1 Kings 2
1 When David [knew that he] was about to die, he gave these final instructions to his son Solomon:
Dawid rebɛwuo no, ɔde adwuma hyɛɛ Salomo nsa sɛ:
2 “I am about to die [EUP], like everyone else on earth does. Be courageous and conduct yourself as an adult should.
“Merekɔ baabi a ɛsɛ sɛ da bi ɔteasefoɔ biara kɔ, enti yɛ den na kyerɛ wo mmaninyɛ,
3 Do what Yahweh our God tells you to do. Conduct yourself as he wants you to do. Obey all of his laws and commands and precepts and instructions that are written in the laws that Moses [gave us]. Do this in order that you will prosper in all that you do and wherever you go.
na yɛ deɛ Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn, hwehwɛ sɛ woyɛ, nante nʼakwan mu, na di ne mmara ne nʼahyɛdeɛ so sɛdeɛ wɔatwerɛ wɔ Mose mmara no mu no, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wobɛkɔ so wɔ biribiara a wobɛyɛ mu ne baabiara a wobɛkɔ nso.
4 If you continually do that, Yahweh will do what he promised me: He said, ‘If your descendants do what I tell them to do, and faithfully obey my commands with all their inner beings, they will always be [LIT] the ones who will rule [MTY] Israel.’
Sɛ woyɛ yei a na Awurade bɛdi ne bɔ a ɔhyɛɛ me no so sɛ, ‘Sɛ wʼasefoɔ hwɛ wɔn asetena, na wɔfiri wɔn akoma ne wɔn kra nyinaa mu nante nokorɛ mu wɔ mʼanim a, wɔn mu baako bɛtena Israel ahennwa no so.’
5 “There is something else [that I want you to do]. You know what Joab did to me. He killed my two army commanders, Abner and Amasa. He murdered them violently [MTY] during a time of peace, pretending that it was a time of war. Those two men (were innocent/had not done what was wrong). But Joab [killed them and] their blood to stain his belt and his sandals.
“Wonim sɛ Seruia babarima Yoab kumm mʼakodɔm asahene baanu no a ɛyɛ Ner babarima Abner ne Yeter babarima Amasa no. Ɔkunkumm wɔn, hwiee wɔn mogya guiɛ asomdwoeɛ berɛ mu a ɛnyɛ ɔko berɛ mu, na ɔde wɔn mogya kekaa nʼabɔwomu a ɛbɔ nʼasene mu ne ne mpaboa a ɛhyɛ ne nan so.
6 Because you are wise, do to him what you think is best [for you to do], but do not allow him to become old [MTY] and then die [IDM] peacefully. (Sheol h7585)
Wo ne no nni, na mma no mmfa ne ti dwono nkɔ damena mu asomdwoeɛ mu. (Sheol h7585)
7 “But be kind to the sons of Barzillai, the man from [the] Gilead [region], and be sure that they always have enough food to eat [MTY]. Do that because Barzillai helped me when I was running away from your older brother Absalom.
“Na yɛ Barsilai a ɔfiri Gilead no mmammarima adɔeɛ, na ma wɔnka wɔn a wɔdidi wɔ wo didipono so no ho. Ɛberɛ a medwane firii wo nuabarima Absalom ho no, wɔyɛɛ me adɔeɛ.
8 Also, [you remember] Gera’s son Shimei from Bahurim [town] in the area where the descendants of Benjamin live. [You know what he did to me]. He cursed me terribly on the day I [left Jerusalem and] went to Mahanaim [town]. But when he later came down to see me at the Jordan [River], I solemnly promised, while Yahweh listened [MTY], that I would not cause him to be executed.
“Kae Gera Benyaminni a ɔfiri Bahurim no babarima Simei. Ɔdomee me dendeenden, da a meredwane akɔ Mahanaim no. Na ɔbɛhyiaa me wɔ Yordan no, mede Awurade edin kaa ntam sɛ, Merenkum no.
9 But now you must [LIT] surely punish him. You are a wise man, so you will know what you should do to him. He is an old man [MTY], but be sure that he [loses/sheds] a lot of blood when you kill him [MTY].” (Sheol h7585)
Nanso, ntam no mma ɔnni bem. Woyɛ ɔnyansafoɔ na wobɛhunu ɛkwan a wobɛfa so aka ne mogya agu.” (Sheol h7585)
10 Then David died [EUP] and was buried in [that part of Jerusalem which was called] ‘The City of David’.
Na Dawid wuiɛ, na wɔsiee no wɔ Dawid kurom.
