Liber I Regum, 1

1. et rex David senuerat habebatque ætatis plurimos dies cumque operiretur vestibus non calefiebat

1. Now king David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was covered with clothes, he was not warm.

2. dixerunt ergo ei servi sui quæramus domino nostro regi adulescentulam virginem et stet coram rege et foveat eum dormiatque in sinu tuo et calefaciat dominum nostrum regem

2. His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord the king, a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king.

3. quæsierunt igitur adulescentulam speciosam in omnibus finibus Israël et invenerunt Abisag Sunamitin et adduxerunt eam ad regem

3. So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the coasts of Israel, and they found Abisag a Sunamitess, and brought her to the king.

4. erat autem puella pulchra nimis dormiebatque cum rege et ministrabat ei rex vero non cognovit eam

4. And the damsel was exceeding beautiful, and she slept with the king: and served him, but the king did not know her.

5. Adonias autem filius Aggith elevabatur dicens ego regnabo fecitque sibi currum et equites et quinquaginta viros qui ante eum currerent

5. And Adonias the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: I will be king. And he made himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6. nec corripuit eum pater suus aliquando dicens quare hoc fecisti erat autem et ipse pulcher valde secundus natu post Absalom

6. Neither did his father rebuke him at any time, saying: Why hast thou done this? And he also was very beautiful, the next in birth after Absalom.

7. et sermo ei cum Joab filio Sarviæ et cum Abiathar sacerdote qui adiuvabant partes Adoniæ

7. And he conferred with Joab the son of Sarvia, and with Abiathar the priest, who furthered Adonias's side.

8. Sadoc vero sacerdos et Banajas filius Jojadæ et Nathan propheta et Semei et Rhei et robur exercitus David non erat cum Adonia

8. But Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Rei, and the strength of David's army was not with Adonias.

9. immolatis ergo Adonias arietibus et vitulis et universis pinguibus juxta lapidem Zoheleth qui erat vicinus fonti Rogel vocavit universos fratres suos filios regis et omnes viros Juda servos regis

9. And Adonias having slain rams and calves, and all fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which was near the fountain Rogel, invited all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Juda, the king's servants:

10. Nathan autem prophetam et Banajam et robustos quosque et Salomonem fratrem suum non vocavit

10. But Nathan the prophet, and Banaias, and all the valiant men, and Solomon his brother, he invited not.

11. dixit itaque Nathan ad Bethsabee matrem Salomonis num audisti quod regnaverit Adonias filius Aggith et dominus noster David hoc ignorat

11. And Nathan said to Bethsabee the mother of Solomon: Hast thou not heard that Adonias the son of Haggith reigneth, and our lord David knoweth it not?

12. nunc ergo veni accipe a me consilium et salva animam tuam filiique tui Salomonis

12. Now then come, take my counsel and save thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13. vade et ingredere ad regem David et dic ei nonne tu domine mi rex jurasti mihi ancillæ tuæ dicens quod Salomon filius tuus regnabit post me et ipse sedebit in solio meo quare ergo regnavit Adonias

13. Go, and get thee in to king David, and say to him: Didst not thou, my lord O king, swear to me thy handmaid, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then doth Adonias reign?

14. et adhuc ibi te loquente cum rege ego veniam post te et conplebo sermones tuos

14. And while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I will come in after thee, and will fill up thy words.

15. ingressa est itaque Bethsabee ad regem in cubiculo rex autem senuerat nimis et Abisag Sunamitis ministrabat ei

15. So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber: now the king was very old, and Abisag the Sunamitess ministered to him.

16. inclinavit se Bethsabee et adoravit regem ad quam rex quid tibi inquit vis

16. Bethsabee bowed herself, and worshipped the king. And the king said to her: What is thy will?

17. quæ respondens ait domine mi tu jurasti per Dominum Deum tuum ancillæ tuæ Salomon filius tuus regnabit post me et ipse sedebit in solio meo

17. She answered and said: My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.

18. et ecce nunc Adonias regnavit te domine mi rex ignorante

18. And behold now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king, knowest nothing of it.

19. mactavit boves et pinguja quæque et arietes plurimos et vocavit omnes filios regis Abiathar quoque sacerdotem et Joab principem militiæ Salomonem autem servum tuum non vocavit

19. He hath killed oxen, and all fat cattle, and many rams, and invited all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the general of the army: but Solomon thy servant he invited not.

