Ii Samuelis 18
Clementine Vulgate, 1598Translation
Clementine Vulgate, 1598
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
1Igitur considerato David populo suo, constituit super eos tribunos et centuriones,
1And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
2et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Joab, et tertiam partem sub manu Abisai filii Sarviæ fratris Joab, et tertiam partem sub manu Ethai, qui erat de Geth. Dixitque rex ad populum: Egrediar et ego vobiscum.
2And David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people: 'I will surely go forth with you myself also.'
3Et 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 præsidio.
3But the people said: 'Thou shalt not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us; but thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour us out of the city.'
4Ad quos rex ait: Quod vobis videtur rectum, hoc faciam. Stetit ergo rex juxta portam: egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni et milleni.
4And the king said unto them: 'What seemeth you best I will do.' And the king stood by the gate-side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
5Et præcepit rex Joab, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Servate mihi puerum Absalom. Et omnis populus audiebat præcipientem regem cunctis principibus pro Absalom.
5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying: 'Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.' And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
6Itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israël, et factum est prælium in saltu Ephraim.
6So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
7Et cæsus est ibi populus Israël ab exercitu David, factaque est plaga magna in die illa, viginti millium.
7And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
8Fuit autem ibi prælium dispersum super faciem omnis terræ, et multo plures erant quos saltus consumpserat de populo, quam hi quos voraverat gladius in die illa.
8For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
9Accidit autem ut occurreret Absalom servis David, sedens mulo: cumque ingressus fuisset mulus subter condensam quercum et magnam, adhæsit caput ejus quercui: et illo suspenso inter cælum et terram, mulus cui insederat, pertransivit.
9And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his head caught hold of the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
10Vidit autem hoc quispiam, et nuntiavit Joab, dicens: Vidi Absalom pendere de quercu.
10And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said: 'Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth.'
11Et ait Joab viro qui nuntiaverat ei: Si vidisti, quare non confodisti eum cum terra, et ego dedissem tibi decem argenti siclos, et unum balteum?
11And Joab said unto the man that told him: 'And, behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have had to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.'
12Qui dixit ad Joab: Si appenderes in manibus meis mille argenteos, nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regis: audientibus enim nobis præcepit rex tibi, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Custodite mihi puerum Absalom.
12And the man said unto Joab: 'Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying: Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
13Sed etsi fecissem contra animam meam audacter, nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset, et tu stares ex adverso?
13Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against mine own life — and there is no matter hid from the king — then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.'
14Et ait Joab: 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 hærens in quercu,
14Then said Joab: 'I may not tarry thus with thee.' And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the terebinth.
15cucurrerunt decem juvenes armigeri Joab, et percutientes interfecerunt eum.
15And ten young men that bore Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
16Cecinit autem Joab buccina, et retinuit populum, ne persequeretur fugientem Israël, volens parcere multitudini.
16And Joab blew the horn, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.
17Et tulerunt Absalom, et projecerunt eum in saltu, in foveam grandem, et comportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis: omnis autem Israël fugit in tabernacula sua.
17And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones; and all Israel fled every one to his tent. —
18Porro 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.
18Now Absalom in his life-time had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king's dale; for he said: 'I have no son to keep my name in remembrance'; and he called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom's monument unto this day.
19Achimaas autem filius Sadoc, ait: Curram, et nuntiabo regi quia judicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum ejus.
19Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok: 'Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.'
20Ad quem Joab dixit: Non eris nuntius in hac die, sed nuntiabis in alia: hodie nolo te nuntiare: filius enim regis est mortuus.
20And Joab said unto him: 'Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, forasmuch as the king's son is dead.'
21Et ait Joab Chusi: Vade, et nuntia regi quæ vidisti. Adoravit Chusi Joab, et cucurrit.
21Then said Joab to the Cushite: 'Go tell the king what thou hast seen.' And the Cushite bowed down unto Joab, and ran.
22Rursus autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Joab: Quid impedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi? Dixitque ei Joab: Quid vis currere, fili mi? non eris boni nuntii bajulus.
22Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab: 'But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite.' And Joab said: 'Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?'
23Qui respondit: Quid enim si cucurrero? Et ait ei: Curre. Currens ergo Achimaas per viam compendii, transivit Chusi.
23'But come what may, said he, I will run.' And he said unto him: 'Run.' Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran the Cushite.
24David autem sedebat inter duas portas: speculator vero, qui erat in fastigio portæ super murum, elevans oculos, vidit hominem currentem solum.
24Now David sat between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
25Et exclamans indicavit regi: dixitque rex: Si solus est, bonus est nuntius in ore ejus. Properante autem illo, et accedente propius,
25And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said: 'If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth.' And he came apace, and drew near.
26vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem, et vociferans in culmine, ait: Apparet mihi alter homo currens solus. Dixitque rex: Et iste bonus est nuntius.
26And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said: 'Behold another man running alone.' And the king said: 'He also bringeth tidings.'
27Speculator autem: Contemplor, ait, cursum prioris, quasi cursum Achimaas filii Sadoc. Et ait rex: Vir bonus est, et nuntium portans bonum venit.
27And the watchman said: 'I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.' And the king said: 'He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.'
28Clamans 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.
28And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king: 'All is well.' And he bowed down before the king with his face to the earth, and said: 'Blessed be the LORD thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.'
29Et ait rex: Estne pax puero Absalom? Dixitque Achimaas: Vidi tumultum magnum cum mitteret Joab servus tuus, o rex, me servum tuum: nescio aliud.
29And the king said: 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And Ahimaaz answered: 'When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.'
30Ad quem rex: Transi, ait, et sta hic. Cumque ille transisset, et staret,
30And the king said: 'Turn aside, and stand here.' And he turned aside, and stood still.
31apparuit Chusi: et veniens ait: Bonum apporto nuntium, domine mi rex: judicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium qui surrexerunt contra te.
31And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said: 'Tidings for my lord the king; for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.'
32Dixit 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.
32And the king said unto the Cushite: 'Is it well with the young man Absalom?' And the Cushite answered: 'The enemies of my lord the king and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.'
33Contristatus itaque rex, ascendit cœnaculum portæ, 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?
33(19-1) And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, thus he said: 'O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!'
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