Liber I Samuelis, 20

1. Fugit autem David de Naioth, quae est in Rama, veniensque locutus est coram Ionathan: “Quid feci? Quae est iniquitas mea et quod peccatum meum in patrem tuum, quia quaerit animam meam?”.

1. Then David fled from Nai'oth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan, "What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?"

2. Qui dixit ei: “Absit, non morieris; neque enim faciet pater meus quidquam grande vel parvum, nisi prius indicaverit mihi; hoc ergo celavit me pater meus tantummodo? Nequaquam erit istud”.

2. And he said to him, "Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me; and why should my father hide this from me? It is not so."

3. Et rursum respondit David et ait: “Scit profecto pater tuus quia inveni gratiam in oculis tuis et dixit: “Nesciat hoc Ionathan, ne forte tristetur”. Quinimmo vivit Dominus, et vivit anima tua, quia uno tantum gradu ego morsque dividimur”.

3. But David replied, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes; and he thinks, `Let not Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."

4. Et ait Ionathan ad David: “Quid desiderat anima tua, ut faciam tibi?”.

4. Then said Jonathan to David, "Whatever you say, I will do for you."

5. Dixit autem David ad Ionathan: “Ecce neomenia est crastino, et ego ex more sedere soleo iuxta regem ad vescendum; dimitte ergo me, ut abscondar in agro usque ad vesperam diei tertiae.

5. David said to Jonathan, "Behold, tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit at table with the king; but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field till the third day at evening.

6. Si requisierit me pater tuus, respondebis ei: “Rogavit me David, ut iret celeriter in Bethlehem civitatem suam, quia victimae annuae ibi sunt universis contribulibus eius”.

6. If your father misses me at all, then say, `David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.'

7. Si dixerit: “Bene”, pax erit servo tuo; si autem fuerit iratus, scito quia malum decretum est ab eo.

7. If he says, `Good!' it will be well with your servant; but if he is angry, then know that evil is determined by him.

8. Fac ergo misericordiam in servum tuum, quia foedus Domini me famulum tuum tecum inire fecisti; si autem est in me aliqua iniquitas, tu me interfice et ad patrem tuum ne introducas me”.

8. Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a sacred covenant with you. But if there is guilt in me, slay me yourself; for why should you bring me to your father?"

9. Et ait Ionathan: “Absit hoc a te; neque enim fieri potest ut, si certo cognovero malum decretum esse a patre meo contra te, non annuntiem tibi”.

9. And Jonathan said, "Far be it from you! If I knew that it was determined by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?"

10. Responditque David ad Ionathan: “Quis nuntiabit mihi, si quid forte responderit tibi pater tuus dure?”.

10. Then said David to Jonathan, "Who will tell me if your father answers you roughly?"

11. Et ait Ionathan ad David: “Veni, egrediamur foras in agrum”. Cumque exissent ambo in agrum,

11. And Jonathan said to David, "Come, let us go out into the field." So they both went out into the field.

12. ait Ionathan ad David: “Vivit Dominus, Deus Israel, investigabo sententiam patris mei hoc fere tempore cras vel perendie; et si aliquid boni fuerit super David, et non statim miserim ad te et notum tibi fecerim,

12. And Jonathan said to David, "The LORD, the God of Israel, be witness! When I have sounded my father, about this time tomorrow, or the third day, behold, if he is well disposed toward David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you?

13. haec faciat Dominus in Ionathan et haec augeat! Si autem perseveraverit patris mei malitia adversum te, hoc quoque notum faciam tibi et dimittam te, ut vadas in pace. Et sit Dominus tecum, sicut fuit cum patre meo.

13. But should it please my father to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, if I do not disclose it to you, and send you away, that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father.

14. Et, si vixero, facies mihi misericordiam Domini; si vero mortuus fuero,

14. If I am still alive, show me the loyal love of the LORD, that I may not die;

15. non auferas misericordiam tuam a domo mea usque in sempiternum, quando eradicaverit Dominus inimicos David unumquemque de terra”.

15. and do not cut off your loyalty from my house for ever. When the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth,

16. Pepigit ergo foedus Ionathan cum domo David dicens: “Requirat Dominus de manu inimicorum David!”.

16. let not the name of Jonathan be cut off from the house of David. And may the LORD take vengeance on David's enemies."

17. Et addidit Ionathan ut faceret David iurare per dilectionem suam erga illum; sicut animam enim suam, ita diligebat eum.

17. And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

18. Dixitque ad eum Ionathan: “Cras neomenia est, et requireris;

18. Then Jonathan said to him, "Tomorrow is the new moon; and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

19. vacua erit enim sessio tua. Perendie descendes festinus et venies in locum, ubi abscondisti te in die facti illius; et sedebis iuxta acervum illum.

19. And on the third day you will be greatly missed; then go to the place where you hid yourself when the matter was in hand, and remain beside yonder stone heap.

20. Et ego tres sagittas mittam iuxta eum et iaciam quasi exercens me ad signum.

20. And I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark.

21. Mittam quoque et puerum dicens ei: “Vade et affer mihi sagittas”.

21. And behold, I will send the lad, saying, `Go, find the arrows.' If I say to the lad, `Look, the arrows are on this side of you, take them,' then you are to come, for, as the LORD lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger.

