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?”

Then David came to Nob to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was shaking in fear when he met David, and said to him, "Why are you alone, and no one with you?"

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 the priest, "The king has given me orders, and he instructed me, 'No one must know of the matter about which I send you, or about your orders; and I have arranged to meet the young men at a certain place.'

3 E ora che hai tu sotto mano? Dammi cinque pani o quel che si potrà trovare”.

Now, if there are five loaves of bread under your control, give them into my hand, or whatever there is."

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, and said, "There is no common bread in my control, but there is holy bread. If the young men have kept themselves from women, they may eat of it."

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 women have been kept from us as always when I set out. All the young men are holy, even when it is an ordinary mission. So how much more today will their vessels be holy?"

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.

So the priest gave him what had been consecrated, for there was no bread there but the show bread, that had been removed before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

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, detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg the Edomite, the best of the herdsmen who belonged to Saul.

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”.

David said to Ahimelech, "Isn't there here under your control spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because 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!”

The priest said, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, look, it is here wrapped in a cloth behind an ephod. If you will take that, take it; for there is no other except that here." David said, "There is none like that. Give it to me."

10 Allora Davide si levò, e quel giorno fuggì per timore di Saul, e andò da Akis, re di Gath.

David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.

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?

The servants of Achish said to him, "Isn't this David the king of the land? Did they not sing one to another about him in dances, saying, 'Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?'"

12 Davide si tenne in cuore queste parole, ed ebbe gran timore di Akis, re di Gath.

David laid up these words in his heart, and was very afraid of Achish the king of Gath.

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.

He changed his behavior before them, and pretended to be mad in their hands, and drummed on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down his beard.

14 E Akis disse ai suoi servi: “Guardate, e un pazzo; perché me l’avete menato?

Then Achish said to his servants, "Look, you see the man is mad. Why then 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!”

Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?"