Amnon and Tamar
1 David's son Absalom had a beautiful unmarried sister named Tamar. Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her. 2 He was so much in love with her that he became sick, because it seemed impossible for him to have her; as a virgin, she was kept from meeting men. 3 But he had a friend, a very shrewd man named Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shammah. 4 Jonadab said to Amnon, “You are the king's son, yet day after day I see you looking sad. What's the matter?”
“I'm in love with Tamar, the sister of my half brother Absalom,” he answered.
5 Jonadab said to him, “Pretend that you are sick and go to bed. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please ask my sister Tamar to come and feed me. I want her to fix the food here where I can see her, and then serve it to me herself.’” 6 So Amnon pretended that he was sick and went to bed.
King David went to see him, and Amnon said to him, “Please let Tamar come and make a few cakes here where I can see her, and then serve them to me herself.”
7 So David sent word to Tamar in the palace: “Go to Amnon's house and fix him some food.” 8 She went there and found him in bed. She took some dough, prepared it, and made some cakes there where he could see her. Then she baked the cakes 9 and emptied them out of the pan for him to eat, but he wouldn't. He said, “Send everyone away”—and they all left. 10 Then he said to her, “Bring the cakes here to my bed and serve them to me yourself.” She took the cakes and went over to him. 11 As she offered them to him, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me!”
12 “No,” she said. “Don't force me to do such a degrading thing! That's awful! 13 How could I ever hold up my head in public again? And you—you would be completely disgraced in Israel. Please, speak to the king, and I'm sure that he will give me to you.” 14 But he would not listen to her; and since he was stronger than she was, he overpowered her and raped her.
15 Then Amnon was filled with a deep hatred for her; he hated her now even more than he had loved her before. He said to her, “Get out!”
16 “No,” she answered. “To send me away like this is a greater crime than what you just did!”
But Amnon would not listen to her; 17 he called in his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight! Throw her out and lock the door!” 18 The servant put her out and locked the door.
Tamar was wearing a long robe with full sleeves, the usual clothing for an unmarried princess in those days. 19 She sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying. 20 When her brother Absalom saw her, he asked, “Has Amnon molested you? Please, sister, don't let it upset you so much. He is your half brother, so don't tell anyone about it.” So Tamar lived in Absalom's house, sad and lonely.
21 When King David heard what had happened, he was furious. 22 And Absalom hated Amnon so much for having raped his sister Tamar that he would no longer even speak to him.
Absalom's Revenge
23 Two years later Absalom was having his sheep sheared at Baal Hazor, near the town of Ephraim, and he invited all the king's sons to be there. 24 He went to King David and said, “Your Majesty, I am having my sheep sheared. Will you and your officials come and take part in the festivities?”
25 “No, my son,” the king answered. “It would be too much trouble for you if we all went.” Absalom insisted, but the king would not give in, and he asked Absalom to leave.
26 But Absalom said, “Well, then, will you at least let my brother Amnon come?”
“Why should he?” the king asked. 27 But Absalom kept on insisting until David finally let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom.
Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king 28 and instructed his servants: “Notice when Amnon has had too much to drink, and then when I give the order, kill him. Don't be afraid. I will take the responsibility myself. Be brave and don't hesitate!” 29 So the servants followed Absalom's instructions and killed Amnon. All the rest of David's sons mounted their mules and fled.
30 While they were on their way home, David was told: “Absalom has killed all your sons—not one of them is left!” 31 The king stood up, tore his clothes in sorrow, and threw himself to the ground. The servants who were there with him tore their clothes also. 32 But Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shammah, said, “Your Majesty, they haven't killed all your sons. Only Amnon is dead. You could tell by looking at Absalom that he had made up his mind to do this from the time that Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33 So don't believe the news that all your sons are dead; only Amnon was killed.”
34 In the meantime Absalom had fled.
Just then the soldier on sentry duty saw a large crowd coming down the hill on the road from Horonaim. He went to the king and reported what he had seen. 35 Jonadab said to David, “Those are your sons coming, just as I said they would.” 36 As soon as he finished saying this, David's sons came in; they started crying, and David and his officials also cried bitterly.
37-38 Absalom fled and went to the king of Geshur, Talmai son of Ammihud, and stayed there three years. David mourned a long time for his son Amnon; 39 but when he got over Amnon's death, he was filled with longing for his son Absalom.
