2 Samuel 3
1 There was a long war between those who wanted Saul’s son to be their king and those who wanted David to be their king. But more and more people began to want David to be the king, while the number of people who wanted Saul’s son to be the king continued to become smaller.
Aʋawɔwɔ didi aɖe nɔ edzi yim le Saul ƒe aƒe kple David aƒe dome. David ƒe aƒe la nɔ ŋusẽ kpɔm ɖe edzi le esime Saul ƒe aƒe ya nɔ gbɔdzɔgbɔdzɔm ɖe edzi.
2 David’s wives gave birth to six sons at Hebron. The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam, from Jezreel [city].
Wodzi ŋutsuviwo na David esi wònɔ Hebron. Via ŋutsu tsitsitɔe nye Amnon, ame si dadae nye Ahinoam tso Yezreel.
3 The next one was Kileab, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal, from Carmel [city]. The next one was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the king of [the] Geshur [region].
Via ŋutsu eveliae nye Kileab, ame si Abigail, Nabal, Karmeltɔ la ƒe ahosi dzi nɛ. Via ŋutsu etɔ̃liae nye Absalom, ame si Maaka, Gesur Fia, Talmai ƒe vinyɔnu dzi nɛ.
4 The next one was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The next one was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
Eneliae nye Adoniya, ame si Hagit dzi nɛ. Via atɔ̃liae nye Sefatia eye dadae nye Abital
5 The youngest one was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, [another one of] David’s wives. Those sons of David were all born in Hebron.
Adeliae nye Itream eye dadae nye Egla. Wodzi ŋutsu ade siawo na Fia David le Hebron.
6 While those who wanted Saul’s son to rule over them and those who wanted David to rule over them continued to fight against each other, Abner was becoming more influential among those who wanted Saul’s son to be the king.
Esi aʋa la nɔ edzi yim la, Abner va kpɔ ŋusẽ gã aɖe le Saul yomedzelawo dome.
7 When Saul was alive, he had as one of his wives a slave woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. [But one day Abner had sexual relations with her]. So Ishbosheth said to Abner, “Why have you had sexual relations with [EUP] my father’s slave wife?”
Ewɔ nɔƒe si wòkpɔ la ŋu dɔ eye wòdɔ Saul ƒe ahiãvi aɖe si woyɔna be Rizpa, si dadaa nye Aya gbɔ. Ke esi Is Boset bia gbe Abner le nuwɔna sia ŋu la,
8 Abner became very angry about what Ishbosheth said to him. He said to Ishbosheth, “(Do you think that I am a [worthless] dog [MET] from Judah?/You are treating me as though I am a [worthless] dog [MET] from Judah.) [RHQ] From the beginning, I have been loyal to Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends. And I have prevented you from being defeated by David’s army. So now (why are you criticizing me about [what I have done with] some woman?/you should not be criticizing me about [what I have done with] some woman.) [RHQ]
Abner do dɔmedzoe le Is Boset ƒe nyawo ta hegblɔ bena, “Avue menye le Yuda be woanɔ ƒoyem tso afii yi afimɛa? Menyo na wò kple fofowò vɔ be nyemetsɔ mi de asi na David o. Nye fetue nye miakpɔ vodada le nye kple nyɔnu aɖe ŋua?
9 Yahweh solemnly promised that he would not allow Saul and his descendants to continue to rule. He promised that he would cause David to rule over all the tribes of Israel and Judah, from Dan [city] far in the north to Beersheba [city] far in the south. So I hope/desire that God will punish me severely [HYP] if I do not enable that to happen!”
Mawu nafia fu Abner vevie ne nyemewɔ nu si Yehowa do ŋugbe, eye wòka atam ɖe edzi be mawɔ na David o,
ne nyemexɔ fiaɖuƒe la tso Saul ƒe aƒe me eye ne nyemeɖo David ƒe fiazikpui la gɔme anyi ɖe Israel kple Yuda dzi, tso Dan va se ɖe Beerseba o.”
11 Ishbosheth was very afraid of Abner, so he did not say anything in reply to Abner.
Is Boset meɖo eŋu o elabena enɔ vɔvɔ̃m na Abner.
12 Then Abner sent messengers to David [when he was at Hebron], to say to him, “[Either you or I] should be [RHQ] the ruler of this entire nation, [but not Isbosheth. However, ] if you make an agreement with me, I will help you by encouraging all the people of Israel to (be want you to be their king/start to support) you.”
Abner dɔ amewo ɖe David gbɔ be woagblɔ nɛ be yeaɖe asi le Israel ƒe fiaɖuƒe ŋu nɛ ale be wòawɔ ye yeazu aʋafia gã anɔ Israelʋakɔ la kple Yudaʋakɔ la ƒe ƒuƒoƒo nu.
13 David sent back this reply: “Good! I am willing to make an agreement with you. But before that happens, there is one thing that you must do. When you come to see me, you must bring my wife Michal, Saul’s daughter.”
