¹Zvino Dhavhidhi akaverenga vanhu vaakanga anavo, akagadza vakuru vezviuru navakuru vamazana pamusoro pavo.

¹And David inspecteth the people who [are] with him, and setteth over them heads of thousands and heads of hundreds,

²Dhavhidhi akatuma vanhu, chetatu chavo vachirairwa naJoabhu, nechetatu chavo vachirairwa naAbhishai mwanakomana waZeruya, munin'ina waJoabhu, nechatatu chavozve vachirairwa naItai muGiti. Mambo akati kuvanhu, Zvirokwazvo, neniwo ndimene ndichaenda nemi.

²and David sendeth the third of the people by the hand of Joab, and the third by the hand of Abishai, son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and the third by the hand of Ittai the Gittite, and the king saith unto the people, `I certainly go out — I also — with you.`

³Asi vanhu vakati, Hamungaendi, nekuti kana tikatiza isu, havangavi nehanya nesu; kunyange hafu yavanhu vedu vakaurawa havangavi nehanya nesu; asi imwi makafanana navanhu vedu vane zviuru zvine gumi; naizvozvo zviri nani kuti mugare makazvigadzira kuzotibatsira muri muguta.

³And the people say, `Thou dost not go out, for if we utterly flee, they do not set [their] heart upon us; and if half of us die, they do not set [their] heart unto us — for now like us [are] ten thousand; and now, better that thou be to us from the city for an helper.`

⁴Mambo akati kwavari, Ndichaita sezvamunofunga. Mambo akandomira kurutivi rwesuwo vanhu vose vakabuda vachiita mazana-mazana nezviuru-zviuru.

⁴And the king saith unto them, `That which is good in your eyes I do;` and the king standeth at the side of the gate, and all the people have gone out by hundreds and by thousands,

⁵Zvino mambo akaraira Joabhu naAbhishai naItai, akati, nzwirai henyu jaya nyasha, iye Abhusaromu, nokuda kwangu. Vanhu vose vakanzwa mambo achiraira vakuru vose pamusoro paAbhusaromu.

⁵and the king chargeth Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, `Gently — for me, for the youth, for Absalom;` and all the people heard in the king`s charging all the heads concerning Absalom.

⁶Zvino vanhu vakabudira kusango kundorwa naIsiraeri, vakarwa mudondo raEfuremu.

⁶And the people goeth out into the field to meet Israel, and the battle is in a forest of Ephraim;

⁷Vanhu vaIsiraeri vakakundwapo pamberi pavaranda vaDhavhidhi, vakauraya vanhu vazhinji-zhinji zuva iro vakasvika zviuru zvina mazana maviri.

⁷and smitten there are the people of Israel before the servants of David, and the smiting there is great on that day — twenty thousand;

⁸nekuti kurwa kwakapararira panyika yose, dondo rikaparadza vanhu vazhinji kukunda vakaparadzwa nomunondo.

⁸and the battle is there scattered over the face of all the land, and the forest multiplieth to devour among the people more than those whom the sword hath devoured in that day.

⁹Zvino Abhusaromu akasangana navaranda vaDhavhidhi. Abhusaromu wakange akatasva hesera rake, hesera rikapinda napasi pamatavi makobvu omuoki mukuru, musoro wake ukabatwa pamuoki, iye ndokurembera pakati pedenga napasi; hesera raakanga akatasva rikaramba richifamba.

⁹And Absalom meeteth before the servants of David, and Absalom is riding on the mule, and the mule cometh in under an entangled bough of the great oak, and his head taketh hold on the oak, and he is placed between the heavens and the earth, and the mule that [is] under him hath passed on.

¹⁰Zvino mumwe murume akazviona, akandoudza Joabhu, akati, Tarira, ndaona Abhusaromu akarembera mumuoki.

¹⁰And one man seeth, and declareth to Joab, and saith, `Lo, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.`

¹¹Joabhu akati kumunhu wakamuudza, Wakazviona, ukaregereiko kumubaya ipapo? Ndingadai ndakakupa masirivha ane gumi nebhanhire.

