I Samuelis 16

1 Dixitque Dominus ad Samuelem: Usquequo tu luges Saul, cum ego projecerim eum ne regnet super Israël? Imple cornu tuum oleo, et veni, ut mittam te ad Isai Bethlehemitem: providi enim in filiis ejus mihi regem.

The Lord asked Samuel, “How long are you going to continue to mourn over Saul because I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your flask with olive oil and go. I'm sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen a king for myself from among his sons.”

2 Et ait Samuel: Quomodo vadam? audiet enim Saul, et interficiet me. Et ait Dominus: Vitulum de armento tolles in manu tua, et dices: Ad immolandum Domino veni.

“How can I go and do that?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear about it and kill me!” The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I've come to sacrifice to the Lord.’

3 Et vocabis Isai ad victimam, et ego ostendam tibi quid facias, et unges quemcumque monstravero tibi.

Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you have to do. Anoint for me the one I tell you to.”

4 Fecit ergo Samuel sicut locutus est ei Dominus. Venitque in Bethlehem, et admirati sunt seniores civitatis occurrentes ei: dixeruntque: Pacificusne est ingressus tuus?

Samuel did what the Lord had told him to and went to Bethlehem. When the town elders met him, they were afraid and asked him, “Do you come in peace?”

5 Et ait: Pacificus: ad immolandum Domino veni: sanctificamini, et venite mecum ut immolem. Sanctificavit ergo Isai et filios ejus, et vocavit eos ad sacrificium.

“Yes, I come in peace,” he replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

6 Cumque ingressi essent, vidit Eliab, et ait: Num coram Domino est christus ejus?

When they arrived and Samuel saw Eliab, he said to himself, “This has got to be the Lord's anointed!”

7 Et dixit Dominus ad Samuelem: Ne respicias vultum ejus, neque altitudinem staturæ ejus: quoniam abjeci eum, nec juxta intuitum hominis ego judico: homo enim videt ea quæ parent, Dominus autem intuetur cor.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don't look at his outward appearance or how tall he is because I have rejected him, for the Lord does not look as human beings do. Human beings only see with their eyes what's on the outside, but the Lord looks at the way people think deep inside.”

8 Et vocavit Isai Abinadab, et adduxit eum coram Samuele. Qui dixit: Nec hunc elegit Dominus.

Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him come before Samuel, who said, “The Lord hasn't chosen this one either.”

9 Adduxit autem Isai Samma, de quo ait: Etiam hunc non elegit Dominus.

Then Jesse had Shammah come forward. But Samuel said, “The Lord hasn't chosen this one either.”

10 Adduxit itaque Isai septem filios suos coram Samuele: et ait Samuel ad Isai: Non elegit Dominus ex istis.

Jesse had seven of his sons come before Samuel, but Samuel told him, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.”

11 Dixitque Samuel ad Isai: Numquid jam completi sunt filii? Qui respondit: Adhuc reliquus est parvulus, et pascit oves. Et ait Samuel ad Isai: Mitte, et adduc eum: nec enim discumbemus priusquam huc ille veniat.

So he asked Jesse, “Don't you have any more sons?” “Well, there's still the youngest,” Jesse replied, “but he is out looking after the sheep.” “Send for him and bring him here because we will not sit down and eat until he gets here,” Samuel told Jesse.

12 Misit ergo, et adduxit eum. Erat autem rufus, et pulcher aspectu, decoraque facie: et ait Dominus: Surge, unge eum: ipse est enim.

So Jesse sent for him and brought him in. He had a red complexion with beautiful eyes, and looked handsome. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him, for he's the one.”

13 Tulit ergo Samuel cornu olei, et unxit eum in medio fratrum ejus: et directus est spiritus Domini a die illa in David, et deinceps. Surgensque Samuel abiit in Ramatha.

Samuel took the flask of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came on David in power from that day on. Then Samuel left and returned to Ramah.

14 Spiritus autem Domini recessit a Saul, et exagitabat eum spiritus nequam a Domino.

The Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him.

15 Dixeruntque servi Saul ad eum: Ecce spiritus Dei malus exagitat te.

Saul's servants told him, “It's definitely an evil spirit from God that's tormenting you.

16 Jubeat dominus noster, et servi tui qui coram te sunt quærent hominem scientem psallere cithara, ut quando arripuerit te spiritus Domini malus, psallat manu sua, et levius feras.

Give us your servants here the order to find someone who is good at playing the harp so that when the evil spirit from God comes on you, he can play and you'll feel much better.”

17 Et ait Saul ad servos suos: Providete ergo mihi aliquem bene psallentem, et adducite eum ad me.

Saul gave the order to his servants, “Find me someone who is good at playing the harp and bring him to me.”

18 Et respondens unus de pueris, ait: Ecce vidi filium Isai Bethlehemitem scientem psallere, et fortissimum robore, et virum bellicosum, et prudentem in verbis, et virum pulchrum: et Dominus est cum eo.

One of the servants replied, “I know a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who is good at playing the harp. He is a brave man, a good fighter, well-spoken and handsome, and the Lord is with him.”

19 Misit ergo Saul nuntios ad Isai, dicens: Mitte ad me David filium tuum, qui est in pascuis.

Saul sent messengers to Jesse, telling him, “Send me your son David who takes care of the sheep.”

20 Tulit itaque Isai asinum plenum panibus, et lagenam vini, et hædum de capris unum, et misit per manum David filii sui Sauli.

So Jesse loaded a donkey with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

21 Et venit David ad Saul, et stetit coram eo: at ille dilexit eum nimis, et factus est ejus armiger.

David came to Saul and began working for him. Saul thought a great deal of him, and David became his armor-bearer.

22 Misitque Saul ad Isai, dicens: Stet David in conspectu meo: invenit enim gratiam in oculis meis.

Saul sent a message to Jesse, saying, “Please allow David to continue working for me because I am pleased with him.”

23 Igitur quandocumque spiritus Domini malus arripiebat Saul, David tollebat citharam, et percutiebat manu sua, et refocillabatur Saul, et levius habebat: recedebat enim ab eo spiritus malus.

So whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take his harp and play, and Saul would gain relief and feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.