Ii Samuelis 13

1 Factum est autem post hæc, ut Absalom filii David sororem speciosissimam, vocabulo Thamar, adamaret Amnon filius David,

And it came to pass after this, that Amnon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar.

2 et deperiret eam valde, ita ut propter amorem eius ægrotaret: quia cum esset virgo, difficile ei videbatur ut quippiam inhoneste ageret cum ea.

And he was exceedingly fond of her, so that he fell sick for the love of her: for as she was a virgin, he thought it hard to do any thing dishonestly with her.

3 Erat autem Amnon amicus, nomine Ionadab filius Semmaa fratris David, vir prudens valde.

Now Amnon had a friend, named Jonadab the son of Semmaa the brother of David, a very wise man:

4 Qui dixit ad eum: Quare sic attenuaris macie fili regis per singulos dies? cur non indicas mihi? Dixitque ei Amnon: Thamar sororem fratris mei Absalom amo.

And he said to him: Why dost thou grow so lean from day to day, O son of the king? why dost thou not tell me the reason of it? And Amnon said to him: I am in love with Thamar the sister of my brother Absalom.

5 Cui respondit Ionadab: Cuba super lectum tuum, et languorem simula: cumque venerit pater tuus ut visitet te, dic ei: Veniat, oro, Thamar soror mea, ut det mihi cibum, et faciat pulmentum, ut comedam de manu eius.

And Jonadab said to him: Lie down upon thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray thee, come to me, to give me to eat, and to make me a mess, that I may eat it at her hand.

6 Accubuit itaque Amnon, et quasi ægrotare cœpit: cumque venisset rex ad visitandum eum, ait Amnon ad regem: Veniat, obsecro, Thamar soror mea, ut faciat in oculis meis duas sorbitiunculas, et cibum capiam de manu eius.

So Amnon lay down, and made as if he were sick: and when the king came to visit him, Amnon said to the king: I pray thee let my sister Thamar come, and make in my sight two little messes, that I may eat at her hand.

7 Misit ergo David ad Thamar domum, dicens: Veni in domum Amnon fratris tui, et fac ei pulmentum.

Then David sent home to Thamar, saying: Come to the house of thy brother Amnon, and make him a mess.

8 Venitque Thamar in domum Amnon fratris sui: ille autem iacebat: quæ tollens farinam commiscuit: et liquefaciens, in oculis eius coxit sorbitiunculas.

And Thamar came to the house of Amnon her brother: but he was laid down: and she took meal and tempered it: and dissolving it in his sight she made little messes.

9 Tollensque quod coxerat, effudit, et posuit coram eo, et noluit comedere: dixitque Amnon: Eiicite universos a me. Cumque eiecissent omnes,

And taking what she had boiled, she poured it out, and set it before him, but he would not eat: and Amnon said: Put out all persons from me. And when they had put all persons out,

10 dixit Amnon ad Thamar: Infer cibum in conclave, ut vescar de manu tua. Tulit ergo Thamar sorbitiunculas, quas fecerat, et intulit ad Amnon fratrem suum in conclave.

Amnon said to Thamar: Bring the mess into the chamber, that I may eat at thy hand. And Thamar took the little messes which she had made, and brought them in to her brother Amnon in the chamber.

11 Cumque obtulisset ei cibum, apprehendit eam, et ait: Veni, cuba mecum soror mea.

And when she had presented him the meat, he took hold of her, and said: Come lie with me, my sister.

12 Quæ respondit ei: Noli frater mi, noli opprimere me, neque enim hoc fas est in Israel: noli facere stultitiam hanc.

She answered him: Do not so, my brother, do not force me: for no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly.

13 Ego enim ferre non potero opprobrium meum, et tu eris quasi unus de insipientibus in Israel: quin potius loquere ad regem, et non negabit me tibi.

For I shall not be able to bear my shame, and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel: but rather speak to the king, and he will not deny me to thee.

14 Noluit autem acquiescere precibus eius, sed prævalens viribus oppressit eam, et cubavit cum ea.

But he would not hearken to her prayers, but being stronger overpowered her and lay with her.

15 Et exosam eam habuit Amnon odio magno nimis: ita ut maius esset odium, quo oderat eam, amore quo ante dilexerat. Dixitque ei Amnon: Surge, et vade.

Then Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before, And Amnon said to her: Arise, and get thee gone.

16 Quæ respondit ei: Maius est hoc malum, quod nunc agis adversum me, quam quod ante fecisti, expellens me. Et noluit audire eam:

She answered him: This evil which now thou dost against me, in driving me away, is greater than that which thou didst before. And he would not hearken to her:

17 sed vocato puero, qui ministrabat ei, dixit: Eiice hanc a me foras, et claude ostium post eam.

But calling the servants that ministered to him, he said: Thrust this woman out from me: and shut the door after her.

18 Quæ induta erat talari tunica: huiuscemodi enim filiæ regis virgines vestibus utebantur. Eiecit itaque eam minister illius foras: clausitque fores post eam.

And she was clothed with along robe: for the king’s daughters that were virgins, used such kind of garments. Then his servant thrust her out: and shut the door after her.

19 Quæ aspergens cinerem capiti suo, scissa talari tunica, impositisque manibus super caput suum, ibat ingrediens, et clamans.

And she put ashes on her head, and rent her long robe and laid her hands upon her head, and went on crying.

20 Dixit autem ei Absalom frater suus: Numquid Amnon frater tuus concubuit tecum? sed nunc soror tace, frater tuus est: neque affligas cor tuum pro hac re. Mansit itaque Thamar contabescens in domo Absalom fratris sui.

