2 Samuel 12
1 And the Lord sent Nathan to David: and when he was come to him, he said to him: There were two men in one city, the one rich, and the other poor.
Envoyé par le Seigneur vers David, Nathan alla le trouver et lui dit: "Deux hommes habitaient une même ville, l’un riche, l’autre pauvre.
2 The rich man had exceeding many sheep and oxen.
Le riche possédait menu et gros bétail en très grande quantité.
3 But the poor man had nothing at all but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up, and which had grown up in his house together with his children, eating of his bread, and drinking of his cup, and sleeping in his bosom: and it was unto him as a daughter.
Mais le pauvre ne possédait rien qu’une petite brebis, qu’il avait achetée. Il la nourrissait, et elle grandissait auprès de lui et de ses enfants, mangeant de son pain, buvant dans sa coupe, reposant sur son sein, traitée comme sa fille.
4 And when a certain stranger was come to the rich man, he spared to take of his own sheep and oxen, to make a feast for that stranger, who was come to him, but took the poor man’s ewe, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
Or, l’homme riche reçut la visite d’un voyageur, et, trop ménager de ses propres bêtes pour en offrir une à son hôte, il s’empara de la brebis du pauvre et la servit à l’hôte qui était venu chez lui…"
5 And David’s anger being exceedingly kindled against that man, he said to Nathan: As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this is a child of death.
David entra dans une grande colère contre cet homme et dit à Nathan: "Par le Dieu vivant! Il mérite la mort, l’auteur d’une telle action;
6 He shall restore the ewe fourfold, because he did this thing, and had no pity.
et la brebis, il doit en payer quatre fois la valeur, parce qu’il a commis cet acte et n’a pas eu de pitié!"
7 And Nathan said to David: Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee from the hand of Saul,
Nathan dit à David: "Cet homme, c’est toi-même! Ainsi a parlé l’Eternel, Dieu d’Israël: Je t’ai sacré roi d’Israël, je t’ai préservé de la main de Saül;
8 And gave thee thy master’s house and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Juda: and if these things be little, I shall add far greater things unto thee.
je t’ai donné la maison de ton maître, j’ai mis dans tes bras les femmes de ton maître, je t’ai établi chef de la maison d’Israël et de Juda; et si c’était trop peu, je t’en aurais encore ajouté tant et plus.
9 Why therefore hast thou despised the word of the Lord, to do evil in my sight? Thou hast killed Urias the Hethite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
Pourquoi donc as-tu méprisé la parole du Seigneur et fait ce qu’il lui déplaît? Tu as fait périr par le glaive Urie le Héthéen et pris sa femme pour épouse; oui, tu l’as tué par l’épée des Ammonites.
10 Therefore the sword shall never depart from thy house, because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Urias the Hethite to be thy wife.
Eh bien! L’Épée ne cessera jamais de menacer ta maison, parce que tu m’as méprisé, parce que tu as pris la femme d’Urie le Héthéen pour en faire ton épouse.
11 Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thy own house, and I will take thy wives before thy eyes I and give them to thy neighhour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
Ainsi a parlé le Seigneur: Je susciterai le malheur contre toi, de ta propre maison; je prendrai tes femmes, toi vivant, et je les donnerai à l’un des tiens, et il aura commerce avec elles à la face de ce soleil!
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing in the sight of all Israel, and in the sight of the sun.
Si tu as agi, toi, clandestinement, moi j’exécuterai cette menace en présence de tout Israël et à la face du soleil."
13 And David said to Nathan: I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David: The Lord also hath taken away thy sin: thou shalt not die.
David dit à Nathan: "J’Ai péché envers le Seigneur…" Et Nathan répondit à David: "Eh bien! Le Seigneur a effacé ta faute: tu ne mourras point.
14 Nevertheless, because thou hast given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, for this thing, the child that is born to thee, shall surely die.
Toutefois, comme tu as, par ce péché, induit en blasphème les ennemis du Seigneur, l’enfant qui t’est né doit mourir."
15 And Nathan returned to his house. The Lord also struck the child which the wife of Urias had borne to David, and his life was despaired of.
Nathan regagna sa demeure et Dieu frappa l’enfant que la femme d’Urie avait donné à David; il tomba gravement malade.
16 And David besought the Lord for the child: and David kept a fast, and going in by himself lay upon the ground.
David implora Dieu pour cet enfant, s’imposa un jeûne et passa la nuit près de lui, couché par terre.