Amunoni na Tama
1 Ngono Abusalomu nkololo wa Dafite kabene hazwadzi mbuya zina lile kuyi Tama, Amunoni nkololo wa Dafite kada Tama. 2 Amunoni wakagwadzika kwazo, kwaakanging'wa nge bugwele ngekwe hazwadzi iye Tama, se akabe atji mwanadi, ngono kukasimila Amunoni kunthama tjimwe. 3 Amunoni wakabe ana nzwalani uwe unoyi Jonadabe ali nkololo wa Shimeya, Shimeya nkulu wa Dafite, ngono Jonadabe wakabe ali jenjedu le nlume. 4 Kabhuzwa Amunoni kati, “Kwatini iwe nkololo wa mambo ulingika wakafubala mangwanana mamwe ne mamwe, nlandu ini?”
Amunoni kan'dabila eti, “Ndoda Tama, hazwadzi ya Abusalomu nnung'una wangu.”
5 Jonadabe kandwa kati, “Uzwithame unogwala ungine mu ngubo uizele, ngono ha tate babo bezha kuwokushola, ube ubadwa uti, ‘Ndokumbila hazwadzi yangu Tama kuti azhe kuwondipa tjinojiwa, ngono abhike zojiwa ndakanlinga kuti ndimbone, ndibe ndija akandibhatila izo.’ ” 6 Ndizo Amunoni kalala pasi kazwithama unogwala, ngono mambo bakati bezha kuwonshola, Amunoni kabadwa kati, “Ndokumbila hazwadzi yangu Tama kuti azhe andithamile tjiwunga ndakanlinga, ndizo ndokowoja akandibhatila.”
7 Dafite kayisa dama kuna Tama ku ng'umba ye bushe linoti, “Yenda ku ng'umba ye hazwadzi iyo Amunoni umbikile zojiwa.” 8 Ndizo Tama kayenda ku ng'umba ye hazwadzi iye Amunoni, kwaakabe alileleko. Tama katola bgwisa gwe tjiwunga, kaguvanga, kathama makhekhe hazwadzi iye yakanlinga, kaabhika. 9 Tama katola pani kapakula makhekhe kaabiga mbeli kukwe, ngono kalamba kuja. Amunoni kadwa Tama kati, “Idwa bathu bose badwe ipapa” Mmwe ne mmwe kadwa panli. 10 Ndizo Amunoni kadwa Tama kati, “Zhisa zojiwa ku ng'umba yangu ye bulalo, kuti ndije wakandibhatila.” Tama katola makhekhe aabhika, kaayisa ku ng'umba ye bulalo kuna Amunoni hazwadzi iye. 11 Koga wakati atjiswika nawo pejo naye kuti aje, kambata, kandwa kati, “Izha ngeno tiyizele hazwadzi yangu.” 12 Wakan'dabila eti, “Usithame uijalo hazwadzi yangu, usindikombeledze, kuthu kwakajali akutothamwa mu Iziraela. Usithame kubibi kwakajali! 13 Imi shoni dzingapa ndowodziyisa ngayi kene? Ngono nawebo unowobe unga mmwe we zwilengwe zwibiibi mu Iziraela. Ndokukumbila, lebeleka na mambo, ndoduma nditi abangalambe undilobola.” 14 Koga Amunoni kalamba kunteedza, ngoti wakabe enkulila nge masimba, kambata kandzula.
15 Ndizo Amunoni kabenga Tama lubengo gwakabangalala. Nge malebeswa, kambenga kupinda sekwa kwaakabe en'da ndiko. Kandwa kati, “Milika udwe ipapa!”
16 Koga Tama kandwa kati, “Ndolamba! Kunditata kuko kothama mbipo kupinda tjawandithama kale!” Koga Amunoni kalamba kunteedza. 17 Kadana nlanda uwe kandwa kati, “Dusila nkadzi iwoyu kuzhe, adwe ipapa, ube uzhalila unkhiyila kuzhe.” 18 Ndizo nlanda uwe kabe en'dusa enkhiyila kuzhe.
Tama wakabe akaambala thako ndefu yakanakisiwa ina maboko, ngobe nditjo tjiambalo tjakabe tjiambagwa nge bakololokadzi ba boshe be baanadi. 19 Tama kazwidila nlota mu nsholo, ebuya epalula thako yakanakisiwa yaakabe akaambala, kasenga maboko mu nsholo, kayenda edoroma. 20 Hazwadzi iye Abusalomu kambhuzwa kati, “Hazwadzi iyo Amunoni wakudzula kani? Tjinyalalazo, hazwadzi yangu, nkulu uwo, usitongo longa kuthu ikoku mu moyo.” Tama kagala mu ng'umba ye hazwadzi iye Abusalomu akahwa zogwadza.
