And it was told Joab, that the king wept and mourned for his son:

Nuntiatum est autem Joab quod rex fleret et lugeret filium suum,

Word came back to Joab that the king was in tears, mourning over his son;

And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day: The king grieveth for his son.

et versa est victoria in luctum in die illa omni populo: audivit enim populus in die illa dici: Dolet rex super filio suo.

and the news of the royal grief went round among the army, so that the victory they had won that day issued only in lament.

And the people shunned the going into the city that day as a people would do that hath turned their backs, and fled away from the battle.

Et declinavit populus in die illa ingredi civitatem, quomodo declinare solet populus versus et fugiens de prælio.

They would not even return that day to the city, feeling such shame as a broken and routed army feels;

And the king covered his head, and cried with a loud voice: O my son Absalom, O Absalom my son, O my son.

Porro rex operuit caput suum, et clamabat voce magna: Fili mi Absalom, Absalom fili mi, fili mi.

and all the while the king hid his face away, and went on crying aloud, My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!

Then Joab going into the house to the king, said: Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, that have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines.

Ingressus ergo Joab ad regem in domum, dixit: Confudisti hodie vultus omnium servorum tuorum, qui salvam fecerunt animam tuam, et animam filiorum tuorum et filiarum tuarum, et animam uxorum tuarum, et animam concubinarum tuarum.

At last Joab made his way into the royal lodging, and said to the king, Here is a fine day’s work, to make all thy followers go about hanging their heads! The men who have saved thee and thy sons and daughters, thy wives and concubines, from peril of death!

Thou lovest them that hate thee, and thou hatest them that love thee: and thou hast shewn this day that thou carest not for thy nobles, nor for thy servants: and I now plainly perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had been slain, then it would have pleased thee.

Diligis odientes te, et odio habes diligentes te: et ostendisti hodie quia non curas de ducibus tuis et de servis tuis: et vere cognovi modo, quia si Absalom viveret, et omnes nos occubuissemus, tunc placeret tibi.

Nothing but love for thy enemies, nothing but hatred for thy friends; never a thought, this day, for thy own captains and thy own men! If we were all dead, and Absalom still lived, I warrant thou hadst been the better pleased.

Now therefore arise, and go out, and speak to the satisfaction of thy servants: for I swear to thee by the Lord, that if thou wilt not go forth, there will not tarry with thee so much as one this night: and that will be worse to thee, than all the evils that have befallen thee from thy youth until now.

Nunc igitur surge, et procede, et alloquens satisfac servis tuis: juro enim tibi per Dominum quod si non exieris, ne unus quidem remansurus sit tecum nocte hac: et pejus erit hoc tibi quam omnia mala quæ venerunt super te ab adolescentia tua usque in præsens.

Bestir thyself, come out and speak to thy men, and earn their good will; I swear by the Lord that if thou dost not come out, not a man will be left to serve thy cause by night-fall; and worse awaits thee than all the troubles which have come upon thee from the days of thy youth till now.

Then the king arose and sat in the gate: and it was told to all the people that the king sat in the gate: and all the people came before the king, but Israel fled to their own dwellings.

Surrexit ergo rex et sedit in porta: et omni populo nuntiatum est quod rex sederet in porta. Venitque universa multitudo coram rege: Israël autem fugit in tabernacula sua.

So the king rose up, and seated himself at the gateway; and there, once the word had gone round that the king was sitting in the gateway, all his followers came into the royal presence.

And all the people were at strife in all the tribes of Israel, saying: The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines: and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

Omnis quoque populus certabat in cunctis tribubus Israël, dicens: Rex liberavit nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum; ipse salvavit nos de manu Philisthinorum: et nunc fugit de terra propter Absalom.

But the men of Israel had fled home. And now, all through the tribes of Israel, there was high debate; Here is a king, men said, that has rid us of our enemies, rescued us from the power of the Philistines, and he must be exiled from his kingdom to please Absalom!

But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in the battle: how long are you silent, and bring not back the king?

Absalom autem, quem unximus super nos, mortuus est in bello: usquequo siletis, et non reducitis regem?

This Absalom, whom we anointed to be our king, has fallen in battle; why is no voice raised for bringing the king back to us?

And king David sent to Sadoc, and Abiathar the priests, saying: Speak to the ancients of Juda, saying: Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? (For the talk of all Israel was come to the king in his house.)

Rex vero David misit ad Sadoc et Abiathar sacerdotes, dicens: Loquimini ad majores natu Juda, dicentes: Cur venitis novissimi ad reducendum regem in domum suam? (Sermo autem omnis Israël pervenerat ad regem in domo ejus.)