20. verumtamen domine mi rex in te oculi respiciunt totius Israël ut indices eis qui sedere debeat in solio tuo domine mi rex post te

20. And now, my lord O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldst tell them, who shall sit on thy throne, my lord the king, after thee.

21. eritque cum dormierit dominus meus rex cum patribus suis erimus ego et filius meus Salomon peccatores

21. Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king sleepeth with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

22. adhuc illa loquente cum rege Nathan prophetes venit

22. As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came.

23. et nuntiaverunt regi dicentes adest Nathan propheta cumque introisset ante conspectum regis et adorasset eum pronus in terram

23. And they told the king, saying: Nathan the prophet is here. And when he was come in before the king, and had worshipped, bowing down to the ground,

24. dixit Nathan domine mi rex tu dixisti Adonias regnet post me et ipse sedeat super thronum meum

24. Nathan said: My lord O king, hast thou said: Let Adonias reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?

25. quia descendit hodie et immolavit boves et pinguja et arietes plurimos et vocavit universos filios regis et principes exercitus Abiathar quoque sacerdotem illisque vescentibus et bibentibus coram eo et dicentibus vivat rex Adonias

25. Because he is gone down to day, and hath killed oxen, and fatlings, and many rams, and invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest: and they are eating and drinking before him, and saying: God save king Adonias:

26. me servum tuum et Sadoc sacerdotem et Banajam filium Jojadæ et Salomonem famulum tuum non vocavit

26. But me thy servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Solomon thy servant he hath not invited.

27. numquid a domino meo rege exivit hoc verbum et mihi non indicasti servo tuo qui sessurus esset super thronum domini mei regis post eum

27. Is this word come out from my lord the king, and hast thou not told me thy servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28. et respondit rex David dicens vocate ad me Bethsabee quæ cum fuisset ingressa coram rege et stetisset ante eum

28. And king David answered and said: Call to me Bethsabee. And when she was come in to the king, and stood before him,

29. juravit rex et ait vivit Dominus qui eruit animam meam de omni angustia

29. The king swore and said: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress,

30. quia sicut juravi tibi per Dominum Deum Israël dicens Salomon filius tuus regnabit post me et ipse sedebit super solium meum pro me sic faciam hodie

30. Even as I swore to thee by the Lord the God of Israel, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

31. submissoque Bethsabee in terram vultu adoravit regem dicens vivat dominus meus rex David in æternum

31. And Bethsabee bowing with her face to the earth worshipped the king, saying: May my lord David live for ever.

32. dixit quoque rex David vocate mihi Sadoc sacerdotem et Nathan propheten et Banajam filium Jojadæ qui cum ingressi fuissent coram rege

32. King David also said: Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada. And when they were come in before the king,

33. dixit ad eos tollite vobiscum servos domini vestri et inponite Salomonem filium meum super mulam meam et ducite eum in Gion

33. He said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, and set my son Solomon upon my mule: and bring him to Gihon.

34. et unguat eum ibi Sadoc sacerdos et Nathan propheta in regem super Israël et canetis bucina atque dicetis vivat rex Salomon

34. And let Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and shall say: God save king Solomon.

35. et ascendetis post eum et veniet et sedebit super solium meum et ipse regnabit pro me illique præcipiam ut sit dux super Israël et super Judam

35. And you shall come up after him, and he shall come, and shall sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my stead: and I will appoint him to be ruler over Israel, and over Juda.

