I Samuelis 20
1 Fugit autem David de Naioth, quae est in Ramatha, veniensque locutus est coram Ionatha: Quid feci? quae est iniquitas mea, et quod peccatum meum in patrem tuum, quia quaerit animam meam?
And David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan: 'What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?'
2 Qui dixit ei: Absit, non morieris: neque enim faciet pater meus quidquam grande vel parvum, nisi prius indicaverit mihi: hunc ergo celavit me pater meus sermonem tantummodo? nequaquam erit istud.
And he said unto him: 'Far from it; thou shalt not die; behold, my father doeth nothing either great or small, but that he discloseth it unto me; and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so.'
3 Et iuravit rursum Davidi. Et ille ait: Scit profecto pater tuus quia inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, et dicet: Nesciat hoc Ionathas, ne forte tristetur. Quinimmo vivit Dominus, et vivit anima tua, quia uno tantum (ut ita dicam) gradu, ego morsque dividimur.
And David swore moreover, and said: 'Thy father knoweth well that I have found favour in thine eyes; and he saith: Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved; but truly as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.'
4 Et ait Ionathas ad David: Quodcumque dixerit mihi anima tua, faciam tibi.
Then said Jonathan unto David: 'What doth thy soul desire, that I should do it for thee?'
5 Dixit autem David ad Ionathan: Ecce calendae sunt crastino, et ego ex more sedere soleo iuxta regem ad vescendum: dimitte ergo me ut abscondar in agro usque ad vesperam diei tertiae.
And David said unto Jonathan: 'Behold, to-morrow is the new moon, when I should sit with the king to eat; so let me go, that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.
6 Si respiciens requisierit me pater tuus, respondebis ei: Rogavit me David, ut iret celeriter in Bethlehem civitatem suam: quia victimae sollemnes ibi sunt universis contribulibus suis.
If thy father miss me at all, then say: David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city; for it is the yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
7 Si dixerit, Bene: pax erit servo tuo. si autem fuerit iratus, scito quia completa est malitia eius.
If he say thus: It is well; thy servant shall have peace; but if he be wroth, then know that evil is determined by him.
8 Fac ergo misericordiam in servum tuum: quia foedus Domini me famulum tuum tecum inire fecisti. si autem est iniquitas aliqua in me, tu me interfice, et ad patrem tuum ne introducas me.
Therefore deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee; but if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why shouldest thou bring me to thy father?'
9 Et ait Ionathas: Absit hoc a me: neque enim fieri potest, ut si certe cognovero completam esse patris mei malitiam contra te, non annunciem tibi.
And Jonathan said: 'Far be it from thee; for if I should at all know that evil were determined by my father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?
10 Responditque David ad Ionathan: Quis renunciabit mihi, si quid forte responderit tibi pater tuus dure de me?
Then said David to Jonathan: 'Who shall tell me if perchance thy father answer thee roughly?'
11 Et ait Ionathas ad David: Veni, et egrediamur foras in agrum. Cumque exissent ambo in agrum,
And Jonathan said unto David: 'Come and let us go out into the field.' And they went out both of them into the field.
12 ait Ionathas ad David: Domine Deus Israel, si investigavero sententiam patris mei crastino vel perendie: et aliquid boni fuerit super David, et non statim misero ad te, et notum tibi fecero,
And Jonathan said unto David: 'The LORD, the God of Israel — when I have sounded my father about this time to-morrow, or the third day, behold, if there be good toward David, shall I not then send unto thee, and disclose it unto thee?
13 haec faciat Dominus Ionathae, et haec addat. Si autem perseveraverit patris mei malitia adversum te, revelabo aurem tuam, et dimittam te, ut vadas in pace, et sit Dominus tecum, sicut fuit cum patre meo.
The LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, should it please my father to do thee evil, if I disclose it not unto thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace; and the LORD be with thee, as He hath been with my father.
14 Et si vixero, facies mihi misericordiam Domini: si vero mortuus fuero,
And thou shalt not only while yet I live show me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not;
15 non auferes misericordiam tuam a domo mea usque in sempiternum, quando eradicaverit Dominus inimicos David, unumquemque de terra: auferat Ionathan de domo sua, et requirat Dominus de manu inimicorum David.
but also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever; no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.'
16 Pepigit ergo Ionathas foedus cum domo David: et requisivit Dominus de manu inimicorum David.
So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David: 'The LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.'
17 Et addidit Ionathas deierare David, eo quod diligeret illum: sicut enim animam suam, ita diligebat eum.
And Jonathan caused David to swear again, for the love that he had to him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.
18 Dixitque ad eum Ionathas: Cras calendae sunt, et requireris:
And Jonathan said unto him: 'To-morrow is the new moon; and thou wilt be missed, thy seat will be empty.
19 requiretur enim sessio tua usque perendie. Descendes ergo festinus, et venies in locum ubi celandus es in die qua operari licet, et sedebis iuxta lapidem, cui nomen est Ezel.
And in the third day thou shalt hide thyself well, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself in the day of work, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.
20 Et ego tres sagittas mittam iuxta eum, et iaciam quasi exercens me ad signum.
And I will shoot three arrows to the side-ward, as though I shot at a mark.