News of what the Israelites were saying had reached the court, and now king David sent word to the priests, Sadoc and Abiathar, bidding them ask the elders of Juda, Why are you the last to welcome the king home again?

You are my brethren, you are my bone, and my flesh, why are you the last to bring back the king?

Fratres mei vos, os meum, et caro mea vos, quare novissimi reducitis regem?

You are my own tribesmen, my own kith and kin, why do you hang back, instead of restoring me to the throne?

And say ye to Amasa: Art not thou my bone, and my flesh? So do God to me and add more, if thou be not the chief captain of the army before me always in the place of Joab.

Et Amasæ dicite: Nonne os meum, et caro mea es? hæc faciat mihi Deus, et hæc addat, si non magister militiæ fueris coram me omni tempore pro Joab.

He bade them, too, give this message to Amasa, Art thou not my own flesh and blood? May the Lord punish me as I deserve, and more than I deserve, if I do not make thee, instead of Joab, commander of my army henceforward!

And he inclined the heart of all the men of Juda, as it were of one man: and they sent to the king, saying: Return thou, and all thy servants.

Et inclinavit cor omnium virorum Juda quasi viri unius: miseruntque ad regem, dicentes: Revertere tu, et omnes servi tui.

Thus he won over the men of Juda till they had but a single thought, and a message was sent to the king bidding him come back to them, and all his men with him.

And the king returned and came as far as the Jordan, and all Juda came as far as Galgal to meet the king, and to bring him over the Jordan.

Et reversus est rex, et venit usque ad Jordanem: et omnis Juda venit usque in Galgalam ut occurreret regi, et traduceret eum Jordanem.

So the king set out for home, and by the time he reached the Jordan, the whole of Juda had assembled at Galgal to meet him and escort him over the river.

And Semei the son of Gera the son of Jemini of Bahurim, made haste and went down with the men of Juda to meet king David,

Festinavit autem Semei filius Gera filii Jemini de Bahurim, et descendit cum viris Juda in occursum regis David,

Semei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, hastened to bear them company, welcoming king David

With a thousand men of Benjamin, and Siba the servant of the house of Saul: and his fifteen sons, and twenty servants were with him: and going over the Jordan,

cum mille viris de Benjamin, et Siba puer de domo Saul: et quindecim filii ejus, ac viginti servi erant cum eo: et irrumpentes Jordanem, ante regem

with a thousand of his own tribesmen; there was Siba, too, that had once been a servant in the court of Saul, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants of his, and these, plunging into the Jordan

They passed the fords before the king, that they might help over the king’s household, and do according to his commandment. And Semei the son of Gera falling down before the king, when he was come over the Jordan,

transierunt vada, ut traducerent domum regis, et facerent juxta jussionem ejus: Semei autem filius Gera prostratus coram rege, cum jam transisset Jordanem,

before the king could reach it, were across the ford, ready to escort his household and wait upon his bidding. Semei, Gera’s son, was no sooner across Jordan than he fell at the king’s feet;

Said to him: Impute not to me, my lord, the iniquity, nor remember the injuries of thy servant on the day that thou, my lord, the king, wentest out of Jerusalem, nor lay it up in thy heart, O king.

dixit ad eum: Ne reputes mihi, domine mi, iniquitatem, neque memineris injuriarum servi tui in die qua egressus es, domine mi rex, de Jerusalem, neque ponas, rex, in corde tuo.

My lord, he said, do not hold me guilty, forget the wrong thy servant did thee when thou, my lord king, hadst left Jerusalem; let there be no grudge in thy royal heart.

For I thy servant acknowledge my sin: and therefore I am come this day the first of all the house of Joseph, and am come down to meet my lord the king.

Agnosco enim servus tuus peccatum meum: et idcirco hodie primus veni de omni domo Joseph, descendique in occursum domini mei regis.

I, thy servant, confess this day the wrong I did; that is why I have come, first spokesman of the other tribes, to meet the king’s grace on his way.

But Abisai the son of Sarvia answering, said: Shall Semei for these words not be put to death, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?

Respondens vero Abisai filius Sarviæ, dixit: Numquid pro his verbis non occidetur Semei, quia maledixit christo Domini?

At this, Abisai son of Sarvia would have Semei put to death, for the curses he uttered against an anointed king.

And David said: What have I to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia? why are you a satan this day to me? shall there any man be killed this day in Israel? do not I know that this day I am made king over Israel?

Et ait David: Quid mihi et vobis, filii Sarviæ? cur efficimini mihi hodie in satan? ergone hodie interficietur vir in Israël? an ignoro hodie me factum regem super Israël?

