< 2 Samuel 18 >

1 And so David, having reviewed his people, appointed over them tribunes and centurions.
Pea naʻe lau hake ʻe Tevita ʻae kakai naʻe ʻiate ia, mo ne fakanofo ʻae ngaahi ʻeiki ke pule ki he ngaahi toko afe, ngaahi ʻeiki ke pule ki he ngaahi toko teau.
2 And he placed a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Ittai, who was from Gath. And the king said to the people, “I, too, will go forth with you.”
Pea naʻe fekau atu ʻe Tevita ʻa hono vahe tolu ʻoe kakai ke puleʻi ʻe Soape, mo hono vahe ʻe taha ke puleʻi ʻe ʻApisai ko e tama ʻo Seluia, ko e tokoua ʻo Soape, pea mo e vahe ʻe taha ke puleʻi ʻe Itei ko e tangata Kati. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi ki he kakai, “Ko au foki te u ʻalu atu moʻoni fakataha mo kimoutolu.”
3 And the people responded: “You shall not go out. For if we flee, there will not be great concern in them for us. Or if one half part of us will fall, they will not care much. For you are considered as one for ten thousand. Therefore, it is better that you should be in the city to strengthen us.”
Ka naʻe pehēange ʻe he kakai, “ʻE ʻikai te ke ʻalu atu: he kapau te mau hola, ʻe ʻikai tenau tokanga kiate kimautolu; pea kapau ʻe mate haʻamau vaheua mālie, ʻe ʻikai tenau tokanga kiate kimautolu: ka ko koe ʻoku ke mahuʻinga ʻi ha toko mano ʻokimautolu: ko ia foki ʻoku lelei hake ke ke tokoni mai koe kiate kimautolu mei he loto kolo.”
4 And the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems good to you.” Therefore, the king stood beside the gate. And the people went out by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi kiate kinautolu, “Ko e meʻa ʻoku lelei hake kiate kimoutolu te u fai pe ia.” Pea naʻe tuʻu ʻae tuʻi ki he veʻe matapā [ʻoe kolo], pea naʻe ʻalu atu ʻae kakai ʻi he ngaahi toko teau mo e ngaahi toko afe.
5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Preserve for me the boy Absalom.” And all the people heard the king commanding all the leaders on behalf of Absalom.
Pea naʻe fekau ʻe he tuʻi kia Soape mo ʻApisai mo Itei, ʻo pehē, “Faifai mālie koeʻuhi ko au ki he talavou ko ʻApisalomi.” Pea naʻe ongoʻi ʻe he kakai kotoa pē ʻa ʻene tuku ʻe he tuʻi ʻae fekau naʻe kau kia ʻApisalomi.
6 And so, the people departed into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
Pea pehē, naʻe ʻalu atu ʻae kakai kituaʻā ke tauʻi ʻa ʻIsileli: pea naʻe hoko ʻae tau ʻi he vao ʻakau ʻi ʻIfalemi;
7 And the people of Israel were cut down in that place by the army of David. And a great slaughter occurred on that day: twenty thousand men.
‌ʻAia naʻe tāmateʻi ʻi ai ʻae kakai ʻo ʻIsileli ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kau tamaioʻeiki ʻa Tevita, pea naʻe fai ʻi ai ʻae tāmateʻi lahi ʻi he ʻaho ko ia, ko e kau tangata ʻe toko ua mano.
8 Now the battle in that place was dispersed over the face of all the land. And there were many more of the people whom the forest had consumed, than the sword had devoured, on that day.
He naʻe fai ʻae tau ʻo foliaki ʻi he funga fonua kotoa pē: pea naʻe maumauʻi ʻo tokolahi hake ʻae kakai ʻi he vao ʻakau ʻi he ʻaho ko ia, kae siʻi ʻae maumau ʻe he heletā.
9 Then it happened that Absalom, riding on a mule, met the servants of David. And when the mule had entered under a thick and large oak tree, his head became trapped in the oak. And while he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule on which he had been sitting continued on.
