I Samuelis 23

1 Et annunciaverunt David, dicentes: Ecce Philisthiim oppugnant Ceilam, et diripiunt areas.

And they told David, saying: Behold the Philistines fight against Ceila, and they rob the barns.

2 Consuluit ergo David Dominum, dicens: Num vadam, et percutiam Philisthæos istos? Et ait Dominus ad David: Vade, et percuties Philisthæos, et Ceilam salvabis.

Therefore David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said to David: Go, and thou shalt smite the Philistines, and shalt save Ceila.

3 Et dixerunt viri, qui erant cum David, ad eum: Ecce nos hic in Iudæa consistentes timemus: quanto magis si ierimus in Ceilam adversum agmina Philisthinorum?

And the men that were with David, said to him: Behold we are in fear here in Judea, how much more if we go to Ceila against the hands of the Philistines?

4 Rursum ergo David consuluit Dominum. Qui respondens, ait ei: Surge, et vade in Ceilam: ego enim tradam Philisthæos in manu tua.

Therefore David consulted the Lord again. And he answered and said to him: Arise, and go to Ceila: for I will deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

5 Abiit ergo David, et viri eius in Ceilam, et pugnavit adversum Philisthæos, et abegit iumenta eorum, et percussit eos plaga magna: et salvavit David habitatores Ceilæ.

David therefore, and his men, went to Ceila, and fought against the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and made a great slaughter of them: and David saved the inhabitants of Ceila.

6 Porro eo tempore, quo fugiebat Abiathar filius Achimelech ad David, in Ceilam ephod secum habens descenderat.

Now at that time, when Abiathar the son of Achimelech fled to David to Ceila, he came down having an ephod with him.

7 Nunciatum est autem Sauli quod venisset David in Ceilam: et ait Saul: Tradidit eum Deus in manus meas, conclususque est introgressus urbem, in qua portæ et seræ sunt.

And it was told Saul that David was come to Ceila: and Saul said: The Lord hath delivered him into my hands, and he is shut up, being come into a city, that hath gates and bars.

8 Et præcepit Saul omni populo ut ad pugnam descenderet in Ceilam: et obsideret David, et viros eius.

And Saul commanded all the people to go down to fight against Ceila, and to besiege David, and his men.

9 Quod cum David rescisset quia præpararet ei Saul clam malum, dixit ad Abiathar sacerdotem: Applica ephod.

Now when David understood, that Saul secretly prepared evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest: Bring hither the ephod.

10 Et ait David: Domine Deus Israel, audivit famam servus tuus, quod disponat Saul venire in Ceilam, ut evertat urbem propter me:

And David said: O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath heard a report, that Saul designeth to come to Ceila, to destroy the city for my sake:

11 Si tradent me viri Ceilæ in manus eius? Et si descendet Saul, sicut audivit servus tuus? Domine Deus Israel indica servo tuo. Et ait Dominus: Descendet.

Will the men of Ceila deliver me into his hands? and will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, tell thy servant. And the Lord said: He will come down.

12 Dixitque David: Si tradent me viri Ceilæ, et viros qui sunt mecum, in manus Saul? Et dixit Dominus: Tradent.

And David said: Will the men of Ceila deliver me, and my men, into the hands of Saul? And the Lord said: They will deliver thee up.

13 Surrexit ergo David et viri eius quasi sexcenti, et egressi de Ceila, huc atque illuc vagabantur incerti: nunciatumque est Sauli quod fugisset David de Ceila, et salvatus esset: quam ob rem dissimulavit exire.

Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose, and departing from Ceila, wandered up and down uncertain where they should stay: and it was told Saul that David was fled from Ceila, and had escaped: wherefore he forbore to go out.

14 Morabatur autem David in deserto in locis firmissimis, mansitque in monte solitudinis Ziph, in monte opaco: quærebat eum tamen Saul cunctis diebus: et non tradidit eum Deus in manus eius.

But David abode in the desert in strong holds, and he remained in a mountain of the desert of Ziph, in a woody hill. And Saul sought him always: but the Lord delivered him not into his hands.