22. Si dixero puero: “Ecce sagittae intra te sunt, tolle eas”, tu veni ad me, quia pax tibi est, et nihil est mali, vivit Dominus. Si autem sic locutus fuero puero: “Ecce sagittae ultra te sunt”, vade, quia dimisit te Dominus.

22. But if I say to the youth, `Look, the arrows are beyond you,' then go; for the LORD has sent you away.

23. De verbo autem, quod locuti fuimus, ego et tu, sit Dominus inter me et te usque in sempiternum”.

23. And as for the matter of which you and I have spoken, behold, the LORD is between you and me for ever."

24. Absconditus est ergo David in agro; et venit neomenia, et sedit rex ad mensam ad comedendum.

24. So David hid himself in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food.

25. Cumque sedisset rex super cathedram suam secundum consuetudinem, quae erat iuxta parietem, sedit Ionathan ex adverso, et sedit Abner ex latere Saul; vacuusque apparuit locus David.

25. The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall; Jonathan sat opposite, and Abner sat by Saul's side, but David's place was empty.

26. Et non est locutus Saul quidquam in die illa; cogitabat enim quod forte evenisset ei, ut non esset mundus nec purificatus.

26. Yet Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, "Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely he is not clean."

27. Cumque illuxisset dies secunda post neomeniam, rursum vacuus apparuit locus David; dixitque Saul ad Ionathan filium suum: “Cur non venit filius Isai nec heri nec hodie ad vescendum?”.

27. But on the second day, the morrow after the new moon, David's place was empty. And Saul said to Jonathan his son, "Why has not the son of Jesse come to the meal, either yesterday or today?"

28. Et respondit Ionathan Sauli: “Rogavit me obnixe, ut iret in Bethlehem,

28. Jonathan answered Saul, "David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem;

29. et ait: “Dimitte me, quoniam sacrificium familiae est in civitate, et frater meus ipse accersivit me; nunc ergo, si inveni gratiam in oculis tuis, vadam cito et videbo fratres meos”. Ob hanc causam non venit ad mensam regis”.

29. he said, `Let me go; for our family holds a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away, and see my brothers.' For this reason he has not come to the king's table."

30. Iratus autem Saul adversum Ionathan dixit ei: “Fili mulieris perversae, numquid ignoro quia diligis filium Isai in confusionem tuam et in confusionem nuditatis matris tuae?

30. Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, "You son of a perverse, rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother's nakedness?

31. Omnibus enim diebus, quibus filius Isai vixerit super terram, non stabilieris tu neque regnum tuum; itaque iam nunc mitte et adduc eum ad me, quia filius mortis est”.

31. For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Therefore send and fetch him to me, for he shall surely die."

32. Respondens autem Ionathan Sauli patri suo ait: “Quare morietur? Quid fecit?”.

32. Then Jonathan answered Saul his father, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"

33. Et arripuit Saul lanceam, ut percuteret eum; et intellexit Ionathan quod definitum esset patri suo, ut interficeret David.

33. But Saul cast his spear at him to smite him; so Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.

34. Surrexit ergo Ionathan a mensa in ira furoris et non comedit in die neomeniae secunda panem; contristatus est enim super David, eo quod confudisset eum pater suus.

34. And Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, because his father had disgraced him.

35. Cumque illuxisset mane, venit Ionathan in agrum ad locum constitutum a David et puer parvulus cum eo;

35. In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him a little lad.

36. et ait ad puerum suum: “Vade et affer mihi sagittas, quas ego iacio”. Cumque puer cucurrisset, iecit sagittam trans puerum.

36. And he said to his lad, "Run and find the arrows which I shoot." As the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

37. Venit itaque puer ad locum sagittae, quam miserat Ionathan, et clamavit Ionathan post tergum pueri et ait: “Ecce ibi est sagitta porro ultra te”.

37. And when the lad came to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan called after the lad and said, "Is not the arrow beyond you?"

38. Clamavitque Ionathan post tergum pueri: “Festina velociter, ne steteris”. Sustulit autem puer Ionathae sagittam et attulit ad dominum suum

38. And Jonathan called after the lad, "Hurry, make haste, stay not." So Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master.

39. et quid ageretur penitus ignorabat, tantummodo enim Ionathan et David rem noverant.

39. But the lad knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the matter.

40. Dedit igitur Ionathan arma sua puero et dixit ei: “Vade, defer in civitatem”.

40. And Jonathan gave his weapons to his lad, and said to him, "Go and carry them to the city."

41. Cumque abisset puer, surrexit David de latere acervi et cadens pronus in terram adoravit tertio; et osculantes alterutrum fleverunt pariter, David autem amplius.

41. And as soon as the lad had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed three times; and they kissed one another, and wept with one another, until David recovered himself.

42. Dixit ergo Ionathan ad David: “Vade in pace; iuravimus enim ambo in nomine Domini dicentes: Dominus erit inter me et te et inter semen meum et semen tuum usque in sempiternum”.

42. Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, `The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, for ever.'" And he rose and departed; and Jonathan went into the city.