Pea naʻe fetaulaki ʻa ʻApisalomi mo e kau tamaioʻeiki ʻa Tevita. Pea naʻe heka ʻa ʻApisalomi ki ha miuli, pea naʻe ʻalu ʻae miuli ʻi he lalo vaʻa mālohi ʻoe oke lahi, pea naʻe ʻefihiaʻi hono ʻulu ʻi he oke, pea naʻe tautau hake ia ʻi he vahaʻa ʻoe langi mo e [funga ]kelekele; pea naʻe moleange ʻae miuli mei lalo ʻiate ia.
10 Then a certain one saw this and reported it to Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging from an oak.”
Pea naʻe sio ki ai ʻae tangata ʻe tokotaha, ʻo ne tala ia kia Soape, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, naʻaku mamata kia ʻApisalomi kuo tautau ʻi ha oke.”
11 And Joab said to the man who had reported it to him, “If you saw him, why did you not stab him to the ground, and I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt?”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape ki he tangata naʻe fakahā mai ia kiate ia, “Pea vakai, naʻa ke sio [ki ai], pea ko e hā naʻe ʻikai ai te ke taaʻi hifo ia ʻi ai ki he kelekele? Ka ne ke pehē, kuo u tuku kiate koe ha [sikeli ]siliva ʻe hongofulu pea mo ha noʻovala.”
12 And he said to Joab: “Even if you weighed out to my hands one thousand silver coins, I would never lay my hands on the son of the king. For in our hearing the king ordered you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Keep for me the boy Absalom.’
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tangata kia Soape, “Ka ne u maʻu ha [sikeli ]siliva ʻe afe ki hoku nima, neongo ia ʻe ʻikai te u ala atu hoku nima ki he ʻalo ʻoe tuʻi: he naʻa mau fanongo ki he fekauʻi ʻa koe mo ʻApisai, mo Itei, ʻe he tuʻi, ʻo pehē, ‘Mou vakai kotoa pē telia naʻa alasi ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi.’
13 Then too, if I had acted with such audacity, against my own life, this would never have been able to be hidden from the king. And would you then have stood by my side?”
Ka ne u fai pehē, pehē kuo u fai ʻae lohiakiʻi ki heʻeku moʻui ʻaʻaku: he ʻoku ʻikai fufū ha meʻa mei he tuʻi, pea naʻa mo koe te ke ʻita kiate au.”
14 And Joab said, “It will not be as you wish. Instead, I will be assailing him in your sight.” Then he took three lances in his hand, and he fixed them in the heart of Absalom. And while he was still clinging to life upon the oak,
Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe Soape, “ʻE ʻikai ʻaonga ʻa ʻeku tatali mo koe.” Pea naʻa ne toʻo ʻi hono nima ʻae foʻi tao ʻe tolu, ʻo ne velo ʻaki ia ke ʻasi ʻi he mafu ʻo ʻApisalomi lolotonga ʻa ʻene kei moʻui ʻi he lotolotonga ʻoe [ʻakau ko e ]oke.
15 ten young men, armor bearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him, they killed him.
Pea naʻe kāpui mo taaʻi ʻa ʻApisalomi ʻe he kau talavou ʻe toko hongofulu naʻe fua ʻae mahafutau ʻa Soape, ʻonau tāmateʻi ia.
16 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and he held back the people, lest they pursue Israel in their flight, for he was willing to spare the multitude.
Pea naʻe ifi ʻe Soape ʻae meʻalea, pea naʻe foki mai ʻae kakai mei heʻenau tuli ki ʻIsileli: he naʻe taʻofi ʻae kakai ʻe Soape.
17 And they took Absalom, and they threw him into a great pit in the forest. And they piled an exceedingly great heap of stones over him. But all of Israel fled to their own tents.
Pea naʻa nau ʻave ʻa ʻApisalomi ʻo lī ia ki ha fuʻu luo lahi naʻe ʻi he vao ʻakau, pea naʻe fokotuʻu ki ʻolunga ʻiate ia ha fuʻu ʻesi maka lahi; pea naʻe feholaki ʻa ʻIsileli kātoa taki taha ki hono fale fehikitaki.