15 Et vidit David quod egressus esset Saul ut quæreret animam eius. Porro David erat in deserto Ziph in silva.

And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life. And David was in the desert of Ziph, in a wood.

16 Et surrexit Ionathas filius Saul, et abiit ad David in silvam, et confortavit manus eius in Deo: dixitque ei:

And Jonathan the son of Saul arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hands in God: and he said to him:

17 Ne timeas: neque enim inveniet te manus Saul patris mei, et tu regnabis super Israel, et ego ero tibi secundus, sed et Saul pater meus scit hoc.

Fear not: for the hand of my father Saul shall not find thee, and thou shalt reign over Israel, and I shall be next to thee, yea, and my father knoweth this.

18 Percussit ergo uterque fœdus coram Domino: mansitque David in silva: Ionathas autem reversus est in domum suam.

And the two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood: but Jonathan returned to his house.

19 Ascenderunt autem Ziphæi ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Nonne ecce David latitat apud nos in locis tutissimis silvæ, in Colle Hachila, quæ est ad dexteram deserti?

And the Ziphites went up to Saul in Gabaa, saying: Lo, doth not David lie hid with us in the strong holds of the wood, in mount Hachila, which is on the right hand of the desert.

20 Nunc ergo, sicut desideravit anima tua ut descenderes, descende: nostrum autem erit ut tradamus eum in manus regis.

Now therefore come down, as thy soul hath desired to come down: and it shall be our business to deliver him into the king’s hands.

21 Dixitque Saul: Benedicti vos a Domino, quia doluistis vicem meam.

And Saul said: Blessed be ye of the Lord, for you have pitied my case.

22 Abite ergo, oro, et diligentius præparate, et curiosius agite, et considerate locum ubi sit pes eius, vel quis viderit eum ibi, recogitat enim de me, quod callide insidier ei.

Go therefore, I pray you, and use all diligence, and curiously inquire, and consider the place where his foot is, and who hath seen him there: for he thinketh of me, that I lie craftily in wait for him.

23 Considerate et videte omnia latibula eius, in quibus absconditur: et revertimini ad me ad rem certam, ut vadam vobiscum. Quod si etiam in terram se abstruserit, perscrutabor eum in cunctis millibus Iuda.

Consider and see all his lurking holes, wherein he is bid, and return to me with the certainty of the thing, that I may go with you. And if be should even go down into the earth to hide himself, I will search him out in all the thousands of Juda.

24 At illi surgentes abierunt in Ziph ante Saul: David autem et viri eius erant in deserto Maon, in campestribus ad dexteram Iesimon.

And they arose and went to Ziph before Saul: and David and his men were in the desert of Maon, in the plain at the right hand of Jesimon.

25 Ivit ergo Saul et socii eius ad quærendum eum: et nunciatum est David, statimque descendit ad petram, et versabatur in deserto Maon. Quod cum audisset Saul, persecutus est David in deserto Maon.

Then Saul and his men went to seek him: and it was told David, and forthwith he went down to the rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon: and when Saul had heard of it he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 Et ibat Saul ad latus montis ex parte una: David autem et viri eius erant in latere montis ex parte altera: porro David desperabat se posse evadere a facie Saul: itaque Saul, et viri eius in modum coronæ cingebant David, et viros eius, ut caperent eos.

And Saul went on this side of the mountain: and David and his men were on the other side of the mountain: and David despaired of being able to escape from the face of Saul: and Saul and his men encompassed David and his men round about to take them.

27 Et nuncius venit ad Saul, dicens: Festina, et veni, quoniam infuderunt se Philisthiim super terram.

And a messenger came to Saul, saying: Make haste to come, for the Philistines have poured in themselves upon the land.

28 Reversus est ergo Saul desistens persequi David, et perrexit in occursum Philisthinorum. Propter hoc vocaverunt locum illum, Petram Dividentem.

Wherefore Saul returned, leaving the pursuit of David, and went to meet the Philistines. For this cause they called that place, the Rock of division.

29 Ascendit ergo David inde: et habitavit in locis tutissimis Engaddi.

Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.