Ii Samuelis 18
1 igitur considerato David populo suo constituit super eum 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 in manu Abisai filii Sarviae fratris Ioab et tertiam 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 milibus conputaris 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 rectum videtur 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 Israhel et factum est proelium 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 Israhel ab exercitu David factaque est ibi plaga magna in die illa viginti milium
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 proelium dispersum super faciem omnis terrae et multo plures erant quos saltus consumpserat de populo quam hii 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 adhesit caput eius quercui et illo suspenso inter caelum et terram mulus cui sederat 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 nuntiavit 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 nuntiaverat 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 adpenderes 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 adgrediar eum coram te tulit ergo tres lanceas in manu sua et infixit eas in corde Absalom cumque adhuc palpitaret herens 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 bucina et retinuit populum ne persequeretur fugientem Israhel 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 conportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis omnis autem Israhel 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 monumentum 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 nuntiabo 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 nuntius in hac die sed nuntiabis in alia hodie nolo te nuntiare 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 nuntia 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 rursum autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Ioab quid inpedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi dixitque Ioab quid vis currere fili mi non eris boni nuntii 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 conpendii 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 nuntius 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 homo currens solus dixitque rex et iste bonus est nuntius
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 nuntium 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 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 adporto nuntium 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 adversum 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 cenaculum portae et flevit et sic loquebatur vadens fili mi Absalom fili mi Absalom quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te Absalom fili mi fili mi
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!”