¹¹And Joab saith to the man who is declaring [it] to him, `And lo, thou hast seen — and wherefore didst thou not smite him there to the earth — and on me to give to thee ten silverlings and one girdle?`

¹²Murume akati kuna Joabhu, Kunyange ndikapiwa masirivha ane chiuru muruoko rwangu, handingatambanudziri ruoko rwangu kumwanakomana wamambo, nekuti mambo wakaraira imwi naAbhishai naItai, isu tichizvinzwa, akati, Chenjerai kuti kusava nomunhu unogunzva jaya, iye Abhusaromu.

¹²And the man saith unto Joab, `Yea, though I am weighing on my hand a thousand silverlings, I do not put forth my hand unto the son of the king; for in our ears hath the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe ye who [is] against the youth — against Absalom;

¹³Dai ndakanga ndamuuraya pakavanda (hakune shoko rinovanzirwa mambo), imwi mungadai mandiregera.

¹³or I had done against my soul a vain thing, and no matter is hid from the king, and thou — thou dost station thyself over-against.`

¹⁴Ipapo Joabhu akati, Handigoni kunonoka kudai newe pano. Zvino akatora mapfumo matatu muruoko rwake, akabaya Abhusaromu nawo pamoyo, achiri mupenyu mukati momuoki.

¹⁴And Joab saith, `Not right — I tarry before thee;` and he taketh three darts in his hand, and striketh them into the heart of Absalom, while he [is] alive, in the midst of the oak.

¹⁵Ipapo majaya ane gumi, aibata nhumbi dzokurwa nadzo dzaJoabhu, akakomba Abhusaromu, akamubaya, akamuuraya.

¹⁵And they go round — ten youths bearing weapons of Joab — and smite Absalom, and put him to death.

¹⁶Zvino Joabhu akaridza hwamanda, vanhu vakadzoka pakuteverera vaIsiraeri, nekuti Joabhu wakadzivisa vanhu.

¹⁶And Joab bloweth with a trumpet, and the people turneth back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab hath kept back the people;

¹⁷Vakatora Abhusaromu, vakamukanda mugomba mudondo, vakatutira pamusoro pake murwi mukuru wamabwe; vaIsiraeri vose vakatizira murenje mumwe nomumwe kutende rake.

¹⁷and they take Absalom and cast him in the forest unto the great pit, and set up over him a very great heap of stones, and all Israel have fled — each to his tent.

¹⁸Zvino Abhusaromu achiri mupenyu wakange atora shongwe akazvimutsira iyo pamupata wamambo, nekuti wakati, Handina mwanakomana ungayeudza vanhu zita rangu; akatumidza shongwe iyo zita rake, rikanzi shongwe yokuyeudzira Abhusaromu kusvikira nhasi.

¹⁸And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that [is] in the king`s valley, for he said, `I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;` and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called `The monument of Absalom` unto this day.

¹⁹Zvino Ahimaazi mwanakomana waZadhoki, akati, Regai ndimhanye zvino ndindoudza mambo shoko iri, kuti Jehovha wakamutsiva kuvavengi vake.

¹⁹And Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, `Let me run, I pray thee, and I bear the king tidings, for Jehovah hath delivered him out of the hand of his enemies;`

²⁰Joabhu akati kwaari, Iwe haungaendi neshoko nhasi, asi ungaenda neshoko rimwe zuva; asi nhasi haungaendi neshoko, nekuti mwanakomana wamambo wafa.

²⁰and Joab saith to him, `Thou art not a man of tidings this day, but thou hast borne tidings on another day, and this day thou dost not bear tidings, because the king`s son [is] dead.`

²¹Zvino Joabhu akati kumuKushi, Enda iwe undoudza mambo zvawaona. MuKushi akakotamira pasi pamberi paJoabhu, akamhanya.

²¹And Joab saith to Cushi, `Go, declare to the king that which thou hast seen;` and Cushi boweth himself to Joab, and runneth.

²²Ahimaazi mwanakomana waZadhoki akatizve kuna Joabhu, Kunyange zvakadaro hazvo, nditendere ndimhanye neniwo, nditevere muKushi. Joabhu akati, Unoda kumhanyireiko, mwana wangu, nekuti hauna shoko raungakumikidza?

²²And Ahimaaz son of Zadok addeth again, and saith unto Joab, `And whatever it be, let me run, I pray thee, I also, after the Cushite.` And Joab saith, `Why [is] this — thou art running, my son, and for thee there are no tidings found?` —

²³Iye akati, Kunyange zvakadaro hazvo, ndichamhanya hangu. Akati kwaari, Mhanya hako. Ipapo Ahimaazi akamhanya nenzira yomubani, akapfuura muKushi.

