< 2 Samuel 18 >

1 David arranged his soldiers for the battle. He divided them into groups, and appointed a commander for each 100 soldiers and a commander for each 1,000 soldiers.
Daudi nochano joma ne ni kode kendo noyieronigi jotend lweny mag alufe to gi mag miche.
2 He sent them out in three groups. Joab commanded one group, Joab’s brother Abishai commanded a second group, and Ittai from Gath commanded the third group. David said to them, “I myself will go with you [to the battle].”
Daudi nooro migepe adek mag jolweny: mokwongo notelne gi Joab, mar ariyo notelne gi Abishai ma owadgi Joab wuod Zeruya, mar adek notelne gi Itai ja-Giti. To ruoth nowachone migepego niya, “An bende nyaka adhi kodu.”
3 But his soldiers said, “No, we will not allow you to go with us. If they force us all to run away, they will not be concerned about that happening. Or if they kill half of us, that will also not be what they want. To them, [killing] you is more important than [killing] 10,000 of us. So it will be better that you [stay here] in the city and send help to us.”
To jogo nowachone niya, “In ok inyal dhi kodwa, nikech ka ochuno ni nyaka waringi, to ok gibi dewowa. Kata ka nuswa otho to ok gidhi dewo nikech in iromri gi ji alufu apar kuomwa. Omiyo ber ka in idongʼ mondo ikonywa gie dala maduongʼ ka.”
4 The king replied, “Okay, I will do whatever seems best to you.” So he stood at the gate [and watched] while his soldiers marched out, group by group.
Ruoth nodwoko niya, “Abiro timo gima uneno ni bernu.” Omiyo ruoth nochungʼ but rangach sa ma ne oganda lweny duto ne wuok e migepegi mag miche gi mag alufe.
5 [While they were leaving, ] the king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “For my sake, do not harm my son Absalom!” And all the troops heard it when David gave that order about Absalom to those three commanders.
Ruoth nochiko Joab gi Abishai kod Itai niya, “Beduru mangʼwon ne wuoda Abisalom nikech an.” Oganda duto mag jolweny nowinjo ka ruoth chiko jotelo ni kik gihiny Abisalom.
6 So the army went out to fight against the Israeli soldiers [who were with Absalom]. They fought the battle in the forest [where people from the tribe] of Ephraim [lived].
Jolweny nowuok modhi e paw lweny mondo giked gi Israel, kendo lweny nogore e bungu mar Efraim.
7 David’s soldiers defeated Absalom’s soldiers. They killed 20,000 of them!
Jolwenj mag Daudi noloyo jo-Israel kanyo, kendo ji mane otho ne ngʼeny maloyo ji alufu piero ariyo.
8 The battle was fought {They fought the battle} all over that area, and the number of men who died because of [dangerous things in] the forest [PRS] was greater than the number of men who were killed (in the battle/by swords).
Lweny nolandore mokwako piny, kendo joma notho chiengʼno e bungu ne ngʼeny moloyo joma noneg gi ligangla.
9 During the battle, Absalom suddenly came near [some of] David’s soldiers. Absalom was riding on his mule; and when the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head/hair was caught in the branches. The mule kept going, but Absalom was left dangling in the air.
Koro Abisalom nopo koromo gi jolwenj Daudi koidho pundane. To kane oyudo kanyna kadho e bwo yiend ober man-gi tipo malach, wi Abisalom nomoko e bad yadhno, mi nodongʼ koliero e kor yamo, ka kanyna mane oidho to ne dhiyo nyime gi wuoth.
10 One of David’s soldiers saw what happened, and went and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
Kane achiel kuom jogo noneno ma, nonyiso Joab niya, “Aneno Abisalom koliero e bad yiend ober.”
11 Joab said to the man, “What? You say that you saw him hanging there, so why did you not kill him immediately [RHQ]? [If you had killed him, ] I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt!”
Joab nowacho ni ngʼat mane onyise wachno niya, “Angʼo! Inene? Angʼo ma nomoni chwowe molwar piny kanyo? To damiyi shekel apar mag fedha gi okanda mar jolweny.”
12 The man replied to Joab, “Even if you gave me 1,000 pieces of silver, I would not have done anything to harm [IDM] the king’s son. We all heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, do not harm my son Absalom!’
