Liber II Samuelis, 18

1. igitur considerato David populo suo constituit super eum tribunos et centuriones

1. And David having reviewed his people, appointed over them captains of thousands and of hundreds,

2. et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Joab et tertiam in manu Abisai filii Sarviæ fratris Joab et tertiam sub manu Ethai qui erat de Geth dixitque rex ad populum egrediar et ego vobiscum

2. And sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abisai the son of Sarvia Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ethai, who was of Geth: and the king said to the people: I also will go forth with you.

3. et respondit populus non exibis sive enim fugerimus non magnopere ad eos de nobis pertinebit sive media pars ceciderit e nobis non satis curabunt quia tu unus pro decem milibus conputaris melius est igitur ut sis nobis in urbe præsidio

3. And the people answered: Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not much mind us: or if half of us should fall, they will not greatly care: for thou alone art accounted for ten thousand: it is better therefore that thou shouldst be in the city to succour us.

4. ad quos rex ait quod vobis rectum videtur hoc faciam stetit ergo rex juxta portam egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni et milleni

4. And the king said to them: What seemeth good to you, that will I do. And the king stood by the gate: and all the people went forth by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.

5. et præcepit rex Joab et Abisai et Ethai dicens servate mihi puerum Absalom et omnis populus audiebat præcipientem regem cunctis principibus pro Absalom

5. And the king commanded Joab, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom. And all the people heard the king giving charge to all the princes concerning Absalom.

6. itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israël et factum est prœlium in saltu Ephraim

6. So the people went out into the field against Israel and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.

7. et cæsus est ibi populus Israël ab exercitu David factaque est ibi plaga magna in die illa viginti milium

7. And the people of Israel were defeated there by David's army, and a great slaughter was made that day of twenty thousand men.

8. fuit autem ibi prœlium dispersum super faciem omnis terræ et multo plures erant quos saltus consumpserat de populo quam hii quos voraverat gladius in die illa

8. And the battle there was scattered over the face of all the country, and there were many more of the people whom the forest consumed, than whom the sword devoured that day.

9. accidit autem ut occurreret Absalom servis David sedens mulo cumque ingressus fuisset mulus subter condensam quercum et magnam adhesit caput ejus quercui et illo suspenso inter cælum et terram mulus cui sederat pertransivit

9. And it happened that Absalom met he servants of David, riding on a mule: and as the mule went under a thick and large oak, his head stuck in the oak: and while he hung between the heaven and he earth, the mule on which he rode passed on.

10. vidit autem hoc quispiam et nuntiavit Joab dicens vidi Absalom pendere de quercu

10. And one saw this and told Joab, saying: I saw Absalom hanging upon an oak.

11. et ait Joab viro qui nuntiaverat ei si vidisti quare non confodisti eum cum terra et ego dedissem tibi decem argenti siclos et unum balteum

11. And Joab said to the man that told him: If thou sawest him, why didst thou not stab him to the ground, and I would have given thee ten sicles of silver, and belt?

12. qui dixit ad Joab si adpenderes in manibus meis mille argenteos nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regis audientibus enim nobis præcepit rex tibi et Abisai et Ethai dicens custodite mihi puerum Absalom

12. And he said to Joab: If thou wouldst have paid down in my hands a thousand pieces of silver, I would not lay my hands upon the king's son: for in our hearing he king charged thee, and Abisai, and Ethai, saying: Save me the boy Absalom.

13. sed et si fecissem contra animam meam audacter nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset et tu stares ex adverso

13. Yea and if I should have acted boldly against my own life, this could not have been hid from the king, and wouldst thou have stood by me?

14. et ait Joab non sicut tu vis sed adgrediar eum coram te tulit ergo tres lanceas in manu sua et infixit eas in corde Absalom cumque adhuc palpitaret herens in quercu

14. And Joab said: Not as thou wilt, but will set upon him in thy sight. So he took three lances in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom: and whilst he yet panted for life, sticking on the oak,

15. cucurrerunt decem juvenes armigeri Joab et percutientes interfecerunt eum

15. Ten young men, armourbearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him slew him.

16. cecinit autem Joab bucina et retinuit populum ne persequeretur fugientem Israël volens parcere multitudini

16. And Joab sounded the trumpet, and kept back the people from pursuing after Israel in their flight, being willing to spare he multitude.

17. et tulerunt Absalom et projecerunt eum in saltu in foveam grandem et conportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis omnis autem Israël fugit in tabernacula sua

17. And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and they laid an exceeding great heap of stories upon him: but all Israel fled to their own dwellings.