And Absalom her brother said to her: Hath thy brother Amnon lain with thee? but now, sister, hold thy peace, he is thy brother: and afflict not thy heart for this thing. So Thamar remained pining away in the house of Absalom her brother.

21 Cum autem audisset rex David verba hæc, contristatus est valde, et noluit constristare spiritum Amnon filii sui, quoniam diligebat eum, quia primogenitus erat ei.

And when king David heard of these things he was exceedingly grieved: and he would not afflict the spirit of his son Amnon, for he loved him, because he was his firstborn.

22 Porro non est locutus Absalom ad Amnon nec malum, nec bonum: oderat enim Absalom Amnon, eo quod violasset Thamar sororem suam.

But Absalom spoke not to Amnon neither good nor evil: for Absalom hated Amnon because he had ravished his sister Thamar.

23 Factum est autem post tempus biennii, ut tonderentur oves Absalom in Baalhasor, quæ est iuxta Ephraim: et vocavit Absalom omnes filios regis,

And it came to pass after two years, that the sheep of Absalom were shorn in Baalhasor, which is near Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons:

24 venitque ad regem, et ait ad eum: Ecce tondentur oves servi tui: veniat, oro, rex cum servis suis ad servum suum.

And he came to the king, and said to him: Behold thy servant’s sheep are shorn. Let the king, I pray, with his servants come to his servant.

25 Dixitque rex ad Absalom: Noli fili mi, noli rogare ut veniamus omnes, et gravemus te. Cum autem cogeret eum, et noluisset ire, benedixit ei.

And the king said to Absalom: Nay, my son, do not ask that we should all come, and be chargeable to thee. And when he pressed him, and he would not go, he blessed him.

26 Et ait Absalom: Si non vis venire, veniat, obsecro, nobiscum saltem Amnon frater meus. Dixitque ad eum rex: Non est necesse ut vadat tecum.

And Absalom said: If thou wilt not come, at least let my brother Amnon, I beseech thee, come with us. And the king said to him: It is not necessary that he should go with thee.

27 Coegit itaque Absalom eum, et dimisit cum eo Amnon et universos filios regis. Feceratque Absalom convivium quasi convivium regis.

But Absalom pressed him, so that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. And Absalom made a feast as it were the feast of a king.

28 Præceperat autem Absalom pueris suis, dicens: Observate cum temulentus fuerit Amnon vino, et dixero vobis: Percutite eum, et interficite, nolite timere: ego enim sum qui præcipio vobis: roboramini, et estote viri fortes.

And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying: Take notice when Amnon shall be drunk with wine, and when I shall say to you: Strike him, and kill him, fear not: for it is I that command you: take courage, and be valiant men.

29 Fecerunt ergo pueri Absalom adversum Amnon, sicut præceperat eis Absalom. Surgentesque omnes filii regis ascenderunt singuli mulas suas, et fugerunt.

And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded them. And all the king’s sons arose and got up every man upon his mule, and fled.

30 Cumque adhuc pergerent in itinere, fama pervenit ad David, dicens: Percussit Absalom omnes filios regis, et non remansit ex eis saltem unus.

And while they were yet in the way, a rumour came to David, saying: Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 Surrexit itaque rex, et scidit vestimenta sua: et cecidit super terram, et omnes servi illius, qui assistebant ei, sciderunt vestimenta sua.

Then the king rose up, and rent his garments: and fell upon the ground, and all his servants, that stood about him, rent their garments.

32 Respondens autem Ionadab filius Semmaa fratris David, dixit: Ne æstimet dominus meus rex, quod omnes pueri filii regis occisi sint: Amnon solus mortuus est, quoniam in ore Absalom erat positus ex die qua oppressit Thamar sororem eius.

But Jonadab the son of Semmaa David’s brother answering, said: Let not my lord the king think that all the king’s sons are slain: Amnon only is dead, for he was appointed by the mouth of Absalom from the day that he ravished his sister Thamar.

33 Nunc ergo ne ponat dominus meus rex super cor suum verbum istud, dicens: Omnes filii regis occisi sunt: quoniam Amnon solus mortuus est.

Now therefore let not my lord the king take this thing into his heart, saying: All the king’s sons are slain: for Amnon only is dead.

34 Fugit autem Absalom: et elevavit puer speculator oculos suos, et aspexit: et ecce populus multus veniebat per iter devium ex latere montis.

But Absalom fled away: and the young man that kept the watch, lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there came much people by a by-way on the side of the mountain.

35 Dixit autem Ionadab ad regem: Ecce filii regis adsunt: iuxta verbum servi tui sic factum est.

And Jonadab said to the king: Behold the king’s sons are come: as thy servant said, so it is.

36 Cumque cessasset loqui, apparuerunt et filii regis: et intrantes levaverunt vocem suam, et fleverunt: sed et rex et omnes servi eius fleverunt ploratu magno nimis.

And when he made an end of speaking, the king’s sons also appeared: and coming in they lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very much.

37 Porro Absalom fugiens, abiit ad Tholomai filium Ammiud regem Gessur. Luxit ergo David filium suum cunctis diebus.

But Absalom fled, and went to Tholomai the son of Ammiud the king of Gessur. And David mourned for his son every day.

38 Absalom autem cum fugisset, et venisset in Gessur, fuit ibi tribus annis.

And Absalom after he was fled, and come into Gessur, was there three years.

39 Cessavitque rex David persequi Absalom, eo quod consolatus esset super Amnon interitu.

And king David ceased to pursue after Absalom, because he was comforted concerning the death of Amnon.