I Samuelis 24
1 Cumque reversus esset Saul, postquam persecutus est Philisthaeos, nunciaverunt ei, dicentes: Ecce, David in deserto est Engaddi.
When Saul had returned from following the Philistines, he was told, “Behold, David is in the wilderness of En Gedi.”
2 Assumens ergo Saul tria millia electorum virorum ex omni Israel, perrexit ad investigandum David et viros eius, etiam super abruptissimas petras, quae solis ibicibus perviae sunt.
Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men on the rocks of the wild goats.
3 Et venit ad caulas ovium, quae se offerebant vianti. eratque ibi spelunca, quam ingressus est Saul, ut purgaret ventrem: porro David et viri eius in interiore parte speluncae latebant.
He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of 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 praecidit oram chlamydis Saul silenter.
David’s men said to him, “Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe secretly.
5 Post haec percussit cor suum David, eo quod abscidisset oram chlamydis Saul.
Afterward, David’s heart struck him because he had cut off Saul’s skirt.
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. Vivit dominus, quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum, aut dies eius venerit ut moriatur, aut descendens in proelium perierit, propitius mihi sit Dominus, ut non mittam manu meam in Christum Domini.
He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
7 Et confregit David viros suos sermonibus, et non permisit eos ut consurgerent in Saul: porro Saul exurgens de spelunca, pergebat coepto itinere.
So David checked his men with these words, and didn’t allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8 Surrexit autem 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,
David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect.
9 dixitque ad Saul: Quare audis verba hominum loquentium, David quaerit malum adversum te?
David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to men’s words, saying, ‘Behold, David seeks to harm you’?
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.
Behold, today your eyes have seen how the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD’s anointed.’
11 Quin potius pater mi, vide, et cognosce oram chlamydis tuae in manu mea: quoniam cum praescinderem summitatem chlamydis tuae, 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 animae meae ut auferas eam.
Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and didn’t kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it.
12 Iudicet Dominus inter me et te, et ulciscatur me Dominus ex te: manus autem mea non sit in te.
May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you.
13 Sicut et in proverbio antiquo dicitur: AB IMPIIS egredietur impietas: manus ergo mea non sit in te.
As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness;’ but my hand will not be on you.
14 Quem persequeris, rex Israel? quem persequeris? canem mortuum persequeris, et pulicem unum.
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?
15 Sit Dominus iudex, et iudicet inter me et te: et videat, et iudicet causam meam, et eruat me de manu tua.
May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand.”
16 Cum autem complesset David loquens sermones huiuscemodi ad Saul, dixit Saul: Numquid vox haec tua est fili mi David? Et levavit Saul vocem suam, et flevit:
It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17 dixitque ad David: Iustior tu es quam ego: tu enim tribuisti mihi bona: ego autem reddidi tibi mala.
He said to David, “You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you.
18 Et tu indicasti hodie quae feceris mihi bona: quomodo tradiderit me Dominus in manum tuam, et non occideris me.
You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, 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 finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me today.
20 Et nunc quia scio quod certissime regnaturus sis, et habiturus in manu tua regnum Israel:
Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand.
21 iura mihi in Domino, ne deleas semen meum post me, neque auferas nomen meum de domo patris mei.
Swear now therefore to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father’s house.”
22 Et iuravit David Sauli. Abiit ergo Saul in domum suam: et David, et viri eius ascenderunt ad tutiora loca.
David swore to Saul. Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
