Liber II Samuelis, 3

1. facta est ergo longa concertatio inter domum Saul et inter domum David David proficiens et semper se ipso robustior domus autem Saul decrescens cotidie

1. Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: David prospering and growing always stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul decaying daily.

2. nati quoque sunt filii David in Hebron fuitque primogenitus ejus Amnon de Ahinœm Jezrahelitide

2. And sons were born to David in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon of Achinoam the Jezrahelitess:

3. et post eum Chelaab de Abigail uxore Nabal Carmeli porro tertius Absalom filius Maacha filiæ Tholomai regis Gessur

3. And his second Cheleab of Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel: and the third Absalom the son of Maacha the daughter of Tholmai king of Gessur:

4. quartus autem Adonias filius Aggith et quintus Safathia filius Abital

4. And the fourth Adonias, the son of Haggith: and the fifth Saphathia the son of Abital:

5. sextus quoque Jethraam de Agla uxore David hii nati sunt David in Hebron

5. And the sixth Jethraam of Egla the wife of David: these were born to David in Hebron.

6. cum ergo esset prœlium inter domum Saul et domum David Abner filius Ner regebat domum Saul

6. Now while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner the son of Ner ruled the house of Saul.

7. fuerat autem Sauli concubina nomine Respha filia Ahia dixitque Hisboseth ad Abner

7. And Saul had a concubine named Respha, the daughter of Aia. And Isboseth said to Abner:

8. quare ingressus es ad concubinam patris mei qui iratus nimis propter verba Hisboseth ait numquid caput canis ego sum adversum Juda hodie qui fecerim misericordiam super domum Saul patris tui et super fratres et proximos ejus et non tradidi te in manu David et tu requisisti in me quod argueres pro muliere hodie

8. Why didst thou go in to my father's concubine? And he was exceedingly angry for the words of Isboseth, and said: Am I a dog's head against Juda this day, who have shewn mercy to the house of Saul thy father, and to his brethren and friends, and have not delivered thee into the hands of David, and hast thou sought this day against me to charge me with a matter concerning a woman?

9. hæc faciat Deus Abner et hæc addat ei nisi quomodo juravit Dominus David sic faciam cum eo

9. So do God to Abner, and more also, unless as the Lord hath sworn to David, so I do to him,

10. ut transferatur regnum de domo Saul et elevetur thronus David super Israël et super Judam a Dan usque Bersabee

10. That the kingdom be translated from the house of Saul, and the throne of David be set up over Israel, and over Juda from Dan to Bersabee.

11. et non potuit respondere ei quicquam quia metuebat illum

11. And he could not answer him a word, because he feared him.

12. misit ergo Abner nuntios ad David pro se dicentes cujus est terra et loquerentur fac mecum amicitias et erit manus mea tecum et reducam ad te universum Israël

12. Abner therefore sent messengers to David for himself, saying: Whose is the land? and that they should say: Make a league with me, and my hand shall be with thee: and I will bring all Israel to thee.

13. qui ait optime ego faciam tecum amicitias sed unam rem peto a te dicens non videbis faciem meam antequam adduxeris Michol filiam Saul et sic venies et videbis me

13. And he said: Very well: I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, saying: Thou shalt not see my face before thou bring Michol the daughter of Saul: and so thou shalt come, and see me.

14. misit autem David nuntios ad Hisboseth filium Saul dicens redde uxorem meam Michol quam despondi mihi centum præputiis Philisthim

14. And David sent messengers to Isboseth the son of Saul, saying: Restore my wife Michol, whom I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15. misit ergo Hisboseth et tulit eam a viro suo Faltihel filio Lais

15. And Isboseth sent, and took her from her husband Phaltiel, the son of Lais.

16. sequebaturque eam vir suus plorans usque Baurim et dixit ad eum Abner vade revertere qui reversus est

16. And her husband followed her, weeping as far as Bahurim: and Abner said to him: Go and return. And he returned.

17. sermonem quoque intulit Abner ad seniores Israël dicens tam heri quam nudius tertius quærebatis David ut regnaret super vos

17. Abner also spoke to the ancients of Israel, saying: Both yesterday and the day before you sought for David that he might reign over you.

18. nunc ergo facite quoniam Dominus locutus est ad David dicens in manu servi mei David salvabo populum meum Israël de manu Philisthim et omnium inimicorum ejus

18. Now then do it: because the Lord hath spoken to David, saying: By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and of all their enemies.

19. locutus est autem Abner etiam ad Beniamin et abiit ut loqueretur ad David in Hebron omnia quæ placuerant Israël et universo Beniamin

19. And Abner spoke also to Benjamin. And he went to speak to David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and to all Benjamin.