²³`And, whatever it be, [said he,] let me run.` And he saith to him, `Run;` and Ahimaaz runneth the way of the circuit, and passeth by the Cushite.

²⁴Zvino Dhavhidhi wakange agere pakati pamasuwo maviri, nharirire ikakwira padenga resuwo parusvingo rweguta, akatarira, akaona murume achimhanya ari oga.

²⁴And David is sitting between the two gates, and the watchman goeth unto the roof of the gate, unto the wall, and lifteth up his eyes, and looketh, and lo, a man running by himself.

²⁵Nharirire ikadanidzira, ikaudza mambo. Mambo akati, Kana ari oga, ane shoko mumuromo make Akaramba achifamba, akaswedera.

²⁵And the watchman calleth, and declareth to the king, and the king saith, `If by himself, tidings [are] in his mouth;` and he cometh, coming on and drawing near.

²⁶Nharirire ikaona mumwe munhuzve achimhanya; nharirire ikadanidzira kumutariri wesuwo, ikati, Tarira, kuno mumwe munhuzve unomhanya ari oga. Mambo akati, Naiye unouya neshoko.

²⁶And the watchman seeth another man running, and the watchman calleth unto the gatekeeper, and saith, `Lo, a man running by himself;` and the king saith, `Also this one is bearing tidings.`

²⁷Nharirire ikati, Ndinofunga kuti kumhanya kowokutanga kwakafanana nokumhanya kwaAhimaazi mwanakomana waZadhoki. Mambo akati, Iye munhu wakanaka, unouya neshoko rakanaka.

²⁷And the watchman saith, `I see the running of the first as the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.` And the king saith, `This [is] a good man, and with good tidings he cometh.`

²⁸Ahimaazi akadanidzira akati kuna mambo, Rugare! Akakotamira pasi nechiso chake pamberi pamambo, akati, Jehovha Mwari wenyu ngaakudzwe, wakaisa kwamuri vanhu vakanga vatambanudzira maoko avo kunashe wangu mambo.

²⁸And Ahimaaz calleth and saith unto the king, `Peace;` and he boweth himself to the king, on his face, to the earth, and saith, `Blessed [is] Jehovah thy God who hath shut up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king.`

²⁹Mambo akati, Ko jaya, iye Abhusaromu, wakafara here? Ahimaazi akapindura, akati, Pakutumwa komuranda wenyu, iyeni muranda wenyu, naJoabhu, ndakaona nyongano huru, asi ndakanga ndisingazivi kuti chinyiko.

²⁹And the king saith, `Peace to the youth — to Absalom?` And Ahimaaz saith, `I saw the great multitude, at the sending away of the servant of the king, even thy servant [by] Joab, and I have not known what [it is].`

³⁰Mambo akati, Tsauka, umire pano. Akatsauka, akaramba amirepo.

³⁰And the king saith, `Turn round, station thyself here;` and he turneth round and standeth still.

³¹Zvino muKushi akasvika. MuKushi akati, Ndine shoko kunashe wangu mambo; nekuti Jehovha wakakutsivai nhasi kuna vose vakanga vakumukirai.

³¹And lo, the Cushite hath come, and the Cushite saith, `Let tidings be proclaimed, my lord, O king; for Jehovah hath delivered thee to-day out of the hand of all those rising up against thee.`

³²Mambo akati kumuKushi, Ko jaya, iye Abhusaromu, wakafara here? MuKushi akapindura akati, Vavengi vashe wangu mambo, navose vanokumukirai, ngavave sejaya iro.

³²And the king saith unto the Cushite, `Peace to the youth — to Absalom?` And the Cushite saith, `Let them be — as the youth — the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against thee for evil.`

³³Mambo akavhunduka kwazvo, akakwira kukamuri yakanga iri pamusoro pesuwo, akachema; akaramba achifamba, achiti, Haiwa, mwana wangu Abhusaromu! Ndingadai ndakafa hangu panzvimbo yako, haiwa Abhusaromu, mwana wangu, mwana wangu!

³³And the king trembleth, and goeth up on the upper chamber of the gate, and weepeth, and thus he hath said in his going, `My son! Absalom my son; my son Absalom; oh that I had died for thee, Absalom, my son, my son.`