Ii Samuelis 1

1 Factum est autem, postquam mortuus est Saul, ut David reverteretur a caede Amalec, et maneret in Siceleg duos dies.

AND IT came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in 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.

it came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head; and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and prostrated himself.

3 Dixitque ad eum David: Unde venis? Qui ait ad eum: De castris Israel fugi.

And David said unto him: 'From whence comest thou?' And he said unto him: 'Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.'

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 unto him: 'How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me.' And he answered: 'The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.'

5 Dixitque David ad adolescentem, qui nunciabat ei: Unde scis quia mortuus est Saul, et Ionathas filius eius?

And David said unto the young man that told him: 'How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?'

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 young man that told him said: 'As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen pressed hard upon him.

7 et conversus post tergum suum, vidensque me vocavit. Cui cum respondissem: Adsum:

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered: Here am I.

8 dixit mihi: Quisnam es tu? Et aio ad eum: Amalecites ego sum.

And he said unto me: Who art thou? And I answered 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 unto me: Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me, for the agony hath taken hold of me; because my life is just yet 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.

So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.'

11 Apprehendens autem David vestimenta sua scidit, omnesque viri, qui erant cum eo,

Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that 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 wailed, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were 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 unto the young man that told him: 'Whence art thou?' And he answered: 'I am the son of an Amalekite stranger.'

14 Et ait ad eum David: Quare non timuisti mittere manum tuam ut occideres christum Domini?

And David said unto him: 'How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?'

15 Vocansque David unum de pueris suis, ait: Accedens irrue in eum. Qui percussit illum, et mortuus est.

And David called one of the young men, and said: 'Go near, and fall upon him.' And he smote him that 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 unto him: 'Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying: I have slain the LORD'S anointed.'

17 Planxit autem David planctum huiuscemodi super Saul, et super Ionathan filium eius,

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,

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 said — To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jashar:

19 Inclyti, Israel, super montes tuos interfecti sunt: quo modo ceciderunt fortes?

Thy beauty, O Israel, upon thy high places is slain! How are the mighty fallen!

20 Nolite annunciare in Geth, neque annuncietis in compitis Ascalonis: ne forte laetentur filiae Philisthiim, ne exultent filiae incircumcisorum.

Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

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.

Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of choice fruits; for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not 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 mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

23 Saul et Ionathas amabiles, et decori in vita sua, in morte quoque non sunt divisi: aquilis velociores, leonibus fortiores.

Saul and Jonathan, the lovely and the pleasant in their lives, even in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 Filiae Israel super Saul flete, qui vestiebat vos coccino in deliciis, qui praebebat ornamenta aurea cultui vestro.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 Quo modo ceciderunt fortes in praelio? Ionathas in excelsis tuis occisus est?

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan upon thy high places is slain!

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 am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; wonderful was thy love to me, passing the love of women.

27 Quo modo ceciderunt robusti, et perierunt arma bellica?

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!