11 David had been the king of Israel for 40 years: He ruled for seven years in Hebron and for 33 years in Jerusalem.
Ɔdii ɔhene wɔ Israel mfeɛ aduanan a ne nkyerɛmu ne sɛ, ɔdii Hebron so mfeɛ nson ɛnna Yerusalem nso, ɔdii adeɛ mfeɛ aduasa mmiɛnsa.
12 Solomon became the ruler/king [MTY] to take the place of his father David and took control of all of the kingdom.
Enti, Salomo tenaa nʼagya Dawid ahennwa so, na nʼadedie ase timiiɛ yie.
13 [One day] Adonijah came to Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. She said to him, “Have you come because you want things to go well?” He replied, “Yes.”
Na Hagit babarima Adoniya kɔɔ Salomo ne maame Batseba nkyɛn. Batseba bisaa no sɛ, “Wobaa no asomdwoeɛ so anaa?” Ɔbuaa no sɛ, “Ɛyɛ asomdwoeɛ so.”
14 But then he said, “I have something to ask you to do.” She said, “Tell me [what you want me to do].”
Na ɔka kaa ho sɛ, “Mepɛ sɛ woyɛ me adɔeɛ bi.” Na Batseba bisaa sɛ, “Adɔeɛ bɛn.”
15 He said, “You know that all the Israeli people expected me to be their king [because I am David’s oldest surviving son]. But that did not happen. Instead, my [younger] brother became king, because that is what Yahweh wanted.
Adoniya kaa sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ wonim no, na ahemman no yɛ me dea. Na Israel nyinaa hwɛ me kwan sɛ wɔn ɔhene. Nanso, nneɛma sesaeɛ, na ahemman no kɔɔ me nuabarima nkyɛn, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade pɛ no saa.
16 Now I have one thing that I ask you to do. Please do not refuse to do it.” She replied, “Tell me [what you want me to do].”
Seesei, adeɛ baako na mepɛ sɛ mebisa wo. Mfa nkame me.” Ɔkaa sɛ, “Wotumi bisa me.”
17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon to give to me Abishag, the woman from Shunem [town], to be my wife. [I am sure that] he will not refuse.”
Na ɔtoaa so sɛ, “Kɔbisa ɔhene Salomo ma me, na ɔremfa dekodeɛ no nkame wo. Bisa no na ɔmfa Abisag Sunamni no mma me sɛ me yere.”
18 Bathsheba replied, “Okay, I will speak to the king for you.”
Na Batseba buaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, mɛka ho asɛm akyerɛ ɔhene ama wo.”
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to tell him what Adonijah wanted. The king got up [from his throne] and went to greet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne again and asked someone to bring a chair for her. So she sat down at the king’s right side.
Enti Batseba kɔɔ ɔhene Salomo nkyɛn sɛ ɔrekɔkasa ama Adoniya. Ɔhene no sɔree sɛ ɔrebɛhyia no, bɔɔ ne mu ase ansa na ɔretena nʼahennwa so. Na ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔmfa adwa mmrɛ ɔhene maame, na ɔtenaa ɔhene nifa so.
20 Then she said, “I have one small thing which I want you to do; please do not say that you will not do it.” The king replied, “Mother, what do you want? I will not refuse you.”
Ɔka kyerɛɛ ɔhene sɛ, “Mewɔ adeɛ ketewaa bi bisa wo, na mfa nkame me.” Ɔhene no buaa no sɛ, “Bisa me, me maame. Meyɛ ama wo.”
21 She said, “Allow Abishag to be given to your [older] brother Adonijah to be his wife.”
Enti, ɔkaa sɛ, “Ma wɔmfa Sunamni Abisag mma wo nuabarima Adoniya awadeɛ.”
22 The king replied [angrily], “What? Are you requesting me to give Abishag to Adonijah? [Does he want me] to allow him to rule the kingdom, too? Because he is my older brother, [does he think that he should be the king]? Does he think that Abiathar should be the priest [instead of Zadok], and that Joab [should be the army commander instead of Benaiah] because they supported him [when he tried to become the king]?”
Ɔhene Salomo bisaa ne maame sɛ, “Adɛn enti na wopɛ sɛ Adoniya ware Sunamni Abisag? Ɛnneɛ, sɛ wobɛbisa ahemman nso ama no. Wonim sɛ ɔyɛ me nua panin na ɔsɔfoɔ Abiatar ne Seruia babarima Yoab nso boa no!”
23 Then Solomon solemnly promised, requesting Yahweh to listen, “I wish God would strike me and kill me if I do not cause Adonijah to be executed for requesting this!
