Et venerunt Ziphæi ad Saul in Gabaa, dicentes: Ecce David absconditus est in colle Hachila, quæ est ex adverso solitudinis.

And the men of Ziph came to Saul in Gabaa, saying: Behold David is hid in the hill of Hachila, which is over against the wilderness.

When the men of Ziph brought news to Saul in Gabaa that David was in hiding on the slopes of Hachila, that look out towards the desert,

Et surrexit Saul, et descendit in desertum Ziph, et cum eo tria millia virorum de electis Israël, ut quæreret David in deserto Ziph.

And Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.

he set out with three thousand picked men from the ranks of Israel, and made his way to the desert of Ziph, to search for David there.

Et castrametatus est Saul in Gabaa Hachila, quæ erat ex adverso solitudinis in via: David autem habitabat in deserto. Videns autem quod venisset Saul post se in desertum,

And Saul encamped in Gabaa Hachila, which was over against the wilderness in the way: and David abode in the wilderness. And seeing that Saul was come after him into the wilderness,

On the slopes of Hachila Saul encamped; David, meanwhile, who was out in the desert, knowing that Saul meant to follow him there,

misit exploratores, et didicit quod illuc venisset certissime.

He sent spies, and learned that he was most certainly come thither.

had sent men to watch his movements, and it was Hachila they reported as Saul’s halting-place.

Et surrexit David clam, et venit ad locum ubi erat Saul: cumque vidisset locum in quo dormiebat Saul, et Abner filius Ner, princeps militiæ ejus, et Saulem dormientem in tentorio, et reliquum vulgus per circuitum ejus,

And David arose secretly, and came to the place where Saul was: and when he had beheld the place, wherein Saul slept, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army, and Saul sleeping in a tent, and the rest of the multitude round about him,

Then David himself went on a secret journey, and made his way to the spot; looked down at the place where Saul lay, where Abner lay, the commander of his army, and the very tent in which Saul slept, with all the rest of his men camped about him.

ait David ad Achimelech Hethæum, et Abisai filium Sarviæ fratrem Joab, dicens: Quis descendet mecum ad Saul in castra? Dixitque Abisai: Ego descendam tecum.

David spoke to Achimelech the Hethite, and Abisai the son of Sarvia the brother of Joab, saying: Who will go down with me to Saul into the camp? And Abisai said: I will go with thee.

Thereupon David said to his companions, Achimelech the man of Heth, and Abisai, Sarvia’s son, that was brother to Joab, Which of you comes down with me to the camp where Saul lies? And Abisai said, I will bear thee company.

Venerunt ergo David et Abisai ad populum nocte, et invenerunt Saul jacentem et dormientem in tentorio, et hastam fixam in terra ad caput ejus: Abner autem et populum dormientes in circuitu ejus.

So David and Abisai came to the people by night, and found Saul lying and sleeping in the tent, and his spear fixed in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people sleeping round about him.

So, at dead of night, David and Abisai passed through into the Israelite lines, and found Saul asleep in his tent, with his spear driven into the ground by his pillow; all around him, Abner and the rest of his army lay sleeping too.

Dixitque Abisai ad David: Conclusit Deus inimicum tuum hodie in manus tuas: nunc ergo perfodiam eum lancea in terra semel, et secundo opus non erit.

And Abisai said to David: God hath shut up thy enemy this day into thy hands: now then I will run him through with my spear even to the earth at once, and there shall be no need of a second time.

Now, said Abisai, the Lord has left thy enemy at thy mercy! Let me pin him to the ground as he lies with one thrust of yonder spear; there will be no need for a second.

Et dixit David ad Abisai: Ne interficias eum: quis enim extendet manum suam in christum Domini, et innocens erit?

And David said to Abisai: Kill him not: for who shall put forth his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and shall be guiltless?

Nay, answered David, kill him thou must not; none can lay hands on the king whom the Lord has anointed but he incurs guilt.

Et dixit David: Vivit Dominus, quia nisi Dominus percusserit eum, aut dies ejus venerit ut moriatur, aut in prælium descendens perierit:

And David said: As the Lord liveth, unless the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down to battle and perish:

As the Lord is a living God, David said, I will wait for the Lord to smite him down, till death comes to him, or he falls on the field of battle.

propitius sit mihi Dominus ne extendam manum meam in christum Domini. Nunc igitur tolle hastam quæ est ad caput ejus, et scyphum aquæ, et abeamus.

The Lord be merciful unto me, that I extend not my hand upon the Lord’s anointed. But now take the spear, which is at his head, and the cup of water, and let us go.

The Lord be merciful to me, never will I lay hands on the king he has anointed! Come, take up the spear that is by his head, and yonder pitcher of water, and let us begone.

Tulit igitur David hastam, et scyphum aquæ qui erat ad caput Saul, et abierunt: et non erat quisquam qui videret, et intelligeret, et evigilaret, sed omnes dormiebant, quia sopor Domini irruerat super eos.

So David took the spear, and the cup of water which was at Saul’s head, and they went away: and no man saw it, or knew it, or awaked, but they were all asleep, for a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them.

So David took away the spear, and the pitcher of water that was by Saul’s head, and back they went; none saw, none knew of it, none stirred; all lay tranced in a deep sleep the Lord had sent down upon them.

Cumque transisset David ex adverso, et stetisset in vertice montis de longe, et esset grande intervallum inter eos,

And when David was gone over to the other side, and stood on the top of the hill afar off, and a good space was between them,

When David had crossed to the further slope, he stood on a peak of the hill far away, parted from them by a long distance,

clamavit David ad populum, et ad Abner filium Ner, dicens: Nonne respondebis, Abner? Et respondens Abner, ait: Quis es tu, qui clamas, et inquietas regem?

