I Samuelis 26
1 Et venerunt Ziphaei ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Ecce, David absconditus est in colle Hachila, quae est ex adverso solitudinis.
The people of Ziph went to Saul at Gibeah and told him, “David's hiding on the hill of Hakilah, opposite the wastelands.”
2 Et surrexit Saul, et descendit in desertum Ziph, et cum eo tria millia virorum de electis Israel, ut quaereret David in deserto Ziph.
So Saul went to the Desert of Ziph along with three thousand specially-picked men from Israel to search for David there.
3 Et castrametatus est Saul in Gabaa Hachila, quae erat ex adverso solitudinis in via: David autem habitabat in deserto. Videns autem quod venisset Saul post se in desertum,
Saul set up camp beside the road at the hill of Hachilah opposite the wastelands, near to where David was living in the desert. When he realized that Saul had come looking for him there,
4 misit exploratores, et didicit quod illuc venisset certissime.
he sent out spies and found out Saul had definitely arrived.
5 Et surrexit David clam, et venit ad locum ubi erat Saul: cumque vidisset locum, in quo dormiebat Saul, et Abner filius Ner, princeps militiae eius, et Saulem dormientem in tentorio, et reliquum vulgus per circuitum eius,
One night David got up and went over to Saul's camp and saw where Saul was sleeping, along with Abner, son of Ner, the army commander. Saul was lying in the middle of the camp with his men all around him.
6 ait David ad Achimelech Hethaeum, et Abisai filium Sarviae, fratrem Ioab, dicens: Quis descendet mecum ad Saul in castra? Dixitque Abisai: Ego descendam tecum.
David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, “Who wants to go with me into the camp to Saul?” “I'll go with you,” Abishai replied.
7 Venerunt ergo David, et Abisai ad populum nocte, et invenerunt Saul iacentem et dormientem in tentorio, et hastam fixam in terra ad caput eius: Abner autem et populum dormientes in circuitu eius.
So David and Abishai went to the army camp at night. Saul was sleeping there in the camp with his spear stuck in the ground beside his head, with Abner and his men sleeping around him.
8 Dixitque Abisai ad David: Conclusit Deus inimicum tuum hodie in manus tuas: nunc ergo perfodiam eum lancea in terra, semel, et secundo opus non erit.
Abishai said to David, “God has handed your enemy over to you today. So please let me spear him to the ground in one go. I won't need to do it twice!”
9 Et dixit David ad Abisai: Ne interficias eum: quis enim extendet manum suam in christum Domini, et innocens erit?
But David said to Abishai, “No, don't kill him! Who can attack the Lord's anointed one and not be guilty of a crime?
10 Et dixit David: Vivit Dominus, quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum, aut dies eius venerit ut moriatur, aut in praelium descendens perierit:
As the Lord lives, the Lord himself will kill him. Either his time will come and he'll die, or he will go into battle and be killed.
11 propitius sit mihi Dominus ne extendam manum meam in christum Domini. nunc igitur tolle hastam, quae est ad caput eius, et scyphum aquae, et abeamus.
May the Lord prevent me from attacking the Lord's anointed one. Just pick up the spear and water jug beside his head, and let's go.”
12 Tulit igitur David hastam, et scyphum aquae, qui erat ad caput Saul, et abierunt: et non erat quisquam, qui videret, et intelligeret, et evigilaret, sed omnes dormiebant, quia sopor Domini irruerat super eos.
David took the spear and water jug beside Saul's head, and they left. Nobody saw anything; nobody knew what had happened; nobody woke up. Everybody stayed asleep, because the Lord had made them fall into a deep sleep.
13 Cumque transisset David ex adverso, et stetisset in vertice montis de longe, et esset grande intervallum inter eos,
Then David went back over to the other side, and stood on top of the hill far enough away—there was a considerable distance between them.
14 clamavit David ad populum, et ad Abner filium Ner, dicens: Nonne respondebis, Abner? Et respondens Abner, ait: Quis es tu, qui clamas, et inquietas regem?
He shouted down to the army and Abner, son of Ner, “Aren't you going to answer me, Abner?” “Who is that shouting, disturbing the king?” Abner called back.
15 Et ait David ad Abner: Numquid non vir tu es? et quis alius similis tui in Israel? quare ergo non custodisti dominum tuum regem? ingressus est enim unus de turba ut interficeret regem, dominum tuum.
David called to Abner, “Aren't you meant to be this great man? Is there anyone in Israel who is better than you? So why didn't you protect your master the king when someone came to kill him?
16 Non est bonum hoc, quod fecisti: vivit Dominus, quoniam filii mortis estis vos, qui non custodistis dominum vestrum, christum Domini. nunc ergo vide ubi sit hasta regis, et ubi sit scyphus aquae, qui erat ad caput eius.
You haven't done well at all. As the Lord lives, you all deserve to die, because you did not protect your master, the Lord's anointed. Take a look around. Where are the king's spear and water jug that were beside his head?”
17 Cognovit autem Saul vocem David, et dixit: Numquid vox haec tua, fili mi David? Et ait David: Vox mea, domine mi rex.
Saul recognized David's voice and asked, “Is that you speaking, David, my son?” “Yes it's me, my lord and king,” David replied.
18 Et ait: Quam ob causam dominus meus persequitur servum suum? Quid feci? aut quod est malum in manu mea?
“Why is my lord hunting me, his servant? What is it that I've done? What crime am I guilty of?” he continued.
19 Nunc ergo audi, oro, domine mi rex, verba servi tui: si Dominus incitat te adversum me, odoretur sacrificium: si autem filii hominum, maledicti sunt in conspectu Domini: qui eiecerunt me hodie, ut non habitem in hereditate Domini, dicentes: Vade, servi diis alienis.
“Please listen to me, my lord and king. If the Lord has made you angry with me, then may he be happy to accept an offering. But if it's men that have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! For all this while they've been driving me away from living among God's chosen people, telling me, ‘Go away and worship other gods.’
20 Et nunc non effundatur sanguis meus in terram coram Domino: quia egressus est rex Israel ut quaerat pulicem unum, sicut persequitur perdix in montibus.
Please don't let me die so far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come to chase down one little flea, hunting me like someone who hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 Et ait Saul: Peccavi, revertere fili mi David: nequaquam enim ultra tibi malefaciam, eo quod pretiosa fuerit anima mea in oculis tuis hodie: apparet enim quod stulte egerim, et ignoraverim multa nimis.
“I've done wrong,” Saul replied, “Come back, David, my son. I won't ever try to harm you again, because you valued me and spared my life today. I've been so stupid! I've made a big mistake!”
22 Et respondens David, ait: Ecce hasta regis: transeat unus de pueris regis, et tollat eam.
“I have the king's spear here,” said David. “Send one of your men over to collect it.
23 Dominus autem retribuet unicuique secundum iustitiam suam, et fidem: tradidit enim te Dominus hodie in manum meam, et nolui extendere manum meam in christum Domini.
The Lord rewards all those who do what is right and who are trustworthy. The Lord handed you over to me today, but I refused to harm the Lord's anointed one.
24 Et sicut magnificata est anima tua hodie in oculis meis, sic magnificetur anima mea in oculis Domini, et liberet me de omni angustia.
In the same way as I valued your life today, may the Lord value my life, and may he rescue me from all my troubles.”
25 Ait ergo Saul ad David: Benedictus tu fili mi David: et quidem faciens facies, et potens poteris. Abiit autem David in viam suam, et Saul reversus est in locum suum.
Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish a great deal and always be successful.” David left, and Saul went back home.
