2 Samuel 23
1 Yei ne Dawid nsɛm a ɛtwaa toɔ: “Dawid, Yisai ba barima a Onyankopɔn maa no nkɔsoɔ a ɛyɛ nwanwa, na Yakob Onyankopɔn sraa no ngo no, ne nnwomsiaani papa bi nie:
David, the son of Jesse, was a man whom [God caused to] become great. He was appointed to become king by the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. He wrote beautiful songs for the Israeli people. This is the last song that he wrote:
2 “Awurade honhom kasa fa me mu; ne nsɛm wɔ me tɛkrɛma so.
“The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.
3 Israel Onyankopɔn kasaeɛ, Israel botan ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ: ‘Onipa a ɔdi ɔhene tenenee mu, na ɔde Nyamesuro di ɔhene no,
God, the one whom we Israeli [people worship], has spoken; the one who protects us Israeli people said to me, ‘Kings who rule people justly have an awesome respect for me, God.
4 ɔte sɛ anɔpa hann, ɔte sɛ owiapue a ɛhyerɛn ɛberɛ a omununkum nni hɔ; ɔte sɛ osutɔ a ɛma ahodwoɔ, na ɛma ɛserɛ foforɔ pue firi asase mu.’
They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’
5 “Ɛyɛ me fie na Onyankopɔn ayi. Aane, ɔne me ayɛ apam a ɛwɔ hɔ daa. Ne nhyehyɛeɛ yɛ afebɔɔ, ebi nni hɔ bio, na wɔasɔ ano. Ɔbɛhwɛ me yiedie ne me nkɔsoɔ daa.
And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family [RHQ] because he made an agreement with me that will endure forever, an agreement in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed. He will surely cause me to prosper [RHQ], and he will always help me, and that is all that I desire.
6 Na wɔn a wɔnnim Onyame no te sɛ nkasɛɛ a wɔbɛto aguo, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔwowɔ nsa a ɛsɔ mu.
But [he will get rid of] godless/evil people like [SIM] people throw away thorns that [injure people if they try to] pick them up with their hands.
7 Ɛsɛ sɛ obi kɔ amia mu ansa na watwa wɔn agu; wɔde ogya bɛhye wɔn dworobɛɛ.”
Someone [who wants to get rid of thornbushes] does not grab them; he uses an iron [shovel] or a spear [to dig them out] and then he burns them completely.
8 Edin a ɛdidi soɔ yi yɛ Dawid nnɔmmarima: Deɛ ɔdi ɛkan ne Yoseb-Basebet a ɔfiri Tahkemon, na ɔyɛ ɔsahene wɔ akofoɔ akɛseɛ Baasa bi so wɔ Dawid mmarima no mu. Ɔno na ɔde ne pea kumm atamfoɔ akofoɔ aha nwɔtwe wɔ ɔsa baako pɛ mu.
These are the names of David’s three greatest warriors. The first was Esh-Baal, [whose other name was Jashobeam], from the Hachmon clan (OR, the son of Hachmon). He was the leader of the three men. One time he fought against 800 enemies and killed them all with his spear.
9 Deɛ ɔtɔ so mmienu wɔ Baasa no mu no ne Dodo babarima Eleasa a ɔyɛ Ahohi aseni. Ɛberɛ bi Eleasa ne Dawid ka boom, te gyinaeɛ, de tiaa Filistifoɔ ɛberɛ a Israel akodɔm no nyinaa adwane.
The second/next one of the three greatest warriors was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied/challenged the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered for the battle. The [other] Israeli soldiers retreated,
10 Ɔkunkumm Filistifoɔ no ara kɔsii sɛ afei, na ɔntumi mpagya ne pea. Nanso, Awurade maa no dii nkonim saa da no. Akodɔm a aka no ansane amma, kɔsii ɛberɛ a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkɔtase wɔn asadeɛ no.
but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that [his hand cramped and] he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the [other] Israeli soldiers returned [to where Eleazar was], and stripped off the [armor from the men whom he had] killed.
11 Deɛ ɔdi hɔ yɛ Sama a ɔyɛ Agee a ɔfiri Harar babarima. Ɛda koro bi, Filistifoɔ no boaa wɔn ho ano wɔ Lehi, na wɔto hyɛɛ Israelfoɔ no so asɛdua afuo bi mu. Israel akodɔm no dwaneeɛ,
The third one of the greatest warriors was Shammah, the son of Agee from [the clan/town of] Harar. One time the Philistia soldiers gathered at Lehi [town], where there was a field full of lentils/peas [that they wanted to steal]. The other Israeli soldiers ran away from the Philistia troops,
12 nanso, Sama gyinaa ne nan so pintinn wɔ afuo no mfimfini, kaa Filistifoɔ no guiɛ. Enti, Awurade ma ɔdii nkonim.
but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistia soldiers [steal the crops], and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.
13 Ɛberɛ bi, ɛduruu twaberɛ no a Dawid wɔ Adulam ɔbodan mu no, Filistia akodɔm bɛkyeree sraban wɔ Refaim bɔnhwa mu. Baasa no (a na wɔka Aduasa no ho no, wɔn a na wɔyɛ nimdefoɔ wɔ Dawid akofoɔ mu no) siane kɔhyiaa no wɔ hɔ.
Altogether there were 30 special warriors among David’s soldiers. Once, when it was almost time to harvest [the crops], three of those 30 men went down to Adullam Cave, where David was [staying]. A group of men from the Philistia army had set up their tents in Rephaim Valley [near Jerusalem].