To ngʼatno nodwoke niya, “Kata dine unyalo pimo shekel alufu achiel moket e lweta, anto ok datingʼ lweta mondo aket kuom wuod ruoth. Ne wawinjo gi itwa ka ruoth chiko in gi Abishai kod Itai ni, ‘Rituru wuoda Abisalom nikech an.’
13 If I had disobeyed the king and killed Absalom, the king would have heard about it, because the king hears about everything, and even you would not have defended me!”
To ka dine atim mano, to dine aketo ngimana e chandruok nikech onge gima opondo ne ruoth bende dine ok ikonya.”
14 Joab said, “I am not going to waste time talking to you!” Then he took three spears [and went to where Absalom was], and thrust them into Absalom’s chest/heart while he was still alive, dangling from the oak tree.
Joab nowacho niya, “Anto ok abi rito kamano.” Ka Abisalom ne pod oliero e bad yiend ober kangima, nokawo tonge adek e lwete mochwoyo dho chuny Abisalom.
15 Then ten young men who carried weapons for Joab surrounded Absalom and [finished] killing him.
Kendo ji apar matingʼo gige lweny mag Joab nolworo Abisalom, negigoye, ma ginege.
16 Then Joab blew his trumpet [to signal that they should not fight any more], and his soldiers returned from pursuing those Israeli soldiers.
Eka Joab nogoyo turumbete mi jolweny noweyo lawo jo-Israel nikech Joab nokwerogi.
17 They took Absalom’s body and threw it into a huge pit in the forest, and covered it with a huge pile of stones. Then all the remaining Israeli soldiers [who had been with Absalom] fled to their own towns.
Negikawo Abisalom ma giwito e bugo maduongʼ manie bungu, mi gibiwo kite madongo dongo kuome. E kindeno jo-Israel duto noringo modhi e miechgi.
18 Absalom had no sons to preserve his [family] name. So, while Absalom was alive, he built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley [near Jerusalem, in order that people would remember him]. He put his name on the monument, and people still call it Absalom’s monument.
Ka Abisalom ne pod ngima nokawo siro mochungo e Holo mar Ruoth kaka rapar mare owuon nimar noparo niya, “Aonge wuowi manyalo tingʼo wiya malo kata ma dichaka.” Nochako sirono nyinge owuon, mi oluonge ni Rapar mar Abisalom nyaka chil kawuono.
19 [After Absalom had been killed, ] Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said to Joab, “Allow me to run to the king to tell him the good news that Yahweh has rescued him from the power of his enemies!”
Koro Ahimaz wuod Zadok nowacho niya, “We aring ater wachni ne ruoth ni Jehova Nyasaye oserese e lwet jowasike.”
20 But Joab said to him, “No, I will not allow you to take news to the king today. Some other day I will allow you to take some news, but not today. [If you took news today it would not be good news for the king, ] because his son is dead.”
Joab nowachone niya, “In ok niter wach kawuono. Inyalo mana tero wach chiengʼ machielo, nikech wuod ruoth otho.”
21 Then Joab said to David’s servant who was from Ethiopia, “You go and tell the king what you have seen.” So the man from Ethiopia bowed in front of Joab, and started to run.
Eka Joab nowachone ja-Kush niya, “Dhiyo mondo inyis ruoth gima ineno.” Ja-Kush nokulore piny e nyim Joab bangʼe noringo modhi.
22 Then Ahimaaz said again to Joab, “Even though [that man from Ethiopia is running], allow me to run behind him.” Joab replied, “My boy/son, why do you want to do that? You will not receive any reward for your news!”
Ahimaz wuod Zadok nochako wacho ne Joab niya, “Kata bed ni angʼo matimore, to yiena alaw ja-Kush.” To Joab nodwoke niya, “Wuoda, angʼo momiyo idwaro dhi? Ionge gi wach maber manyalo keloni mich.”
23 But Ahimaaz replied, “That does not matter, I want to go.” So Joab said, “Okay, go.” So Ahimaaz ran along [another] road through the Jordan Valley and arrived [where David was] before the man from Ethiopia arrived.
En to nowacho niya, “Kata angʼo matimore, to nyaka aring adhi.” Omiyo Joab nowachone niya, “Ringi idhi.” Eka Ahimaz noringo odhi koluwo yor pap moyombo ja-Kush.
