Ii Samuelis 18
1 Igitur considerato David populo suo constituit super eos tribunos et centuriones,
Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
2 et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Ioab, et tertiam partem sub manu Abisai filii Sarviae fratris Ioab, et tertiam partem sub manu Ethai, qui erat de Geth, dixitque rex ad populum: Egrediar et ego vobiscum.
He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
3 Et respondit populus: Non exibis: sive enim fugerimus, non magnopere ad eos de nobis pertinebit: sive media pars ceciderit e nobis, non satis curabunt: quia tu unus pro decem millibus computaris: melius est igitur ut sis nobis in urbe praesidio.
But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”
4 Ad quos rex ait: Quod vobis videtur rectum, hoc faciam. Stetit ergo rex iuxta portam: egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni, et milleni.
“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Et praecepit rex Ioab, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Servate mihi puerum Absalom. Et omnis populus audiebat praecipientem regem cunctis principibus pro Absalom.
Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
6 Itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israel, et factum est praelium in saltu Ephraim.
So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 Et caesus est ibi populus Israel ab exercitu David, factaque est plaga magna in die illa, viginti millium.
There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
8 Fuit autem ibi praelium dispersum super faciem omnis terrae, et multo plures erant, quos saltus consumpserat de populo, quam hi, quos voraverat gladius in die illa.
The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
9 Accidit autem ut occurreret Absalom servis David, sedens mulo: cumque ingressus fuisset mulus subter condensam quercum et magnam, adhaesit caput eius quercui: et illo suspenso inter caelum et terram, mulus, cui insederat, pertransivit.
Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.
10 Vidit autem hoc quispiam, et nunciavit Ioab, dicens: Vidi Absalom pendere de quercu.
When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 Et ait Ioab viro, qui nunciaverat ei: Si vidisti, quare non confodisti eum cum terra, et ego dedissem tibi decem argenti siclos, et unum balteum?
“You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”
12 Qui dixit ad Ioab: Si appenderes in manibus meis mille argenteos, nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regis: audientibus enim nobis praecepit rex tibi, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Custodite mihi puerum Absalom.
The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
13 Sed et si fecissem contra animam meam audacter, nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset, et tu stares ex adverso?
If I had jeopardized my own life —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
14 Et ait Ioab: Non sicut tu vis, sed aggrediar eum coram te. Tulit ergo tres lanceas in manu sua, et infixit eas in corde Absalom: cumque adhuc palpitaret haerens in quercu,
But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
15 cucurrerunt decem iuvenes armigeri Ioab, et percutientes interfecerunt eum.
And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
16 Cecinit autem Ioab buccina, et retinuit populum, ne persequeretur fugientem Israel, volens parcere multitudini.
Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
17 Et tulerunt Absalom, et proiecerunt eum in saltu, in foveam grandem, et comportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis: omnis autem Israel fugit in tabernacula sua.
They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.
18 Porro Absalom erexerat sibi, cum adhuc viveret, titulum qui est in Valle regis: dixerat enim: Non habeo filium, et hoc erit monimentum nominis mei. Vocavitque titulum nomine suo, et appellatur Manus Absalom, usque ad hanc diem.
During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
19 Achimaas autem filius Sadoc, ait: Curram, et nunciabo regi, quia iudicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum eius.
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
20 Ad quem Ioab dixit: Non eris nuncius in hac die, sed nunciabis in alia: hodie nolo te nunciare, filius enim regis est mortuus.
But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 Et ait Ioab Chusi: Vade, et nuncia regi quae vidisti. Adoravit Chusi Ioab, et cucurrit.
So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
22 Rursus autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Ioab: Quid impedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi? Dixitque ei Ioab: Quid vis currere fili mi? Veni huc! non eris boni nuncii baiulus.
Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
23 Qui respondit: Quid enim si cucurrero? Et ait ei: Curre. Currens ergo Achimaas per viam compendii, transivit Chusi.
“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 David autem sedebat inter duas portas: speculator vero, qui erat in fastigio portae super murum, elevans oculos, vidit hominem currentem solum.
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.
25 Et exclamans indicavit regi: dixitque rex: Si solus est, bonus est nuncius in ore eius. Properante autem illo, et accedente propius,
So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,
26 vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem, et vociferans in culmine, ait: Apparet mihi alter homo currens solus. Dixitque rex: Et iste bonus est nuncius.
the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.
27 Speculator autem: Contemplor, ait, cursum prioris, quasi cursum Achimaas filii Sadoc. Et ait rex: Vir bonus est: et nuncium portans bonum, venit.
The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
28 Clamans autem Achimaas, dixit ad regem: Salve rex. Et adorans regem coram eo pronus in terram, ait: Benedictus Dominus Deus tuus, qui conclusit homines qui levaverunt manus suas contra dominum meum regem.
Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”
29 Et ait rex: Estne pax puero Absalom? Dixitque Achimaas: Vidi tumultum magnum, cum mitteret Ioab servus tuus, o rex, me servum tuum: nescio aliud.
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
30 Ad quem rex: Transi, ait, et sta hic. Cumque ille transisset, et staret,
“Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.
31 apparuit Chusi: et veniens ait: Bonum apporto nuncium, domine mi rex: iudicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium qui surrexerunt contra te.
Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”
32 Dixit autem rex ad Chusi: Estne pax puero Absalom? Cui respondens Chusi, Fiant, inquit, sicut puer, inimici domini mei regis, et universi qui consurgunt adversus eum in malum.
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”
33 Contristatus itaque rex, ascendit coenaculum portae, et flevit. Et sic loquebatur, vadens: Fili mi Absalom, Absalom fili mi: quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te, Absalom fili mi, fili mi Absalom?
The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