Na ɔhene Salomo de Awurade edin kaa ntam sɛ, “Sɛ Adoniya amfa ne nkwa antwa saa abisadeɛ yi so a, Onyankopɔn ne me nni no denden so pa ara.
24 Yahweh has appointed me to be the king and placed me here to rule [MTY] as my father David did. He has promised that my descendants [MTY] will be the kings of Israel. So just as surely as Yahweh lives, I solemnly promise that Adonijah will be executed today!”
Na seesei deɛ, mmerɛ dodoɔ a Awurade te ase yi, ɔno a watim mʼase wɔ mʼagya Dawid ahennwa so, na wabɔ me fie ahennie mu nnidisoɔ atenaseɛ ama me, sɛdeɛ ɔhyɛɛ me bɔ no, Adoniya deɛ, twa ara na ɛtwa sɛ ɔwu ɛnnɛ yi ara.”
25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah to [go and] kill Adonijah, and Benaiah did that.
Enti, Salomo hyɛɛ Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ ɔnkum no, na ɔkumm Adoniya.
26 Then Solomon said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth [town], to your land there. You deserve to be killed, but I will not execute you now, because you were the one who [supervised the men who] carried Yahweh’s Sacred Chest for David my father, and you endured all the troubles that my father endured.”
Na ɔhene no ka kyerɛɛ ɔsɔfoɔ Abiatar sɛ, “Sane kɔ wo kurom Anatot. Wofata sɛ wowuo, nanso merenku wo seesei, ɛfiri sɛ, wosoaa Awurade Otumfoɔ Adaka no maa mʼagya, na wo ne no nyinaa na mohunuu amane wɔ nʼabɛbrɛsɛ nyinaa mu.”
27 So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being the priest of Yahweh. By doing that he caused to happen what Yahweh had said [many years previously] at Shiloh, [that some day he would get rid] of the descendants [MTY] of Eli.
Enti, Salomo worɔɔ Abiatar atadeɛ sɛ ɔsɔfoɔ, nam so dii mmara a Awurade hyɛɛ wɔ Silo fa Eli asefoɔ ho no so.
28 Joab had not supported Absalom [when he tried to become the king], but he had supported Adonijah. So when Joab heard what had happened, he ran to the Sacred Tent, and he grasped the projections on the corners of the altar, [because he knew that no one would kill him there].
Ɛwom, ahyɛaseɛ no na ɔnni Absalom akyi, nanso Yoab de ne ho kɔdɔm Adoniya adɔnyɛ no. Ɛberɛ a Yoab tee Adoniya wuo no, ɔtuu mmirika kɔɔ Awurade ntomadan kronkron no mu, na ɔkɔsosɔɔ mmɛn a ɛtuatua afɔrebukyia no ho no mu.
29 When someone told Solomon that Joab had run to the Sacred Tent and was standing alongside the altar, Solomon told Benaiah, “Go and execute Joab.”
Ɛberɛ a ɔhene Salomo tee asɛm yi, ɔsomaa Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ ɔnkɔkum no.
30 So Benaiah went to the Sacred Tent and said to Joab, “The king commands you to come out!” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah went back to the king and reported [what he had said to Joab, and] what Joab had replied.
Na Benaia kɔɔ Awurade ntomadan kronkron no mu kɔka kyerɛɛ Yoab sɛ, “Ɔhene se firi adi.” Nanso, Yoab buaa sɛ, “Dabi, mɛwu wɔ ha.” Enti, Benaia sane kɔɔ ɔhene no nkyɛn kɔkaa asɛm a Yoab aka no kyerɛɛ no.
31 The king replied to him, “Do what he has requested. Kill him and bury his body. If you do that, my descendants [MTY] and I will no longer be punished for what Joab did when he killed [MTY] two men who (were innocent/had not done anything that is wrong).
Ɔhene no tee asɛm a Yoab kaeɛ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ Benaia sɛ, “Yɛ deɛ ɔkaeɛ no. Ku no wɔ afɔrebukyia no ho, na sie no. Yei bɛyi adwenemherɛ mogyahwieguo ho afɔdie afiri me ne mʼagya fiefoɔ so.
32 But Yahweh will punish [MTY] Joab for attacking and killing Abner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, the commander of the army of Judah, two men who were more righteous and better [DOU] men than he is. My father David did not even know that Joab [was planning to murder them].
Na Awurade bɛtua no kum a ɔkumm mmarima ateneneefoɔ amapa baanu a na wɔyɛ sene no no so ka. Na mʼagya nnim Ner babarima Abner a na ɔyɛ Israel akodɔm sahene ne Yeter babarima Amasa a na ɔno nso yɛ Yuda akodɔm sahene no wuo ho hwee.