24 David was sitting between the outer gate and the inner gate [of the city]. The watchman/lookout went up on top of the city wall and stood on the roof over the gates. He looked out and saw one man running alone.
Kane oyudo Daudi obet e kind rangach maiye gi ma oko, jarito noidho wi dhoranga ohinga mar ngʼicho. Kane ongʼiyo oko, noneno ngʼato karingo kende.
25 The watchman called down and reported it to the king. The king said, “If he is alone, [that indicates/means that] he is bringing [good] news.” The man who was running continued to come closer.
Jarito noluongo ruoth monyise. To ruoth nowacho niya, “Ka en kende to nyaka bed ni en gi wach maber.” Kendo ngʼatno nomedo sudo machiegni koringo.
26 Then the watchman saw another man running. So he called down to the gatekeeper, “Look! There is another man running!” And the king said, “He also is bringing [some good] news.”
Eka jarito noneno ngʼat machielo karingo, kendo noluongo jarit dhorangach mowachone niya, “Ne ngʼat machielo bende ringo biro ka en kende!” To ruoth nowacho niya, “En bende nyaka bed ni okelo wach maber.”
27 The watchman said, “I think the first man [must be Ahimaaz, because he] is running like Ahimaaz runs.” The king said, “He is a good man, and [I am sure] he is coming with good news.”
Jarito nowacho niya, “Nenorena ni ngʼat mokwongo ringo ka Ahimaz wuod Zadok.” Ruoth nowacho niya, “En ngʼat maber. Obiro gi wach maber.”
28 [When] Ahimaaz [reached the king, he] called out “I hope/desire that things will go well with you!” Then he prostrated himself on the ground in front of the king and said, “Your Majesty, praise Yahweh our God, who has rescued you from the men who were rebelling against you!”
Eka Ahimaz nowuoyo gi ruoth kowacho niya, “Gik moko dhi maber!” Nopodho piny auma e nyim ruoth ka wangʼe ochomo piny mi owacho niya, “Pak obed ni Jehova Nyasaye ma Nyasachi! Osechiwo e lwet ruodha ma en ruoth jogo mosepiem kode.”
29 The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe/all right?” Ahimaaz [did not want to answer that question, so he] replied, “When Joab sent me, I saw that there was a lot of confusion, but I do not know what it was about.”
Ruoth nopenjo niya, “Bende wuowi ma Abisalom ngima?” Ahimaz nodwoke niya, “Ne aneno ka mutni nitie maduongʼ e sa ma Joab ne oro jatich ruoth kod an, jatichni, to ok angʼeyo gima ne timore.”
30 Then the king said, “Stand aside.” So Ahimaaz stepped aside and stood there.
To ruoth nowachone niya, “Chungʼ e bathe ka kendo iriti.” Omiyo nosudo bathe mochungʼ kanyo.
31 Suddenly the man from Ethiopia arrived, and said, “Your Majesty, I have good news for you! Yahweh has enabled your soldiers to defeat all those who rebelled against you!”
Eka ja-Kush nochopo mowacho niya, “Ruodha ma en ruoth, winj wach maber! Jehova Nyasaye oseresi kawuononi e lwet joma piem kodi duto.”
32 The king said to him, “Is the young man Absalom safe/all right?” And the man from Ethiopia replied, “Sir, I wish/desire that what happened to him would happen to all of your enemies and to all those who rebel against you!”
Ruoth nopenjo ja-Kush niya, “Bende wuowi ma Abisalom ngima?” Ja-Kush nodwoko niya, “Mad wasigu mag ruodha ma en ruoth gi ji duto mane ongʼanyo ka dwahinyi obed kaka wuowino.”
33 The king [realized that he meant that Absalom was dead, so he] became (extremely distressed/overcome with grief), and he went up to the room above the gateway and cried. While he was going up, he kept crying out, “O, my son Absalom! My son! O, my son Absalom, I desire/wish that I had died instead of you!”
Ruoth nobwok motetni. Noidho malo e ot man ewi rangach mi oywak. Noywak kowacho niya, “Yaye wuoda Abisalom, wuoda, wuoda Abisalom! Onego an ema ne atho kari, yaye Abisalom wuoda, wuoda!”

< 2 Samuel 18 >