1 W hen David had gone a short way past the mountain top, Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba met him with two donkeys ready for traveling. On them were 200 loaves of bread, 100 vines of dried grapes, 100 summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

Tendo Davi passado um pouco além do cume, eis que Ziba, o moço de Mefibosete, veio encontrar-se com ele, com um par de jumentos albardados, e sobre eles duzentos pães, cem cachos de passas, e cem de frutas de verão e um odre de vinho.

2 T he king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for those of the king’s house to travel on. The bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. And the wine drink is for whoever is weak in the desert.”

Perguntou, pois, o rei a Ziba: Que pretendes com isso? Respondeu Ziba: Os jumentos são para a casa do rei, para se montarem neles; e o pão e as frutas de verão para os moços comerem; e o vinho para os cansados no deserto beberem.

3 T hen the king said, “Where is your owner’s son?” And Ziba answered, “He is staying in Jerusalem. For he said, ‘Today the family of Israel will return to me the nation of my father.’”

Perguntou ainda o rei: E onde está o filho de teu senhor? Respondeu Ziba ao rei: Eis que permanece em Jerusalém, pois disse: Hoje a casa de Israel me restituirá o reino de meu pai.

4 S o the king said to Ziba, “See, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I bow down in honor to you. O my lord the king, let me find favor in your eyes!” David and Shimei

Então disse o rei a Ziba: Eis que tudo quanto pertencia a Mefibosete é teu. Ao que Ziba, inclinando-se, disse: Que eu ache graça aos teus olhos, ó rei meu senhor.

5 W hen King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of Saul. His name was Shimei, the son of Gera. He did not stop speaking bad things as he came.

Tendo o rei Davi chegado a Baurim, veio saindo dali um homem da linhagem da casa de Saul, cujo nome era Simei, filho de Gêra; e, adiantando-se, proferia maldições.

6 H e threw stones at David, and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the strong men were at his right and at his left.

Também atirava pedras contra Davi e todos os seus servos, ainda que todo o povo e todos os valorosos iam ã direita e ã esquerda do rei.

7 S himei said as he said bad things, “Get out! Get out, you man of blood, you man of no worth!

E, amaldiçoando-o Simei, assim dizia: Sai, sai, homem sanguinário, homem de Belial!

8 T he Lord has punished you for all the blood of the family of Saul, in whose place you have ruled! The Lord has given the nation to your son Absalom! Your trouble is upon you, because you are a man of blood!”

O Senhor te deu agora a paga de todo o sangue da casa de Saul, em cujo lugar tens reinado; já entregou o Senhor o reino na mão de Absalão, teu filho; e eis-te agora na desgraça, pois és um homem sanguinário.

9 Z eruiah’s son Abishai said to the king, “Why should this dead dog speak against my lord the king? Let me go now and cut off his head.”

Então Abisai, filho de Zeruia, disse ao rei: Por que esse cão morto amaldiçoaria ao rei meu senhor? Deixa-me passar e tirar-lhe a cabeça.

10 B ut the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he speaks against me, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Speak against David,’ then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

Disse, porém, o rei: Que tenho eu convosco, filhos de Zeruia? Por ele amaldiçoar e por lhe ter dito o Senhor: Amaldiçoa a Davi; quem dirá: Por que assim fizeste?

11 T hen David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See, my own son wants to kill me. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone and let him speak against me, for the Lord has told him.

Disse mais Davi a Abisai, e a todos os seus servos: Eis que meu filho, que saiu das minhas entranhas, procura tirar-me a vida; quanto mais ainda esse benjamita? Deixai-o; deixai que amaldiçõe, porque o Senhor lho ordenou.

12 I t may be that the Lord will look upon my trouble and return good to me instead of his bad words today.”

Porventura o Senhor olhará para a minha aflição, e me pagará com bem a maldição deste dia.

13 S o David and his men went on the way. And Shimei went beside him on the hill. He spoke against David as he went, and threw stones and dust at him.

Prosseguiam, pois, o seu caminho, Davi e os seus homens, enquanto Simei ia pela encosta do monte, defronte dele, caminhando e amaldiçoando, e atirava pedras contra ele, e levantava poeira.

14 T he king and all the people with him were tired when they came to the Jordan. There he rested and received new strength. Absalom Goes to Jerusalem

E o rei e todo o povo que ia com ele chegaram cansados ao Jordão; e ali descansaram.

15 A bsalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came into Jerusalem. And Ahithophel was with him.

Absalão e todo o povo, os homens de Israel, vieram a Jerusalém; e Aitofel estava com ele.

16 W hen David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

E chegando Husai, o arquita, amigo de Davi, a Absalão, disse-lhe: Viva o rei, viva o rei!

17 A nd Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

Absalão, porém, perguntou a Husai: E esta a tua benevolência para com o teu amigo? Por que não foste com o teu amigo?

18 H ushai said to Absalom, “No! I will belong to whoever is chosen by the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel.

Respondeu-lhe Husai: Não; pois aquele a quem o Senhor, e este povo, e todos os homens de Israel têm escolhido, dele serei e com ele ficarei.

19 A nd whom should I serve? Should I not serve his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

E, demais disto, a quem serviria eu? Porventura não seria a seu filho? como servi a teu pai, assim servirei a ti.

20 T hen Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your wise words. What should we do?”

Então disse Absalão a Aitofel: Dai o vosso conselho sobre o que devemos fazer.

21 A hithophel answered, “Go in to your father’s women, whom he has left to take care of the house. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself hated by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be made stronger.”

Respondeu Aitofel a Absalão: Entra

22 S o they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s women so that the eyes of all Israel could see.

Estenderam, pois, para Absalão uma tenda no terraço; e entrou Absalão

23 T he words that Ahithophel spoke in those days were as if one had asked for the Word of God. Both David and Absalom thought of Ahithophel’s words in this way.

E o conselho que Aitofel dava naqueles dias era como se o oráculo de Deus se consultara; tal era todo o conselho de Aitofel, tanto para com Davi como para Absalão.