Liber II Samuelis, 19

1. Contremuit itaque rex et ascendit cenaculum portae et flevit. Et sic loquebatur vadens: “Fili mi Absalom, fili mi, fili mi Absalom! Quis mihi tribuat, ut ego moriar pro te? Absalom fili mi, fili mi!”.

1. It was told Jo'ab, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Ab'salom."

2. Nuntiatum est autem Ioab quod rex fleret et lugeret filium suum.

2. So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard that day, "The king is grieving for his son."

3. Et versa est victoria in die illa in luctum omni populo; audivit enim populus in die illa dici: “Dolet rex super filio suo”.

3. And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

4. Et furtim ingressus est populus in die illa civitatem, quomodo reverti solet populus confusus, cum fugit de proelio.

4. The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "O my son Ab'salom, O Ab'salom, my son, my son!"

5. Porro rex operuit vultum suum et clamabat voce magna: “Fili mi Absalom, Absalom fili mi, fili mi!”.

5. Then Jo'ab came into the house to the king, and said, "You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines,

6. Ingressus ergo Ioab ad regem in domo dixit: “Confudisti hodie vultus omnium servorum tuorum, qui salvam fecerunt animam tuam hodie et animam filiorum tuorum et filiarum tuarum et animam uxorum tuarum et animam concubinarum tuarum.

6. because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you; for today I perceive that if Ab'salom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.

7. Diligis odientes te et odio habes diligentes te. Ostendisti hodie quia non curas de ducibus tuis et de servis tuis; et vere cognovi modo quia, si Absalom viveret, et nos omnes occubuissemus, tunc placeret tibi.

7. Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night; and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now."

8. Nunc igitur surge et procede et loquere ad cor servorum tuorum; iuro enim tibi per Dominum quod si non exieris, ne unus quidem remansurus sit tecum nocte hac, et peius erit hoc tibi quam omnia mala, quae venerunt super te ab adulescentia tua usque in praesens”.

8. Then the king arose, and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate"; and all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his own home.

9. Surrexit ergo rex et sedit in porta, et omni populo nuntiatum est quod rex sederet in porta; venitque universa multitudo coram rege. Israel autem fugerat in tabernacula sua.

9. And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and saved us from the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Ab'salom.

10. Omnis quoque populus certabat in cunctis tribubus Israel dicens: “Rex liberavit nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum, ipse salvavit nos de manu Philisthinorum; et nunc fugit de terra ab Absalom.

10. But Ab'salom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

11. Absalom autem, quem unximus super nos, mortuus est in bello. Quare nunc siletis et non reducitis regem?”.

11. And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abi'athar the priests, "Say to the elders of Judah, `Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king?

12. Sermo autem omnis Israel pervenerat ad regem in domo eius. Tunc rex David misit ad Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotes dicens: “Loquimini ad maiores natu Iudae dicentes: Cur estis novissimi ad reducendum regem in domum suam?

12. You are my kinsmen, you are my bone and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?'

13. Fratres mei vos, os meum et caro mea vos; quare novissimi reducitis regem?

13. And say to Ama'sa, `Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of my army henceforth in place of Jo'ab.'"

14. Et Amasae dicite: Nonne os meum es et caro mea? Haec faciat mihi Deus et haec addat, si non magister militiae fueris coram me omni tempore pro Ioab!”.

14. And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man; so that they sent word to the king, "Return, both you and all your servants."

15. Et inclinavit cor omnium virorum Iudae quasi viri unius; miseruntque ad regem dicentes: “Revertere tu et omnes servi tui”.

15. So the king came back to the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.

16. Et reversus est rex et venit usque ad Iordanem; et Iuda venit in Galgala, ut occurreret regi et traduceret eum Iordanem.

16. And Shim'e-i the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahu'rim, made haste to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David;

17. Festinavit autem Semei filius Gera Beniaminita de Bahurim et descendit cum viris Iudae in occursum regis David;

17. and with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king,

18. mille viri de Beniamin et Siba puer de domo Saul et quindecim filii eius ac viginti servi erant cum eo. Irruperant autem Iordanem iam ante regem

18. and they crossed the ford to bring over the king's household, and to do his pleasure. And Shim'e-i the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan,

19. et transierant vada, ut traducerent domum regis et facerent iuxta placitum eius. Semei autem filius Gera prostratus coram rege, cum transiturus esset Iordanem,

19. and said to the king, "Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; let not the king bear it in mind.

20. dixit ad eum: “Ne reputes mihi, domine mi, iniquitatem neque memineris iniuriam servi tui in die, qua egressus es, domine mi rex, de Ierusalem; neque ponas, rex, in corde tuo.

20. For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king."

21. Agnosco enim servus tuus peccatum meum et idcirco hodie primus veni de omni domo Ioseph descendique in occursum domini mei regis”.

21. Abi'shai the son of Zeru'iah answered, "Shall not Shim'e-i be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed?"

22. Respondens vero Abisai filius Sarviae dixit: “Numquid non occidetur Semei, pro hoc quia maledixit christo Domini?”.

22. But David said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeru'iah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall any one be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?"

