Liber II Samuelis, 17

1. Dixitque Achitophel ad Ab salom: “Eligam mihi duode cim milia virorum et consurgens persequar David hac nocte

1. Moreover Ahith'ophel said to Ab'salom, "Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight.

2. et irruens super eum, quippe qui lassus est et solutis manibus, terrebo eum. Cumque fugerit omnis populus, qui cum eo est, percutiam regem desolatum

2. I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged, and throw him into a panic; and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down the king only,

3. et reducam universum populum ad te, sicut revertitur sponsa ad virum suum; unius solummodo viri animam quaeris, et omnis populus erit in pace”.

3. and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace."

4. Placuitque sermo eius Absalom et cunctis maioribus natu Israel.

4. And the advice pleased Ab'salom and all the elders of Israel.

5. Ait autem Absalom: “Vocate et Chusai Arachiten, et audiamus quid etiam ipse dicat”.

5. Then Ab'salom said, "Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say."

6. Cumque venisset Chusai ad Absalom, ait Absalom ad eum: “Huiuscemodi sermonem locutus est Achitophel; verbum eius facere debemus an non? Tu loquere”.

6. And when Hushai came to Ab'salom, Ab'salom said to him, "Thus has Ahith'ophel spoken; shall we do as he advises? If not, you speak."

7. Et dixit Chusai ad Absalom: “Non bonum consilium, quod dedit Achitophel hac vice”.

7. Then Hushai said to Ab'salom, "This time the counsel which Ahith'ophel has given is not good."

8. Et rursum intulit Chusai: “Tu nosti patrem tuum et viros, qui cum eo sunt, esse fortissimos et amaro animo, veluti ursa in saltu catulis orbata; sed et pater tuus vir bellator est nec morabitur cum populo:

8. Hushai said moreover, "You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people.

9. ecce nunc latitat in aliqua fovea aut in aliquo alio loco. Et, cum ceciderit unus quilibet in principio, certo audient et dicent: “Facta est plaga in populo, qui sequitur Absalom”.

9. Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits, or in some other place. And when some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, `There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Ab'salom.'

10. Et fortissimus quoque, cuius cor est quasi leonis, pavore solvetur; scit enim omnis Israel fortem esse patrem tuum et robustos omnes, qui cum eo sunt.

10. Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men.

11. Sed hoc mihi videtur rectum esse consilium: congregetur ad te universus Israel a Dan usque Bersabee, quasi arena maris innumerabilis, et tu ipse gradieris in proelium;

11. But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person.

12. et irruemus super eum, in quocumque loco fuerit inventus, et operiemus eum sicut cadere solet ros super terram; et non remanebit de eo et de omnibus viris, qui cum eo sunt, ne unus quidem.

12. So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and all the men with him not one will be left.

13. Quod si urbem aliquam fuerit ingressus, applicabit omnis Israel civitati illi funes, et trahemus eam in torrentem, ut non reperiatur nec calculus quidem ex ea”.

13. If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there."

14. Dixitque Absalom et omnis vir Israel: “Melius consilium Chusai Arachitae consilio Achitophel”. Dominus enim statuerat dissipare consilium Achitophel utile, ut induceret Dominus super Absalom malum.

14. And Ab'salom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahith'ophel." For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahith'ophel, so that the LORD might bring evil upon Ab'salom.

15. Et ait Chusai Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotibus: “Hoc et hoc modo consilium dedit Achitophel Absalom et senibus Israel, et ego tale et tale dedi consilium;

15. Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abi'athar the priests, "Thus and so did Ahith'ophel counsel Ab'salom and the elders of Israel; and thus and so have I counseled.

16. nunc ergo mittite cito et nuntiate David dicentes: “Ne moreris nocte hac ad vada deserti, sed absque dilatione transgredere, ne absorbeatur rex et omnis populus, qui cum eo est””.

16. Now therefore send quickly and tell David, `Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over; lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.'"

17. Ionathan autem et Achimaas stabant iuxta fontem Rogel; abiit ancilla et nuntiavit eis, et illi profecti sunt, ut referrent ad regem David nuntium; non enim poterant introire civitatem, ne viderentur.

17. Now Jonathan and Ahim'a-az were waiting at En-ro'gel; a maidservant used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they must not be seen entering the city.

18. Vidit autem eos quidam iuvenis et indicavit Absalom; illi vero concito gradu profecti ingressi sunt domum cuiusdam viri in Bahurim, qui habebat puteum in vestibulo suo, et descenderunt in eum.

18. But a lad saw them, and told Ab'salom; so both of them went away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Bahu'rim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it.

19. Tulit autem mulier et expandit velamen super os putei et sparsit super illud ptisanas, et sic res latuit.

19. And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and scattered grain upon it; and nothing was known of it.

20. Cumque venissent servi Absalom ad mulierem in domum, dixerunt: “Ubi est Achimaas et Ionathan?”. Et respondit eis mulier: “Transierunt hinc ad aquas”. At hi, qui quaerebant, cum non repperissent, reversi sunt Ierusalem.

20. When Ab'salom's servants came to the woman at the house, they said, "Where are Ahim'a-az and Jonathan?" And the woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

21. Cumque abissent, ascenderunt illi de puteo et pergentes nuntiaverunt regi David atque dixerunt: “Surgite et transite cito fluvium, quoniam huiuscemodi dedit consilium contra vos Achitophel”.

21. After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, "Arise, and go quickly over the water; for thus and so has Ahith'ophel counseled against you."

22. Surrexit ergo David et omnis populus, qui erat cum eo, et transierunt Iordanem, donec dilucesceret; et ne unus quidem residuus fuit, qui non transisset fluvium.

22. Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan; by daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

23. Porro Achitophel videns quod non fuisset factum consilium suum, stravit asinum suum et surrexit et abiit in domum suam in civitatem suam et, disposita domo sua, laqueo se suspendit et interiit; et sepultus est in sepulcro patris sui.

23. When Ahith'ophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and went off home to his own city. And he set his house in order, and hanged himself; and he died, and was buried in the tomb of his father.

24. David autem venit in Mahanaim, et Absalom transivit Iordanem, ipse et omnis vir Israel cum eo.

24. Then David came to Mahana'im. And Ab'salom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

25. Amasam vero constituerat Absalom pro Ioab super exercitum; Amasa autem erat filius viri, qui vocabatur Iether Ismaelites, qui ingressus est ad Abigail filiam Isai sororem Sarviae, quae fuit mater Ioab.

25. Now Ab'salom had set Ama'sa over the army instead of Jo'ab. Ama'sa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ish'maelite, who had married Ab'igal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeru'iah, Jo'ab's mother.

26. Et castrametatus est Israel cum Absalom in terra Galaad.

26. And Israel and Ab'salom encamped in the land of Gilead.

27. Cumque venisset David in Mahanaim, Sobi filius Naas de Rabba filiorum Ammon et Machir filius Ammiel de Lodabar et Berzellai Galaadites de Rogelim

27. When David came to Mahana'im, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Am'miel from Lo-debar, and Barzil'lai the Gileadite from Ro'gelim,

28. obtulerunt ei stratoria et tapetia et pelves et vasa fictilia, frumentum et hordeum et farinam, frixum cicer et fabam et lentem

28. brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans and lentils,

29. et mel et butyrum, oves et pingues vitulos; dederuntque David et populo, qui cum eo erat, ad vescendum; suspicati enim sunt populum fame et siti fuisse fatigatum in deserto.

29. honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat; for they said, "The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness."