¹And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

¹¶ Na ka taua e Rawiri tona nuinga, a whakaritea ana e ia he rangatira mano mo ratou, he rangatira rau.

²And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.

²Na, ka tonoa te iwi e Rawiri; ko tetahi kotahi toru i raro i te ringa o Ioapa, ko tetahi kotahi toru i raro i te ringa o Apihai tama a Teruia, teina o Ioapa, a ko tetahi kotahi toru hoki i raro i te ringa o Itai Kiti. I mea ano te kingi ki te iwi, He pono ka haere tahi atu ano hoki ahau i a koutou.

³But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us; therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succor us out of the city.

³Na ka mea te iwi, Kaua koe e puta ki waho: ki te rere hoki matou, e kore ratou e whai whakaaro ki a matou; ahakoa ko te hawhe o matou i mate, e kore ratou e whai whakaaro ki a matou: tena ko koe, e rite ana koe ki nga mano kotahi tekau o matou; n o reira he pai ke ko koe hei awhina ake mo matou i roto i te pa.

⁴And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

⁴Na ka mea te kingi ki a ratou, Me mea e ahau nga mea e pai ana ki ta koutou titiro. Na tu ana te kingi ki te taha o te kuwaha, me te puta atu te iwi, ona rau, ona mano.

⁵And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

⁵A i ako te kingi ki a Ioapa, ki a Apihai, ki a Itai, i mea, Mahara ki ahau, kia ata hanga hoki ki taua taitama, ki a Apoharama. I rongo ano te iwi katoa i te kingi e ako ana i nga rangatira katoa ki te tikanga mo Apoharama.

⁶So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.

⁶Na ko te putanga o te iwi ki te parae ki te tu ki a Iharaira: a i te ngahere o Eparaima te whawhai.

⁷And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.

⁷Na patua iho i reira nga tangata o Iharaira e nga tangata a Rawiri, nui atu te parekura i reira i taua ra, e rua tekau mano tangata.

⁸For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

⁸A tohatoha noa i reira te whawhai ki te mata katoa o te whenua: tokomaha atu o te iwi i pau i te ngahere i nga mea i pau i te hoari i taua ra.

⁹And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.

⁹¶ Na ka tupono a Apoharama ki nga tangata a Rawiri. I runga ano i te muera a Apoharama e noho ana. Na ko te haerenga o te muera i raro i nga peka matotoru o tetahi oki nui. Kua mau tona matenga ki te oki, a tarewa ana ia i te takiwa o te rangi, o t e whenua; haere atu ana te muera i raro i a ia.

¹⁰And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.

¹⁰Na ka kite tetahi tangata, whakaaturia ana e ia ki a Ioapa; i mea hoki, Nana, i kite ahau i a Apoharama e iri ana i tetahi oki.

¹¹And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [pieces of] silver, and a girdle.

¹¹Na ka mea a Ioapa ki taua tangata nana nei i whakaatu ki a ia, Ha, i kite koe, a he aha ia te patua ai e koe i reira ki te whenua? penei tekau nga hekere hiriwa kua hoatu e ahau ki a koe, me tetahi whitiki.

¹²And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

¹²Na ka mea taua tangata ki a Ioapa, Ahakoa ka riro mai i toku ringa nga pihi hiriwa kotahi mano, pauna rawa, e kore e totoro toku ringa ki te tama a te kingi; i a tatou hoki e whakarongo ana i ako te kingi i a koe, i a Apihai, i a Itai, i mea, Ki a tupato kei pa tetahi ki te taitama ra, ki a Apoharama.

¹³Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against [me].

¹³Mehemea hoki i mahi teka ahau, i mea i te mate mona; e kore hoki tetahi mea e ngaro i te kingi: i reira ko koe tonu na e tu ke i ahau.

¹⁴Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

¹⁴Katahi a Ioapa ka mea, E kore e pai kia roa ahau nei i a koe. Na ka mau tona ringa ki etahi tao e toru, werohia atu ana e ia ki te ngakau o Apoharama, i a ia ano e ora ana i waenganui o te oki.

¹⁵And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

¹⁵Na karapotia ana ia e nga taitama kotahi tekau, e nga kaimau patu a Ioapa, a patua ana a Apoharama e ratou, whakamatea ana.

¹⁶And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.

¹⁶Na whakatangihia ana e Ioapa te tetere, a hoki ana te iwi i te whai i a Iharaira. Na Ioapa hoki i pehi te iwi.

¹⁷And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.

¹⁷Na ka mau ratou ki a Apoharama, ka maka i a ia ki tetahi poka nui i te ngahere, a nui atu te puranga kohatu i haupuria ki runga ki a ia, a whati ana a Iharaira katoa ki tona teneti, ki tona teneti.

