Liber II Samuelis, 15

1. Post haec fecit sibi Absalom currus et equos et quinqua ginta viros, qui praecederent eum.

1. After this Ab'salom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2. Et mane consurgens Absalom stabat iuxta viam portae; et omnem virum, qui habebat negotium, ut veniret ad regis iudicium, vocabat Absalom ad se et dicebat: “De qua civitate es tu?”. Qui respondens aiebat: “Ex una tribu Israel ego sum servus tuus”.

2. And Ab'salom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate; and when any man had a suit to come before the king for judgment, Ab'salom would call to him, and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"

3. Respondebatque ei Absalom: “Vide, sermones tui sunt boni et iusti, sed non est qui te audiat constitutus a rege”. Dicebatque Absalom:

3. Ab'salom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right; but there is no man deputed by the king to hear you."

4. “Quis me constituat iudicem in terra, ut ad me veniant omnes, qui habent negotium iudicandum, et iustificem eos?”.

4. Ab'salom said moreover, "Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice."

5. Sed et cum accederet ad eum homo, ut se prostraret coram illo, extendebat manum suam et apprehendens osculabatur eum.

5. And whenever a man came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand, and take hold of him, and kiss him.

6. Faciebatque hoc omni Israel, qui veniebat ad iudicium, ut audiretur a rege, et sollicitabat corda virorum Israel.

6. Thus Ab'salom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Ab'salom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7. Post quattuor autem annos dixit Absalom ad regem: “Vadam, quaeso, et reddam in Hebron vota mea, quae vovi Domino.

7. And at the end of four years Ab'salom said to the king, "Pray let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

8. Votum enim vovit servus tuus, cum esset in Gesur Syriae, dicens: Si reduxerit me Dominus in Ierusalem, sacrificabo Domino”.

8. For your servant vowed a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Aram, saying, `If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.'"

9. Dixitque ei rex. “Vade in pace”. Et surrexit et abiit in Hebron.

9. The king said to him, "Go in peace." So he arose, and went to Hebron.

10. Misit autem Absalom exploratores in universas tribus Israel dicens: “Statim ut audieritis clangorem bucinae, dicite: “Factus est rex Absalom in Hebron””.

10. But Ab'salom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, `Ab'salom is king at Hebron!'"

11. Porro cum Absalom ierunt ducenti viri de Ierusalem vocati, euntes simplici corde et causam penitus ignorantes.

11. With Ab'salom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their simplicity, and knew nothing.

12. Accersivit quoque Absalom, cum immolaret victimas, Achitophel Gilonitem consiliarium David de civitate sua Gilo. Et facta est coniuratio valida; populusque concurrens augebatur cum Absalom.

12. And while Ab'salom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahith'ophel the Gi'lonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Ab'salom kept increasing.

13. Venit igitur nuntius ad David dicens: “Toto corde universus Israel sequitur Absalom”.

13. And a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Ab'salom."

14. Et ait David servis suis, qui erant cum eo in Ierusalem: “Surgite, fugiamus; neque enim erit nobis effugium a facie Absalom. Festinate egredi, ne festinans occupet nos et impellat super nos ruinam et percutiat civitatem in ore gladii”.

14. Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or else there will be no escape for us from Ab'salom; go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."

15. Dixeruntque servi regis ad eum: “In omnibus, quaecumque elegerit dominus noster rex, ecce servi tui sumus”.

15. And the king's servants said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides."

16. Egressus est ergo rex et universa domus eius post eum et dereliquit rex decem mulieres concubinas ad custodiendam domum.

16. So the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.

17. Egressusque rex et omnis populus post eum steterunt ad ultimam domum.

17. And the king went forth, and all the people after him; and they halted at the last house.

18. Et universi servi eius transierunt iuxta eum; et omnes Cherethi et Phelethi et omnes Getthaei, sescenti viri, qui secuti eum fuerant de Geth, transierunt coram rege.

18. And all his servants passed by him; and all the Cher'ethites, and all the Pel'ethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.

19. Dixit autem rex ad Ethai Getthaeum: “Cur venis etiam tu nobiscum? Revertere et habita cum rege, quia alienigena es, immo et exsul de loco tuo.

