2 Samuel 1

1 And so it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, and David had abode in Ziklag two days,

Now it came to pass, after Saul was dead, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalecites, and abode two days in Siceleg.

2 yea so it was, on the third day, that lo! a man came out of the camp, from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head, —and so it was, when he came in unto David, that he fell to the earth, and did homage.

And on the third day, there appeared a man who came out of Saul’s camp, with his garments rent, and dust strewed on his head: and when he came to David, he fell upon his face, and adored.

3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel, am I escaped.

And David said to him: From whence comest thou? And he said to him: I am fled out of the camp of Israel.

4 And David said unto him—How turned out the matter? tell me, I pray thee. And he said—The people have fled from the battle, yea moreover, many, of the people have fallen, and died, Yea moreover, Saul, and Jonathan his son, are dead.

And David said unto him: What is the matter that is come to pass? tell me. He said: The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people are fallen and dead: moreover Saul and Jonathan his son are slain.

5 Then said David unto the young man who was telling him, —How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

And David said to the young man that told him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son, are dead?

6 And the young man who was telling him said, It, so happened, that I was on Mount Gilboa, when lo! Saul, leaning upon his spear, and lo! the chariots and horsemen, hotly pursued him;

And the young man that told him, said: I came by chance upon mount Gelboe, and Saul leaned upon his spear: and the chariots and horsemen drew nigh unto him,

7 so he turned behind him, and saw me, —and cried out unto me, and I said, Behold me!

And looking behind him, and seeing me, he called me. And I answered, Here am I.

8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I said unto him, An Amalekite, am I.

And he said to me: Who art thou? And I said to him: I am an Amalecite.

9 And he said unto me, I pray thee, take thy stand by me, and put me to death, for the cramp hath seized me, —even for as long as my life shall be in me.

And he said to me: Stand over me, and kill me: for anguish is come upon me, and as yet my whole life is in me.

10 So I took my stand by him, and put him to death, for I perceived that he could not survive his fall, —so I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them in unto my lord, here.

So standing over him, I killed him: for I knew that he could not live after the fall: and I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm and have brought them hither to thee, my lord.

11 Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them, —yea moreover, [so did] all the men who were with him.

Then David took hold of his garments and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him.

12 And they lamented aloud, and wept, and fasted until the evening, —for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they were fallen by the sword.

13 And David said unto the young man who was telling him, Whence art thou? And he said, Son of a sojourner—an Amalekite, am I.

And David said to the young man that told him: Whence art thou? He answered: I am the son of a stranger of Amalee.

14 And David said unto him, —How wast thou not afraid to thrust forth thy hand, to destroy the Anointed of Yahweh?

David said to him: Why didst thou not fear to put out thy hand to kill the Lord’s anointed?

15 So David called one of the young men, and said, —Go near—fall upon him. And he smote him, that he died.

And David calling one of his servants, said: Go near and fall upon him. And he struck him so that he died.

16 And David said unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, —for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.

And David said to him: Thy blood be upon thy own head: for thy own mouth hath spoken against thee, saying: I have slain the Lord’s anointed.

17 Then chanted David this dirge, —over Saul and over Jonathan his son;

And David made this kind of lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.

18 and he thought to teach the sons of Judah [the song of] the Bow, —lo! it is written in the Book of the Upright: —

(Also he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda the use of the bow, as it is written in the book of the just.) And he said: Consider, O Israel, for them that are dead, wounded on thy high places.

19 The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes—slain! How have fallen—the mighty!

The illustrious of Israel are slain upon thy mountains: how are the valiant fallen?

20 Do not tell it in Gath, Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, —lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the Uncircumcised triumph.

Tell it not in Geth, publish it not in the streets of Ascalon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph,

21 Ye mountains in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, —for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed with oil.

Ye mountains of Gelboe, let neither dew, nor rain come upon you, neither be they fields of firstfruits: for there was cast away the shield of the valiant, the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan ne’er drew back, —and, the sword of Saul, ne’er returned, empty.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the valiant, the arrow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, —Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong!

Saul and Jonathan, lovely, and comely in their life, even in death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

24 Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, —who clothed you in crimson, [decked] with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel!

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet in delights, who gave ornaments of gold for your attire.

25 How have fallen the mighty, in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, on thy high places, slain!

How are the valiant fallen in battle? Jonathan slain in the high places?

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother, Jonathan! Delightful to me, exceedingly, —Wonderful, was thy love to me, passing the love of women.

I grieve for thee, my brother Jonathan: exceeding beautiful, and amiable to me above the love of women. As the mother loveth her only son, so did I love thee.

27 How have fallen the mighty, and perished the weapons of war!

How are the valiant fallen, and the weapons of war perished?