over Jordan;

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

And said to the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity to me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take 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 sinned: therefore, behold, I have come the first this day 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 Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, 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 Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries to me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?

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

Therefore the king said to Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king swore to 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 son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.

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

And it came to pass, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why 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 me a donkey, that I may ride on it, and go to 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 hath slandered thy servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore 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 but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that ate at thy own table. What right therefore have I yet to 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.”

And the king said to him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

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 to the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king hath come again in peace to his own house.

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

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over 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 aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; 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 to Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

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

And Barzillai said to the king, How long have I to live, 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 this day eighty years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy 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 thy servant be yet a burden to my lord the king?

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

Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense 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.”

Let thy servant, I pray thee, return again, that I may die in my own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to thee.

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 answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to thee: and whatever thou shalt require of me, that 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 went over Jordan. And when the king had come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to 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 the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went 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 to him, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?

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 answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: why then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? 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, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.