Ii Samuelis 17
1 Dixit ergo Achitophel ad Absalom: Eligam mihi duodecim millia virorum, et consurgens persequar David hac nocte.
Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men and set off in pursuit of David tonight.
2 Et irruens super eum (quippe qui lassus est, et solutis manibus) percutiam eum: cumque fugerit omnis populus, qui cum eo est, percutiam regem desolatum.
I'll attack him while he is tired and weak. I'll catch him by surprise and all his men will run away. I'll only kill the king
3 Et reducam universum populum, quomodo unus homo reverti solet: unum enim virum tu quaeris: et omnis populus erit in pace.
and bring everybody else back to you. When everybody returns apart from the one man you're after, the whole country will be at peace.”
4 Placuitque sermo eius Absalom, et cunctis maioribus natu Israel.
This plan looked good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
5 Ait autem Absalom: Vocate Chusai Arachiten, et audiamus quid etiam ipse dicat.
But then Absalom said, “Call in Hushai the Archite too, and let's hear what he's got to say as well.”
6 Cumque venisset Chusai ad Absalom, ait Absalom ad eum: Huiuscemodi sermonem locutus est Achitophel: facere debemus an non? quod das consilium?
When Hushai came in, Absalom, asked him, “Ahithophel has recommended this plan. Should we go ahead with it? If not, what's your suggestion?”
7 Et dixit Chusai ad Absalom: Non est bonum consilium, quod dedit Achitophel hac vice.
“For once Ahithophel's advice isn't good,” Hushai replied.
8 Et rursum intulit Chusai: Tu nosti patrem tuum, et viros, qui cum eo sunt, esse fortissimos et amaro animo, veluti si ursa raptis catulis in saltu saeviat: sed et pater tuus vir bellator est, nec morabitur cum populo.
“You know what your father and his men are like. They're great fighters, and now they're as furious as a she-bear robbed of her cubs. In any case, your father is experienced in military tactics, and he won't spend the night with his men.
9 Forsitan nunc latitat in foveis, aut in uno, quo voluerit, loco: et cum ceciderit unus quilibet in principio, audiet quicumque audierit, et dicet: Facta est plaga in populo qui sequebatur Absalom.
Right now he's holed up in a cave or some place like that. If he attacks first and some of your men are killed, people who hear about it will say, ‘Absalom's men are being slaughtered.’
10 Et fortissimus quisque, cuius cor est quasi leonis, pavore solvetur: scit enim omnis populus Israel fortem esse patrem tuum, et robustos omnes qui cum eo sunt.
Then even the bravest soldier who has the heart of a lion will be scared to death, because everyone in Israel knows that your father is a powerful man who has brave men with him.
11 Sed hoc mihi videtur rectum esse consilium: Congregetur ad te universus Israel, a Dan usque Bersabee, quasi arena maris innumerabilis: et tu eris in medio eorum.
My recommendation is that you call up the entire Israelite army from Dan to Beersheba—an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore! Once they've assembled, then you yourself lead them into battle!
12 Et irruemus super eum in quocumque loco inventus fuerit: et operiemus eum, sicut cadere solet ros super terram: et non relinquemus de viris, qui cum eo sunt, ne unum quidem.
Then we'll attack David wherever he is, and we'll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor a single one of all the men with him will be left alive!
13 Quod si urbem aliquam fuerit ingressus, circumdabit omnis Israel civitati illi funes, et trahemus eam in torrentem, ut non reperiatur ne calculus quidem ex ea.
If he tries to find protection in a town, all of Israel will bring ropes to that town, and we will pull it down into the valley so that not even a stone will be left.”
14 Dixitque Absalom, et omnes viri Israel: Melius est consilium Chusai Arachitae, consilio Achitophel: Domini autem nutu dissipatum est consilium Achitophel utile, ut induceret Dominus super Absalom malum.
Absalom and all the Israelite leaders said, “Hushai the Arkite's advice is better than Ahithophel's.” For the Lord had decided to block Ahithophel's good advice in order that he might bring disaster on Absalom.
15 Et ait Chusai Sadoc, et Abiathar sacerdotibus: Hoc et hoc modo consilium dedit Achitophel Absalom, et senioribus Israel: et ego tale et tale dedi consilium.
Hushai spoke to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, and told them, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the Israelite leaders to act in one way, but I have advised them to act in this different way.
