< 1 Samuel 18 >

1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
Come Davide ebbe finito di parlare con Saul, l’anima di Gionathan rimase così legata all’anima di lui, che Gionathan l’amò come l’anima sua.
2 And Saul took him that day, and would no more let him go home to his father's house.
Da quel giorno Saul lo tenne presso di sé e non permise più ch’ei se ne tornasse a casa di suo padre.
3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.
E Gionathan fece alleanza con Davide, perché lo amava come l’anima propria.
4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his apparel, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his belt.
Quindi Gionathan si tolse di dosso il mantello, e lo diede a Davide; e così fece delle sue vesti, fino alla sua spada, al suo arco e alla sua cintura.
5 And David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and it was good in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
E Davide andava e riusciva bene dovunque Saul lo mandava: Saul lo mise a capo della gente di guerra, ed egli era gradito a tutto il popolo, anche ai servi di Saul.
6 And it came to pass as they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with timbrels, with joy, and with instruments of music.
Or all’arrivo dell’esercito, quando Davide, ucciso il Filisteo, facea ritorno, le donne uscirono da tutte le città d’Israele incontro al re Saul, cantando e danzando al suon de’ timpani e de’ triangoli, e alzando grida di gioia;
7 And the women sang one to another as they played, and said, Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
e le donne, danzando, si rispondevano a vicenda e dicevano: Saul ha ucciso i suoi mille, e Davide i suoi diecimila.
8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him, and he said, They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands, and what can he have more but the kingdom?
Saul n’ebbe sdegno fortissimo; quelle parole gli dispiacquero, e disse: “Ne dànno diecimila a Davide, e a me non ne dan che mille! Non gli manca più che il regno!”
9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.
E Saul, da quel giorno in poi, guardò Davide di mal occhio.
10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that an evil spirit from God came mightily upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house. And David played with his hand, as he did day by day, and Saul had his spear in his hand.
Il giorno dopo, un cattivo spirito, suscitato da Dio, s’impossessò di Saul che era come fuori di sé in mezzo alla casa, mentre Davide sonava l’arpa, come solea fare tutti i giorni. Saul aveva in mano la sua lancia;
11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, I will smite David even to the wall. And David turned away from his presence twice.
e la scagliò, dicendo: “Inchioderò Davide al muro!” Ma Davide schivò il colpo per due volte.
12 And Saul was afraid of David because Jehovah was with him, and was departed from Saul.
Saul avea paura di Davide, perché l’Eterno era con lui e s’era ritirato da Saul;
13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain over a thousand, and he went out and came in before the people.
perciò Saul lo allontanò da sé, e lo fece capitano di mille uomini; ed egli andava e veniva alla testa del popolo.
14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and Jehovah was with him.
Or Davide riusciva bene in tutte le sue imprese, e l’Eterno era con lui.
15 And when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.
E quando Saul vide ch’egli riusciva splendidamente, cominciò ad aver timore di lui;
16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
ma tutto Israele e Giuda amavano Davide, perché andava e veniva alla loro testa.
17 And Saul said to David, Behold, my elder daughter Merab, I will give her to thee for a wife. Only be thou valiant for me, and fight Jehovah's battles. For Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but let the hand of the Philistines be upon him.
Saul disse a Davide: “Ecco Merab, la mia figliuola maggiore; io te la darò per moglie; solo siimi valente, e combatti le battaglie dell’Eterno”. Or Saul diceva tra sé: “Non sia la mia mano che lo colpisca, ma sia la mano de’ Filistei”.
18 And David said to Saul, Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?
Ma Davide rispose a Saul: “Chi son io, che è la vita mia, e che è la famiglia di mio padre in Israele, ch’io abbia ad essere genero del re?”
19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite to wife.
Or avvenne che, quando Merab figliuola di Saul doveva esser data a Davide, fu invece sposata ad Adriel di Mehola.
20 And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David, and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
Ma Mical, figliuola di Saul, amava Davide; lo riferirono a Saul, e la cosa gli piacque.
21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, Thou shall this day be my son-in-law a second time.
E Saul disse: “Gliela darò, perché sia per lui un’insidia ed egli cada sotto la mano de’ Filistei”. Saul dunque disse a Davide: “Oggi, per la seconda volta, tu puoi diventar mio genero”.
22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Converse with David secretly, and say, Behold, the king has delight in thee, and all his servants love thee. Now therefore be the king's son-in-law.
Poi Saul diede quest’ordine ai suoi servitori: “Parlate in confidenza a Davide, e ditegli: Ecco, tu sei in grazia del re, e tutti i suoi servi ti amano, diventa dunque genero del re”.
23 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, Does it seem to you a light thing to be the king's son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?
I servi di Saul ridissero queste parole a Davide. Ma Davide replicò: “Sembra a voi cosa lieve il diventar genero del re? E io son povero e di basso stato”.
24 And the servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner David spoke.
I servi riferirono a Saul: “Davide ha risposto così e così”.
25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king does not desire any dowry, but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies. Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
E Saul disse: “Dite così a Davide: Il re non domanda dote; ma domanda cento prepuzi di Filistei, per trar vendetta de’ suoi nemici”. Or Saul aveva in animo di far cader Davide nelle mani de’ Filistei.
26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. And the days were not expired.
I servitori dunque riferirono quelle parole a Davide, e a Davide piacque di diventar in tal modo genero del re. E prima del termine fissato,
27 And David arose and went, he and his men, and killed of the Philistines two hundred men. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might be the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
Davide si levò, partì con la sua gente, uccise duecento uomini de’ Filistei, portò i loro prepuzi e ne consegnò il numero preciso al re, per diventar suo genero.
28 And Saul saw and knew that Jehovah was with David, and Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him.
E Saul gli diede per moglie Mical, sua figliuola. E Saul vide e riconobbe che l’Eterno era con Davide; e Mical, figliuola di Saul, l’amava.
29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David, and Saul was David's enemy continually.
E Saul continuò più che mai a temer Davide, e gli fu sempre nemico.
30 Then the rulers of the Philistines went forth, and it came to pass, as often as they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was very precious.
Or i principi de’ Filistei uscivano a combattere; e ogni volta che uscivano, Davide riusciva meglio di tutti i servi di Saul, in guisa che il suo nome divenne molto famoso.

< 1 Samuel 18 >