Factum est autem in diebus illis, congregaverunt Philisthiim agmina sua, ut præpararentur ad bellum contra Israël: dixitque Achis ad David: Sciens nunc scito quoniam mecum egredieris in castris, tu et viri tui.

It happened at this time that the Philistines mustered all their array, to levy war on Israel. Be sure of this, said Achis to David, that thou and thy men shall march at my side to battle.

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered together their armies to be prepared for war against Israel: And Achis said to David: Know thou now assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me to the war, thou, and thy men.

Dixitque David ad Achis: Nunc scies quæ facturus est servus tuus. Et ait Achis ad David: Et ego custodem capitis mei ponam te cunctis diebus.

Why then, David answered, thou shalt have proof, now, of thy servant’s worth. Prove it, said Achis, and it shall be thine to guard my person at all times.

And David said to Achis: Now thou shalt know what thy servant will do. And Achis said to David: And I will appoint thee to guard my life for ever.

Samuel autem mortuus est, planxitque eum omnis Israël, et sepelierunt eum in Ramatha urbe sua. Et Saul abstulit magos et hariolos de terra.

This was after the time when Samuel died, and was buried at his home in Ramatha, with all Israel to mourn him; after the time when Saul purged the country of soothsayers and diviners.

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel mourned for him, and buried him in Ramatha his city. And Saul had put away all the magicians and soothsayers out of the land.

Congregatique sunt Philisthiim, et venerunt, et castrametati sunt in Sunam: congregavit autem et Saul universum Israël, et venit in Gelboë.

The Philistines had joined their forces and marched to Sunam, where they encamped; and Saul, with the whole muster of Israel, went out to mount Gelboe to meet them;

And the Philistines were gathered together, and came and camped in Sunam: and Saul also gathered together all Israel, and came to Gelboe.

Et vidit Saul castra Philisthiim, et timuit, et expavit cor ejus nimis.

but as he looked down on the Philistine camp he was dismayed, and sorely his heart misgave him.

And Saul saw the army of the Philistines, and was afraid, and his heart was very much dismayed.

Consuluitque Dominum, et non respondit ei neque per somnia, neque per sacerdotes, neque per prophetas.

When he consulted the Lord, no answer was sent him, by dream or priest or prophet;

And he consulted the Lord, and he answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by priests, nor by prophets.

Dixitque Saul servis suis: Quærite mihi mulierem habentem pythonem, et vadam ad eam, et sciscitabor per illam. Et dixerunt servi ejus ad eum: Est mulier pythonem habens in Endor.

and at last he bade his servants find him some woman that was an enchantress, so that he could go and question her. There is such a woman, they told him, living at Endor.

And Saul said to his servants: Seek me a woman that hath a divining spirit, and I will go to her, and inquire by her. And his servants said to him: There is a woman that hath a divining spirit at Endor.

Mutavit ergo habitum suum, vestitusque est aliis vestimentis, et abiit ipse, et duo viri cum eo: veneruntque ad mulierem nocte, et ait illi: Divina mihi in pythone, et suscita mihi quem dixero tibi.

So he disguised himself, and put on other garments, and, with two of his men in attendance, visited the woman at dead of night. Use thy enchantments, said he, to bring up from the dead the man I name to thee.

Then he disguised himself: and put on other clothes, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said to her: Divine to me by thy divining spirit, and bring me up him whom I shall tell thee.

Et ait mulier ad eum: Ecce, tu nosti quanta fecerit Saul, et quomodo eraserit magos et hariolos de terra: quare ergo insidiaris animæ meæ, ut occidar?

Nay, said she, thou knowest well how Saul has been at pains to rid the country of diviners and soothsayers; why wouldst thou entrap a poor soul, to bring her to her death?

And the woman said to him: Behold thou knowest all that Saul hath done, and how he hath rooted out the magicians and soothsayers from the land: why then dost thou lay a snare for my life, to cause me to be put to death?

Et juravit ei Saul in Domino, dicens: Vivit Dominus, quia non eveniet tibi quidquam mali propter hanc rem.

But Saul swore to her, As the Lord is a living God, no harm shall befall thee.

And Saul swore unto her by the Lord, saying: As the Lord liveth there shall no evil happen to thee for this thing.

Dixitque ei mulier: Quem suscitabo tibi? Qui ait: Samuelem mihi suscita.

And when she asked whom he would have brought up from the dead, he said, Bring up Samuel for me.

And the woman said to him: Whom shall I bring up to thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.

Cum autem vidisset mulier Samuelem, exclamavit voce magna, et dixit ad Saul: Quare imposuisti mihi? tu es enim Saul.

No sooner did Samuel appear to her, than the woman cried aloud, What is this trick thou hast played on me? Thou thyself art Saul!

And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice, and said to Saul: Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

Dixitque ei rex: Noli timere: quid vidisti? Et ait mulier ad Saul: Deos vidi ascendentes de terra.

But the king bade her have no fear, and asked what it was she had seen. It seemed, she told him, as if gods were coming up from beneath the earth.

And the king said to her: Fear not: what hast thou seen? And the woman said to Saul: I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

Dixitque ei: Qualis est forma ejus? Quæ ait: Vir senex ascendit, et ipse amictus est pallio. Et intellexit Saul quod Samuel esset, et inclinavit se super faciem suam in terra, et adoravit.