David ɖo eŋu be, “Enyo, melɔ̃ gake nyemawɔ nubabla aɖeke kpli wò o va se ɖe esime nàkplɔ srɔ̃nye Mixal, ame si nye Saul vinyɔnu la vɛ nam.”
14 Then David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, to say to him, “I [had to kill] 100 men from Philistia [and cut off] their foreskins to give to Saul to pay for Michal [to be my wife]. So now give her back to me!”
Ale David ɖo du ɖe Is Boset be, “Gbugbɔ srɔ̃nye Mixal nam elabena Filistitɔ alafa ɖeka ƒe agbe metsɔ na ɖe eta.”
15 So Ishbosheth sent some men to take Michal from her husband Palti. But [when they took her, ] her husband followed them all the way to Bahurim [town], crying as he went.
Ale Is Boset xɔ Mikal le srɔ̃a Paltiel si nye Lais vi la si.
16 Then Abner [turned and] said to him, “Go back [home]!”, so he did.
Paltiel dze srɔ̃a yome nɔ avi fam va se ɖe keke Bahurim, hafi Abner na wòtrɔ yi aƒe.
17 Abner went to the Israeli leaders and talked with them. He said, “For a long time you have wanted David to be your king.
Abner wɔ takpekpe kple Israel ƒe kplɔlawo eye wòɖo ŋku edzi na wo be, “Miedi be David nanye miaƒe fia ɣeyiɣi didi aɖee nye esi.”
18 So now you have an opportunity to do that. Keep in mind that Yahweh promised this: ‘With the help of David, who serves me [well], I will rescue my people from the people of Philistia, and from the power [MTY] of all their other enemies’.”
Egblɔ na wo be, “Azã la su azɔ elabena Yehowa do ŋugbe na David be, ‘Nye dɔla, David dzie mato aɖe nye dukɔ, Israel tso Filistitɔwo kple woƒe futɔ bubuawo ƒe asi me!’”
19 Abner also spoke to the people of the tribe of Benjamin. Then he went to Hebron, to tell David what all the people of Israel and the people of the tribe of Benjamin had agreed to do.
Abner ƒo nu kple Benyamin ƒe viwo ƒe kplɔlawo hã. Emegbe la, eyi Hebron eye wògblɔ ale si wòwɔ nya la ŋu dɔ kple Israelviwo kple Benyamin ƒe viwo la na David.
20 When Abner came with 20 of his soldiers to see David at Hebron, David made a feast for all of them.
Esi Abner kplɔ ame blaeve ɖe asi va David gbɔ le Hebron la, David xɔ wo nyuie eye wòɖo kplɔ̃ na wo.
21 Afterwards, Abner said to David, “Sir/Your majesty, I will now go and encourage all the people of Israel to accept you to be their king, as you have desired.” Then Abner left, peacefully.
Esi Abner nɔ dzodzom la, edo ŋugbe na David be, “Ne meɖo aƒe la, mayɔ Israelviwo katã aƒo ƒu na nye aƒetɔ fia la, eye mana woatia wò woƒe fiae abe ale si nèdi xoxoxo ene.” Ale David na Abner trɔ dzo dedie.
22 Soon after that, Joab and some of David’s other soldiers returned [to Hebron] after raiding [one of their enemies’ villages], bringing with them a lot of things that they had captured. But Abner was not there at Hebron, because David had sent him safely home.
Esi Abner trɔ dzo teti ko la, Yoab kple David ƒe aʋawɔla aɖewo gbɔ tso nuwo haƒe eye wotsɔ afunyinuwo gbɔe.
23 When Joab and the soldiers who were with him arrived, someone told him that Abner had come there and talked with the king, and that the king allowed to go home safely.
Esi wògblɔ na Yoab be Abner, Ner vi, va kpɔ Fia la ɖa eye wòtrɔ dzo dedie le ŋutifafa me eteƒe medidi o la,
24 So Joab went to the king and said, “Why have you done that? Listen to me! Abner [is your enemy, but] when he came to you, you allowed him [RHQ] to leave!
Yoab yi Fia la gbɔ eye wògblɔ be, “Nu kae nye esi nèwɔ? Kpɔ ɖa, Abner va gbɔwò. Nu ka ta nèɖe asi le eŋu? Fifia edzo!
25 Do you not know that he came to you to deceive you and to find out everything that you are doing, and all the places that you go to?”
Ènya Abner, Ner ƒe vi, nyuie; ɖe wòva be yeable wò, yealé ŋku ɖe wò afɔɖeɖewo ŋu eye yeanya nu sia nu si wɔm nèle.”
26 After Joab left David, he sent some messengers to get Abner. They found him at Sirah Well, and brought him back to Hebron, but David did not know that they had done that.
