1 Samuel 24
1 Et il arriva que, quand Saül fut revenu de la poursuite des Philistins, on lui rapporta, en disant: Voici, David est au désert d’En-Guédi.
Now when Saul came back from fighting the Philistines, news was given him that David was in the waste land of En-gedi.
2 Et Saül prit 3 000 hommes d’élite de tout Israël, et il s’en alla pour chercher David et ses hommes sur les rochers des bouquetins.
Then Saul took three thousand of the best men out of all Israel, and went in search of David and his men on the rocks of the mountain goats.
3 Et il vint aux parcs du menu bétail, sur le chemin; et là il y avait une caverne, et Saül y entra pour se couvrir les pieds; et David et ses hommes étaient assis au fond de la caverne.
And on the way he came to a place where sheep were kept, where there was a hollow in the rock; and Saul went in for a private purpose. Now David and his men were in the deepest part of the hollow.
4 Et les hommes de David lui dirent: Voici le jour dont l’Éternel t’a dit: Voici, je livre ton ennemi en ta main, et tu lui feras comme il sera bon à tes yeux. Et David se leva et coupa secrètement le pan de la robe de Saül.
And David's men said to him, Now is the time when the Lord says to you, I will give up your hater into your hands to do with him whatever seems good to you. Then David, getting up, took the skirt of Saul's robe in his hand, cutting off the end of it without his knowledge.
5 Et il arriva, après cela, que le cœur de David le reprit de ce qu’il avait coupé le pan [de la robe] de Saül.
And later, David was full of regret for cutting off Saul's skirt.
6 Et il dit à ses hommes: Loin de moi, de par l’Éternel, que je fasse une telle chose à mon seigneur, à l’oint de l’Éternel, que d’étendre ma main sur lui; car il est l’oint de l’Éternel.
And David said to his men, Before the Lord, never let it be said that my hand was lifted up against my lord, the man of the Lord's selection, for the Lord's holy oil has been put on him.
7 Et David retint ses hommes par ses paroles, et ne leur permit pas de s’élever contre Saül. Et Saül se leva de la caverne, et alla son chemin.
So with these words David kept his servants back, and did not let them make an attack on Saul. And Saul got up and went on his way.
8 Et après cela, David se leva, et sortit de la caverne, et cria après Saül, disant: Ô roi, mon seigneur! Et Saül regarda derrière lui, et David s’inclina le visage contre terre et se prosterna.
And after that David came out of the hollow rock, and crying after Saul said, My lord the king. And when Saul gave a look back, David went down on his face and gave him honour.
9 Et David dit à Saül: Pourquoi écouterais-tu les paroles des hommes qui disent: Voici, David cherche à te faire du mal?
And David said to Saul, Why do you give any attention to those who say that it is my desire to do you wrong?
10 Voici, tes yeux ont vu en ce jour que l’Éternel t’a livré aujourd’hui en ma main, dans la caverne. Et on m’a dit de te tuer; et [mon œil] t’a épargné, et j’ai dit: Je n’étendrai point ma main sur mon seigneur, car il est l’oint de l’Éternel.
Look! you have seen today how the Lord gave you up into my hands even now in the hollow of the rocks: and some would have had me put you to death, but I had pity on you: for I said, Never will my hand be lifted up against my lord, who has been marked with the holy oil.
11 Et regarde, mon père, regarde le pan de ta robe dans ma main; car en ce que j’ai coupé le pan de ta robe et ne t’ai point tué, sache et vois qu’il n’y a pas de mal en ma main, ni de transgression, et que je n’ai pas péché contre toi; et toi, tu fais la chasse à mon âme pour la prendre.
And see, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand: for the fact that I took off the skirt of your robe and did not put you to death is witness that I have no evil purpose, and I have done you no wrong, though you are waiting for my life to take it.
12 L’Éternel jugera entre moi et toi, et l’Éternel me vengera de toi; mais ma main ne sera pas sur toi.
May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord give me my rights against you, but my hand will never be lifted up against you.
13 Comme dit le proverbe des anciens: Des méchants vient la méchanceté; mais ma main ne sera pas sur toi.
There is an old saying, From the evil-doer comes evil: but my hand will never be lifted up against you.
14 Après qui est sorti le roi d’Israël? Qui poursuis-tu? Un chien mort, une puce!
After whom has the king of Israel come out? for whom are you searching? for a dead dog, an insect.
15 Et l’Éternel sera juge, et il jugera entre moi et toi; et il verra et plaidera ma cause, et me fera droit [en me délivrant] de ta main.
So let the Lord be judge, and give a decision between me and you, and see and give support to my cause, and keep me from falling into your hands.
16 Et lorsque David eut achevé de dire ces paroles à Saül, Saül dit: Est-ce là ta voix, mon fils David? Et Saül éleva sa voix et pleura.
Now when David had said these words to Saul, Saul said, Is this your voice, David, my son? And Saul was overcome with weeping.
17 Et il dit à David: Tu es plus juste que moi, car toi tu m’as rendu le bien, et moi je t’ai rendu le mal;
And he said to David, You are right and I am wrong: for you have given me back good, but I have given you evil.
18 et tu as fait connaître aujourd’hui que tu agissais en bien envers moi, en ce que l’Éternel m’avait livré en ta main, et que tu ne m’as pas tué.
And you have made clear to me how good you have been to me today: because, when the Lord gave me up into your hands, you did not put me to death.
19 Et si un homme a trouvé son ennemi, le laissera-t-il aller sain et sauf? Que l’Éternel te fasse du bien, en récompense de ce que tu as fait aujourd’hui à mon égard!
If a man comes across his hater, will he let him get away safe? so may you be rewarded by the Lord for what you have done for me today.
20 Et maintenant, voici, je sais que certainement tu régneras, et que le royaume d’Israël sera établi en ta main.
And now I am certain that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be made strong under your authority.
21 Et maintenant, jure-moi par l’Éternel que tu ne retrancheras point ma semence après moi, et que tu n’ôteras point mon nom de la maison de mon père.
So give me your oath by the Lord, that you will not put an end to my seed after me or let my name be cut off from my father's family.
22 Et David le jura à Saül; et Saül s’en alla dans sa maison; et David et ses hommes montèrent au lieu fort.
And David gave Saul his oath. And Saul went back to his house; but David and his men went up to their safe place.