14 Saa ɛberɛ no na Dawid te sraban mu hɔ a na Filistifoɔ akodɔm no fa bi nso akɔtena Betlehem.
David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.
15 Dawid daa nʼakɔnnɔ adi sɛ, “Ao, sɛ menya nsu pa a ɛwɔ Betlehem abura a ɛwɔ kuro no ɛpono no ano hɔ no bi a, mɛnom.”
[One day] David very much wanted [some water] to drink, and said “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!”
16 Enti, Baasa no bu faa Filistifoɔ no mu kɔsaa nsuo no bi firii abura no mu, de brɛɛ Dawid. Nanso, wannom. Mmom, ɔhwie guu Awurade anim.
So his three greatest warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out [on the ground] as an offering to Yahweh.
17 Ɔteaam sɛ, “Awurade ma ɛmpare me sɛ mɛnom yei! Saa nsuo yi som bo te sɛ saa mmarima yi a wɔde wɔn nkwa too hɔ, kɔsaa nsuo yi brɛɛ me yi mogya.” Enti, Dawid annom. Aninsɛm a Baasa no yɛeɛ nhwɛsoɔ bi nie.
He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.
18 Na Yoab nua Seruia babarima Abisai nso dii Aduasa no anim. Ɛda bi, ɔde ne pea kumm atamfoɔ akofoɔ ahasa wɔ ɔsa baako pɛ mu. Saa mmaninsɛm yi enti na ɔgyee edin te sɛ Baasa no.
Abishai, Joab’s [younger] brother, was the leader of the 30 [greatest warriors]. [One day] he fought against 300 men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous.
19 Abisai na ɔgyee edin pa ara wɔ Aduasa no mu. Ɛwom na ɔnka Baasa no ho deɛ, nanso na ɔno ne Aduasa no safohene.
He was the most famous of the thirty greatest warriors, and he became their leader/commander, but he was not one of the three greatest warriors.
20 Na Yehoiada babarima Benaia nso yɛ ɔkofoɔ kokodurufoɔ a ɔfiri Kabseel. Ɔdii aninsɛm bebree a ebi ne sɛ, ɔkumm Moab akofoɔ akɛseɛ baanu. Ɛberɛ bi nso, ɔtaa gyata, ma wɔkɔtɔɔ amena mu. Na sukyerɛmma atɔ, ama fam ayɛ toro deɛ, nanso ɔkyeree gyata no, kumm no.
Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from Kabzeel [town], also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people-group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling, and killed a lion there.
21 Ɛberɛ bi nso, na akontibaa na ɛkura no, nanso ɔde kumm Misraimni ɔkofoɔ kɛseɛ bi a na ɔno kura pea. Benaia hwam pea no firii Misraimni no nsam, na ɔde kumm no.
He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah [had only] his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
22 Yeinom ne mmaninsɛm a ɛmaa Yehoiada babarima Benaia gyee edin te sɛ Baasa no.
Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.
23 Na ɔwɔ animuonyam sene wɔn a na wɔfra Aduasa no mu, nanso na ɔnka Baasa no ho. Na Dawid yɛɛ no nʼawɛmfoɔ no so ɔsahene.
He was more honored than the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but not as famous as the three greatest warriors. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.
24 Wɔn a aka a wɔfra Aduasa no mu nie: Yoab nuabarima Asahel; Dodo a ɔfiri Betlehem babarima Elhanan;
[These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
25 Sama a ɔfiri Harod; Elika a ɔfiri Harod;
Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];
26 Heles a ɔfiri Palti; Ira, Ikes a ɔfiri Tekoa babarima;
Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];
27 Abieser a ɔfiri Anatot; Sibekai a ɔfiri Husa;
Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];
28 Salmon a ɔfiri Ahoa; Maharai a ɔfiri Netofa;
Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];
29 Heleb, Baana a ɔfiri Netofa babarima; Itai, Ribai a ɔfiri Gibea (Benyamin abusuakuo mu) babarima;
Heleb, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah [town]; Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah [town] in [the land that belonged to] the tribe of Benjamin;
30 Benaia a ɔfiri Piraton; Hidai a ɔfiri Nahale-Gaas;
Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];
31 Arbatini Abi-Albon; Asmawet a ɔfiri Bahurim;
Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];
32 Eliahba a ɔfiri Saalbon; Yaasen mmammarima;
Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;
33 Yonatan, Sama a ɔfiri Harar babarima; Sarar, Ahiam a ɔfiri Maaka babarima;
Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];
34 Elifelet, Ahasbai a ɔfiri Maaka babarima; Eliam, Ahitofel a ɔfiri Gilo babarima;
Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];
35 Hesro a ɔfiri Karmel; Paarai a ɔfiri Arba;
Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];
36 Igal, Natan a ɔfiri Soba babarima; Bani a ɔfiri Gad;
Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;
37 Selek a ɔfiri Amon; Naharai a ɔfiri Beerot (Yoab akodeɛkurafoɔ);
Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];
38 Ira a ɔfiri Yitri; Gareb a ɔfiri Yitri;
Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];
39 Hetini Uria. Wɔn nyinaa dodoɔ yɛ aduasa nson.
Uriah, [Bathsheba’s husband], from the Heth people-group. Altogether, there were 37 famous soldiers, [but some of them had died and their names were not included].