Yoab dɔ amewo ɖa be woana Abner natrɔ agbɔ. Ame dɔdɔawo tu Abner le Sira ƒe vudo la gbɔ eye wòtrɔ gbɔ kpli wo. Ke David menya naneke tso nu sia ŋu o.
27 So when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab met him at the city gate, and took him aside as though he wanted to speak with him privately. Then he stabbed Abner in the stomach [with his knife/sword]. In that way he murdered Abner because Abner had killed [MTY] Joab’s brother Asahel.
Esi Abner va ɖo Hebron la, Yoab ɖe kpɔe le dua ƒe agbonu abe nya ɣaɣla aɖee wòbe yeagblɔ nɛ ene, ke eɖe adekpui eye wòwui abe hlɔ̃biabiae ɖe nɔvia Asahel, ame si Abner wu la ta ene.
28 Later, after David heard what had happened, he said, “Yahweh knows that I and the people of my kingdom are not at all (responsible for/guilty of) murdering [MTY] Abner.
Emegbe, esi David se nu tso nu sia ŋu la, egblɔ be “Nye kple nye fiaɖuƒe la, míeɖi fɔ le Ner ƒe vi, Abner ƒe ʋu ŋuti le Yehowa ŋkume o yi ɖe mavɔ me.
29 I hope/desire that Joab and all his family will be punished [MTY] for doing that! I hope/desire that there will always be someone in his family who has sores, or someone who is a leper, or some man who is forced to do women’s work, or someone who is killed in a battle, or someone who does not have enough food to eat!”
Eƒe ʋu nava Yoab kple fofoa ƒe aƒe la katã ƒe ta dzi. Na be ame si ŋu abi makumaku alo kpodɔ le alo nuwɔamitɔ alo ame si tsi yinu loo alo dɔwuitɔ magbe Yoab ƒe aƒemenɔnɔ gbeɖe o.”
30 That is how Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.
Yoab kple nɔvia Abisai wowu Abner elabena ewu wo nɔviŋutsu Asahel le aʋa le Gibeon.
31 Then David said to Joab and to all Joab’s soldiers, “Tear your clothes and put on coarse cloth [to show that you are sad], and mourn for Abner!” And [at the funeral], King David walked behind [the men who were carrying] the coffin.
David gblɔ na Yoab kple ame siwo katã le eŋu la be, “Midze miaƒe awuwo, mita akpanya eye mifa na Abner.” Fia David ŋutɔ dze amekukuɖaka la yome yi ameɖiƒe.
32 They buried Abner’s body at Hebron. And at the grave, the king cried loudly, and all the other people also cried.
Woɖi Abner ɖe Hebron eye fia la fa avi hehehe le Abner ƒe yɔdo to, nenema kee nye ameawo katã hã.
33 David sang this sad song to lament for Abner: “It is not right that [RHQ] Abner died like outlaws die!
Fia David dzi konyifaha sia na Abner be, “Ɖe Abner aku abe yakame enea?
34 No one tied his hands or put chains on his feet, [like they do to criminals]. No, he was murdered by wicked men!”
Womebla wò asiwo hafi o. Womede ga wò afɔwo hafi o. Èku abe ale si wokuna le ŋutasẽlawo ƒe asi me ene.” Eye ameawo katã gafa avi nɛ.
35 Then many [HYP] people came to David to tell him to eat some food before sunset, but David refused. He said, “I hope/desire that God will punish me severely [HYP] if I eat any food before the sun goes down!”
Ale wo katã wova eye woƒoe ɖe David nu be wòaɖu nane esi zã medo haɖe o. Ke David ka atam be, “Mawu nafiam, agafiam ɖe edzi ne made abolo alo nu bubu aɖe nu me hafi ɣe naɖo to!”
36 All the people saw what David did, and they were pleased. Truly, everything that the king did pleased the people.
Ameawo katã de dzesi nya sia eye wokpɔ ŋudzedze le eŋu; le nyateƒe me la, nu sia nu si fia la wɔ la dze wo ŋu.
37 So all the people realized that the king had not wanted Abner to be killed.
Ale dukɔ blibo la, Yuda kple Israel siaa nya to David ƒe nuwɔnawo me be eƒe asi menɔ Abner ƒe ku la me o.
38 The king said to his officials, “(Do you not realize that a leader and a great man has died today in Israel?/You should realize that a leader and a great man has died today in Israel.) [RHQ]
David gblɔ na eƒe amewo be, “Kplɔla gã aɖe kple amegã aɖe ku egbe le Israel
39 Even though Yahweh appointed me to be the king, today I feel weak. These two sons of Zeruiah, [Joab and Abishai], are very violent; I cannot control them. So I hope/desire that Yahweh will punish them severely in return for this wicked thing that they have done!”
eye togbɔ be menye Mawu ƒe amesiamina hã la, nyemate ŋu awɔ naneke kple Zeruya ƒe vi eve siawo o. Yehowa naɖo vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi teƒe na ame vɔ̃ɖiwo.”
