2 Samuel 18
1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
Igitur considerato David populo suo constituit super eos tribunos et centuriones,
2 And David sent forth the people, 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. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.
et dedit populi tertiam partem sub manu Ioab, et tertiam partem sub manu Abisai filii Sarviae fratris Ioab, et tertiam partem sub manu Ethai, qui erat de Geth, dixitque rex ad populum: Egrediar et ego vobiscum.
3 But the people said, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou be ready to succour 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 millibus computaris: melius est igitur ut sis nobis in urbe praesidio.
4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.
Ad quos rex ait: Quod vobis videtur rectum, hoc faciam. Stetit ergo rex iuxta portam: egrediebaturque populus per turmas suas centeni, et milleni.
5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge 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 Israel, et factum est praelium in saltu Ephraim.
7 And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.
Et caesus est ibi populus Israel ab exercitu David, factaque est plaga magna in die illa, viginti millium.
8 For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country: and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
Fuit autem ibi praelium dispersum super faciem omnis terrae, et multo plures erant, quos saltus consumpserat de populo, quam hi, quos voraverat gladius in die illa.
9 And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon 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 taken up between the heaven and the 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, adhaesit caput eius quercui: et illo suspenso inter caelum et terram, mulus, cui insederat, pertransivit.
10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.
Vidit autem hoc quispiam, et nunciavit Ioab, dicens: Vidi Absalom pendere de quercu.
11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And behold, thou sawest it, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten [pieces of] silver, and a girdle.
Et ait Ioab viro, qui nunciaverat ei: Si vidisti, quare non confodisti eum cum terra, et ego dedissem tibi decem argenti siclos, et unum balteum?
12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand [pieces of] silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.
Qui dixit ad Ioab: Si appenderes 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 hid from the king, ) then thou thyself wouldest have stood aloof.
Sed et si fecissem contra animam meam audacter, nequaquam hoc regem latere potuisset, et tu stares ex adverso?
14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
Et ait Ioab: Non sicut tu vis, sed aggrediar eum coram te. Tulit ergo tres lanceas in manu sua, et infixit eas in corde Absalom: cumque adhuc palpitaret haerens in quercu,
15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.
cucurrerunt decem iuvenes armigeri Ioab, et percutientes interfecerunt eum.
16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
Cecinit autem Ioab buccina, et retinuit populum, ne persequeretur fugientem Israel, volens parcere multitudini.
17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
Et tulerunt Absalom, et proiecerunt eum in saltu, in foveam grandem, et comportaverunt super eum acervum lapidum magnum nimis: omnis autem Israel fugit in tabernacula sua.
18 Now Absalom in his life time had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called Absalom’s monument, unto this day.
Porro Absalom erexerat sibi, cum adhuc viveret, titulum qui est in Valle regis: dixerat enim: Non habeo filium, et hoc erit monimentum nominis mei. Vocavitque titulum nomine suo, et appellatur Manus Absalom, usque ad hanc diem.
19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.
Achimaas autem filius Sadoc, ait: Curram, et nunciabo regi, quia iudicium fecerit ei Dominus de manu inimicorum eius.
20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.
Ad quem Ioab dixit: Non eris nuncius in hac die, sed nunciabis in alia: hodie nolo te nunciare, filius enim regis est mortuus.
21 Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.
Et ait Ioab Chusi: Vade, et nuncia regi quae vidisti. Adoravit Chusi Ioab, et cucurrit.
22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?
Rursus autem Achimaas filius Sadoc dixit ad Ioab: Quid impedit si etiam ego curram post Chusi? Dixitque ei Ioab: Quid vis currere fili mi? Veni huc! non eris boni nuncii baiulus.
23 But come what may, [said he], I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and overran the Cushite.
Qui respondit: Quid enim si cucurrero? Et ait ei: Curre. Currens ergo Achimaas per viam compendii, transivit Chusi.
24 Now David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto 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 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.
Et exclamans indicavit regi: dixitque rex: Si solus est, bonus est nuncius in ore eius. Properante autem illo, et accedente propius,
26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, [another] man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.
vidit speculator hominem alterum currentem, et vociferans in culmine, ait: Apparet mihi alter homo currens solus. Dixitque rex: Et iste bonus est nuncius.
27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.
Speculator autem: Contemplor, ait, cursum prioris, quasi cursum Achimaas filii Sadoc. Et ait rex: Vir bonus est: et nuncium portans bonum, venit.
28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.
Clamans autem Achimaas, dixit ad regem: Salve rex. 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 And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not 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 And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.
Ad quem rex: Transi, ait, et sta hic. Cumque ille transisset, et staret,
31 And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Tidings for my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.
apparuit Chusi: et veniens ait: Bonum apporto nuncium, domine mi rex: iudicavit enim pro te Dominus hodie de manu omnium qui surrexerunt contra te.
32 And the king said unto the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, 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 adversus eum in malum.
33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
Contristatus itaque rex, ascendit coenaculum portae, et flevit. Et sic loquebatur, vadens: Fili mi Absalom, Absalom fili mi: quis mihi tribuat ut ego moriar pro te, Absalom fili mi, fili mi Absalom?