What, sons of Sarvia, David answered, will you never give me rest? This day, of all others, would you mar my peace? No Israelite shall lose his life this day, which has taught me for the first time that I am king in Israel.

And the king said to Semei: Thou shalt not die. And he swore unto him.

Et ait rex Semei: Non morieris. Juravitque ei.

And to Semei he said, Thou shalt not die, and took his oath to confirm it.

And Miphiboseth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and he had neither washed his feet, nor trimmed his beard: nor washed his garments from the day that the king went out, until the day of his return in peace.

Miphiboseth quoque filius Saul descendit in occursum regis, illotis pedibus et intonsa barba: vestesque suas non laverat a die qua egressus fuerat rex, usque ad diem reversionis ejus in pace.

Then the king was met by Miphiboseth, that was heir to Saul; he came with feet begrimed, with beard untrimmed, in garments that went unwashed from the day of the king’s departure to the day of his return.

And when he met the king at Jerusalem, the king said to him: Why camest thou not with me, Miphiboseth?

Cumque Jerusalem occurrisset regi, dixit ei rex: Quare non venisti mecum, Miphiboseth?

Down from Jerusalem he came to meet him, and when the king asked, Why didst thou not bear me company, Miphiboseth?

And he answering, said: My lord, O king, my servant despised me: for I thy servant spoke to him to saddle me an ass, that I might get on and go with the king: for I thy servant am lame.

Et respondens ait: Domine mi rex, servus meus contempsit me: dixique ei ego famulus tuus ut sterneret mihi asinum, et ascendens abirem cum rege: claudus enim sum servus tuus.

his answer was, My lord king, my own servant played me false; may it please thee, I bade him saddle me an ass, so that I could ride in the king’s company, lame as I am;

Moreover he hath also accused me thy servant to thee, my lord the king: but thou my lord the king art as an angel of God, do what pleaseth thee.

Insuper et accusavit me servum tuum ad te dominum meum regem: tu autem, domine mi rex, sicut angelus Dei es: fac quod placitum est tibi.

and he, not content with disobeying, has brought a false charge against me before my lord the king. But thou, my lord king, art wise as an angel of God; do what thou wilt.

For all of my father’s house were no better than worthy of death before my lord the king; and thou hast set me thy servant among the guests of thy table: what just complaint therefore have I? or what right to cry any more to the king?

Neque enim fuit domus patris mei, nisi morti obnoxia domino meo regi: tu autem posuisti me servum tuum inter convivas mensæ tuæ: quid ergo habeo justæ querelæ? aut quid possum ultra vociferari ad regem?

For indeed, the whole of my father’s line deserve nothing better than death at thy hands, and thou hast given me, thy servant, a place among the guests at thy table; what right have I to complain? I will raise my voice no more in my defence.

Then the king said to him: Why speakest thou any more? what I have said is determined: thou and Siba divide the possessions.

Ait ergo ei rex: Quid ultra loqueris? fixum est quod locutus sum: tu et Siba dividite possessiones.

And the king told him, No need to say more. My word has been passed; do thou and Siba divide the lands between you.

And Miphiboseth answered the king: Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is returned peaceably into his house.

Responditque Miphiboseth regi: Etiam cuncta accipiat, postquam reversus est dominus meus rex pacifice in domum suam.

Why, let him take all, Miphiboseth answered; enough for me that my lord the king has come home in peace.

Berzellai also the Galaadite coming down from Rogelim, brought the king over the Jordan, being ready also to wait on him beyond the river.

Berzellai quoque Galaadites, descendens de Rogelim, traduxit regem Jordanem, paratus etiam ultra fluvium prosequi eum.

Berzellai, too, the man of Galaad, came down from Rogelim, to attend his crossing of Jordan, ready to accompany him to the further bank.

Now Berzellai the Galaadite was of a great age, that is to say, fourscore years old, and he provided the king with sustenance when he abode in the camp: for he was a man exceeding rich.

Erat autem Berzellai Galaadites senex valde, id est, octogenarius, et ipse præbuit alimenta regi cum moraretur in castris: fuit quippe vir dives nimis.

Berzellai of Galaad was an old man, eighty years old; he it was that brought the king provisions, while he lay at the Encampment, for he was a man of great riches.

And the king said to Berzellai: Come with me that thou mayest rest secure with me in Jerusalem.

Dixit itaque rex ad Berzellai: Veni mecum, ut requiescas securus mecum in Jerusalem.

To him the king said, Bear me company, and take thy ease with me at Jerusalem.

And Berzellai said to the king: How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

Et ait Berzellai ad regem: Quot sunt dies annorum vitæ meæ, ut ascendam cum rege in Jerusalem?

But Berzellai answered, What, a man of my years go up to Jerusalem with the king’s grace?

