1 UJowabhi waxelelwa kwathiwa: “Uyabona, ukumkani uzilile, elilela uAbhasalom.”
2 Ngaloo mini uvuyo loloyiso lwajika lwaba lusizi kuwo wonke umkhosi kaDavide, kuba eva kusithiwa: “Ukumkani uzilile ngenxa yonyana wakhe.”
3 Loo mkhosi wabuyela edolophini unyoshoza oku komkhosi obaleke edabini.
4 Wazigquma ubuso ukumkani, watsho esikrakra isikhalo, esithi: “Yini umntwana wam uAbhasalom! Abhasalom, nyana wam, nyana wam!”
5 Wasuka uJowabhi, waya endlwini kakumkani, wafika wathi kukumkani: “Namhlanje uwaphoxile amadoda omkhosi wakho, nditsho amadoda asindise ubomi bakho, ubomi boonyana neentombi zakho, nabafazi bakho namaqadi akho.
6 Abo bakuthiyileyo uyabathanda, uze abo bakuthandayo ubathiye. Kucace gca ukuba izinxiba-mxhaka zakho kwakunye namadoda omkhosi akuzikhathalele. Ndiyabona ukuba namhlanje ngewuvuya ukuba ebengafanga uAbhasalom, kufe thina endaweni yakhe.
7 Hamba ke ngoku, uye kuthetha nawo uwancome la madoda, kuba ngomso kusasa kobe kungekho nanye kuwo ehamba nawe, xa ungayenzanga loo nto. Ndifunga *uNdikhoyo! Loo nto ke yoba lelona shwangusha wakha wanalo ebomini bakho ukususela ebutsheni bakho ukuza kuthi ga ngoku.”