17 And the ancients of his house came, to make him rise from the ground: but he would not, neither did he eat meat with them.
Les plus anciens de sa maison s’empressèrent autour de lui pour l’engager à se relever; mais il refusa et ne goûta aucune nourriture avec eux.
18 And it came to pass on the seventh day that the child died: and the servants of David feared to tell him, that the child was dead. For they said: Behold when the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he would not hearken to our voice: how much more will he afflict himself if we tell him that the child is dead?
Or, le septième jour, l’enfant mourut. Les serviteurs de David n’osèrent lui annoncer cette mort, car ils se disaient: "Certes, quand l’enfant vivait, nous avons parlé au roi et il ne nous a point écoutés, et comment lui dirions-nous que l’enfant est mort? Il ferait un malheur."
19 But when David saw his servants whispering, he understood that the child was dead: and he said to his servants: Is the child dead? They answered him: He is dead.
David, voyant ses serviteurs chuchoter entre eux, comprit que l’enfant était mort, et il leur dit: "L’Enfant est mort? Il est mort," répondirent-ils.
20 Then David arose from the ground, and washed and anointed himself: and when he had changed his apparel, he went into the house of the Lord: and worshipped, and then he came into his own house, and he called for bread, and ate.
Alors David se releva de terre, prit un bain, se parfuma et changea de vêtements, puis se rendit à la maison de Dieu et se prosterna; il rentra chez lui, et, sur sa demande, on lui servit un repas qu’il mangea.
21 And his servants said to him: What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive, but when the child was dead, thou didst rise up, and eat bread.
"Que signifie cette conduite? lui dirent ses serviteurs. Pour l’enfant vivant tu as jeûné et pleuré, et maintenant qu’il est mort tu te relèves et tu prends de la nourriture!),
22 And he said: While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept for him: for I said: Who knoweth whether the Lord may not give him to me, and the child may live?
Il répondit: "Alors que l’enfant vivait, j’ai jeûné et pleuré, car je pensais: Qui sait? Le Seigneur pourra me faire la grâce de laisser vivre cet enfant.
23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Shall I be able to bring him back any more? I shall go to him rather: but he shall not return to me.
Maintenant qu’il est mort, pourquoi jeûnerais-je? Puis-je le faire revivre? J’Irai le rejoindre, mais lui ne reviendra pas près de moi."
24 And David comforted Bethsabee his wife, and went in unto her, and slept with her: I and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon, and the Lord loved him.
David réconforta sa femme Bethsabée. Il cohabita de nouveau avec elle, et elle enfanta un fils qu’elle nomma Salomon et qui fut aimé du Seigneur.
25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and called his name, Amiable to the Lord, because the Lord loved him.
Sur une mission donnée au prophète Nathan, on le surnomma Yedidya en considération du Seigneur.
26 And Joab fought against Rabbath of the children of Ammon, and laid close siege to the royal city.
Joab attaqua la Rabba des Ammonites et s’empara de cette capitale.
27 And Joab sent messengers to David, saying: I have fought against Rabbath, and the city of waters is about to be taken.
Il envoya des messagers à David et lui fit dire: "J’Ai attaqué Rabba et j’ai même pris la ville des Eaux.
28 Now therefore gather thou the rest of the people together, and besiege the city and take it: lest when the city shall be wasted by me, the victory be ascribed to my name.
Maintenant donc, rassemble le reste de l’armée, campe devant la ville et t’en empare, afin que moi je n’en prenne pas possession et que l’honneur n’en revienne pas à mon nom."
29 Then David gathered all the people together, and went out against Rabbath: and after fighting, he took it.
David rassembla donc le reste de l’armée, alla guerroyer contre Rabba et s’en empara.
30 And he took the crown of their king from his head, the weight of which was a talent of gold, set with most precious stones, and it was put upon David’s head, and the spoils of the city which were very great he carried away.
Il enleva de la tête du roi sa couronne, pesant un kikkar d’or et ornée de pierres précieuses, et qui passa sur la tête de David. Il emporta le butin de la ville en très grande quantité.
31 And bringing forth the people thereof he sawed them, and drove over them chariots armed with iron: and divided them with knives, and made them pass through brickkilns: so did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon: and David returned, with all the army to Jerusalem.
Il emmena le peuple qui s’y trouvait, le condamna à la scie, aux herses de fer, aux haches de fer, l’envoya au four à briques, et il en usa de même à l’égard de toutes les villes des Ammonites. Puis David, avec toute l’armée, rentra à Jérusalem.
