I Samuelis 26

1 Et venerunt Ziphæi ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Ecce David absconditus est in colle Hachila, quæ est ex adverso solitudinis.

And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gib'ah, saying, Behold, David hideth himself on the hill of Chachilah, before the desert.

2 Et surrexit Saul, et descendit in desertum Ziph, et cum eo tria millia virorum de electis Israël, ut quæreret David in deserto Ziph.

Then arose Saul, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, and with him were three thousand men chosen out of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

3 Et castrametatus est Saul in Gabaa Hachila, quæ erat ex adverso solitudinis in via: David autem habitabat in deserto. Videns autem quod venisset Saul post se in desertum,

And Saul encamped on the hill of Chachilah, which is before the desert by the way; but David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul was coming after him into the wilderness.

4 misit exploratores, et didicit quod illuc venisset certissime.

David thereupon sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come for a certainty.

5 Et surrexit David clam, et venit ad locum ubi erat Saul: cumque vidisset locum in quo dormiebat Saul, et Abner filius Ner, princeps militiæ ejus, et Saulem dormientem in tentorio, et reliquum vulgus per circuitum ejus,

And David arose, and came to the place where Saul was encamped; and David beheld the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army; and Saul was lying in the midst of the ring, and the people were encamped round about him.

6 ait David ad Achimelech Hethæum, et Abisai filium Sarviæ fratrem Joab, dicens: Quis descendet mecum ad Saul in castra? Dixitque Abisai: Ego descendam tecum.

Then commenced David and said to Achimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruyah, the brother of Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will readily go down with thee.

7 Venerunt ergo David et Abisai ad populum nocte, et invenerunt Saul jacentem et dormientem in tentorio, et hastam fixam in terra ad caput ejus: Abner autem et populum dormientes in circuitu ejus.

So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the ring, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head; but Abner and the people were lying round about him.

8 Dixitque Abisai ad David: Conclusit Deus inimicum tuum hodie in manus tuas: nunc ergo perfodiam eum lancea in terra semel, et secundo opus non erit.

Then said Abishai to David, God hath surrendered this day thy enemy into thy hand: and now let me strike him through, I pray thee, with the spear, even to the earth with one blow, and I will not give him a second one.

9 Et dixit David ad Abisai: Ne interficias eum: quis enim extendet manum suam in christum Domini, et innocens erit?

But David said to Abishai, Destroy him not; for who hath stretched forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and remained guiltless?

10 Et dixit David: Vivit Dominus, quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum, aut dies ejus venerit ut moriatur, aut in prælium descendens perierit:

David said farthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord alone shall strike him down: either his day shall come that he die; or he shall go down into battle, and perish.

11 propitius sit mihi Dominus ne extendam manum meam in christum Domini. Nunc igitur tolle hastam quæ est ad caput ejus, et scyphum aquæ, et abeamus.

Far be this from me for the sake of the Lord, that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed; but now, I pray thee, take thou the spear that is by his head, and the cruise of water, and let us go our way.

12 Tulit igitur David hastam, et scyphum aquæ qui erat ad caput Saul, et abierunt: et non erat quisquam qui videret, et intelligeret, et evigilaret, sed omnes dormiebant, quia sopor Domini irruerat super eos.

So David took the spear and the cruise of water by the head of Saul, and they went their way; and no one saw it, and no one perceived it, and-no one awaked; for they were all sleeping; because a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

13 Cumque transisset David ex adverso, et stetisset in vertice montis de longe, et esset grande intervallum inter eos,

Then went David over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mount afar off, the space between them being great.

14 clamavit David ad populum, et ad Abner filium Ner, dicens: Nonne respondebis, Abner? Et respondens Abner, ait: Quis es tu, qui clamas, et inquietas regem?

And David called to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Wilt thou not answer, Abner? And Abner answered and said, Who art thou that callest to the king?

15 Et ait David ad Abner: Numquid non vir tu es? et quis alius similis tui in Israël? quare ergo non custodisti dominum tuum regem? ingressus est enim unus de turba ut interficeret regem dominum tuum.

And David said to Abner, Art thou not a man? and who is like to thee in Israel? why then hast thou not kept guard over thy lord the king? for there came one of the people to destroy the king thy lord.

16 Non est bonum hoc, quod fecisti: vivit Dominus, quoniam filii mortis estis vos, qui non custodistis dominum vestrum, christum Domini: nunc ergo vide ubi sit hasta regis, et ubi sit scyphus aquæ qui erat ad caput ejus.

This thing which thou hast done is not good. As the Lord liveth, ye deserve to die; because ye have not kept guard over your master, over the Lord's anointed. And now see, where is the king's spear, and the cruise of water that was by his head?

17 Cognovit autem Saul vocem David, et dixit: Numquid vox hæc tua, fili mi David? Et ait David: Vox mea, domine mi rex.

And Saul recognized David's voice, and he said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said, It is my voice, my Lord, O king.

18 Et ait: Quam ob causam dominus meus persequitur servum suum? quid feci? aut quod est malum in manu mea?

And he said, Why is this that my lord doth pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil is in my hand?

19 Nunc ergo audi, oro, domine mi rex, verba servi tui: si Dominus incitat te adversum me, odoretur sacrificium: si autem filii hominum, maledicti sunt in conspectu Domini qui ejecerunt me hodie ut non habitem in hæreditate Domini, dicentes: Vade, servi diis alienis.

And now, I pray thee, let my Lord the king hear the words of his servant! If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, then may he accept the savor of an offering; but if they be the children of men, then be they cursed before the Lord; because they have driven me out this day so that I cannot attach myself on the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.

20 Et nunc non effundatur sanguis meus in terram coram Domino: quia egressus est rex Israël ut quærat pulicem unum, sicut persequitur perdix in montibus.

Now, therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth far from the presence of the Lord; for the king of Israel is come out to seek a single flea, as one doth usually pursue a partridge on the mountains.

21 Et ait Saul: Peccavi: revertere, fili mi David: nequaquam enim ultra tibi malefaciam, eo quod pretiosa fuerit anima mea in oculis tuis hodie: apparet enim quod stulte egerim, et ignoraverim multa nimis.

Then said Saul, I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will not do thee harm any more, for the cause that my life was precious in thy eyes this day: behold, I have acted foolishly, and have erred exceedingly much.

22 Et respondens David, ait: Ecce hasta regis: transeat unus de pueris regis, et tollat eam.

And David answered and said, Behold, here is the king's spear! and let one of the young men come over and fetch it.

23 Dominus autem retribuet unicuique secundum justitiam suam et fidem: tradidit enim te Dominus hodie in manum meam, et nolui extendere manum meam in christum Domini.

And may the Lord recompense to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; since the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, and I would not stretch forth my hand against the anointed of the Lord.

24 Et sicut magnificata est anima tua hodie in oculis meis, sic magnificetur anima mea in oculis Domini, et liberet me de omni angustia.

And behold, as thy life was highly valued this day in my eyes, so may my life be highly valued in the eyes of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.

25 Ait ergo Saul ad David: Benedictus tu, fili mi David: et quidem faciens facies, et potens poteris. Abiit autem David in viam suam, et Saul reversus est in locum suum.

Then said Saul to David, Blessed be thou my son David: thou wilt both do great things, and wilt also surely prevail. And David went then on his way, and Saul returned to his place.