1 Samuele 21
1 Davide andò a Nob dal sacerdote Ahimelec; e Ahimelec gli venne incontro tutto tremante, e gli disse: “Perché sei solo e non hai alcuno teco?”
And David came to Nobe to Achimelech the priest: and Achimelech was astonished at David’s coming. And he said to him: Why art thou alone, and no man with thee?
2 Davide rispose al sacerdote Ahimelec: “Il re m’ha dato un’incombenza, e m’ha detto: Nessuno sappia nulla dell’affare per cui ti mando e dell’ordine che t’ho dato; e quanto alla mia gente, le ho detto di trovarsi in un dato luogo.
And David said to Achimelech the priest: The king hath commanded me a business, and said: Let no man know the thing for which thou art sent by me, and what manner of commands I have given thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.
3 E ora che hai tu sotto mano? Dammi cinque pani o quel che si potrà trovare”.
Now therefore if thou have any thing at hand, though it were but five loaves, give me, or whatsoever thou canst find.
4 Il sacerdote rispose a Davide, dicendo: “Non ho sotto mano del pane comune, ma c’è del pane consacrato; ma la tua gente s’è almeno astenuta da contatto con donne?”
And the priest answered David, saying: I have no common bread at hand, but only holy bread, if the young men be clean, especially from women?
5 Davide rispose al sacerdote: “Da che son partito, tre giorni fa, siamo rimasti senza donne; e quanto ai vasi della mia gente erano puri; e se anche la nostra incombenza è profana, essa sarà oggi santificata da quel che si porrà nei vasi.
And David answered the priest, and said to him: Truly, as to what concerneth women, we have refrained ourselves from yesterday and the day before, when we came out, and the vessels of the young men were holy. Now this way is defiled, but it shall also be sanctified this day in the vessels.
6 Il sacerdote gli diè dunque del pane consacrato perché non v’era quivi altro pane tranne quello della presentazione, ch’era stato tolto d’innanzi all’Eterno, per mettervi invece del pan caldo nel momento in cui si toglieva l’altro.
The priest therefore gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there, but only the loaves of proposition, which had been taken away from before the face of the Lord, that hot loaves might be set up.
7 Or quel giorno, un cert’uomo di tra i servi di Saul si trovava quivi, trattenuto in presenza dell’Eterno; si chiamava Doeg, era Edomita, e capo de’ pastori di Saul.
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, within the tabernacle of the Lord: and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the chiefest of Saul’s herdsmen.
8 E Davide disse ad Ahimelec: “Non hai tu qui disponibile una lancia o una spada? Perché io non ho preso meco né la mia spada né le mie armi, tanto premeva l’incombenza del re”.
And David said to Achimelech: Hast thou here at hand a spear, or a sword? for I brought not my own sword, nor my own weapons with me, for the king’s business required haste.
9 Il sacerdote rispose: “C’è la spada di Goliath, il Filisteo, che tu uccidesti nella valle de’ terebinti; è là involta in un panno dietro all’efod; se la vuoi prendere, prendila, perché qui non ve n’è altra fuori di questa”. E Davide disse: “Nessuna e pari a quella; dammela!”
And the priest said: Lo, here is the sword of Goliath the Philistine whom thou slewest in the valley of Terebinth, wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take this, take it, for here is no other but this. And David said: There is none like that, give it me.
10 Allora Davide si levò, e quel giorno fuggì per timore di Saul, e andò da Akis, re di Gath.
And David arose and fled that day from the face of Saul: and came to Achis the king of Geth:
11 E i servi del re dissero ad Akis: “Non è questi Davide, il re del paese? Non è egli colui del quale cantavan nelle loro danze: Saul ha uccisi i suoi mille, e Davide i suoi diecimila?
And the servants of Achis, when they saw David, said to him: Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to him in their dances, saying: Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
12 Davide si tenne in cuore queste parole, ed ebbe gran timore di Akis, re di Gath.
But David laid up these words in his heart, and was exceedingly afraid at the face of Achis the king of Geth.
13 Mutò il suo modo di fare in loro presenza, faceva il pazzo in mezzo a loro, tracciava de’ segni sui battenti delle porte, e si lasciava scorrer la saliva sulla barba.
And he changed his countenance before them, and slipt down between their hands: and he stumbled against the doors of the gate, and his spittle ran down upon his beard.
14 E Akis disse ai suoi servi: “Guardate, e un pazzo; perché me l’avete menato?
And Achis said to his servants: You saw the man was mad: why have you brought him to me?
15 Mi mancan forse de’ pazzi, che m’avete condotto questo a fare il pazzo in mia presenza? Costui non entrerà in casa mia!”
Have we need of madmen, that you have brought in this fellow, to play the madman in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