36. et respondit Banajas filius Jojadæ regi dicens amen sic loquatur Dominus Deus domini mei regis

36. And Banaias the son of Joiada answered the king, saying: Amen: so say the Lord the God of my lord the king.

37. quomodo fuit Dominus cum domino meo rege sic sit cum Salomone et sublimius faciat solium ejus a solio domini mei regis David

37. As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, so be he with Solomon, and make his throne higher than the throne of my lord king David.

38. descendit ergo Sadoc sacerdos et Nathan propheta et Banajas filius Jojadæ et Cherethi et Felethi et inposuerunt Salomonem super mulam regis David et adduxerunt eum in Gion

38. So Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet went down, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi: and they set Solomon upon the mule of king David, and brought him to Gihon.

39. sumpsitque Sadoc sacerdos cornu olei de tabernaculo et unxit Salomonem et cecinerunt bucina et dixit omnis populus vivat rex Salomon

39. And Sadoc the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon: and they sounded the trumpet, and all the people said: God save king Solomon.

40. et ascendit universa multitudo post eum et populus canentium tibiis et lætantium gaudio magno et insonuit terra ad clamorem eorum

40. And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang with the noise of their cry.

41. audivit autem Adonias et omnes qui invitati fuerant ab eo jamque convivium finitum erat sed et Joab audita voce tubæ ait quid sibi vult clamor civitatis tumultuantis

41. And Adonias, and all that were invited by him, heard it, and now the feast was at an end: Joab also hearing the sound of the trumpet, said: What meaneth this noise of the city in an uproar?

42. adhuc illo loquente Jonathan filius Abiathar sacerdotis venit cui dixit Adonias ingredere quia vir fortis es et bona nuntians

42. While he yet spoke, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonias said to him: Come in, because thou art a valiant man, and bringest good news.

43. responditque Jonathan Adoniæ nequaquam dominus enim noster rex David regem constituit Salomonem

43. And Jonathan answered Adonias: Not so: for our lord king David hath appointed Solomon king.

44. misitque cum eo Sadoc sacerdotem et Nathan prophetam et Banajam filium Jojadæ et Cherethi et Felethi et inposuerunt eum super mulam regis

44. And hath sent with him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi, and they have set him upon the king's mule.

45. unxeruntque eum Sadoc sacerdos et Nathan propheta regem in Gion et ascenderunt inde lætantes et insonuit civitas hæc est vox quam audistis

45. And Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are gone up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again: this is the noise that you have heard.

46. sed et Salomon sedit super solio regni

46. Moreover Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom,

47. et ingressi servi regis benedixerunt domino nostro regi David dicentes amplificet Deus nomen Salomonis super nomen tuum et magnificet thronum ejus super thronum tuum et adoravit rex in lectulo suo

47. And the king's servants going in have blessed our lord king David, saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king adored in his bed:

48. insuper et hæc locutus est benedictus Dominus Deus Israël qui dedit hodie sedentem in solio meo videntibus oculis meis

48. And he said: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing

49. territi sunt ergo et surrexerunt omnes qui invitati fuerant ab Adonia et ivit unusquisque in viam suam

49. Then all the guests of Adonias were afraid, and they all arose and every man went his way.

50. Adonias autem timens Salomonem surrexit et abiit tenuitque cornu altaris

50. And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose, and went, and took hold on the horn of the altar.

51. et nuntiaverunt Salomoni dicentes ecce Adonias timens regem Salomonem tenuit cornu altaris dicens juret mihi hodie rex Salomon quod non interficiat servum suum gladio

51. And they told Solomon, saying: Behold Adonias, fearing king Solomon, hath taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.

52. dixitque Salomon si fuerit vir bonus non cadet ne unus quidem capillus ejus in terram sin autem malum inventum fuerit in eo morietur

52. And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground: but if evil be found in him, he shall die.

53. misit ergo rex Salomon et eduxit eum ab altari et ingressus adoravit regem Salomonem dixitque ei Salomon vade in domum tuam

53. Then king Solomon sent, and brought him out from the altar: and going in he worshipped king Solomon: and Solomon said to him: Go to thy house.