16 Nunc ergo mittite cito, et nunciate David, dicentes: Ne moreris nocte hac in campestribus deserti, sed absque dilatione transgredere: ne forte absorbeatur rex, et omnis populus qui cum eo est.
So send a message quickly to David and tell him, ‘Don't wait and spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but cross over immediately or the king and everybody with him will be destroyed.’”
17 Ionathas autem et Achimaas stabant iuxta Fontem rogel: abiit ancilla et nunciavit eis: et illi profecti sunt, ut referrent ad regem David nuncium: non enim poterant videri, aut introire civitatem.
Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel because they couldn't be seen entering the city. A servant girl would come and tell them what was happening. Then they would go and let King David know.
18 Vidit autem eos quidam puer, et indicavit Absalom: illi vero concito gradu ingressi sunt domum cuiusdam viri in Bahurim, qui habebat puteum in vestibulo suo, et descenderunt in eum.
But a boy did see them and he told Absalom. So the two left immediately and went to the house of a man in the town of Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed into it.
19 Tulit autem mulier, et expandit velamen super os putei, quasi siccans ptisanas: et sic latuit res.
His wife took a cloth to cover the well and spread it out over the opening and then scattered grain over it. No one knew the men were there.
20 Cumque venissent servi Absalom in domum, ad mulierem dixerunt: Ubi est Achimaas et Ionathas? Et respondit eis mulier: Transierunt festinanter, gustata paululum aqua. At hi qui quaerebant, cum non reperissent, reversi sunt in Ierusalem.
When Absalom's officers arrived they asked the woman, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” “They crossed over the stream,” she replied. The men searched for them but didn't find them, so they went back to Jerusalem.
21 Cumque abiissent, ascenderunt illi de puteo, et pergentes nunciaverunt regi David, et dixerunt: Surgite, et transite cito fluvium: quoniam huiuscemodi dedit consilium contra vos Achitophel.
After Absalom's officers left, the two men climbed out of the well and rushed off to give the king their message. “Have everybody get up and cross the river right away, for Ahithophel's advice is to attack you immediately.”
22 Surrexit ergo David, et omnis populus qui cum eo erat, et transierunt Iordanem, donec dilucesceret: et ne unus quidem residuus fuit, qui non transisset fluvium.
David and everybody with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By the time it got light there wasn't anybody who hadn't crossed over.
23 Porro Achitophel videns quod non fuisset factum consilium suum, stravit asinum suum, surrexitque et abiit in domum suam et in civitatem suam: et disposita domo sua, suspendio interiit, et sepultus est in sepulchro patris sui.
When Ahithophel realized that his advice had been ignored, he saddled up his donkey and left for his home in the town where he lived. He put his affairs in order and then he hanged himself. He died and was buried in his father's tomb.
24 David autem venit in Castra, et Absalom transivit Iordanem, ipse et omnes viri Israel cum eo.
David went on to Mahanaim, and Absalom crossed over the Jordan with the entire Israelite army.
25 Amasam vero constituit Absalom pro Ioab super exercitum: Amasa autem erat filius viri, qui vocabatur Ietra de Iesraeli, qui ingressus est ad Abigail filiam Naas, sororem Sarviae, quae fuit mater Ioab.
Absalom had put Amasa in charge of the army to replace Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who lived with Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother.
26 Et castrametatus est Israel cum Absalom in Terra Galaad.
The Israelites under Absalom set up camp in the land of Gilead.
27 Cumque venisset David in Castra, Sobi filius Naas de Rabbath filiorum Ammon, et Machir filius Ammihel de Lodabar, et Berzellai Galaadites de Rogelim,
When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was welcomed by Shobi, son of Nahash, from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir, son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim.
28 obtulerunt ei stratoria, et tapetia, et vasa fictilia, frumentum, et hordeum, et farinam, et polentam, et fabam, et lentem, et frixum cicer,
They brought bedding, bowls, and clay jars, as well as wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils,
29 et mel, et butyrum, oves, et pingues vitulos. dederuntque David, et populo, qui cum eo erat, ad vescendum: suspicati enim sunt, populum fame, et siti fatigari in deserto.
honey, curds, sheep, and cheese made from cow's milk for David and the people with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry, tired, and thirsty from their time in the wilderness.”