¹⁸Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument, unto this day.

¹⁸Na i tona oranga i tikina e Apoharama, i whakaarahia te pou mona, ko tera i te raorao o te kingi; i mea hoki ia, Kahore aku tama e maharatia ai toku ingoa: na huaina iho e ia tona ingoa ki taua pou: e huaina nei ano a reira, ko te tohu a Apohara ma a tae noa ki tenei ra.

¹⁹Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemies.

¹⁹¶ Katahi ka mea a Ahimaata tama a Haroko, Tukua ahau kia rere ki te korero ki te kingi i ta Ihowa whakatikanga i tana whakawa ki ona hoariri.

²⁰And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

²⁰Na ka mea a Ioapa, Kaua koe e kawe korero i tenei ra; engari me kawe korero koe a tetahi atu ra; i tenei ra ia e kore koe e kawe korero; kua mate hoki te tama a te kingi.

²¹Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

²¹Katahi ka mea a Ioapa ki te Kuhi, Haere, korerotia ki te kingi tau i kite ai. Na ka piko iho te Kuhi ki a Ioapa, a rere ana.

²²Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?

²²Katahi ka mea ano a Ahimaata tama a Haroko ki a Ioapa, He ahakoa pehea, kia rere ano ahau i muri i te Kuhi. A ka mea a Ioapa, Kia rere koe hei aha, e taku tama? kahore nei hoki he painga ki a koe o nga korero.

²³But come what may, [said he], I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

²³He ahakoa ra, e ai ki tana, me rere ano ahau. Na ka mea tera ki a ia, E rere. Katahi ka rere a Ahimaata i te ara o te mania, a ka mahue te Kuhi.

²⁴Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

²⁴Na e noho ana a Rawiri i waenganui i nga kuwaha e rua; i piki ano te kaititiro ki te tuanui i runga i te kuwaha, ki te taiepa; ko te marangatanga ake o ona kanohi, ka titiro, na ko tetahi tangata e rere mai ana, tona kotahi.

²⁵And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.

²⁵Na ka karanga te kaititiro, ka whakaatu ki te kingi. Ano ra ko te kingi, Ki te mea ko ia anake, he korero kei tona mangai. Na haere tonu mai ana tera, a ka tata.

²⁶And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, [another] man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.

²⁶I kite ano te kaititiro i tetahi atu tangata e rere mai ana, a ka karanga iho te kaititiro ki te kaitiaki o te kuwaha, ka mea, Tera he tangata e rere mai ra, ko ia anake. A ka mea te kingi, He korero ano ta tera.

²⁷And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

²⁷Na ka mea te kaititiro, Ki taku titiro rite tonu te rere a te tuatahi ki te rere a Ahimaata tama a Haroko. A ka mea te kingi, He tangata pai ia, e haere mai ana me nga korero pai.

²⁸And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

²⁸Na ka karanga a Ahimaata, ka mea ki te kingi, Kei te pai katoa. Na ka piko iho tona mata ki te whenua ki te aroaro o te kingi, a ka mea, Kia whakapaingia a Ihowa, tou Atua, nana nei i tuku mai nga tangata i totoro nei to ratou ringa ki toku arik i, ki te kingi.

²⁹And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

²⁹Na ka mea te kingi, Kei te pai ranei te taitama a Apoharama? Ano ra ko Ahimaata, I te tononga a Ioapa i te tangata a te kingi, i ahau, i tau pononga, i kite ahau i te ngangau nui, heoi kihai i mohio he aha ranei.

³⁰And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.

³⁰Na ka mea te kingi ki a ia, Haere ake, e tu ki konei. Na haere ana ia, a tu ana.

³¹And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Tidings for my lord the king; for Jehovah hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.

³¹Na ko te haerenga mai o te Kuhi; a ka mea te Kuhi, He korero, e toku ariki, e te kingi; kua whakatikaia hoki e Ihowa tau whakawa i te hunga i whakatika mai ra ki a koe.

³²And the king said unto the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

³²Ano ra ko te kingi ki te Kuhi, Kei te pai ranei te taitama, a Apoharama? A ka mea te Kuhi, Kia rite ki taua taitama nga hoariri o toku ariki, o te kingi, me te hunga katoa e whakatika ana ki a koe hei mea i te kino mou.

³³And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

³³Na oho pu te mauri o te kingi, a piki ana ki te ruma i runga i te kuwaha, tangi ana: ko tana korero tenei i a ia e haere ana, E taku tama, e Apoharama, e taku tama, e taku tama, e Apoharama! he pai mehemea ko ahau i mate, a kaua koe, e Apoharama, e taku tama, e taku tama.