Ii Samuelis 19

1 Nunciatum est autem Ioab quod rex fleret et lugeret filium suum:

And it was told Joab: 'Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.'

2 et versa est victoria in luctum in die illa omni populo: audivit enim populus in die illa dici: Dolet rex super filio suo.

And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people; for the people heard say that day: 'The king grieveth for his son.'

3 Et declinavit populus in die illa ingredi civitatem, quomodo declinare solet populus versus et fugiens de prælio.

And the people got them by stealth that day into the city, as people that are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

4 Porro rex operuit caput suum, et clamabat voce magna: Fili mi Absalom, Absalom fili mi, fili mi.

And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice: 'O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!'

5 Ingressus ergo Ioab ad regem in domum, dixit: Confudisti hodie vultus omnium servorum tuorum, qui salvam fecerunt animam tuam, et animam filiorum tuorum, et filiarum tuarum, et animam uxorum tuarum, et animam concubinarum tuarum.

And Joab came into the house to the king, and said: 'Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, who this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

6 Diligis odientes te, et odio habes diligentes te: et ostendisti hodie quia non curas de ducibus tuis, et de servis tuis: et vere cognovi modo, quia si Absalom viveret, et omnes nos occubuissemus, tunc placeret tibi.

in that thou lovest them that hate thee, and hatest them that love thee. For thou hast declared this day, that princes and servants are nought unto thee; for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

7 Nunc igitur surge, et procede, et alloquens satisfac servis tuis: iuro enim tibi per Dominum, quod si non exieris, ne unus quidem remansurus sit tecum nocte hac: et peius erit hoc tibi, quam omnia mala, quæ venerunt super te ab adolescentia tua usque in præsens.

Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak to the heart of thy servants; for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry a man with thee this night; and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that hath befallen thee from thy youth until now.'

8 Surrexit ergo rex et sedit in porta: et omni populo nunciatum est quod rex sederet in porta: venitque universa multitudo coram rege: Israel autem fugit in tabernacula sua.

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying: 'Behold, the king doth sit in the gate'; and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 Omnis quoque populus certabat in cunctis tribubus Israel, dicens: Rex liberavit nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum, ipse salvavit nos de manu Philisthinorum: et nunc fugit de terra propter Absalom.

And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying: 'The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land from Absalom.

10 Absalom autem, quem unximus super nos, mortuus est in bello: usquequo siletis, et non reducitis regem?

And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now, therefore, why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?'

11 Rex vero David misit ad Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotes, dicens: Loquimini ad maiores natu Iuda, dicentes: Cur venitis novissimi ad reducendum regem in domum suam? (Sermo autem omnis Israel pervenerat ad regem in domo eius.)

And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying: 'Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying: Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? — For the speech of all Israel was come to the king, to bring him to his house. —

12 Fratres mei vos, os meum, et caro mea vos, quare novissimi reducitis regem?

Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh; wherefore then should ye be the last to bring back the king?

13 Et Amasæ dicite: Nonne os meum, et caro mea es? Hæc faciat mihi Deus, et hæc addat, si non magister militiæ fueris coram me omni tempore pro Ioab.

And say ye to Amasa: Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.'

14 Et inclinavit cor omnium virorum Iuda, quasi viri unius: miseruntque ad regem, dicentes: Revertere tu, et omnes servi tui.

And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent unto the king: 'Return thou, and all thy servants.'

15 Et reversus est rex: et venit usque ad Iordanem, et omnis Iuda venit usque in Galgalam ut occurreret regi, et traduceret eum Iordanem.

So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

16 Festinavit autem Semei filius Gera filii Iemini de Bahurim, et descendit cum viris Iuda in occursum regis David

And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, made haste and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

17 cum mille viris de Beniamin, et Siba puer de domo Saul: et quindecim filii eius, ac viginti servi erant cum eo: et irrumpentes Iordanem, ante regem

And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him. And they rushed into the Jordan before the king.

18 transierunt vada, ut traducerent domum regis, et facerent iuxta iussionem eius: Semei autem filius Gera prostratus coram rege, cum iam transisset Iordanem,

And the ferryboat passed to and fro to bring over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he would go over the Jordan.

19 dixit ad eum: Ne reputes mihi domine mi iniquitatem, neque memineris iniuriarum servi tui in die qua egressus es domine mi rex de Ierusalem, neque ponas rex in corde tuo.

And he said unto the king: 'Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did iniquitously the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

20 Agnosco enim servus tuus peccatum meum: et idcirco hodie primus veni de omni domo Ioseph, descendique in occursum domini mei regis.

For thy servant doth know that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.'

21 Respondens vero Abisai filius Sarviæ, dixit: Numquid pro his verbis non occidetur Semei, quia maledixit christo Domini?

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said: 'Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?'

22 Et ait David: Quid mihi, et vobis filii Sarviæ? cur efficimini mihi hodie in satan? ergone hodie interficietur vir in Israel? an ignoro hodie me factum regem super Israel?