18 Now Absalom had raised up for himself, when he was still alive, a monument, which is in the Valley of the King. For he said, “I have no son, and so this shall be the memorial to my name.” And he called the monument by his own name. And it is called the Hand of Absalom, even to this day.
Ka ko eni, lolotonga ʻa ʻene kei moʻui naʻe ngaohi mo fokotuʻu ʻe ʻApisalomi maʻana ha fuʻu pou, ʻaia ʻoku ʻi he teleʻa ʻoe tuʻi: he naʻa ne pehē, ʻOku ʻikai haku foha ke manatuʻi ai ʻa hoku hingoa: pea naʻa ne ui ʻae pou ki hono hingoa ʻoʻona: pea ʻoku ui ia ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni, Ko e potu ʻo ʻApisalomi.
19 Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, “I will run and report to the king that the Lord has accomplished judgment for him, from the hand of his enemies.”
Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe ʻAhimasi ko e foha ʻo Satoki, “Tuku eni ke u lele, pea ʻave ʻae ongoongo ki he tuʻi, ʻoe totongi kuo fai ʻe Sihova ki hono ngaahi fili.”
20 And Joab said to him: “You shall not be the messenger on this day. Instead, you shall report on another day. I am not willing for you to give the report today, because the son of the king is dead.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape kiate ia, “ʻE ʻikai te ke ʻave ha ongoongo he ʻaho ni, ka te ke ʻave ʻae ongoongo ʻi ha ʻaho ange: ka ko e ʻaho ni ʻe ʻikai te ke ʻave ha ongoongo, he kuo pekia ʻae ʻalo ʻoe tuʻi.”
21 Then Joab said to Hushai, “Go, and report to the king what you have seen.” Hushai reverenced Joab, and he ran.
Pea naʻe toki pehē ʻe Soape kia Kusi, “ʻAlu ʻo tala ki he tuʻi ʻaia kuo ke mamata ki ai.” Pea naʻe punou hifo ʻa Kusi kia Soape, ʻo ne lele.
22 And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, “What prevents me from running after Hushai also?” And Joab said to him: “Why do you want to run, my son? You would not be the bearer of good news.”
Pea naʻe toe pehē ai ʻe ʻAhimasi ko e foha ʻo Satoki kia Soape, “ʻOku ou kole kiate koe, ha meʻa pe ʻe fai, kae tuku pe au ke u lele muimui ʻia Kusi.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Soape, “Ko e hā ka ke ka lele ai koe, hoku foha, ka ʻoku ʻikai ʻiate koe ha ongoongo ʻoku lelei?”
23 And he responded, “But what if I do run?” And he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz, running along a shorter way, passed Hushai.
[Pea naʻa ne pehē], “Neongo ia tuku ke u lele.” Pea naʻa ne pehē kiate ia, “Lele.” Pea naʻe toki lele ai ʻa ʻAhimasi ʻi he hala ʻoe toafa, pea naʻa ne liʻaki ʻa Kusi.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. Truly, the watchman, who was at the summit of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.
Pea naʻe nofo ʻa Tevita ʻi he vahaʻa ʻoe ongo matapā ʻoe kolo: pea naʻe ʻalu hake ʻae tangata leʻo ki he tuʻafale ʻi he ʻā ʻo feʻunga hake mo e matapā, pea naʻa ne hanga hake hono mata, ʻo ne sio, pea vakai naʻe lele mai ʻae tangata naʻe tokotaha pe.
25 And crying out, he told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.” But as he was advancing and drawing nearer,
Pea naʻe kalanga ʻe he tangata leʻo, ʻo ne fakahā [ia ]ki he tuʻi. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “Kapau ʻoku ne tokotaha pe ʻoku ai ha ongoongo ʻi hono ngutu.” Pea naʻa ne haʻu fakatoʻotoʻo pe, ʻo[ne ]fakaofiofi mai.
26 the watchman saw another man running. And so, crying out from the height, he said: “Another man has appeared, running alone.” And the king said, “This one also is a good messenger.”