21 Kwakati Dafite ehwa kose ikoku, kazhala bushongola kwazo. 22 Koga Abusalomu kabenga Amunoni kwazo ngobe Amunoni wakabe adzula hazwadzi iye Tama, ngono kasitjan'lebese.
Kubgwilizila kwa Abusalomu
23 Kukati shule kwe makole mabili, Abusalomu kabe ana bateseli be pkhwizi ku Bhaalehaza, pejo ne n'gathu we Ifureimi, kakoka bakololo bose ba mambo kuti babe yapo. 24 Abusalomu kazha kuna mambo kabadwa kati, “Nlanda wenyu una bateseli be pkhwizi, apa mambo ne makulukota abo abangayende nami kene?”
25 Koga mambo bakadabila beti, “Akungajalo, nkololo wangu, atingayende tose, tingadwa tinobe ntolo mukuli.” Abusalomu katshindilila mambo, koga kalamba, koga kankombolela.
26 Ndizo Abusalomu kabe eti, “Ngono ha musingayende, ndokumbila kuti tiyende ne nkulu wangu Amunoni.”
Mambo bakambhuzwa beti, “Ini akafanila yenda namwi?” 27 Koga Abusalomu katshindilila mambo kudzina beletja Amunoni ne bakololo bose ba mambo beyenda naye.
Abusalomu wakathama nzano unonga nzano wa mambo. 28 Abusalomu kadwa balanda babe kati, “Teedzani! Ha Amunoni ang'wa nkumbi we zhambi atjilaladza, ngono ha ndimudwa nditi, ‘Bulayani Amunoni, mube mumbulaya. Musitongotja, apa ate imi ndamupa ndaulo iyeyi kene? Musime mube ne tjilopa!’ ” 29 Ndizo balanda ba Abusalomu bakateedza tjaaleba bakabulaya Amunoni sekwa bakabe badwiwa ndi Abusalomu. Ipapo bakololo ba mambo bose bakamilika bakataswa mowulo dzabo bakatizha.
30 Bakati batji mu zila kukaswika mima kuna Dafite inoti, “Abusalomu wabulaya bakololo ba mambo bose, akuna ne nng'ompela wabo wasala.” 31 Mambo bakama nge makumbo, bakazwipalulila zwiambalo bakalala pasi ne balanda babo bose bakabe bali mile ipapo bakapalula naibo zwiambalo zwabo. 32 Koga Jonadabe nkololo wa Shimeya, Shimeya ali nkulu wa Dafite, kabe eti, “She wangu ngabasikumbule kuti babulaya bakololo ba mambo bose, kwafa Amunoni ega. Ikoku kwakagala kwazwimisigwa ndi Abusalomu kudwa mu zhuba la Amunoni akadzula hazwadzi iye Tama. 33 Ngono ngwenu she wangu mambo wangu, basilonge mu moyo ndebeleko inoti bakololo ba mambo bafa bose, kwafa Amunoni ali ega.”
34 Koga Abusalomu katizha.
Tjinyolotjo nlume we nlindi kati emilidza mesho elinga, kabona bathu banjinji bedeluka mu duthu nge zila inodwa ku Horonaimu. Nlume we nlindi kanobudza mambo eti, “Ndobona balume kulingisana ne Horonaimu pa nsupho we duthu.” 35 Jonadabe kadwa mambo kati, “Bonani, bakololo ba mambo baswika, sekwa kwalebgwa nge nlanda wenyu.” 36 Tjinyolotjo koga epedza lebeleka, bakololo ba mambo bakabe bengina, bedoroma, mambo naibobo ne balanda babo bakalila kunoshomola moyo.
37 Abusalomu katizhila kuna Talimayi nkololo wa Amihudi, mambo we Geshuri. Mambo Dafite bakalilila nkololo wabo zhuba ne zhuba. 38 Abusalomu wakatizhila ku Geshuri, kanogalako makole matatu. 39 Mambo Dafite bakashuba kunobona Abusalomu, ngobe bakabe batjinyaladzika ngekwe lufu gwa Amunoni.