Liber II Samuelis, 10

1. factum est autem post hæc ut moreretur rex filiorum Ammon et regnaret Anon filius ejus pro eo

1. And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanon his son reigned in his stead.

2. dixitque David faciam misericordiam cum Anon filio Naas sicut fecit pater ejus mecum misericordiam misit ergo David consolans eum per servos suos super patris interitu cum autem venissent servi David in terram filiorum Ammon

2. And David said: I Will shew kindness to Hanon the son of Daas, as his father shewed kindness to me. So David sent his servants to comfort him for the death of his father. But when the servants of David were come into the land of the children of Ammon,

3. dixerunt principes filiorum Ammon ad Anon dominum suum putas quod propter honorem patris tui David miserit ad te consolatores et non ideo ut investigaret et exploraret civitatem et everteret eam misit David servos suos ad te

3. The princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanon their lord: Thinkest thou that for the honour of thy father, David hath sent comforters to thee, and hath not David rather sent his servants to thee to search, and spy into the city, and overthrow it?

4. tulit itaque Anon servos David rasitque dimidiam partem barbæ eorum et præcidit vestes eorum medias usque ad nates et dimisit eos

4. Wherefore Hanon took the servants of David, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut away half of their garments even to the buttocks, and sent them away.

5. quod cum nuntiatum esset David misit in occursum eorum erant enim viri confusi turpiter valde et mandavit eis David manete Hiericho donec crescat barba vestra et tunc revertimini

5. When this was told David, he sent to meet them: for the men were sadly put to confusion, and David commanded them, saying: Stay at Jericho, till your beards be grown, and then return.

6. videntes autem filii Ammon quod iniuriam fecissent David miserunt et conduxerunt mercede Syrum Roob et Syrum Soba viginti milia peditum et a rege Maacha mille viros et ab Histob duodecim milia virorum

6. And the children of Ammon seeing that they had done an injury to David, Bent and hired the Syrians of Rohob, and the Syrians of Soba, twenty thousand footmen, and of the king of Maacha a thousand men, and of Istob twelve thousand men.

7. quod cum audisset David misit Joab et omnem exercitum bellatorum

7. And when David heard this, he sent Joab and the whole army of warriors.

8. egressi sunt ergo filii Ammon et direxerunt aciem ante ipsum introitum portæ Syrus autem Soba et Roob et Histob et Maacha seorsum erant in campo

8. And the children of Ammon came out, and set their men in array at the entering in of the gate: but the Syrians of Soba, and of Rohob, and of Istob, and of Maacha were by themselves in the field.

9. videns igitur Joab quod præparatum esset adversum se prœlium et ex adverso et post tergum elegit ex omnibus electis Israël et instruxit aciem contra Syrum

9. Then Joab seeing that the battle was prepared against him, both before and behind, chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

10. reliquam autem partem populi tradidit Abisai fratri suo qui direxit aciem adversum filios Ammon

10. And the rest of the people he delivered to Abisai his brother, who set them in array against the children of Ammon.

11. et ait Joab si prævaluerint adversum me Syri eris mihi in adiutorium si autem filii Ammon prævaluerint adversum te auxiliabor tibi

11. And Joab said: If the Syrians are too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon are too strong for thee, then I will help thee.

12. esto vir fortis et pugnemus pro populo nostro et civitate Dei nostri Dominus autem faciet quod bonum est in conspectu suo

12. Be of good courage, and let us fight for our people, and for the city of our God: and the Lord will do what is good in his sight.

13. iniit itaque Joab et populus qui erat cum eo certamen contra Syros qui statim fugerunt a facie ejus

13. And Joab and the people that were with him, began to fight against the Syrians: and they immediately fled before him.

14. filii autem Ammon videntes quod fugissent Syri fugerunt et ipsi a facie Abisai et ingressi sunt civitatem reversusque est Joab a filiis Ammon et venit Hierusalem

14. And the children of Ammon seeing that the Syrians were fled, they fled also before Abisai, and entered into the city: and Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

15. videntes igitur Syri quoniam corruissent coram Israël congregati sunt pariter

15. Then the Syrians seeing that they had fallen before Israel, gathered themselves together.

16. misitque Adadezer et eduxit Syros qui erant trans Fluvium et adduxit exercitum eorum Sobach autem magister militiæ Adadezer erat princeps eorum

16. And Adarezer sent and fetched the Syrians, that were beyond the river, and brought over their army: and Sobach, the captain of the host of Adarezer, was their general.

17. quod cum nuntiatum esset David contraxit omnem Israhelem et transivit Jordanem venitque in Helema et direxerunt aciem Syri ex adverso David et pugnaverunt contra eum

17. And when this was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over the Jordan, and came to Helam: and the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought against him.

18. fugeruntque Syri a facie Israël et occidit David de Syris septingentos currus et quadraginta milia equitum et Sobach principem militiæ percussit qui statim mortuus est

18. And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen: and smote Sobach the captain of the army, who presently died.

19. videntes autem universi reges qui erant in præsidio Adadezer victos se ab Israël fecerunt pacem cum Israël et servierunt eis timueruntque Syri auxilium præbere filiis Ammon

19. And all the kings that were auxiliaries of Adarezer, seeing themselves overcome by Israel, were afraid and fled away, eight and fifty thousand men before Israel. And they made peace with Israel: and served them, and all the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.