Pea naʻe mamata ʻe he tangata leʻo ki he tangata kehe ʻe tokotaha ʻoku lele: pea naʻe ui ʻe he tangata leʻo ki he tangata naʻe tauhi matapā, ʻo ne pehē, “Vakai ʻoku lele mai tokotaha pe ʻae tangata kehe.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “ʻOku ʻomi ʻae ongoongo ʻe ia foki.”
27 Then the watchman said, “The running of the closest one seems like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and he arrives bearing good news.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tangata leʻo, “ʻOku ou mahalo ʻoku lele ʻaia ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻo hangē ko e lele ʻa ʻAhimasi, ko e foha ʻo Satoki.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “Ko e tangata lelei ia, pea ʻoku ʻomi ʻe ia ʻae ongoongolelei.”
28 Then, Ahimaaz, crying out, said to the king, “Be well, O king.” And reverencing the king prone on the ground before him, he said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has enclosed the men who had lifted up their hands against my lord the king.”
Pea naʻe ui ʻa ʻAhimasi, ʻo ne pehē ki he tuʻi, “Ke ke fiemālie.” Pea naʻa ne tōmapeʻe hifo ʻi hono mata ki he kelekele ʻi he ʻao ʻoe tuʻi, ʻo ne pehē, “Fakafetaʻi kia Sihova ko ho ʻOtua, ʻaia kuo ne fakamoʻua ʻae kau tangata naʻe hiki hake honau nima ke angatuʻu ki hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi.”
29 And the king said, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And Ahimaaz said: “I saw a great tumult, O king, when your servant Joab sent me, your servant. I know nothing else.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi, “ʻOku lelei koā ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi?” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ʻAhimasi, “ʻI heʻene fekau ʻa Soape ʻae tamaioʻeiki ʻae tuʻi pea mo au ko hoʻo tamaioʻeiki, naʻaku mamata ki he fuʻu vākē lahi ka naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo ʻa hono ʻuhinga.”
30 And the king said to him, “Pass, and stand here.” And when he had passed and stood still,
Pea naʻe pehē atu ʻe he tuʻi, “Tuʻu atu koe ki hena.” Pea naʻa ne tuʻu atu, mo ne tatali ai.
31 Hushai appeared. And approaching, he said: “I bear good news, my lord the king. For today the Lord has judged for you, from the hand of all who had risen up against you.”
Pea vakai, naʻe haʻu ʻa Kusi; pea naʻe pehē ʻe Kusi, “ʻE hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi, ʻoku ou ʻomi ʻae ongoongo: he kuo fai totongi he ʻaho ni ʻe Sihova maʻau kiate kinautolu kotoa pē naʻe tuʻu angatuʻu hake kiate koe.”
32 But the king said to Hushai, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And responding, Hushai said to him, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against him for evil, be as the boy is.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he tuʻi kia Kusi, “ʻOku lelei koā ʻae talavou ko ʻApisalomi?” Pea naʻe pehēange ʻe Kusi, “Ke tatau mo e tangata talavou na, ʻae ngaahi fili ʻo hoku ʻeiki ko e tuʻi, pea mo kinautolu kotoa pē ʻoku tuʻu hake ke fai ha kovi kiate koe.”
33 And so the king, being greatly saddened, ascended to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And as he went, he was speaking in this manner: “My son Absalom! Absalom my son! Who can grant to me that I may die on your behalf? Absalom, my son! My son, Absalom!”
Pea naʻe mamahi lahi ʻaupito ʻae tuʻi, pea naʻa ne ʻalu hake ki he potu fale naʻe ʻi ʻolunga ʻi he matanikolo mo ne tangi ai: pea lolotonga ʻa ʻene ʻalu naʻe pehē ʻa ʻene lea, “ʻE ʻApisalomi ko hoku foha, ʻa hoku foha, ʻa hoku foha ko ʻApisalomi, taumaiā kuo u mate koeʻuhi ko koe, ʻe ʻApisalomi, ko hoku foha, ko hoku foha.”

< 2 Samuel 18 >