Ii Samuelis 1
1 Factum est autem, postquam mortuus est Saul, ut David reverteretur a caede Amalec, et maneret in Siceleg duos dies.
Now it happened that, after Saul died, David returned from the slaughter of Amalek, and he remained for two days at Ziklag.
2 In die autem tertia apparuit homo veniens de castris Saul veste conscissa, et pulvere conspersus caput. et ut venit ad David, cecidit super faciem suam, et adoravit.
Then, on the third day, a man appeared, arriving from the camp of Saul, with his garments torn and dust sprinkled on his head. And when he came to David, he fell on his face, and he reverenced.
3 Dixitque ad eum David: Unde venis? Qui ait ad eum: De castris Israel fugi.
And David said to him, “Where have you come from?” And he said to him, “I have fled from the camp of Israel.”
4 Et dixit ad eum David: Quod est verbum quod factum est? indica mihi. Qui ait: Fugit populus ex praelio, et multi corruentes e populo mortui sunt: sed et Saul et Ionathas filius eius interierunt.
And David said to him: “What is the word that has happened? Reveal it to me.” And he said: “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen and died. Moreover, Saul and his son Jonathan have passed away.”
5 Dixitque David ad adolescentem, qui nunciabat ei: Unde scis quia mortuus est Saul, et Ionathas filius eius?
And David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan have died?”
6 Et ait adolescens, qui nunciabat ei: Casu veni in montem Gelboe, et Saul incumbebat super hastam suam: porro currus et equites appropinquabant ei,
And the youth, who was reporting it to him, said: “I arrived by chance on mount Gilboa. And Saul was lying upon his spear. Then the chariots and horsemen drew near to him.
7 et conversus post tergum suum, vidensque me vocavit. Cui cum respondissem: Adsum:
And turning behind his back and seeing me, he called to me. And when I had responded, “I am here,”
8 dixit mihi: Quisnam es tu? Et aio ad eum: Amalecites ego sum.
he said to me, “Who are you?” And I said to him, “I am an Amalekite.”
9 Et locutus est mihi: Sta super me, et interfice me: quoniam tenent me angustiae, et adhuc tota anima mea in me est.
And he said to me: “Stand over me, and kill me. For anguish has taken hold of me, and still my whole life is in me.”
10 Stansque super eum, occidi illum: sciebam enim quod vivere non poterat post ruinam: et tuli diadema quod erat in capite eius, et armillam de brachio illius, et attuli ad te dominum meum huc.
And standing over him, I killed him. For I knew that he was not able to live after the fall. And I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”
11 Apprehendens autem David vestimenta sua scidit, omnesque viri, qui erant cum eo,
Then David, taking hold of his garments, tore them, with all the men who were with him.
12 et planxerunt, et fleverunt, et ieiunaverunt usque ad vesperam super Saul, et super Ionathan filium eius, et super populum Domini, et super domum Israel, eo quod corruissent gladio.
And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, over Saul and over his son Jonathan, and over the people of the Lord and over the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Dixitque David ad iuvenem qui nunciaverat ei: Unde es tu? Qui respondit: Filius hominis advenae Amalecitae ego sum.
And David said to the youth who had reported it to him, “Where are you from?” And he responded, “I am the son of a man who is a new arrival from the Amalekites.”
14 Et ait ad eum David: Quare non timuisti mittere manum tuam ut occideres christum Domini?
And David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to put forth your hand, so that you would kill the Christ of the Lord?”
15 Vocansque David unum de pueris suis, ait: Accedens irrue in eum. Qui percussit illum, et mortuus est.
And calling one of his servants, David said, “Draw near and rush against him” And he struck him, and he died.
16 Et ait ad eum David: Sanguis tuus super caput tuum: os enim tuum locutum est adversum te, dicens: Ego interfeci christum Domini.
And David said to him: “Your blood is upon your own head. For your own mouth has spoken against you, saying: ‘I have killed the Christ of the Lord.’”
17 Planxit autem David planctum huiuscemodi super Saul, et super Ionathan filium eius,
Then David mourned a lamentation over Saul and over his son Jonathan, in this way.
18 (et praecepit ut docerent filios Iuda arcum, sicut scriptum est in Libro iustorum.) Et ait: Considera Israel pro his, qui mortui sunt super excelsa tua vulnerati.
(And he instructed that they should teach the sons of Judah the bow, just as it is written in the Book of the Just.) And he said: “Consider, O Israel, on behalf of those who are dead, wounded upon your heights:
19 Inclyti, Israel, super montes tuos interfecti sunt: quo modo ceciderunt fortes?
The illustrious of Israel have been killed upon your mountains. How could the valiant have fallen?
20 Nolite annunciare in Geth, neque annuncietis in compitis Ascalonis: ne forte laetentur filiae Philisthiim, ne exultent filiae incircumcisorum.
Do not choose to announce it in Gath, and do not announce it in the crossroads of Ashkelon. Otherwise, the daughters of the Philistines may rejoice; otherwise, the daughters of the uncircumcised may exult.
21 Montes Gelboe, nec ros, nec pluvia veniant super vos, neque sint agri primitiarum: quia ibi abiectus est clypeus fortium, clypeus Saul, quasi non esset unctus oleo.
O mountains of Gilboa, let neither dew, nor rain fall over you, and may these not be the fields of the first-fruits. For in that place, the shield of the valiant was cast away, the shield of Saul, as if he had not been anointed with oil.
22 A sanguine interfectorum, ab adipe fortium, sagitta Ionathae numquam rediit retrorsum, et gladius Saul non est reversus inanis.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the strong, the arrow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 Saul et Ionathas amabiles, et decori in vita sua, in morte quoque non sunt divisi: aquilis velociores, leonibus fortiores.
Saul and Jonathan, worthy to be loved, and stately in their life: even in death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 Filiae Israel super Saul flete, qui vestiebat vos coccino in deliciis, qui praebebat ornamenta aurea cultui vestro.
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet finery, who offered ornaments of gold for your adornment.
25 Quo modo ceciderunt fortes in praelio? Ionathas in excelsis tuis occisus est?
How could the valiant have fallen in battle? How could Jonathan have been slain on the heights?
26 Doleo super te frater mi Ionatha decore nimis, et amabilis super amorem mulierum. Sicut mater unicum amat filium suum, ita ego te diligebam.
I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan: exceedingly stately, and worthy to be loved above the love of women. As a mother loves her only son, so also did I love you.
27 Quo modo ceciderunt robusti, et perierunt arma bellica?
How could the robust have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished?”