21 Mittam quoque et puerum, dicens ei: Vade, et affer mihi sagittas.
And, behold, I will send the lad: Go, find the arrows. If I say unto the lad: Behold, the arrows are on this side of thee; take them, and come; for there is peace to thee and no hurt, as the LORD liveth.
22 Si dixero puero: Ecce sagittae intra te sunt, tolle eas: tu veni ad me, quia pax tibi est, et nihil est mali, vivit Dominus. Si autem sic locutus fuero puero: Ecce sagittae citra te sunt: vade in pace, quia dimisit te Dominus.
But if I say thus unto the boy: Behold, the arrows are beyond thee; go thy way; for the LORD hath sent thee away.
23 De verbo autem quod locuti sumus ego et tu, sit Dominus inter me et te usque in sempiternum.
And as touching the matter which I and thou have spoken of, behold, the LORD is between me and thee for ever.'
24 Absconditus est ergo David in agro, et venerunt calendae, et sedit rex ad comedendum panem.
So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon was come, the king sat him down to the meal to eat.
25 Cumque sedisset rex super cathedram suam (secundum consuetudinem) quae erat iuxta parietem, surrexit Ionathas, et sedit Abner ex latere Saul, vacuusque apparuit locus David.
And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon the seat by the wall; and Jonathan stood up, and Abner sat by Saul's side; but David's place was empty.
26 Et non est locutus Saul quidquam in die illa: cogitabat enim quod forte evenisset ei, ut non esset mundus, nec purificatus.
Nevertheless Saul spoke not any thing that day; for he thought: 'Something hath befallen him, he is unclean; surely he is not clean.'
27 Cumque illuxisset dies secunda post calendas, rursus apparuit vacuus locus David. Dixitque Saul ad Ionathan filium suum: Cur non venit filius Isai nec heri, nec hodie ad vescendum?
And it came to pass on the morrow after the new moon, which was the second day, that David's place was empty; and Saul said unto Jonathan his son: 'Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to the meal, neither yesterday, nor to-day?'
28 Responditque Ionathas Sauli: Rogavit me obnixe, ut iret in Bethlehem,
And Jonathan answered Saul: 'David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Beth-lehem;
29 et ait: Dimitte me, quoniam sacrificium sollemne est in civitate, unus de fratribus meis accersivit me: nunc ergo si inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, vadam cito, et videbo fratres meos. Ob hanc causam non venit ad mensam regis.
and he said: Let me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and my brother, he hath commanded me; and now, if I have found favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my brethren. Therefore he is not come unto the king's table.'
30 Iratus autem Saul adversum Ionathan, dixit ei: Fili mulieris virum ultro rapientis, numquid ignoro quia diligis filium Isai in confusionem tuam, et in confusionem ignominiosae matris tuae?
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him: 'Thou son of perverse rebellion, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own shame, and unto the shame of thy mother's nakedness?
31 Omnibus enim diebus, quibus filius Isai vixerit super terram, non stabilieris tu, neque regnum tuum. Itaque iam nunc mitte, et adduc eum ad me: quia filius mortis est.
For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the earth, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he deserveth to die.'
32 Respondens autem Ionathas Sauli patri suo, ait: Quare morietur? quid fecit?
And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him: 'Wherefore should he be put to death? what hath he done?'
33 Et arripuit Saul lanceam ut percuteret eum. Et intellexit Ionathas quod definitum esset a patre suo, ut interficeret David.
And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to put David to death.
34 Surrexit ergo Ionathas a mensa in ira furoris, et non comedit in die calendarum secunda panem. Contristatus est enim super David, eo quod confudisset eum pater suus.
So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no food the second day of the month; for he was grieved for David, and because his father had put him to shame.
35 Cumque illuxisset mane, venit Ionathas in agrum iuxta placitum David, et puer parvulus cum eo,
And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.
36 et ait ad puerum suum: Vade, et affer mihi sagittas, quas ego iacio. Cumque puer cucurrisset, iecit aliam sagittam trans puerum.
And he said unto his lad: 'Run, find now the arrows which I shoot.' And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.
37 Venit itaque puer ad locum iaculi, quod miserat Ionathas: et clamavit Ionathas post tergum pueri, et ait: Ecce ibi est sagitta porro ultra te.
And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said: 'Is not the arrow beyond thee?'
38 Clamavitque iterum Ionathas post tergum pueri, dicens: Festina velociter, ne steteris. Collegit autem puer Ionathae sagittas, et attulit ad dominum suum:
And Jonathan cried after the lad: 'Make speed, hasten, stay not.' And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.
39 et quid ageretur, penitus ignorabat: tantummodo enim Ionathas et David rem noverant.
But the lad knew not any thing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.
40 Dedit ergo Ionathas arma sua puero, et dixit ei: Vade, et defer in civitatem.
And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him: 'Go, carry them to the city.'
41 Cumque abiisset puer, surrexit David de loco, qui vergebat ad Austrum, et cadens pronus in terram, adoravit tertio: et osculantes se alterutrum, fleverunt pariter, David autem amplius.
And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the South, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times; and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
42 Dixit ergo Ionathas ad David: Vade in pace: quaecumque iuravimus ambo in nomine Domini, dicentes: Dominus sit inter me et te, et inter semen tuum et semen meum usque in sempiternum. Et surrexit David, et abiit: sed et Ionathas ingressus est civitatem.
And Jonathan said to David: 'Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying: The LORD shall be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed, for ever.' And he arose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.