33 Joab and his descendants will be punished [IDM] forever for his murdering Abner and Amasa. But things will forever go well for David’s descendants [MTY] who rule [MTY] as King David did.”
Yoab ne nʼasefoɔ deɛ, saa awudie ahodoɔ yi ho afɔdie ntena wɔn so, na Awurade mma Dawid ne nʼasefoɔ ne nʼahennwa asomdwoeɛ afebɔɔ!”
34 So Benaiah went [into the Sacred Tent] and killed Joab. Joab was buried on his property in the desert [part of Judah].
Enti, Yehoiada babarima Benaia sane kɔɔ ntomadan kronkron no mu, kɔkumm Yoab, na wɔsiee Yoab wɔ ne kurom wiram baabi.
35 Then the king appointed Benaiah to be the commander of the army instead of Joab, and he appointed Zadok to be the priest instead of Abiathar.
Na ɔhene no yii Yehoiada babarima Benaia sɛ ɔnsi Yoab anan sɛ ɔsafohene. Na ɔyii ɔsɔfoɔ Sadok de no sii Abiatar anan.
36 Then the king sent [a messenger] to summon Shimei, and the king said to him, “Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Remain there and do not leave the city to go anywhere.
Ɔhene no soma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ Simei ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Si efie wɔ Yerusalem ha na tena mu. Nanso, mfiri kuro no mu nkɔ baabiara.
37 Be sure that the day that you leave Jerusalem and go across the Kidron Brook, you will be executed, and it will be (your own fault/what you deserve).”
Na da a wobɛtwa Kidron bɔnhwa no, wobɛwu; na wo mogya bɛgu wʼankasa wo tiri so.”
38 Shimei replied, “Your Majesty, what you say is good. I will do what you have said.” So Shimei remained in Jerusalem for several years.
Na Simei buaa sɛ, “Wʼatemmuo no yɛ kronn. Biribiara a me wura ɔhene bɛhyɛ sɛ menyɛ no, mɛyɛ.” Enti, Simei tenaa Yerusalem kyɛree yie.
39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away. They went to stay with Maacah’s son Achish, the king of Gath [city]. When someone told Shimei that they were in Gath,
Na mfeɛ mmiɛnsa akyi no, Simei asomfoɔ baanu dwane kɔɔ Gathene Akis, Maaka babarima nkyɛn. Ɛberɛ a Simei hunuu baabi a wɔwɔ no,
40 he put a saddle on his donkey and [got on it and] went to Gath. He found his slaves staying with King Achish and brought them back home.
ɔhyehyɛɛ nʼafunumu, kɔɔ Gat, kɔhwehwɛɛ wɔn. Ɔhunuu wɔn no, ɔde wɔn sane baa Yerusalem.
41 But someone told King Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned.
Salomo tee sɛ Simei afiri Yerusalem akɔ Gat asane aba.
42 So the king sent [a soldier] to summon Shimei and said to him, “I told you to solemnly promise, knowing that Yahweh [MTY] was listening, that you must not leave Jerusalem. I told you [RHQ], ‘Be sure that if you ever leave Jerusalem, you will be executed.’ And you replied [RHQ] to me, ‘What you have said is good; I will do what you have said.’
Enti, wɔsoma ma wɔkɔfrɛɛ Simei baeɛ, na ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Mamma woanka ntam Awurade edin mu sɛ, worenkɔ baabiara, na sɛ anyɛ saa a, wobɛwu? Na wobuaa sɛ, ‘Atemmuo no yɛ kronkron; na mɛdi asɛm a woaka no so.’
43 So why did you not do what you solemnly promised to Yahweh? Why did you disobey what I commanded you?”
Na adɛn enti na woanni wo ntanka no so amma Awurade, na woantie me nhyɛ?”
44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know all the evil things that you did to my father David. So Yahweh will now punish you for the evil things that you did.
Na ɔhene no ka kaa ho sɛ, “Akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho sɛ wokae amumuyɛ a woyɛɛ mʼagya, ɔhene Dawid. Awurade bɛtwe wʼaso wɔ ho.
45 But Yahweh will bless me, and he will enable David’s descendants [MTY] to rule forever.”
Na medeɛ, mɛnya Awurade nhyira, na daa Dawid aseni atena ahennwa no so.”
46 Then the king gave an order to Benaiah, and he went and killed Shimei. So Solomon was completely in control of the kingdom.
Na ɔhene no nhyɛ so, Yehoiada babarima Benaia faa Simei de no firii adi kɔkumm no. Enti ahemman no timiiɛ wɔ Salomo nsam.
