Kings II 10

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

Sur ces entrefaites, le roi des Ammonites mourut, et son fils Hanoun lui succéda.

2 And David said, I will show mercy to Annon the son of Naas, as his father dealt mercifully with me. And David sent to comfort him concerning his father by the hand of his servants; and the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon.

David se dit: "Je veux agir amicalement avec Hanoun, fils de Nahach, comme son père a agi à mon égard." Et David lui envoya, par ses serviteurs, des condoléances au sujet de son père, et les serviteurs de David se rendirent au pays des Ammonites.

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Annon their lord, [Is it] to honor your father before you that David has sent comforters to you? Has not David rather sent his servants to you that they should search the city, and spy it out and examine it?

Mais les princes ammonites dirent à leur maître Hanoun: "Est-ce, à ton avis, pour honorer ton père que David t’a envoyé des consolateurs? N’Est-ce pas plutôt pour explorer la ville en espions et pour la détruire que David t’a envoyé ses serviteurs?"

4 And Annon took the servants of David, and shaved their beards, and cut off their garments in the midst as far as their haunches, and sent them away.

Alors Hanoun fit saisir les serviteurs de David, raser la moitié de leur barbe et couper la moitié de leurs vêtements jusqu’aux reins, puis il les congédia.

5 And they brought David word concerning the men; and he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly dishonored: and the king said, Remain in Jericho till your beards have grown, and [then] you shall return.

On en informa David, qui envoya au-devant d’eux, car ces hommes étaient accablés de honte, et leur fit dire: "Restez à Jéricho jusqu’à ce que votre barbe ait repoussé, puis vous reviendrez."

6 And the children of Ammon saw that the people of David were ashamed; and the children of Ammon sent, and hired the Syrians of Baethraam, and the Syrians of Suba, and Roob, twenty thousand footmen, and the king of Amalec with a thousand men, and Istob with twelve thousand men.

Les Ammonites, voyant qu’ils s’étaient mis en mauvaise odeur auprès de David, soudoyèrent les Syriens de Beth-Rehob et ceux de Çoba vingt mille hommes de pied; le roi de Maakha, mille hommes, et les gens de Tob, douze mille hommes.

7 And David heard, and sent Joab and all his host, [even] the mighty men.

A cette nouvelle, David envoya Joab avec toute son armée de vaillants.

8 And the children of Ammon went forth, and set the battle in array by the door of the gate: [those] of Syria, Suba, and Roob, and Istob, and Amalec, being by themselves in the field.

Les Ammonites s’avancèrent et se mirent en bataille à l’entrée de la porte, tandis que les Syriens de Çoba et de Rehob, les hommes de Tob et de Maakha, restaient séparés dans la campagne.

9 And Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him from that which was opposed in front and from behind, and he chose out [some] of all the young men of Israel, and they set themselves in array against Syria.

Joab, voyant que la bataille le menaçait par devant et par derrière, fit choix des meilleurs guerriers d’Israël et les disposa devant les Syriens.

10 And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abessa his brother, and they set the battle in array opposite to the children of Ammon.

Pour le reste de l’armée, il le mit sous les ordres de son frère Abisaï et le rangea devant les Ammonites.

11 And he said, If Syria be too strong for me, then shall you help me: and if the children of Ammon be too strong for you, then will we be ready to help you.

Et il dit: "Si les Syriens l’emportent sur moi, tu viendras à mon secours; si les Ammonites l’emportent sur toi, c’est moi qui viendrai te secourir.

12 Be you courageous, and let us be strong for our people, and for the sake of the cities of our God, and the Lord shall do that which is good in his eyes.

Sois fort, soyons forts, pour notre peuple et pour les villes de notre Dieu, et que le Seigneur agisse selon sa volonté!"

13 And Joab and his people with him advanced to battle against Syria, and they fled from before him.

Joab, avec la troupe qui l’accompagnait, engagea la bataille contre les Syriens, qui s’enfuirent devant lui.

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

Les Ammonites, voyant les Syriens fuir, lâchèrent pied devant Misai et rentrèrent dans la ville; alors Joab cessa de poursuivre les Ammonites et revint à Jérusalem.

15 And the Syrians saw that they were worsted before Israel, and they gathered themselves together.

Mais les Syriens, se voyant battus par les Israélites, se rallièrent,

16 And Adraazar sent and gathered the Syrians from the other side of the river Chalamak, and they came to Aelam; and Sobac the captain of the host of Adraazar [was] at their head.

et Hadarézer fit avancer les Araméens de delà le fleuve, qui arrivèrent à Hélam sous le commandement de Chobakh, chef de l’armée de Hadarézer.

17 And it was reported to David, and he gathered all Israel, and went over Jordan, and came to Aelam: and the Syrians set the battle in array against David, and fought with him.

Quand David en fut informé, il rassembla tout Israël, traversa le Jourdain et arriva à Hélam, où les Araméens s’alignèrent en face de David et lui livrèrent bataille.

18 And Syria fled from before Israel, and David destroyed of Syria seven hundred chariots, and forty thousand horsemen, and he struck Sobac the captain of his host, and he died there.

Aram prit la fuite devant Israël, et David lui tua sept cents attelages et quarante mille cavaliers; il frappa également Chobakh, son général, qui mourut là.

19 And all the kings the servants of Adraazar saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, and they went over to Israel, and served them: and Syria was afraid to help the children of Ammon any more.

Tous les rois, tributaires de Hadarézer, voyant qu’Israël les avait défaits, firent la paix avec Israël et devinrent ses tributaires; et les Syriens n’osèrent plus venir en aide aux Ammonites.