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 the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David abode two days in Ziklag.

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 out of the camp from Saul with his garments rent, and earth upon his head; and as soon as he came to David, he fell to the earth and did obeisance.

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, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

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 has taken place? I pray thee, tell me. And he said that the people had fled from the battle, and many of the people also had fallen and died, and that Saul and Jonathan his son were dead also.

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 that told him, 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 told him said, I happened by chance to be upon mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

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

And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called to me. And I said, 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 to him, 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.

He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me; for anguish has seized me; for my life is yet whole 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 put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord.

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

Then David took hold of his garments and rent them; and all the men that were with him [did] likewise.

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 mourned, and wept, and fasted until even for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by 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 that told him, Whence art thou? And he said, I am the son of an Amalekite stranger.

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

And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed?

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

Then David called one of the young men and said, Draw near, [and] fall on him. And he smote him that 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 thy head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.

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 bade them teach the children of Judah [the song of] the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jasher: —

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

The beauty of Israel is slain 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 Gath, carry not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon; 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 Gilboa, let there be no dew, no rain upon you, nor fields of heave-offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, [as] 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, from the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, And the sword of Saul returned not empty.

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

Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their lives, Even in their death were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

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

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with splendour, Who put ornaments of gold upon 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! Jonathan is slain 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 distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant wast thou unto me; Thy love to me was wonderful, passing women's love.

27 Quo modo ceciderunt robusti, et perierunt arma bellica?

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