And David said: 'What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?'

23 Et ait rex Semei: Non morieris. Iuravitque ei.

And the king said unto Shimei: 'Thou shalt not die.' And the king swore unto him.

24 Miphiboseth quoque filius Saul descendit in occursum regis illotis pedibus, et intonsa barba: vestesque suas non laverat a die qua egressus fuerat rex, usque ad diem reversionis eius in pace.

And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.

25 Cumque Ierusalem occurrisset regi, dixit ei rex: Quare non venisti mecum Miphiboseth?

And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him: 'Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?'

26 Et respondens ait: Domine mi rex, servus meus contempsit me: dixique ei ego famulus tuus ut sterneret mihi asinum, et ascendens abirem cum rege: claudus enim sum servus tuus.

And he answered: 'My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for thy servant said: I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because thy servant is lame.

27 Insuper et accusavit me servum tuum ad te dominum meum regem: tu autem domine mi rex, sicut angelus Dei es, fac quod placitum est tibi.

And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God; do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

28 Neque enim fuit domus patris mei, nisi morti obnoxia domino meo regi: tu autem posuisti me servum tuum inter convivas mensæ tuæ: quid ergo habeo iustæ querelæ? aut quid possum ultra vociferari ad regem?

For all my father's house were deserving of death at the hand of my lord the king; yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet? or why should I cry any more unto the king?'

29 Ait ergo ei rex: Quid ultra loqueris? fixum est quod locutus sum: tu, et Siba dividite possessiones.

And the king said unto him: 'Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I say: Thou and Ziba divide the land.'

30 Responditque Miphiboseth regi: Etiam cuncta accipiat, postquam reversus est dominus meus rex pacifice in domum suam.

And Mephibosheth said unto the king: 'Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come in peace unto his own house.'

31 Berzellai quoque Galaadites, descendens de Rogelim, traduxit regem Iordanem, paratus etiam ultra fluvium prosequi eum.

And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he passed on to Jordan with the king, to bring him on the way over the Jordan.

32 Erat autem Berzellai Galaadites senex valde, id est octogenarius, et ipse præbuit alimenta regi, cum moraretur in Castris: fuit quippe vir dives nimis.

Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old; and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.

33 Dixit itaque rex ad Berzellai: Veni mecum, ut requiescas securus mecum in Ierusalem.

And the king said unto Barzillai: 'Come thou over with me, and I will sustain thee with me in Jerusalem.'

34 Et ait Berzellai ad regem: Quot sunt dies annorum vitæ meæ, ut ascendam cum rege in Ierusalem?

And Barzillai said unto the king: 'How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

35 Octogenarius sum hodie: numquid vigent sensus mei ad discernendum suave, aut amarum? aut delectare potest servum tuum cibus et potus? vel audire possum ultra vocem cantorum, atque cantatricum? quare servus tuus sit oneri domino meo regi?

I am this day fourscore years old; can I discern between good and bad? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

36 Paululum procedam famulus tuus ab Iordane tecum: non indigeo hac vicissitudine,

Thy servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king; and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

37 sed obsecro ut revertar servus tuus, et moriar in civitate mea, et sepeliar iuxta sepulchrum patris mei, et matris meæ. Est autem servus tuus Chamaam, ipse vadat tecum, domine mi rex, et fac ei quidquid tibi bonum videtur.

Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back, that I may die in mine own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.'

38 Dixit itaque ei rex: Mecum transeat Chamaam, et ego faciam ei quidquid tibi placuerit, et omne, quod petieris a me, impetrabis.

And the king answered: 'Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee; and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.'

39 Cumque transisset universus populus et rex Iordanem, osculatus est rex Berzellai, et benedixit ei: et ille reversus est in locum suum.

And all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over; and the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

40 Transivit ergo rex in Galgalam, et Chamaam cum eo. omnis autem populus Iuda traduxerat regem, et media tantum pars adfuerat de populo Israel.

So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him; and all the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.

41 Itaque omnes viri Israel concurrentes ad regem dixerunt ei: Quare te furati sunt fratres nostri viri Iuda, et traduxerunt regem et domum eius Iordanem, omnesque viros David cum eo?

And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king: 'Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?'

42 Et respondit omnis vir Iuda ad viros Israel: Quia mihi propior est rex: cur irasceris super hac re? numquid comedimus aliquid ex rege, aut munera nobis data sunt?

And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel: 'Because the king is near of kin to us; wherefore then are ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath any gift been given us?'

43 Et respondit vir Israel ad viros Iuda, et ait: Decem partibus maior ego sum apud regem, magisque ad me pertinet David quam ad te: cur fecisti mihi iniuriam, et non mihi nunciatum est priori, ut reducerem regem meum? Durius autem responderunt viri Iuda viris Israel.

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said: 'We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye; why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?' And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.