2 Samuel 18
1 David counted the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
igitur considerato David populo suo constituit super eum tribunos et centuriones
2 David sent the people out, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I will also surely go out with you myself.”
et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Ioab et tertiam in manu Abisai filii Sarviae fratris Ioab et tertiam sub manu Ethai qui erat de Geth dixitque rex ad populum egrediar et ego vobiscum
3 But the people said, “You shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care for us, neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city.”
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 praesidio
4 The king said to them, “I will do what seems best to you.” The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
ad quos rex ait quod vobis rectum videtur hoc faciam stetit ergo rex iuxta portam egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni et milleni
5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.
et praecepit rex Ioab et Abisai et Ethai dicens servate mihi puerum Absalom et omnis populus audiebat praecipientem regem cunctis principibus pro Absalom
6 So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.
itaque egressus est populus in campum contra Israhel et factum est proelium in saltu Ephraim
7 The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
et caesus est ibi populus Israhel ab exercitu David factaque est ibi plaga magna in die illa viginti milium
8 For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
fuit autem ibi proelium dispersum super faciem omnis terrae et multo plures erant quos saltus consumpserat de populo quam hii quos voraverat gladius in die illa
9 Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.
accidit autem ut occurreret Absalom servis David sedens mulo cumque ingressus fuisset mulus subter condensam quercum et magnam adhesit caput eius quercui et illo suspenso inter caelum et terram mulus cui sederat pertransivit
10 A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
vidit autem hoc quispiam et nuntiavit Ioab dicens vidi Absalom pendere de quercu
11 Joab said to the man who told him, “Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a sash.”
et ait Ioab viro qui nuntiaverat ei si vidisti quare non confodisti eum cum terra et ego dedissem tibi decem argenti siclos et unum balteum
12 The man said to Joab, “Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that no one touch the young man Absalom.’
qui dixit ad Ioab si adpenderes in manibus meis mille argenteos nequaquam mitterem manum meam in filium regis audientibus enim nobis praecepit rex tibi et Abisai et Ethai dicens custodite mihi puerum Absalom
13 Otherwise, if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
sed et si fecissem contra animam meam audacter nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset et tu stares ex adverso
14 Then Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this with you.” He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the middle of the oak.
et ait Ioab 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
15 Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him.
cucurrerunt decem iuvenes armigeri Ioab et percutientes interfecerunt eum
16 Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
cecinit autem Ioab bucina et retinuit populum ne persequeretur fugientem Israhel volens parcere multitudini
17 They took Absalom and cast him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, each to his own tent.
et tulerunt Absalom et proiecerunt eum in saltu in foveam grandem et conportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis omnis autem Israhel fugit in tabernacula sua
18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar which is in the king’s valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in memory.” He called the pillar after his own name. It is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.
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
19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and carry the king news, how Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies.”
Achimaas autem filius Sadoc ait curram et nuntiabo regi quia iudicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum eius
20 Joab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”
ad quem Ioab dixit non eris nuntius in hac die sed nuntiabis in alia hodie nolo te nuntiare filius enim regis est mortuus
21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen!” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran.
et ait Ioab Chusi vade et nuntia regi quae vidisti adoravit Chusi Ioab et cucurrit
22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, “But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why do you want to run, my son, since you will have no reward for the news?”
rursum autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Ioab quid inpedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi dixitque Ioab quid vis currere fili mi non eris boni nuntii baiulus
23 “But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
qui respondit quid enim si cucurrero et ait ei curre currens ergo Achimaas per viam conpendii transivit Chusi
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.
David autem sedebat inter duas portas speculator vero qui erat in fastigio portae super murum elevans oculos vidit hominem currentem solum
25 The watchman shouted and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came closer and closer.
et exclamans indicavit regi dixitque rex si solus est bonus est nuntius in ore eius properante autem illo et accedente propius
26 The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, a man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.”
vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem et vociferans in culmine ait apparet mihi homo currens solus dixitque rex et iste bonus est nuntius
27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”
speculator autem contemplor ait cursum prioris quasi cursum Achimaas filii Sadoc et ait rex vir bonus est et nuntium portans bonum venit
28 Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, “All is well.” He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, “Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!”
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
29 The king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was.”
et ait rex estne pax puero Absalom dixitque Achimaas vidi tumultum magnum cum mitteret Ioab servus tuus o rex me servum tuum nescio aliud
30 The king said, “Come and stand here.” He came and stood still.
ad quem rex transi ait et sta hic cumque ille transisset et staret
31 Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king, for Yahweh has avenged you today of all those who rose up against you.”
apparuit Chusi et veniens ait bonum adporto nuntium domine mi rex iudicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium qui surrexerunt contra te
32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is.”
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
33 The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate and wept. As he went, he said, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”
contristatus itaque rex ascendit cenaculum portae 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
