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

Then David numbered the people who were with him. He set over them leaders of thousands and of hundreds.

2 N a, 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.

And he sent the people out. One third of them was under the rule of Joab. One third was under the rule of Zeruiah’s son Abishai, Joab’s brother. And one third was under the rule of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I myself will go out with you also.”

3 N a 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.

But the people said, “You should not go out. For if we run, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth 10, 000 of us. So it is better that you send us help from the city.”

4 N a 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.

The king said to them, “I will do whatever you think is best.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands.

5 A 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.

The king told Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle toward the young man Absalom because of me.” And all the people heard him say this to all the leaders about Absalom.

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

Then the people went out into the field to fight against Israel. The battle was fought among the trees of Ephraim.

7 N a 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.

The people of Israel lost the fight there to the servants of David. Twenty thousand men were killed there that day.

8 A 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.

The battle was spread over the whole country. Dangers from the trees destroyed more people that day than the sword.

9 N a 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.

Absalom met the servants of David. He was going on his horse, and the horse went under the many branches of a large oak tree. Absalom’s hair caught in the branches of the oak. He was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the horse under him kept going.

10 N a 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.

When a certain man saw it, he told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”

11 N a 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.

Joab said to the man, “You saw him! Why did you not kill him and let him fall to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.”

12 N a 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.

The man said to Joab, “Even for a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I would not go against the king’s son. For we heard the king tell you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Keep the young man Absalom safe for me.’

13 M ehemea 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.

If I had gone against his life, there is nothing hidden from the king. And you would not have helped me.”

14 K atahi 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.

Then Joab said, “I will not waste time here with you.” He took three spears in his hand and threw them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the oak.

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

And ten young men who carried Joab’s battle clothes gathered around and hit Absalom and killed him.

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

Then Joab sounded the horn, and all the people returned from going after Israel, for Joab stopped them.

17 N a 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.

They took Absalom and threw him into a deep hole among the trees, and set many stones over him. And all Israel ran away, every one to his own home.

18 N a 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.

While Absalom was alive, he had set up stones in his honor in the King’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to let my name be remembered.” So he called the stones after his own name. And they are there to have Absalom be remembered to this day. David Hears of Absalom’s Death

19 K atahi 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.

Then Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said, “Let me run and bring the king news that the Lord has saved him from those who hate him.”

20 N a 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.

But Joab said to him, “You must not carry news today, but another time. Today you should carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

21 K atahi 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.

Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed to Joab and ran.

22 K atahi 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.

Zadok’s son Ahimaaz said to Joab, “Whatever happens, let me run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why would you run, my son? You would receive no reward for going.”

23 H e 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.

But Ahimaaz said, “Whatever happens, I will run.” So Joab said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and passed the Cushite.

24 N a 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.

David was sitting between the two gates. The man who kept watch went up to the roof of the gate by the wall. He looked up and saw a man running by himself.

25 N a 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.

The man who kept watch called and told the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he has good news.” And he came nearer and nearer.

26 I 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.

Then the man who kept watch saw another man running. He called to the gate-keeper and said, “See, another man is running by himself.” The king said, “This one is bringing good news also.”

27 N a 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.

And the man who kept watch said, “I think the man in front runs like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

28 N a 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.

Ahimaaz called and said to the king, “All is well.” He put his face to the ground in front of the king, and said, “Thanks be to the Lord your God. He has given up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”

29 N a 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.

The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I heard noise and saw much fighting. But I did not know what it was.”

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

Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

31 N a 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.

Then the Cushite came and said, “Let my lord the king receive good news. For the Lord has saved you today from all those who came against you.”

32 A no 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.

The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May those who hate my lord the king, all those who come to do bad things against you, be as that young man!”

33 N a 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.

The king filled with much sorrow. He went up to the room above the gate and cried. As he walked he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”