Ascendit ergo David inde: et habitavit in locis tutissimis Engaddi.

Then David withdrew, and made the fastness of Engaddi his home.

Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.

Cumque reversus esset Saul, postquam persecutus est Philisthæos, nuntiaverunt ei, dicentes: Ecce David in deserto est Engaddi.

So, when Saul returned from driving the Philistines away, word was brought to him, David is over yonder, in the desert of Engaddi;

And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.

Assumens ergo Saul tria millia electorum virorum ex omni Israël, perrexit ad investigandum David et viros ejus, etiam super abruptissimas petras, quæ solis ibicibus perviæ sunt.

and with three thousand picked men from the Israelite ranks he went to hunt out David and his followers, though it were among rocks so steep that only the wild goats could find a footing.

Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.

Et venit ad caulas ovium, quæ se offerebant vianti: eratque ibi spelunca, quam ingressus est Saul ut purgaret ventrem: porro David et viri ejus in interiore parte speluncæ latebant.

Close by some sheep-folds that met him on his way, there was a cave, into which Saul went to ease himself; and in the inner part of this same cave, David and his men lay hidden.

And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.

Et dixerunt servi David ad eum: Ecce dies de qua locutus est Dominus ad te: Ego tradam tibi inimicum tuum, ut facias ei sicut placuerit in oculis tuis. Surrexit ergo David, et præcidit oram chlamydis Saul silenter.

Now, David’s servants told him, the time has come which the Lord foretold to thee, when he promised he would put thy enemy at thy mercy. Whereupon David rose to his feet, and silently cut off the skirt of Saul’s cloak.

And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.

Post hæc percussit cor suum David, eo quod abscidisset oram chlamydis Saul.

Then his heart smote him, that he had even mutilated Saul’s cloak;

After which David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul’s robe.

Dixitque ad viros suos: Propitius sit mihi Dominus, ne faciam hanc rem domino meo, christo Domini, ut mittam manum meam in eum: quia christus Domini est.

God be merciful to me, said he to his men, never may I do such despite to the Lord’s unction, as to lay hands on the king he has anointed!

And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord’s anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord’s anointed.

Et confregit David viros suos sermonibus, et non permisit eos ut consurgerent in Saul: porro Saul exsurgens de spelunca, pergebat cœpto itinere.

So, with a word, he checked his men, and would not let them do Saul any violence.

And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.

Surrexit autem et David post eum: et egressus de spelunca, clamavit post tergum Saul, dicens: Domine mi rex. Et respexit Saul post se: et inclinans se David pronus in terram adoravit,

When Saul left the cave, to go forward on his march, David followed him; he too left the cave, crying out after him, My lord king! And when Saul looked behind him, there was David bowing to the earth in reverence.

And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,

dixitque ad Saul: Quare audis verba hominum loquentium: David quærit malum adversum te?

Why wouldst thou lend an ear, David asked him, to such as tell thee David is thy enemy?

And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?

Ecce hodie viderunt oculi tui quod tradiderit te Dominus in manu mea in spelunca: et cogitavi ut occiderem te, sed pepercit tibi oculus meus: dixi enim: Non extendam manum meam in dominum meum, quia christus Domini est.

Thou canst see with thy own eyes that the Lord put thee at my mercy, yonder in the cave, and the thought came to me that I might kill thee. But no, I looked down and spared thee; Never will I lift a hand, thought I, against the king the Lord has anointed.

Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.

Quin potius pater mi, vide, et cognosce oram chlamydis tuæ in manu mea: quoniam cum præscinderem summitatem chlamydis tuæ, nolui extendere manum meam in te: animadverte, et vide, quoniam non est in manu mea malum, neque iniquitas, neque peccavi in te: tu autem insidiaris animæ meæ ut auferas eam.

Do but look, my father, on what I hold in my hand; dost thou recognize the skirt of thy cloak? The skirt of thy cloak I cut off; kill thee I would not. Think on this, and tell thyself that there was never despite or wrong on my part, never a fault committed against thee; it is thou that art plotting against me, ready to compass my death.

Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.

Judicet Dominus inter me et te, et ulciscatur me Dominus ex te: manus autem mea non sit in te.

The Lord pass sentence between us; it is for the Lord to avenge me on thee; this hand shall never be lifted against thee.

The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.

Sicut et in proverbio antiquo dicitur: Ab impiis egredietur impietas: manus ergo mea non sit in te.

(So the old proverb says, Leave wrong to the wrong-doer, my hand shall not touch thee.) A fine quarry thou huntest, king of Israel,

As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?

Quem persequeris, rex Israël? quem persequeris? canem mortuum persequeris, et pulicem unum.

a fine quarry indeed! A dead dog, a flea, is all thy quest.

After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.

Sit Dominus judex, et judicet inter me et te: et videat, et judicet causam meam, et eruat me de manu tua.

The Lord give sentence between us; the Lord witness and redress my wrongs, and rescue me from thy power.

Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.

Cum autem complesset David loquens sermones hujuscemodi ad Saul, dixit Saul: Numquid vox hæc tua est, fili mi David? Et levavit Saul vocem suam, et flevit:

All this David said to him, and then Saul asked, Is it thy voice I hear, my son David? and wept aloud.

And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

dixitque ad David: Justior tu es quam ego: tu enim tribuisti mihi bona, ego autem reddidi tibi mala.

Thou givest better measure, he said, than I; thou returnest good for evil, and I evil for good.

And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.

Et tu indicasti hodie quæ feceris mihi bona: quomodo tradiderit me Dominus in manum tuam, et non occideris me.

And thou hast shewn thyself a true friend this day, sparing my life when the Lord had put it at thy mercy;

And thou hast shewen this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.

Quis enim cum invenerit inimicum suum, dimittet eum in via bona? sed Dominus reddat tibi vicissitudinem hanc pro eo quod hodie operatus es in me.

should a man meet his enemy, and let him go unharmed? The Lord reward thee for this day’s kindness.

For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.

Et nunc quia scio quod certissime regnaturus sis, et habiturus in manu tua regnum Israël:

This I know past all doubt, that one day thou wilt be king, and have this realm of Israel in thy power;

And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:

jura mihi in Domino, ne deleas semen meum post me, neque auferas nomen meum de domo patris mei.

swear to me in the Lord’s name that thou wilt not destroy the posterity which survives me, wilt not leave my name forgotten in the record of my father’s race.

Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.

Et juravit David Sauli. Abiit ergo Saul in domum suam: et David et viri ejus ascenderunt ad tutiora loca.

So David bound himself to Saul by oath, and Saul went home, while David and his followers returned to their hill-fastness.

And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.