Liber I Samuelis, 19

1. Locutus est autem Saul ad Ionathan filium suum et ad omnes servos suos de occisione David; porro Ionathan filius Saul diligebat David valde.

1. And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.

2. Et indicavit Ionathan David dicens: “Quaerit Saul pater meus occidere te; quapropter observa te, quaeso, mane; et manebis clam et absconderis.

2. And Jonathan told David, "Saul my father seeks to kill you; therefore take heed to yourself in the morning, stay in a secret place and hide yourself;

3. Ego autem egrediens stabo iuxta patrem meum in agro, ubicumque fueris; et ego loquar de te ad patrem meum et, quodcumque videro, nuntiabo tibi”.

3. and I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you; and if I learn anything I will tell you."

4. Locutus est ergo Ionathan de David bona ad Saul patrem suum dixitque ad eum: “Ne peccet rex in servum suum David, quia non peccavit tibi, et opera eius bona sunt tibi valde.

4. And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, "Let not the king sin against his servant David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you;

5. Et posuit animam suam in manu sua et percussit Philisthaeum, et fecit Dominus victoriam magnam universo Israeli; vidisti et laetatus es. Quare ergo peccas in sanguine innoxio interficiens David, qui est absque culpa?”.

5. for he took his life in his hand and he slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced; why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?"

6. Quod cum audisset Saul, placatus voce Ionathan iuravit: “Vivit Dominus quia non occidetur”.

6. And Saul hearkened to the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, "As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death."

7. Vocavit itaque Ionathan David et indicavit ei omnia verba haec; et introduxit lonathan David ad Saul, et fuit ante eum, sicut fuerat heri et nudiustertius.

7. And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

8. Motum est autem rursum bellum, et egressus David pugnavit adversum Philisthim percussitque eos plaga magna; et fugerunt a facie eius.

8. And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and made a great slaughter among them, so that they fled before him.

9. Et factus est spiritus Domini malus in Saul; sedebat autem in domo sua et tenebat lanceam, porro David psallebat in manu sua.

9. Then an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing the lyre.

10. Nisusque est Saul configere lancea David in pariete; et declinavit David a facie Saul, lancea autem, casso vulnere, perlata est in parietem. Et David fugit et salvatus est nocte illa.

10. And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled, and escaped.

11. Misit ergo Saul satellites suos in domum David, ut custodirent eum, et interficeretur mane. Quod cum annuntiasset David Michol uxor sua dicens: “Nisi salvaveris te nocte hac, cras morieris”,

11. That night Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, "If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed."

12. deposuit eum per fenestram. Porro ille abiit et aufugit atque salvatus est.

12. So Michal let David down through the window; and he fled away and escaped.

13. Tulit autem Michol theraphim et posuit eum super lectum; et pellem pilosam caprarum posuit ad caput eius et operuit eum vestimentis.

13. Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head, and covered it with the clothes.

14. Misit autem Saul nuntios, qui raperent David, et responsum est quod aegrotaret.

14. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, "He is sick."

15. Rursumque misit Saul nuntios, ut viderent David, dicens: “Afferte eum ad me in lecto, ut occidatur”.

15. Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, "Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him."

16. Cumque venissent nuntii, inventus est theraphim super lectum, et pellis caprarum ad caput eius.

16. And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head.

17. Dixitque Saul ad Michol: “Quare sic illusisti mihi et dimisisti inimicum meum, ut fugeret?”. Et respondit Michol ad Saul: “Quia ipse locutus est mihi: “Dimitte me, alioquin interficiam te””.

17. Saul said to Michal, "Why have you deceived me thus, and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?" And Michal answered Saul, "He said to me, `Let me go; why should I kill you?'"

18. David autem fugiens salvatus est et venit ad Samuel in Rama et nuntiavit ei omnia, quae fecerat sibi Saul. Et abierunt ipse et Samuel et morati sunt in Naioth.

18. Now David fled and escaped, and he came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt at Nai'oth.

19. Nuntiatum est autem Sauli a dicentibus: “Ecce David in Naioth in Rama”.

19. And it was told Saul, "Behold, David is at Nai'oth in Ramah."

20. Misit ergo Saul nuntios, ut raperent David. Qui cum vidissent cuneum prophetarum vaticinantium et Samuel stantem super eos, factus est in illis spiritus Dei, et vaticinari coeperunt etiam ipsi.

20. Then Saul sent messengers to take David; and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.

21. Quod cum nuntiatum esset Sauli, misit alios nuntios; vaticinati sunt autem et illi. Et rursum Saul misit tertios nuntios, qui et ipsi vaticinati sunt.

21. When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied.

22. Abiit autem etiam ipse in Rama et venit usque ad cisternam magnam, quae est in Socho; et interrogavit et dixit: “In quo loco sunt Samuel et David?”. Dictumque est ei: “Ecce in Naioth sunt in Rama”.

22. Then he himself went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is in Secu; and he asked, "Where are Samuel and David?" And one said, "Behold, they are at Nai'oth in Ramah."

23. Et abiit inde in Naioth in Rama; et factus est etiam super eum spiritus Dei, et ambulabat ingrediens et vaticinans, usquedum veniret in Naioth in Rama.

23. And he went from there to Nai'oth in Ramah; and the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied, until he came to Nai'oth in Ramah.

24. Et exspoliavit se etiam ipse vestimentis suis et vaticinatus est cum ceteris coram Samuel; et cecidit nudus tota die illa et nocte, unde et exivit proverbium: “Num et Saul inter prophetas?”.

24. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel, and lay naked all that day and all that night. Hence it is said, "Is Saul also among the prophets?"