2 Samuel 3
1 Ɔko a ɛbɛtɔɔ wɔn a wɔwɔ Saulo afa ne wɔn a wɔwɔ Dawid afa no kyɛree yie, na ne ahyɛaseɛ nie. Ɛberɛ a Dawid adedie renya ahoɔden no, na Saulo adedie no resɛe.
Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.
2 Yeinom ne Dawid mmammarima a wɔwoo wɔn wɔ Hebron: Nʼabakan no din de Amnon a ɔyɛ Ahinoam a ɔfiri Yesreel no babarima.
And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess:
3 Deɛ ɔtɔ so mmienu no din de Kileab a ɔyɛ Abigail a na ɔyɛ Nabal a ɔfiri Karmel no kunabaa babarima; deɛ ɔtɔ so mmiɛnsa no din de Absalom a ɔyɛ Gesurhene Talmai babaa Maaka babarima.
And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur:
4 Deɛ ɔtɔ so ɛnan no din de Adoniya a ɔyɛ Hagit babarima; deɛ ɔtɔ so enum no din de Sefatia a ɔyɛ Abital babarima.
And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital:
5 Na deɛ ɔtɔ so nsia no din de Yitream a ɔyɛ Dawid yere Egla babarima. Wɔwoo saa mma yi maa Dawid wɔ Hebron.
And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David in Hebron.
6 Ɛberɛ a na ɔko a ɛda Saulo fie ne Dawid fie no gu so no, na Abner yɛ ntuanoni a ɔwɔ tumi wɔ wɔn a wɔdi Saulo akyi no so.
Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul.
7 Emu hɔ Is-Boset bɔɔ Abner kwaadu sɛ ɔne nʼagya Saulo mpena a wɔfrɛ no Rispa, a ɔyɛ Aya babaa, ada.
And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner:
8 Abner bo fuu yie kaa sɛ, “Meyɛ nkraman sodifoɔ wɔ Yuda na wɔadwoodwoo me saa? Deɛ mayɛ ama wo ne wʼagya, a mannyi mo amma Dawid no, mʼayɛyie ne sɛ, mode ɔbaa yi ho asɛm rekyekyere me?
Why didst thou go in to my father’s concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog’s head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman?
9 Sɛ mammoa Dawid ma ne nsa anka deɛ Awurade hyɛɛ ho bɔ no a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no nwononwono.
So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him,
10 Mede Saulo ahennie bɛkɔ akɔma Dawid na matim Dawid ahennwa ase wɔ Israel ne Yuda so afiri Dan akɔsi Beer-Seba.”
That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.
11 Esiane sɛ na Is-Boset suro Abner enti, wantumi ankasa bio.
And he could not answer him a word, because he feared him.
12 Afei, Abner tuu abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Ma yɛnyɛ nhyehyɛeɛ na mɛboa ama yɛadane Israelman mu no nyinaa ama wo.”
Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.
13 Dawid buaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ asɛm papa, nanso me ne wo renyɛ saa nhyehyɛeɛ no gye sɛ, sɛ woreba a, wode me yere Mikal a ɔyɛ Saulo babaa no brɛ me.”
And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me.
14 Enti, Dawid soma ma wɔkɔbɔɔ Saulo babarima Is-Boset amaneɛ sɛ, “Ma me nsa nka me yere Mikal, ɛfiri sɛ, mede Filistifoɔ ɔha nkwa na ɛtɔɔ no.”
And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.
15 Enti, Is-Boset gyee Mikal firii ne kunu Paltiel a ɔyɛ Lais babarima no nsam.
And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais.
16 Na Paltiel de su dii ɔbaa no akyi kɔduruu Bahurim. Na Abner ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Sane kɔ efie.” Na Paltiel sane kɔɔ efie.
And her husband followed her, weeping as far as Bahurim: and Abner said to him: Go and return. And he returned.
17 Na Abner ne Israel ntuanofoɔ adidi nkɔmmɔ. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Mmerɛ kakra a atwam nie no, na mopɛ sɛ mosi Dawid ɔhene.
Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.
18 Ɛberɛ no nie. Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade aka sɛ, ‘Mayi Dawid sɛ ɔnnye me nkurɔfoɔ mfiri Filistifoɔ ne wɔn atamfoɔ nyinaa nsam.’”
Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.
19 Abner sane ne Benyamin abusua mu ntuanofoɔ kasaeɛ. Afei, ɔkɔɔ Hebron kɔbɔɔ Dawid amaneɛ sɛ, Israel nyinaa ne Benyamin taa wʼakyi.
And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.
20 Ɛberɛ a Abner ne ne mmarima aduonu baa Hebron no, Dawid too wɔn ɛpono kɛseɛ.
And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.
21 Na Abner ka kyerɛɛ Dawid sɛ, “Ma menkɔ na menkɔfrɛ Israel nnipa nyinaa na wɔmmra wʼafa. Wɔne wo bɛyɛ apam, na wɔasi wo ɔhene. Na ɛbɛma woadi biribiara a wʼakoma pɛ so.” Enti, Dawid maa Abner kɔɔ dwoodwoo.