20. venitque ad David in Hebron cum viginti viris et fecit David Abner et viris ejus qui venerant cum eo convivium

20. And he came to David in Hebron with twenty men: and David made a feast for Abner, and his men that came with him.

21. et dixit Abner ad David surgam ut congregem ad te dominum meum regem omnem Israël et ineam tecum fœdus et imperes omnibus sicut desiderat anima tua cum ergo deduxisset David Abner et ille isset in pace

21. And Abner said to David: I will rise, that I may gather all Israel unto thee my lord the king, and may enter into a league with thee, and that thou mayst reign over all as thy soul desireth. Now when David bad brought Abner on his way, and he was gone in peace,

22. statim pueri David et Joab venerunt cæsis latronibus cum præda magna nimis Abner autem non erat cum David in Hebron quia jam dimiserat eum et profectus fuerat in pace

22. Immediately David's servants and Joab came, after having slain the robbers, with an exceeding great booty: and Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had now sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

23. et Joab et omnis exercitus qui erat cum eo postea venerant nuntiatum est itaque Joab a narrantibus venit Abner filius Ner ad regem et dimisit eum et abiit in pace

23. And Joab and all the army that was with him, came afterwards: and it was told Joab, that Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.

24. et ingressus est Joab ad regem et ait quid fecisti ecce venit Abner ad te quare dimisisti eum et abiit et recessit

24. And Joab went in to the king, and said: What hast thou done? Behold Abner came to thee: Why didst thou send him away, and he is gone and departed?

25. ignoras Abner filium Ner quoniam ad hoc venit ut deciperet te et sciret exitum tuum et introitum tuum et nosset omnia quæ agis

25. Knowest thou not Abner the son of Ner, that to this end he came to thee, that he might deceive thee, and to know thy going out, and thy coming in, and to know all thou dost?

26. egressus itaque Joab a David misit nuntios post Abner et reduxit eum a cisterna Sira ignorante David

26. Then Joab going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the cistern of Sira, David knowing nothing of it.

27. cumque redisset Abner in Hebron seorsum abduxit eum Joab ad medium portæ ut loqueretur ei in dolo et percussit illum ibi in inguine et mortuus est in ultionem sanguinis Asaël fratris ejus

27. And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside to the middle of the gate, to speak to him treacherously: and he stabbed him there in the groin, and he died, in revenge of the blood of Asael his brother.

28. quod cum audisset David rem jam gestam ait mundus ego sum et regnum meum apud Dominum usque in sempiternum a sanguine Abner filii Ner

28. And when David heard of it, after the thing was now done, he said: I, and my kingdom are innocent before the Lord for ever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner:

29. et veniat super caput Joab et super omnem domum patris ejus nec deficiat de domo Joab fluxum seminis sustinens et leprosus tenens fusum et cadens gladio et indigens pane

29. And may it come upon the head of Joab, and upon all his father's house: and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue of seed, or that is a leper, or that holdeth the distaff, or that falleth by the sword, or that wanteth bread.

30. igitur Joab et Abisai frater ejus interfecerunt Abner eo quod occidisset Asaël fratrem eorum in Gabaon in prœlio

30. So Joab and Abisai his brother slew Abner, because he had killed their brother Asael at Gabaon in the battle.

31. dixit autem David ad Joab et ad omnem populum qui erat cum eo scindite vestimenta vestra et accingimini saccis et plangite ante exequias Abner porro rex David sequebatur feretrum

31. And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him: Rend your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloths, and mourn before the funeral of Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

32. cumque sepelissent Abner in Hebron levavit rex vocem suam et flevit super tumulum Abner flevit autem et omnis populus

32. And when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner: and all the people also wept.

33. plangensque rex Abner ait nequaquam ut mori solent ignavi mortuus est Abner

33. And the king mourning and lamenting over Abner, said: Not as cowards are wont to die, hath Abner died.

34. manus tuæ non sunt ligatæ et pedes tui non sunt conpedibus adgravati sed sicut solent cadere coram filiis iniquitatis corruisti congeminansque omnis populus flevit super eum

34. Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet laden with fetters: but as men fall before the children of iniquity, so didst thou fall. And all the people repeating it wept over him.

35. cumque venisset universa multitudo cibum capere cum David clara adhuc die juravit David dicens hæc faciat mihi Deus et hæc addat si ante occasum solis gustavero panem vel aliud quicquam

35. And when all the people came to take meat with David, while it was yet broad day, David swore, saying: So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread or any thing else before sunset.

36. omnisque populus audivit et placuerunt eis cuncta quæ fecit rex in conspectu totius populi

36. And all the people heard, and they were pleased, and all that the king did seemed good in the sight of all the people.

37. et cognovit omne vulgus et universus Israël in die illa quoniam non actum fuisset a rege ut occideretur Abner filius Ner

37. And all the people, and all Israel understood that day that it was not the king's doing, that Abner the son of Ner was slain.

38. dixit quoque rex ad servos suos num ignoratis quoniam princeps et maximus cecidit hodie in Israël

38. The king also said to his servants: Do you not know that a prince and great man is slain this day in Israel?

39. ego autem adhuc delicatus et unctus rex porro viri isti filii Sarviæ duri mihi sunt retribuat Dominus facienti malum juxta malitiam suam

39. But I as yet am tender, though anointed king. And these men the sons of Sarvia are too hard for me: the Lord reward him that doth evil according to his wickedness.