Ii Samuelis 1

1 Factum est autem, postquam mortuus est Saul, ut David reverteretur a cæde Amalec, et maneret in Siceleg duos dies.

And it came to pass after Saul was dead, that David returned from smiting Amalec, and David abode two days in Sekelac.

2 In die autem tertia apparuit homo veniens de castris Saul veste conscissa, et pulvere conspersus caput. Et ut venit ad David, cecidit super faciem suam, et adoravit.

And it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came from the camp, from the people of Saul, and his garments were rent, and earth [was] upon his head: and it came to pass when he went in to David, that he fell upon the earth, and did obeisance to him.

3 Dixitque ad eum David: Unde venis? Qui ait ad eum: De castris Israel fugi.

And David said to him, Whence comest thou? and he said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.

4 Et dixit ad eum David: Quod est verbum quod factum est? Indica mihi. Qui ait: Fugit populus ex prælio, et multi corruentes e populo mortui sunt: sed et Saul et Ionathas filius eius interierunt.

And David said to him, What [is] the matter? tell me. And he said, The people fled out of the battle, and many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.

5 Dixitque David ad adolescentem, qui nunciabat ei: Unde scis quia mortuus est Saul, et Ionathas filius eius?

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

6 Et ait adolescens, qui nunciabat ei: Casu veni in montem Gelboe, et Saul incumbebat super hastam suam: porro currus et equites appropinquabant ei,

And the young man that brought the tidings, said to him, I happened accidentally to be upon mount Gelbue; and, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear, and, behold, the chariots and captains of horse pressed hard upon him.

7 et conversus post tergum suum, vidensque me vocavit. Cui cum respondissem: Adsum:

And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called me; and I said, Behold, [here am] I.

8 dixit mihi: Quisnam es tu? Et aio ad eum: Amalecites ego sum.

And he said to me, Who art thou? and I said, I am an Amalekite.

9 Et locutus est mihi: Sta super me, et interfice me: quoniam tenent me angustiæ, et adhuc tota anima mea in me est.

And he said to me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me, for a dreadful darkness has come upon me, for all my life [is] in me.

10 Stansque super eum, occidi illum: sciebam enim quod vivere non poterat post ruinam: et tuli diadema quod erat in capite eius, et armillam de brachio illius, et attuli ad te dominum meum huc.

So I stood over him and slew him, because I knew he would not live after he was fallen; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was upon his arm, and I have brought them hither to my lord.

11 Apprehendens autem David vestimenta sua scidit, omnesque viri, qui erant cum eo,

And David laid hold of his garments, and rent them; and all the men who were with him rent their garments.

12 et planxerunt, et fleverunt, et ieiunaverunt usque ad vesperam super Saul, et super Ionathan filium eius, et super populum Domini, et super domum Israel, eo quod corruissent gladio.

And they lamented, and wept, and fasted till evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Juda, and for the house of Israel, because they were smitten with the sword.

13 Dixitque David ad iuvenem qui nunciaverat ei: Unde es tu? Qui respondit: Filius hominis advenæ Amalecitæ ego sum.

And David said to the young man who brought the tidings to him, Whence art thou? and he said, I am the son of an Amalekite sojourner.

14 Et ait ad eum David: Quare non timuisti mittere manum tuam ut occideres Christum Domini?

And David said to him, How was it thou wast not afraid to lift thy hand to destroy the anointed of the Lord?

15 Vocansque David unum de pueris suis, ait: Accedens irrue in eum. Qui percussit illum, et mortuus est.

And David called one of his young men, and said, Go and fall upon him: and he smote him, and he died.

16 Et ait ad eum David: Sanguis tuus super caput tuum: os enim tuum locutum est adversum te, dicens: Ego interfeci Christum Domini.

And David said to him, Thy blood [be] upon thine own head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain the anointed of the Lord.

17 Planxit autem David planctum huiuscemodi super Saul, et super Ionathan filium eius,

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son.

18 (et præcepit ut docerent filios Iuda arcum, sicut scriptum est in Libro Iustorum.) Et ait: Considera Israel pro his, qui mortui sunt super excelsa tua vulnerati.

And he gave orders to teach it the sons of Juda: behold, it is written in the book of Right.

19 Inclyti, Israel, super montes tuos interfecti sunt: quo modo ceciderunt fortes?

Set up a pillar, O Israel, for the slain that died upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

20 Nolite annunciare in Geth, neque annuncietis in compitis Ascalonis: ne forte lætentur filiæ Philisthiim, ne exultent filiæ incircumcisorum.

Tell it not in Geth, and tell it not as glad tidings in the streets of Ascalon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 Montes Gelboe, nec ros, nec pluvia veniant super vos, neque sint agri primitiarum: quia ibi abiectus est clypeus fortium, clypeus Saul, quasi non esset unctus oleo.

Ye mountains of Gelbue, let not dew no rain descend upon you, nor fields of first-fruits [be upon you], for there the shield of the mighty ones has been grievously assailed; the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.

22 A sanguine interfectorum, ab adipe fortium, sagitta Ionathæ numquam rediit retrorsum, et gladius Saul non est reversus inanis.

From the blood of the slain, and from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan returned not empty; and the sword of Saul turned not back empty.

23 Saul et Ionathas amabiles, et decori in vita sua, in morte quoque non sunt divisi: aquilis velociores, leonibus fortiores.

Saul and Jonathan, the beloved and the beautiful, were not divided: comely [were they] in their life, and in their death they were not divided: [they were] swifter than eagles, and they were stronger than lions.

24 Filiæ Israel super Saul flete, qui vestiebat vos coccino in deliciis, qui præbebat ornamenta aurea cultui vestro.

Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you with scarlet together with your adorning, who added golden ornaments to your apparel.

25 Quo modo ceciderunt fortes in prælio? Ionathas in excelsis tuis occisus est?

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, even the slain ones upon thy high places!

26 Doleo super te frater mi Ionatha decore nimis, et amabilis super amorem mulierum. Sicut mater unicum amat filium suum, ita ego te diligebam.

I am grieved for thee, my brother Jonathan; thou wast very lovely to me; thy love to me was wonderful beyond the love of women.

27 Quo modo ceciderunt robusti, et perierunt arma bellica?

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!