I Samuelis 24
1 Cumque reversus esset Saul, postquam persecutus est Philisthæos, nuntiaverunt ei, dicentes: Ecce David in deserto est Engaddi.
When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.”
2 Assumens ergo Saul tria millia electorum virorum ex omni Israël, perrexit ad investigandum David et viros ejus, etiam super abruptissimas petras, quæ solis ibicibus perviæ sunt.
So Saul took three thousand specially-picked men from all Israel and went searching for David and his men in the area around Wild Goats' Rocks.
3 Et venit ad caulas ovium, quæ se offerebant vianti: eratque ibi spelunca, quam ingressus est Saul ut purgaret ventrem: porro David et viri ejus in interiore parte speluncæ latebant.
As Saul passed the sheep pens on the way, there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding deep inside the cave.
4 Et dixerunt servi David ad eum: Ecce dies de qua locutus est Dominus ad te: Ego tradam tibi inimicum tuum, ut facias ei sicut placuerit in oculis tuis. Surrexit ergo David, et præcidit oram chlamydis Saul silenter.
David's men said to him, “Today's the day the Lord promised you when he told you, ‘Listen, I'm going to hand over your enemy to you, so you can do to him whatever you want.’” Then David crept up quietly and cut a piece from the edge of Saul's robe.
5 Post hæc percussit cor suum David, eo quod abscidisset oram chlamydis Saul.
But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
6 Dixitque ad viros suos: Propitius sit mihi Dominus, ne faciam hanc rem domino meo, christo Domini, ut mittam manum meam in eum: quia christus Domini est.
He told his men, “May the Lord prevent me from doing anything like this to my master, the Lord's anointed one. I will never attack him, for he is the Lord's anointed one.”
7 Et confregit David viros suos sermonibus, et non permisit eos ut consurgerent in Saul: porro Saul exsurgens de spelunca, pergebat cœpto itinere.
He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
8 Surrexit autem et David post eum: et egressus de spelunca, clamavit post tergum Saul, dicens: Domine mi rex. Et respexit Saul post se: et inclinans se David pronus in terram adoravit,
A little later David came out of the cave and shouted, “My master the king!” When Saul looked around, David bowed down with his face to the ground.
9 dixitque ad Saul: Quare audis verba hominum loquentium: David quærit malum adversum te?
“Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
10 Ecce hodie viderunt oculi tui quod tradiderit te Dominus in manu mea in spelunca: et cogitavi ut occiderem te, sed pepercit tibi oculus meus: dixi enim: Non extendam manum meam in dominum meum, quia christus Domini est.
“Just look! You've seen with your own eyes today that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I showed you compassion, and said, ‘I refuse to attack my master, for he is the Lord's anointed one.’
11 Quin potius pater mi, vide, et cognosce oram chlamydis tuæ in manu mea: quoniam cum præscinderem summitatem chlamydis tuæ, nolui extendere manum meam in te: animadverte, et vide, quoniam non est in manu mea malum, neque iniquitas, neque peccavi in te: tu autem insidiaris animæ meæ ut auferas eam.
Take a look, my father! You see this piece of your robe I'm holding. Yes, I did I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can see for yourself and you can be sure that I have done nothing evil or rebellious. I have not sinned against you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
12 Judicet Dominus inter me et te, et ulciscatur me Dominus ex te: manus autem mea non sit in te.
May the Lord decide between you and me as to who of us is right, and may the Lord punish you, but I myself will never try to harm you.
13 Sicut et in proverbio antiquo dicitur: Ab impiis egredietur impietas: manus ergo mea non sit in te.
As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
14 Quem persequeris, rex Israël? quem persequeris? canem mortuum persequeris, et pulicem unum.
Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
15 Sit Dominus judex, et judicet inter me et te: et videat, et judicet causam meam, et eruat me de manu tua.
May the Lord decide and choose between you and me. May he pay attention to my case and support it; may he save me from you.”
16 Cum autem complesset David loquens sermones hujuscemodi ad Saul, dixit Saul: Numquid vox hæc tua est, fili mi David? Et levavit Saul vocem suam, et flevit:
After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
17 dixitque ad David: Justior tu es quam ego: tu enim tribuisti mihi bona, ego autem reddidi tibi mala.
He told David, “You are a better person than I am, because you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid you with evil.
18 Et tu indicasti hodie quæ feceris mihi bona: quomodo tradiderit me Dominus in manum tuam, et non occideris me.
Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't kill me.
19 Quis enim cum invenerit inimicum suum, dimittet eum in via bona? sed Dominus reddat tibi vicissitudinem hanc pro eo quod hodie operatus es in me.
For if a man caught hold of his enemy, would he let him escape unharmed? The Lord reward you well for how you've treated me today.
20 Et nunc quia scio quod certissime regnaturus sis, et habiturus in manu tua regnum Israël:
Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
21 jura mihi in Domino, ne deleas semen meum post me, neque auferas nomen meum de domo patris mei.
Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not destroy my descendants who follow me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my family line.”
22 Et juravit David Sauli. Abiit ergo Saul in domum suam: et David et viri ejus ascenderunt ad tutiora loca.
So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