And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David bad brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,
22 Abner kɔeɛ ara pɛ, Yoab ne Dawid akodɔm no bi firi ɔsa mu baeɛ a wɔkura asadeɛ bebree.
Immediately David’s servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty: and Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23 Ɛberɛ a wɔka kyerɛɛ Yoab sɛ Abner baa hɔ nkyɛree koraa, na ɔbɛsraa ɔhene, ama ɔhene ama no kɔ asomdwoeɛ mu no,
And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24 Yoab yɛɛ ntɛm kɔhunuu ɔhene bisaa no sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na woayɛ yi? Abner kɔ a womaa no kɔeɛ yi, wokyerɛ sɛn?
And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?
25 Wonim pefee sɛ, ɔbaa wo so sɛ ɔkwansrafoɔ, bɛhwehwɛɛ deɛ woreyɛ nyinaa mu anaa?”
Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?
26 Ɛhɔ ara, Yoab firi Dawid nkyɛn, na ɔsomaa abɔfoɔ sɛ wɔnti Abner. Wɔkɔtoo no Sira ɔtadeɛ ho, twee no de no baeɛ. Nanso, na Dawid nnim ho hwee.
Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.
27 Afei, Abner sane kɔɔ Hebron no, Yoab frɛɛ no kɔɔ nkyɛn kɔsii ɛpono ano te sɛ deɛ ɔrekɔka kɔkoamsɛm akyerɛ no no. Na ɛhɔ no na ɛsiane sɛ ɔpɛ sɛ ɔtɔ ne nuabarima Asahel so wedeɛ no enti, Yoab wɔɔ Abner yafunu mu sekan ma ɔwuiɛ.
And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.
28 Akyire no a Dawid tee saa asɛm yi no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Me ne mʼahemman nnim saa asɛm a ɛfa Abner yi ho hwee wɔ Awurade anim.
And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
29 Ne mogya ngu Yoab ne nʼagya fie so! Yoab efie deɛ, awoɔ ntoatoasoɔ mu nyinaa, obi a watutu akuro anaa ɔyare kwata, deɛ ɔnam poma ho nanteɛ anaa deɛ ɔwu akofena ano ne deɛ ɔsrɛsrɛ aduane rempa hɔ da.”
And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father’s house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.
30 Yoab ne ne nuabarima Abisai kumm Abner, ɛfiri sɛ, Abner kumm wɔn nuabarima Asahel wɔ akono wɔ Gibeon.
So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.
31 Na Dawid ka kyerɛɛ Yoab ne nnipa a wɔka ne ho no nyinaa sɛ, “Monsunsuane mo ntoma mu, na momfira ayitoma. Montwa Abner agyaadwoɔ.” Na ɔhene Dawid ankasa dii santen a wɔato no akyi, kɔɔ ɛda no so.
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
32 Wɔsiee Abner wɔ Hebron, na ɔhene Dawid ne nnipa no nyinaa suu wɔ ne damena no ho.
And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept.
33 Afei, ɔhene too saa kwadwom yi maa Abner: “Ɛsɛ sɛ Abner wu sɛdeɛ nkwaseafoɔ wuo anaa?
And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died.
34 Wɔankyekyere wo nsa; wɔangu wo nan nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn. Dabi, wɔdii wo awu; amumuyɛfoɔ atirimpɔ so adeɛ.” Nnipa no nyinaa suu Abner bio.
Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.
35 Ɛda a wɔreyɛ ayie no, Dawid annidi da mu no nyinaa, maa afei, obiara srɛɛ no sɛ ɔnnidi. Nanso, na Dawid aka ntam sɛ, “Sɛ medidi ansa na owia akɔtɔ a, Onyankopɔn nku me.”
And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset.
36 Yei sɔɔ nnipa no ani yie. Nokorɛm, biribiara a ɔhene no yɛeɛ no sɔɔ ɔmanfoɔ no ani.
And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.
37 Yei maa obiara a ɔte Yuda ne Israel no hunuu sɛ, ɛnyɛ ɔhene Dawid na ɔkumm Abner.
And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king’s doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain.
38 Na ɔhene Dawid bisaa ɔmanfoɔ no sɛ, “Monhunu sɛ ɔkannifoɔ kɛseɛ ne onipa kɛseɛ atɔ fam ɛnnɛ wɔ Israel anaa?
The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and great man is slain this day in Israel?
39 Na ɛwom sɛ me ne ɔhene a wɔasra no deɛ, nanso Seruia mmammarima Yoab ne Abisai deɛ, wɔyɛ den dodo ma me sɛ mɛtumi aka wɔn ahyɛ. Ɛno enti, Awurade ntua saa mmarima amumuyɛfoɔ yi so ka wɔ wɔn amumuyɛsɛm ho.”
But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.
