2 Samuel 17

1 Ahitofel ka kyerɛɛ Absalom sɛ, “Mɛyi akodɔm mpem dumienu, na mafiri ha anadwo yi akɔtaa Dawid so.

Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.

2 Mɛto no wɔ ɛberɛ a wabrɛ na nʼaba mu abu. Ɔne nʼakodɔm nyinaa bɛbɔ hu na wɔadwane. Ɔhene no nko ara na mɛbɔ no ahwe,

I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid. All the people who are with him shall flee. I will strike the king only,

3 na mede nnipa no asane abrɛ wo, sɛdeɛ ayeforɔ kɔ ne kunu nkyɛn. Saa onipa yi nkwa nko ara na worehwehwɛ. Afei nnipa no nyinaa bɛka a wɔrenha obiara.”

and I will bring back all the people to you, as a bride returns to her husband. You seek the life of only one man; then all the people will be in peace."

4 Saa nhyehyɛeɛ yi sɔɔ Absalom ne Israel mpanimfoɔ nyinaa ani.

The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

5 Nanso, Absalom kaa sɛ, “Momfrɛ Husai a ɔfiri Arki no mmra na yɛntie deɛ ɔwɔ ka.”

Then Absalom said, "Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he says."

6 Husai baeɛ no, Absalom kaa deɛ Ahitofel aka no kyerɛɛ no. Afei ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Wʼadwene ne sɛn? Yɛmfa Ahitofel afotuo no anaa? Na sɛ ɛnte saa a, kyerɛ yɛn wʼadwene.”

When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, "Ahithophel has spoken like this. Shall we do what he says? And if not, speak up."

7 Husai buaa Absalom sɛ, “Mʼadwene ne sɛ saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ Ahitofel ayɛ mfomsoɔ.

Hushai said to Absalom, "The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good."

8 Wonim wʼagya ne ne dɔm; wɔyɛ akofoɔ akɛseɛ. Saa ɛberɛ yi, wɔn ani abre sɛ sisire a wɔawia ne mma wɔ wiram. Ɛno da nkyɛn a, wʼagya nim de wɔ akodie mu. Ɔne nʼakodɔm no rentena anadwo yi.

Hushai said moreover, "You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.

9 Sɛ merekasa yi, wakɔtɛ ɔbodan bi mu anaa baabi foforɔ. Na sɛ ɔdi ɛkan to hyɛ mo so na mo mu kakra bi mpo totɔ a, ehu bɛtɔ wo dɔm no so na obiara bɛteam sɛ wɔrekunkum wo dɔm no.

Look, he is now hidden in some pit, or in some other place. It will happen, when some of them have fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, 'There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.'

10 Na sɛ ɛba saa a, ɔsraani a ɔyɛ nnam a nʼakoma te sɛ gyata no koraa, ehu bɛma wabɔ hu. Na Israel nyinaa nim sɛ wʼagya yɛ ɔkofoɔ, na wɔn a wɔka ne ho no nso bo yɛ duru.

Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.

11 “Enti, metu wo fo sɛ, boa Israel nyinaa ano, ɛfiri Dan kɔsi Beer-Seba. Woyɛ saa a wobɛnya akodɔm a wɔn dodoɔ bɛyɛ sɛ mpoano anwea. Na megye medi sɛ wʼankasa bɛdi akodɔm no anim.

But, I strongly advise as follows, that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you personally go into battle.

12 Na sɛ yɛhunu Dawid a, yɛbɛto ahyɛ no so, sɛdeɛ bosuo gu asase so, a ɔno ne mmarima no mu baako mpo nka.

So shall we come on him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one.

13 Na sɛ Dawid adwane kɔ kuropɔn bi so a, wode Israel akodɔm nyinaa bɛkɔ hɔ. Afei, yɛbɛtumi afa ntampehoma de atwe kuro no afasuo, akɔgu bɔnhwa a ɛbɛn mu, kɔsi sɛ ɛboɔ biara a ɛwɔ mu no bɛyam.”

Moreover, if he be gone into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there isn't one small stone found there."

14 Afei, Absalom ne Israel mpanimfoɔ nyinaa kaa sɛ, “Husai afotuo no yɛ sene Ahitofel deɛ no.” Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade ahyehyɛ sɛ Ahitofel afotuo pa a ɔde ama no bɛsɛe, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ bɛba Absalom so.

Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel." For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil on Absalom.

15 Na Husai kɔkaa asɛm a Ahitofel aka ne ɔno ankasa adwenkyerɛ no kyerɛɛ asɔfoɔ Sadok ne Abiatar.

Then Hushai said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, "Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel that way; and I have counseled this way.

16 Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ntɛm! Monkɔhwehwɛ Dawid, na monka nkyerɛ no sɛ, ɔnntena Asubɔnten Yordan aworɔso hɔ anadwo yi. Ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwa kɔ ɛserɛ no so akyi, anyɛ saa a, ɔne nʼakodɔm nyinaa bɛwuwu.”

Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, 'Do not lodge this night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people who are with him.'"

17 Yonatan ne Ahimaas tenaa En-Rogel, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wɔrenkɔ kuro no mu na wɔnnsane mpue. Na wɔayɛ nhyehyɛeɛ bi sɛ abaawa bi de nkra a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde kɔma ɔhene Dawid no bɛbrɛ wɔn.

Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying by En Rogel; and a female servant used to go and tell them; and they went and told king David. For they might not be seen to come into the city.

18 Nanso abarimaa bi hunuu wɔn sɛ wɔrefiri En-Rogel akɔ Dawid nkyɛn enti, ɔkɔka kyerɛɛ Absalom. Na wɔdwane kɔɔ Bahurim, maa ɔbarima bi de wɔn kɔsiee abura bi a ɛwɔ nʼadihɔ mu.

But a boy saw them, and told Absalom. Then they both went away quickly, and came to the house of a man in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down there.

19 Ɔbarima no yere de ntoma hataa abura no so, de atokoɔ guu so te sɛ deɛ ɔrehata no awia so, na obiara ansusu sɛ nnipa hyɛ abura no mu.

The woman took and spread the covering over the well's mouth, and spread out bruised grain on it; and nothing was known.

20 Ɛberɛ a Absalom mmarima no duruu hɔ no, wɔbisaa ɔbaa no sɛ, “Woahunu Ahimaas ne Yonatan anaa?” Ɔbuaa wɔn sɛ, “Na wɔwɔ ha deɛ, nanso wɔatwa asuwa no kɔ.” Absalom mmarima no hwehwɛɛ wɔn, nanso wɔanhunu wɔn enti, wɔsane kɔɔ Yerusalem.

Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house; and they said, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" The woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." When they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21 Afei mmarima baanu no firii abura no mu, de mmirika kɔɔ ɔhene Dawid nkyɛn kɔbɔɔ no amaneɛ sɛ, “Firi ha tware asuo no ntɛm so anadwo yi!” Wɔkaa Ahitofel afotuo a ɛbɛma wɔakyere no akum no no kyerɛɛ no.

It happened, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David. And they said to him, "Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you."

22 Enti, Dawid ne nnipa no nyinaa tutuu so, kɔtwaa Yordan. Ɛduruu ahemadakye no, na obiara atwa Yordan kɔ nʼagya.

Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they passed over the Jordan. By the morning light there lacked not one of them who had not gone over the Jordan.

23 Ahitofel hunuu sɛ nʼanim agu ase, ɛfiri sɛ wɔamfa nʼafotuo no, ɔhyehyɛɛ nʼafunumu tenaa ne so, kɔɔ ne kurom. Ɔtotoo ne nneɛma yie, na ɔhyɛɛ ne ho akɔmfo. Enti, ɔwuiɛ ma wɔsiee no wɔ nʼagya da mu.

When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey, and arose, and went home, to his city, and set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

24 Ankyɛre na Dawid duruu Mahanaim. Saa ɛberɛ yi na Absalom aboaboa Israel akodɔm no nyinaa ano a ɔdi wɔn anim rekɔtwa Asubɔnten Yordan.

Then David came to Mahanaim. Absalom passed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

25 Absalom yii Amasa de no tuaa akodɔm no ano, sii Yoab a na anka ɔyɛ Dawid sahene no ananmu. Amasa yɛ ɔbarima bi a wɔfrɛ no Yitra, a ɔyɛ Israelni a ɔwaree Abigail a ɔyɛ Nahas babaa, na ɔyɛ Seruia nuabaa, a ɔyɛ Yoab na no ba.

Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man, whose name was Jether the Ishmaelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Jesse, sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother.

26 Israelfoɔ no ne Absalom tenaa Gilead asase so.

Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

27 Na Dawid duruu Mahanaim no, Nahas a ɔfiri Raba babarima Sobi Amonni no, kyeaa no fɛ so. Saa ara na Amiel a ɔfiri Lo-debar babarima Makir ne Gileadni Barsilai a ɔfiri Rogelim nso gyee no fɛ so.

It happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and Makir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,

28 Wɔbrɛɛ no kɛtɛ, nkuku ne nkaka, atokoɔ, asikyiresiam, nkyeweɛ, asɛ ne asɛdua,

brought beds, and basins, and pottery utensils, and wheat, and barley, and meal, and parched grain, and beans, and lentils,

29 ɛwoɔ ne nufosuo ani sradeɛ ne anantwie nufosuo a akyenkyene mua. Wɔde brɛɛ Dawid ne ne nkurɔfoɔ a wɔka ne ho no. Na wɔkaa sɛ, “Mo nyinaa moabrɛbrɛ, na ɛkɔm ne sukɔm de mo ɛfiri sɛ moanante ɛkwan tenten wɔ ɛserɛ so.”

and honey, and curd of the flock, and cheese of the herd. And they presented them to David and to the people who were with him to eat. For they said, "The people are hungry and tired and thirsty in the wilderness."