23. Et ait David: “Quid mihi et vobis, filii Sarviae, quia efficimini mihi hodie in satan? Ergone hodie interficietur vir in Israel? An ignoro hodie me factum regem super Israel?”.

23. And the king said to Shim'e-i, "You shall not die." And the king gave him his oath.

24. Et ait rex Semei: “Non morieris!”. Iuravitque ei.

24. And Mephib'osheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; he had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety.

25. Meribbaal quoque filius Saul descendit in occursum regis; non laverat pedes nec circumcidit ungues nec totonderat barbam vestesque suas non laverat a die, qua egressus fuerat rex, usque ad diem reversionis eius in pace.

25. And when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, "Why did you not go with me, Mephib'osheth?"

26. Cumque de Ierusalem occurrisset regi, dixit ei rex: “Quare non venisti mecum, Meribbaal?”.

26. He answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, `Saddle an ass for me, that I may ride upon it and go with the king.' For your servant is lame.

27. Qui respondens ait: “Domine mi rex, servus meus decepit me! Nam dixeram ei ego famulus tuus: Sternere faciam mihi asinum et ascendens abibo cum rege; claudus enim sum servus tuus.

27. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you.

28. Insuper et fraudulenter accusavit me servum tuum ad te dominum meum regem. Tu autem, domine mi rex, sicut angelus Dei es; fac, quod placitum est tibi.

28. For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king; but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?"

29. Neque enim fuit domus patris mei nisi morti obnoxia domino meo regi; tu autem posuisti me servum tuum inter convivas mensae tuae. Quid ultra igitur habeo iustitiae, ut vociferer ad regem?”.

29. And the king said to him, "Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land."

30. Ait ergo ei rex: “Quid ultra loqueris? Dixi: Tu et Siba dividite possessiones”.

30. And Mephib'osheth said to the king, "Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home."

31. Responditque Meribbaal regi: “Etiam cuncta accipiat, postquam reversus est dominus meus rex pacifice in domum suam!”.

31. Now Barzil'lai the Gileadite had come down from Ro'gelim; and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan.

32. Berzellai quoque Galaadites descenderat de Rogelim et traduxit regem Iordanem, ut dimitteret eum ad Iordanem.

32. Barzil'lai was a very aged man, eighty years old; and he had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahana'im; for he was a very wealthy man.

33. Erat autem Berzellai Galaadites senex valde, id est octogenarius; et ipse praebuerat alimenta regi, cum moraretur in Mahanaim; erat quippe vir dives nimis.

33. And the king said to Barzil'lai, "Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem."

34. Dixit itaque rex ad Berzellai: “Veni mecum et praebebo tibi alimenta apud me in Ierusalem”.

34. But Barzil'lai said to the king, "How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

35. Et ait Berzellai ad regem: “Quot sunt dies annorum vitae meae, ut ascendam cum rege Ierusalem?

35. I am this day eighty years old; can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

36. Octogenarius sum hodie; numquid vigent sensus mei ad discernendum suave aut amarum? Aut delectare potest servum tuum cibus et potus? Vel audire ultra possum vocem cantorum atque cantricum? Quare servus tuus esset ultra oneri domino meo regi?

36. Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward?

37. Paululum procedam famulus tuus ab Iordane tecum. Et cur dabit rex mihi hanc vicissitudinem?

37. Pray let your servant return, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do for him whatever seems good to you."

38. Sed obsecro, ut revertar servus tuus et moriar in civitate mea iuxta sepulcrum patris mei et matris meae. Sed ecce servus tuus Chamaam; ipse vadat tecum, domine mi rex, et fac ei, quod tibi bonum videtur”.

38. And the king answered, "Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you; and all that you desire of me I will do for you."

39. Dixitque rex: “Mecum transeat Chamaam, et ego faciam ei, quidquid tibi placuerit; et omne, quod petieris a me, impetrabis”.

39. Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over; and the king kissed Barzil'lai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home.

40. Cumque transisset universus populus et rex Iordanem, osculatus est rex Berzellai et benedixit ei; et ille reversus est in locum suum.

40. The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; all the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

41. Transivit ergo rex in Galgala, et Chamaam cum eo. Omnis autem populus Iudae traduxerat regem, et etiam media pars populi Israel.

41. Then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, "Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David's men with him?"

42. Et ecce omnes viri Israel concurrentes ad regem dixerunt ei: “Quare te furati sunt fratres nostri viri Iudae et traduxerunt regem et domum eius Iordanem omnesque viros David cum eo?”.

42. All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king's expense? Or has he given us any gift?"

43. Et respondit omnis vir Iudae ad virum Israel: “Quia propior mihi est rex. Cur irasceris super hac re? Numquid comedimus aliquid ex rege, aut munera nobis data sunt?”.

43. And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?" But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

44. Et respondit vir Israel ad virum Iudae et ait: “Decem partes mihi sunt in rege et ideo etiam in David. Ego sum potior te; cur contempsisti me? Et non ego prior locutus sum, ut reducerem regem meum?”. Durius autem responderunt viri Iudae viris Israel.

44.