David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying: Wilt thou not answer, Abner? And Abner answering, said: Who art thou, that criest, and disturbest the king?

and cried out to the army of Israel, cried out to Abner, son of Ner. What, Abner, he said, wilt thou never answer? And answer he did, Who art thou, that criest so, disturbing the king’s sleep?

Et ait David ad Abner: Numquid non vir tu es? et quis alius similis tui in Israël? quare ergo non custodisti dominum tuum regem? ingressus est enim unus de turba ut interficeret regem dominum tuum.

And David said to Abner: Art not thou a man? and who is like unto thee in Israel? why then hast thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in to kill the king thy lord.

Thou wast ever a brave man, Abner, David said, none like thee in Israel; what guard is this thou keepest over thy lord the king? The life of thy lord the king was in danger but now, from a subject of his that found his way into the camp. This was great fault in thee;

Non est bonum hoc, quod fecisti: vivit Dominus, quoniam filii mortis estis vos, qui non custodistis dominum vestrum, christum Domini: nunc ergo vide ubi sit hasta regis, et ubi sit scyphus aquæ qui erat ad caput ejus.

This thing is not good, that thou hast done: as the Lord liveth, you are the sons of death, who have not kept your master, the Lord’s anointed. And now where is the king’s spear, and the cup of water, which was at his head?

as the Lord is a living God, you are no better than dead men, you that watch so ill over your master, the king he has anointed. Look about thee, and see what has become of the king’s spear, and the pitcher of water that was by his head.

Cognovit autem Saul vocem David, et dixit: Numquid vox hæc tua, fili mi David? Et ait David: Vox mea, domine mi rex.

And Saul knew David’s voice, and said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And David said: It is my voice, my lord the king.

With that, Saul himself recognized David’s voice; Is it thy voice I hear, he asked, my son David? And David answered, It is mine, my lord king, no other.

Et ait: Quam ob causam dominus meus persequitur servum suum? quid feci? aut quod est malum in manu mea?

And he said: Wherefore doth my lord persecute his servant? What have I done? or what evil is there in my hand?

My lord, said he, why wouldst thou hunt down this poor servant of thine? What have I done amiss, what guilt lies at my door? My lord king, give thy servant a hearing.

Nunc ergo audi, oro, domine mi rex, verba servi tui: si Dominus incitat te adversum me, odoretur sacrificium: si autem filii hominum, maledicti sunt in conspectu Domini qui ejecerunt me hodie ut non habitem in hæreditate Domini, dicentes: Vade, servi diis alienis.

Now therefore hear, I pray thee, my lord the king, the words of thy servant: If the Lord stir thee up against me, let him accept of sacrifice: but if the sons of men, they are cursed in the sight of the Lord, who have cast me out this day, that I should not dwell in the inheritance of the Lord, saying: Go, serve strange gods.

If it is the Lord that inspires thee with such hatred of me, then let him be appeased by sacrifice. But if it is the work of men, the Lord’s curse be on them; they have exiled me this day from the Lord’s domain, bidden me go and worship alien gods.

Et nunc non effundatur sanguis meus in terram coram Domino: quia egressus est rex Israël ut quærat pulicem unum, sicut persequitur perdix in montibus.

And now let not my blood be shed upon the earth before the Lord: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as the partridge is hunted in the mountains.

Why must the earth be stained with my blood, under the Lord’s eye? A fine quarry for the king of Israel! A flea, a partridge on the hills,

Et ait Saul: Peccavi: revertere, fili mi David: nequaquam enim ultra tibi malefaciam, eo quod pretiosa fuerit anima mea in oculis tuis hodie: apparet enim quod stulte egerim, et ignoraverim multa nimis.

And Saul said: I have sinned, return, my son David, for I will no more do thee harm, because my life hath been precious in thy eyes this day: for it appeareth that I have done foolishly, and have been ignorant in very many things.

were as well worth his chase. I have done thee wrong, Saul answered; return, my son David, return. Never again will I do thee hurt, after this day when thou hast spared my life. My folly, I see it now; my long blindness, I see it now.

Et respondens David, ait: Ecce hasta regis: transeat unus de pueris regis, et tollat eam.

And David answering, said: Behold the king’s spear: let one of the king’s servants come over and fetch it.

Here is the king’s spear, said David; best that one of the king’s men should come across and take it.

Dominus autem retribuet unicuique secundum justitiam suam et fidem: tradidit enim te Dominus hodie in manum meam, et nolui extendere manum meam in christum Domini.

And the Lord will reward every one according to his justice, and his faithfulness: for the Lord hath delivered thee this day into my hand, and I would not put forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed.

The Lord will make every man the return his own faith and honour have deserved; this day the Lord put thee at my mercy, and I would not lift a hand against the king he has anointed.

Et sicut magnificata est anima tua hodie in oculis meis, sic magnificetur anima mea in oculis Domini, et liberet me de omni angustia.

And as thy life hath been much set by this day in my eyes, so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the Lord, and let him deliver me from all distress.

I held thy life precious; may the Lord hold mine precious, and deliver me at all time of peril.

Ait ergo Saul ad David: Benedictus tu, fili mi David: et quidem faciens facies, et potens poteris. Abiit autem David in viam suam, et Saul reversus est in locum suum.

Then Saul said to David: Blessed art thou, my son David: and truly doing thou shalt do, and prevailing thou shalt prevail. And David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

A blessing on thee, my son David, Saul answered; much thou shalt achieve, much win. And with that, David passed on, and Saul went back whence he came.