I am this day fourscore years old, are my senses quick to discern sweet and bitter? or can meat or drink delight thy servant? or can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? why should thy servant be a burden to my lord, the king?

Octogenarius sum hodie: numquid vigent sensus mei ad discernendum suave aut amarum? aut delectare potest servum tuum cibus et potus? vel audire possum ultra vocem cantorum atque cantatricum? quare servus tuus sit oneri domino meo regi?

I am eighty years old now; are my senses still keen, to tell sweet from bitter? Can thy servant take pleasure in food and drink? Can my ear catch the tone of songster and songstress? Nay, I would not be a burden to my lord the king;

I thy servant will go on a little way from the Jordan with thee: I need not this recompense.

Paululum procedam famulus tuus ab Jordane tecum: non indigeo hac vicissitudine,

let thy servant go with thee a little of the way beyond Jordan, and no more. I need no such exchange of friendship;

But I beseech thee let thy servant return, and die in my own city, and be buried by the sepulchre of my father, and of my mother. But there is thy servant Chamaam, let him go with thee, my lord, the king, and do to him whatsoever seemeth good to thee.

sed obsecro ut revertar servus tuus, et moriar in civitate mea, et sepeliar juxta sepulchrum patris mei et matris meæ. Est autem servus tuus Chamaam: ipse vadat tecum, domine mi rex, et fac ei quidquid tibi bonum videtur.

rather, my prayer is that I should be allowed to go back and die in my own city, and be buried close to the grave where my father and mother lie. Here is thy servant Chamaam; let him go with thee, my lord king, and do with him what thou wilt.

Then the king said to him: Let Chamaam go over with me, and I will do for him whatsoever shall please thee, and all that thou shalt ask of me, thou shalt obtain.

Dixit itaque ei rex: Mecum transeat Chamaam, et ego faciam ei quidquid tibi placuerit: et omne quod petieris a me, impetrabis.

Chamaam shall go with me, the king replied, and it shall be for thee to choose what is to be done with him; no request of thine shall go ungranted.

And when all the people and the king had passed over the Jordan, the king kissed Berzellai, and blessed him: and he returned to his own place.

Cumque transisset universus populus et rex Jordanem, osculatus est rex Berzellai, et benedixit ei: et ille reversus est in locum suum.

So, when he and all the people had crossed over Jordan, the king kissed Berzellai and blessed him, and he went home,

So the king went on to Galgal, and Chamaam with him. Now all the people of Juda had brought the king over, and only half of the people of Israel were there.

Transivit ergo rex in Galgalam, et Chamaam cum eo. Omnis autem populus Juda traduxerat regem, et media tantum pars adfuerat de populo Israël.

while the king passed on to Galgal, and Chamaam with him.All the men of Juda had been the king’s escort, but of the other Israelites only a half;

Therefore all the men of Israel running together to the king, said to him: Why have our brethren the men of Juda stolen thee away, and have brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all the men of David with him?

Itaque omnes viri Israël concurrentes ad regem dixerunt ei: Quare te furati sunt fratres nostri viri Juda, et traduxerunt regem et domum ejus Jordanem, omnesque viros David cum eo?

and now the men of Israel came to him with one accord, and asked, How is it that our brethren, the men of Juda, have stolen thee from us? By what warrant did they escort the king, and his household and the warriors of David’s army, on their passage over Jordan?

And all the men of Juda answered the men of Israel: Because the king is nearer to me: why art thou angry for this matter? have we eaten any thing of the king’s, or have any gifts been given us?

Et respondit omnis vir Juda ad viros Israël: Quia mihi propior est rex: cur irasceris super hac re? numquid comedimus aliquid ex rege, aut munera nobis data sunt?

Why, answered the men of Juda, he is nearer of kin to us. There is no cause here for anger. Have we lived on the king’s bounty, or been singled out to receive his gifts?

And the men of Israel answered the men of Juda, and said: I have ten parts in the king more than thou, and David belongeth to me more than to thee: why hast thou done me a wrong, and why was it not told me first, that I might bring back my king? And the men of Juda answered more harshly than the men of Israel.

Et respondit vir Israël ad viros Juda, et ait: Decem partibus major ego sum apud regem, magisque ad me pertinet David quam ad te: cur fecisti mihi injuriam, et non mihi nuntiatum est priori, ut reducerem regem meum? Durius autem responderunt viri Juda viris Israël.

And the Israelites replied, We are ten to one; our rights with the king, our claims upon David, are ten times as great as yours. Why did you wrong us by not conferring with us first about our king’s restoration? Thus either side pleaded its own cause, but the men of Juda more bitterly than the men of Israel.