What form is it thou seest? he asked. And she said, An old man has come up, wrapped in a cloak. Then Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed his face to the earth, and did reverence.

And he said to her: What form is he of? And she said: An old man cometh up, and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul understood that it was Samuel, and he bowed himself with his face to the ground, and adored.

Dixit autem Samuel ad Saul: Quare inquietasti me ut suscitarer? Et ait Saul: Coarctor nimis: siquidem Philisthiim pugnant adversum me, et Deus recessit a me, et exaudire me noluit neque in manu prophetarum, neque per somnia: vocavi ergo te, ut ostenderes mihi quid faciam.

Why hast thou disturbed my rest, Samuel asked, and brought me to earth again? I am hard pressed, Saul told him; the Philistines are levying war on me, and the Lord has forsaken me, giving me no answer by prophet or by dream; and I have summoned thee to tell me how I am to make shift.

And Samuel said to Saul: Why hast thou disturbed my rest, that I should be brought up? And Saul said, I am in great distress: for the Philistines fight against me, and God is departed from me, and would not hear me, neither by the hand of prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest shew me what I shall do.

Et ait Samuel: Quid interrogas me, cum Dominus recesserit a te, et transierit ad æmulum tuum?

Nay, answered Samuel, what need to ask? The Lord has forsaken thee, and gone over to one that is thy rival.

And Samuel said: Why askest thou me, seeing the Lord has departed from thee, and is gone over to thy rival:

Faciet enim tibi Dominus sicut locutus est in manu mea, et scindet regnum tuum de manu tua et dabit illud proximo tuo David:

He means to make good the threat I uttered in his name, that he would snatch the kingdom from thy hand, and give it to another; it was of David he spoke.

For the Lord will do to thee as he spoke by me, and he will rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and will give it to thy neighbour David:

quia non obedisti voci Domini, neque fecisti iram furoris ejus in Amalec: idcirco quod pateris, fecit tibi Dominus hodie.

And thy plight this day is the punishment the Lord sends thee for disobeying his command, instead of executing his vengeance on Amalec;

Because thou didst not obey the voice of the Lord, neither didst thou execute the wrath of his indignation upon Amalec. Therefore hath the Lord done to thee what thou sufferest this day.

Et dabit Dominus etiam Israël tecum in manus Philisthiim: cras autem tu et filii tui mecum eritis: sed et castra Israël tradet Dominus in manus Philisthiim.

over thee and all Israel he will give the Philistines mastery. To-morrow, thou and thy sons will be with me, and the Lord will leave the camp of Israel at the mercy of the Philistines.

And the Lord also will deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines: and to morrow thou and thy sons shall be with me: and the Lord will also deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.

Statimque Saul cecidit porrectus in terram: extimuerat enim verba Samuelis, et robur non erat in eo, quia non comederat panem tota die illa.

With that, Saul fell his full length on the ground, so daunted was he by Samuel’s words, so weak from taking no food all that day.

And forthwith Saul fell all along on the ground, for he was frightened with the words of Samuel, and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all that day.

Ingressa est itaque mulier illa ad Saul (conturbatus enim erat valde), dixitque ad eum: Ecce obedivit ancilla tua voci tuæ, et posui animam meam in manu mea: et audivi sermones tuos, quos locutus es ad me.

The woman went to his side, seeing him thus overcome; My lord, she said, I obeyed thee at the peril of my life, and since I have so humoured thee,

And the woman came to Saul (for he was very much troubled) and said to him: Behold thy handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand: and I hearkened unto the words which thou spokest to me.

Nunc igitur audi et tu vocem ancillæ tuæ, et ponam coram te buccellam panis, ut comedens convalescas, et possis iter agere.

wilt thou not humour this handmaid of thine, by letting her set a mouthful of food before thee, to give thee strength for thy journey by the eating of it?

Now therefore hear thou also the voice of thy handmaid, and let me set before thee a morsel of bread, that thou mayest eat and recover strength, and be able to go on thy journey.

Qui renuit, et ait: Non comedam. Coëgerunt autem eum servi sui et mulier, et tandem audita voce eorum surrexit de terra, et sedit super lectum.

But he refused to take any food, until his servants and the woman together put constraint on him; then at last he rose from the ground and sat on the bed.

But he refused, and said: I will not eat. But his servants and the woman forced him, and at length hearkening to their voice, he arose from the ground and sat upon the bed.

Mulier autem illa habebat vitulum pascualem in domo, et festinavit, et occidit eum: tollensque farinam, miscuit eam, et coxit azyma,

The woman had a calf by her that she had fattened; this she killed without more ado, took flour and kneaded it and baked it without leaven,

Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house, and she made haste and killed it: and taking meal kneaded it, and baked some unleavened bread,

et posuit ante Saul et ante servos ejus. Qui cum comedissent, surrexerunt, et ambulaverunt per totam noctem illam.

and so she gave Saul and his men their meal. When they had eaten it they rose to go, and on they journeyed the whole night through.

And set it before Saul, and before his servants. And when they had eaten they rose up, and walked all that night.