2 Samuel 18

18 ¹David gada im sojas togeda, en e appoint commanders wey go dey lead one-thousand-one-thousand men, en commanders wey go dey lead hundred-hundred men ontop dem. ²David send di sojas comot: one-third under Joab, one-third under Abishai pikin of Zeruiah, wey be Joab brother, en one-third under Ittai di Gittite. Di king tell di sojas sey, “Na so-so true, I go comot go togeda wit una too.”

³But di sojas sey, “No comot. If we run, dem no go send us; if half of us die, dem no go send us. You worth ten-thousand of us. E beta make you stay for di city, ready to send us help.”

⁴Di king tell dem sey, “I go do wetin una see sey e beta.” Den e stand for di gate as all di sojas dey march comot for hundred-hundred en for thousand-thousand.

⁵Di king command Joab, Abishai, en Ittai sey, “Take am easy wit di young man Absalom, because of me.” All di sojas hear as di king dey command di commanders about Absalom.

⁶Di sojas comot go di field go fight Israel, en di battle happen for inside di forest of Ephraim. ⁷For there, David men beat Israel army well-well, en plenty people die dat day: twenty-thousand men. ⁸Di battle spread reach di whole area, en di forest chop more sojas dat day pass wetin di sword chop.

⁹Absalom jam David men. As e dey ride im mule, e pass under di thick branches of one big oak tree, en im head catch tight for inside di tree. E hang between heaven en earth as di mule waka go under am. ¹⁰One man see am en tell Joab sey, “I just see Absalom wey dey hang for inside one oak tree.”

¹¹Joab tell di man wey tell am sey, “So you see am! Wetin make you no kill am put for ground for there? For I for owe you ten days pay for silver en one belt.”

¹²But di man tell Joab sey, “Even if dem weigh one-thousand days pay for silver put for my hand, I no go raise my hand against di king pikin. Because all of us hear as di king command you, Abishai, en Ittai sey, ‘Protect di young man Absalom because of me.’ ¹³If no be so, I for don throway my own life, because notin dey hide from di king, en you for don stand comot from me.”

¹⁴Joab sey, “I no go waste time wit you like dis.” E take three javelin for im hand, jam dem enter Absalom heart while e still dey alive, for inside di oak tree. ¹⁵En ten young men, wey be di people wey dey carry Joab weapon, surround Absalom, jam am, en kill am. ¹⁶Joab blow di ram horn, en di sojas stop to dey chase Israel, because Joab hold dem back. ¹⁷Dem take Absalom, throway am enter one big pit for inside di forest, en pile plenty stone gan ontop am. All Israel run, everybody go im own house.

¹⁸While e still dey alive, Absalom bin set up one pillar for inside di King Valley, e sey, “I no get pikin wey go make people remember my name.” E name di pillar afta imsef, en dem dey call am Absalom Monument reach today. ^a a v18 Absalom bin get sons wey born for am (2 Samuel 14:27), but e look like sey dem die before am, wey make e no get anybody wey go carry im name continue.

David Cry for Im Pikin Absalom

¹⁹Ahimaaz pikin of Zadok sey, “Make I run go tell di king sey our Papa don do am justice against im enemies.”

²⁰Joab sey, “No be you go carry news today. You fit carry news anoda day, but today you no go carry any, because di king pikin don die.”

²¹Joab sey to di Cushite, “Go, tell di king wetin you see.” Di Cushite bow for Joab en run.

²²Ahimaaz pikin of Zadok sey to Joab again, “Come wetin fit come, abeg make I too run afta di Cushite.” Joab answer sey, “Wetin make you run, my pikin? You no get news wey worth reward.”

²³“Wetin ever happen,” e sey, “I go run.” “Run,” Joab sey. So Ahimaaz run di plain road en pass di Cushite.

²⁴David bin dey sit between di two gates. Di watchman climb go di roof of di gate for di wall, lift im eye up, en see one man wey dey run im one. ²⁵Di watchman shout, tell di king. Di king sey, “If na im one, e dey bring news.” Di runner dey come near-near.

²⁶Di watchman see anoda man wey dey run en call di gatekeeper sey, “Look, anoda man dey run im one!” Di king sey, “Dis one too dey bring news.”

²⁷Di watchman sey, “Di first one dey run like Ahimaaz pikin of Zadok.” Di king sey, “E be good man; e dey come wit good news.”

²⁸Ahimaaz call di king sey, “Everytin dey well!” E bow for di king front, im face touch ground, en e sey, “Make blessing dey for your Papa, wey hand over di people wey rebel against my oga di king.”

²⁹Di king ask sey, “Di young man Absalom dey safe?” Ahimaaz answer sey, “As Joab dey send di king servant en me your servant comot, I see plenty commotion, but I no know wetin e be.”

³⁰Di king sey, “Comot for side en stand for here.” So e comot for side en stand quiet.

³¹Di Cushite reach en sey, “Good news, my oga di king! Today Oga don clear you from di hand of all di people wey rise against you.”

³²Di king ask di Cushite sey, “Di young man Absalom dey safe?” Di Cushite answer sey, “Make di enemies of my oga di king, en all di people wey rise against you to do you bad, be like dat young man.”

³³Di king begin shake. E climb go di upper room ontop di gate, e dey cry, e dey talk as e dey waka sey: “My pikin Absalom! My pikin, my pikin, Absalom! If na me die instead of you, Absalom, my pikin, my pikin!”