18. porro Absalom erexerat sibi cum adhuc viveret titulum qui est in valle Regis dixerat enim non habeo filium et hoc erit monumentum nominis mei vocavitque titulum nomine suo et appellatur manus Absalom usque ad hanc diem

18. Now Absalom had reared up for himself, in his lifetime, a pillar, which is in the king's valley: for he said: I have no son, and this shall be the monument of my name. And he called the pillar by is own name, and it is called the hand of Absalom, to this day.

19. Achimaas autem filius Sadoc ait curram et nuntiabo regi quia judicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum ejus

19. And Achimaas the son of Sadoc said: I will run and tell the king, that the Lord hath done judgment for him from the hand of his enemies.

20. ad quem Joab dixit non eris nuntius in hac die sed nuntiabis in alia hodie nolo te nuntiare filius enim regis est mortuus

20. And Joab said to him: Thou shalt not be the messenger this day, but shalt bear tidings another day: this day I will not have thee bear tidings, because the king's son is dead.

21. et ait Joab Chusi vade et nuntia regi quæ vidisti adoravit Chusi Joab et cucurrit

21. And Joab said to Chusai: Go, and tell the king what thou hast seen. Chusai bowed down to Joab, and ran.

22. rursum autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Joab quid inpedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi dixitque Joab quid vis currere fili mi non eris boni nuntii bajulus

22. Then Achimaas the son of Sadoc said to Joab again: Why might not I also run after Chusai? And Joab said to him: Why wilt thou run, my son? thou wilt not be the bearer of good tidings.

23. qui respondit quid enim si cucurrero et ait ei curre currens ergo Achimaas per viam conpendii transivit Chusi

23. He answered: But what if I run? And he said to him: Run. Then Achimaas running by a nearer way passed Chusai.

24. David autem sedebat inter duas portas speculator vero qui erat in fastigio portæ super murum elevans oculos vidit hominem currentem solum

24. And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman that was on the top of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.

25. et exclamans indicavit regi dixitque rex si solus est bonus est nuntius in ore ejus properante autem illo et accedente propius

25. And crying out he told the king: and the king said: If he be alone, there are good tidings in his mouth. And as he was coming apace, and drawing nearer,

26. vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem et vociferans in culmine ait apparet mihi homo currens solus dixitque rex et iste bonus est nuntius

26. The watchman saw another man running, and crying aloud from above, he said: I see another man running alone. And the king said: He also is a good messenger.

27. speculator autem contemplor ait cursum prioris quasi cursum Achimaas filii Sadoc et ait rex vir bonus est et nuntium portans bonum venit

27. And the watchman said: The running of the foremost seemeth to me like the running of Achimaas the son of Sadoc. And the king said: He is a good man: and cometh with good news.

28. clamans autem Achimaas dixit ad regem salve et adorans regem coram eo pronus in terram ait benedictus Dominus Deus tuus qui conclusit homines qui levaverunt manus suas contra dominum meum regem

28. And Achimaas crying out, said to the king: God save thee, O king. And falling down before the king with his face to the ground, he said: Blessed be the Lord thy God, who hath shut up the men that have lifted up their hands against the lord my king.

29. et ait rex estne pax puero Absalom dixitque Achimaas vidi tumultum magnum cum mitteret Joab servus tuus o rex me servum tuum nescio aliud

29. And the king said: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Achimaas said: I saw a great tumult, O king, when thy servant Joab sent me thy servant: I know nothing else.

30. ad quem rex transi ait et sta hic cumque ille transisset et staret

30. And the king said to him: Pass, and stand here.

31. apparuit Chusi et veniens ait bonum adporto nuntium domine mi rex judicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium qui surrexerunt contra te

31. And when he bad passed, and stood still, Chusai appeared: and coming up he said: I bring good tidings, my lord, the king, for the Lord hath judged for thee this day from the hand of all that have risen up against thee.

32. dixit autem rex ad Chusi estne pax puero Absalom cui respondens Chusi fiant inquit sicut puer inimici domini mei regis et universi qui consurgunt adversum eum in malum

32. And the king said to Chusai: Is the young man Absalom safe? And Chusai answering him, said: Let the enemies of my lord, the king, and all that rise against him unto evil, be as the young man is.

33. contristatus itaque rex ascendit cenaculum portæ et flevit et sic loquebatur vadens fili mi Absalom fili mi Absalom quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te Absalom fili mi fili mi

33. The king therefore being much moved, went up to the high chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went he spoke in this manner: My son Absalom, Absalom my son: would to God that I might die for thee, Absalom my son, my son Absalom.