19. Then the king said to It'tai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile from your home.

20. Heri venisti, et hodie compellam te vagari nobiscum, cum ego vadam, quo iturus sum? Revertere et reduc tecum fratres tuos, et Dominus faciat tecum misericordiam et veritatem”.

20. You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, seeing I go I know not where? Go back, and take your brethren with you; and may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you."

21. Et respondit Ethai regi dicens: “Vivit Dominus et vivit dominus meus rex, in quocumque loco fuerit dominus meus rex, sive ad mortem sive ad vitam, ibi erit servus tuus”.

21. But It'tai answered the king, "As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be."

22. Et ait David Ethai: “Veni et transi”. Et transivit Ethai Getthaeus et omnes viri eius et omnes parvuli, qui cum eo erant.

22. And David said to It'tai, "Go then, pass on." So It'tai the Gittite passed on, with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

23. Omnisque terra flebat voce magna, et universus populus transibat. Rex quoque transgrediebatur torrentem Cedron, et cunctus populus incedebat contra viam deserti.

23. And all the country wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.

24. Venit autem et Sadoc et universi Levitae cum eo portantes arcam foederis Dei; et deposuerunt arcam Dei. Et sacrificavit Abiathar, donec omnis populus egressus fuerat de civitate.

24. And Abi'athar came up, and lo, Zadok came also, with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down the ark of God, until the people had all passed out of the city.

25. Et dixit rex ad Sadoc: “Reporta arcam Dei in urbem. Si invenero gratiam in oculis Domini, reducet me et ostendet mihi eam et habitationem suam.

25. Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his habitation;

26. Si autem dixerit: “Non places mihi”, praesto sum: faciat, quod bonum est coram se”.

26. but if he says, `I have no pleasure in you,' behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him."

27. Et dixit rex ad Sadoc sacerdotem: “Videsne? Revertere in civitatem in pace; et Achimaas filius tuus et Ionathan filius Abiathar, duo filii vestri sint vobiscum.

27. The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Look, go back to the city in peace, you and Abi'athar, with your two sons, Ahim'a-az your son, and Jonathan the son of Abi'athar.

28. Ecce ego morabor ad vada deserti, donec veniat sermo a vobis indicans mihi”.

28. See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness, until word comes from you to inform me."

29. Reportaverunt igitur Sadoc et Abiathar arcam Dei Ierusalem et manserunt ibi.

29. So Zadok and Abi'athar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem; and they remained there.

30. Porro David ascendebat clivum Olivarum scandens et flens, operto capite et nudis pedibus incedens; sed et omnis populus, qui erat cum eo, operto capite ascendebat plorans.

30. But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered; and all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.

31. Nuntiatum est autem David quod et Achitophel esset in coniuratione cum Absalom; dixitque David: “Infatua, quaeso, Domine, consilium Achitophel”.

31. And it was told David, "Ahith'ophel is among the conspirators with Ab'salom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahith'ophel into foolishness."

32. Cumque ascendisset David summitatem montis, in quo adorabatur Deus, ecce occurrit ei Chusai Arachites, scissa veste et terra pleno capite.

32. When David came to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent and earth upon his head.

33. Et dixit ei David: “Si veneris mecum, eris mihi oneri;

33. David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me.

34. Si autem in civitatem revertaris et dixeris Absalom: “Servus tuus ego, rex, ero; servus patris tui ego fui prius, nunc autem ego sum servus tuus”, dissipabis mihi consilium Achitophel.

34. But if you return to the city, and say to Ab'salom, `I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,' then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahith'ophel.

35. Habes autem tecum Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotes; et omne verbum, quodcumque audieris de domo regis, indicabis Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotibus.

35. Are not Zadok and Abi'athar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abi'athar the priests.

36. Sunt autem cum eis duo filii eorum: Achimaas Sadoc et Ionathan Abiathar; et mittetis per eos ad me omne verbum, quod audieritis”.

36. Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahim'a-az, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abi'athar's son; and by them you shall send to me everything you hear."

37. Veniente ergo Chusai amico David in civitatem, Absalom quoque ingressus est Ierusalem.

37. So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city, just as Ab'salom was entering Jerusalem.