Appropinquaverunt autem dies David ut moreretur: præcepitque Salomoni filio suo, dicens:

And the days of David drew nigh that he should die, and he charged his son Solomon, saying:

And now the time drew near when David must die; but first he left with his son Solomon this charge.

Ego ingredior viam universæ terræ: confortare, et esto vir.

I am going the way of all flesh: take thou courage, and shew thyself a man.

I am going, said he, the way all mortal things go at last; do thou keep thy courage high and play the man.

Et observa custodias Domini Dei tui, ut ambules in viis ejus: ut custodias cæremonias ejus, et præcepta ejus, et judicia, et testimonia, sicut scriptum est in lege Moysi: ut intelligas universa quæ facis, et quocumque te verteris:

And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and observe his ceremonies, and his precepts, and judgments, and testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayest understand all thou dost, and whithersoever thou shalt turn thyself:

Hold ever true to the Lord thy God, following the paths he has shewn us, observing his ceremonies, and all those commands and awards and decrees that are contained in the law of Moses; so shalt thou be well advised in all thou doest, at every turn of the way.

ut confirmet Dominus sermones suos quos locutus est de me, dicens: Si custodierint filii tui vias suas, et ambulaverint coram me in veritate, in omni corde suo et in omni anima sua, non auferetur tibi vir de solio Israël.

That the Lord may confirm his words, which he hath spoken of me, saying: If thy children shall take heed to their ways, and shall walk before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, there shall not be taken away from thee a man on the throne of Israel.

So will the Lord make good his promise to me, that if my sons would but tread those paths of his, still proving loyal to him with the whole purpose of their heart and soul, the throne of Israel should never lack one of my race to fill it.

Tu quoque nosti quæ fecerit mihi Joab filius Sarviæ, quæ fecerit duobus principibus exercitus Israël, Abner filio Ner, et Amasæ filio Jether: quos occidit, et effudit sanguinem belli in pace, et posuit cruorem prælii in balteo suo qui erat circa lumbos ejus, et in calceamento suo quod erat in pedibus ejus.

Thou knowest also what Joab the son of Sarvia hath done to me, what he did to the two captains of the army of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether: whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

And now to speak of Joab, son of Sarvia. Thou knowest well the ill turn he has done me; here were two commanders of the Israelite army, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, that fell by his hand. They were at peace with him when he struck the warrior’s blow, stained himself, from the shoes on his feet to the girdle on his loins, with the blood that should have been spilt in war.

Facies ergo juxta sapientiam tuam, et non deduces canitiem ejus pacifice ad inferos.

Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoary head go down to hell in peace.

Let prudence be thy guide, do not allow those grey hairs to find a peaceful end.

Sed et filiis Berzellai Galaaditis reddes gratiam, eruntque comedentes in mensa tua: occurrerunt enim mihi quando fugiebam a facie Absalom fratris tui.

But shew kindness to the sons of Berzellai the Galaadite, and let them eat at thy table: for they met me when I fled from the face of Absalom thy brother.

To the sons of Berzellai the Galaadite thou must shew gratitude, and let them be among those who eat at thy table; they made me welcome when I fled to escape from thy brother Absalom.

Habes quoque apud te Semei filium Gera filii Jemini de Bahurim, qui maledixit mihi maledictione pessima quando ibam ad castra: sed quia descendit mihi in occursum cum transirem Jordanem, et juravi ei per Dominum, dicens: Non te interficiam gladio:

Thou hast also with thee Semei the son of Gera the son of Jemini of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to the camp: but because he came down to meet me when I passed over the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying: I will not kill thee with a sword:

Thou hast to reckon, moreover, with Semei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim. Foul were the curses he hurled at me on my way to the Encampment; but when I crossed Jordan again he came out to meet me, and I swore to him in the Lord’s name that I would not slay him.

tu noli pati eum esse innoxium. Vir autem sapiens es, ut scias quæ facies ei: deducesque canos ejus cum sanguine ad inferos.

Do not thou hold him guiltless. But thou art a wise man, and knowest what to do with him, and thou shalt bring down his grey hairs with blood to hell.

Thou hast no cause to leave him unharmed; thou hast wit enough to resolve what to do with him, how to prepare a bloody end for his grey hairs.

Dormivit igitur David cum patribus suis, et sepultus est in civitate David.

So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

So David was laid to rest with his fathers, and the Keep of David was his burial-place;

Dies autem quibus regnavit David super Israël, quadraginta anni sunt: in Hebron regnavit septem annis; in Jerusalem, triginta tribus.

And the days that David reigned in Israel, were forty years: in Hebron he reigned seven years, in Jerusalem thirty-three.

he had ruled Israel forty years, seven at Hebron and thirty-three at Jerusalem.

Salomon autem sedit super thronum David patris sui, et firmatum est regnum ejus nimis.

And Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was strengthened exceedingly.

And Solomon, who succeeded as his father’s heir, established himself firmly on the throne.

Et ingressus est Adonias filius Haggith ad Bethsabee matrem Salomonis. Quæ dixit ei: Pacificusne est ingressus tuus? Qui respondit: Pacificus.

And Adonias the son of Haggith came to Bethsabee the mother of Solomon. And she said to him: Is thy coming peaceable? he answered: Peaceable.

As for Adonias, son of Haggith, he gained access to Bethsabee, king Solomon’s mother, telling her that he came on a peaceful errand;

Addiditque: Sermo mihi est ad te. Cui ait: Loquere. Et ille:

And he added: I have a word to speak with thee. She said to him: Speak. And he said:

there was a matter he would confide to her. So she bade him speak out, but still he hesitated;

Tu, inquit, nosti, quia meum erat regnum, et me præposuerat omnis Israël sibi in regem: sed translatum est regnum, et factum est fratris mei: a Domino enim constitutum est ei.

Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had preferred me to be their king: but the kingdom is transferred, and is become my brother’s: for it was appointed him by the Lord.

Once, said he, the throne was mine, and all Israel had chosen me for their king; now the royal power has changed hands, and gone to my brother; it was God’s will.

Nunc ergo petitionem unam precor a te: ne confundas faciem meam. Quæ dixit ad eum: Loquere.

Now therefore I ask one petition of thee: turn not away my face. And she said to him: Say on.

There is only one request now that I would make of thee; pray do not disappoint me. And still she bade him speak out.

Et ille ait: Precor ut dicas Salomoni regi (neque enim negare tibi quidquam potest) ut det mihi Abisag Sunamitidem uxorem.

And he said: I pray thee speak to king Solomon (for he cannot deny thee any thing) to give me Abisag the Sunamitess to wife.

My request is, said he, that thou wouldst say a word for me to king Solomon; there is nothing he can refuse thee. Bid him give me Abisag the Sunamite for my wife.

Et ait Bethsabee: Bene: ego loquar pro te regi.

And Bethsabee said: Well, I will speak for thee to the king.

Why, yes, answered Bethsabee, I will speak to the king on thy behalf.

Venit ergo Bethsabee ad regem Salomonem ut loqueretur ei pro Adonia: et surrexit rex in occursum ejus, adoravitque eam, et sedit super thronum suum: positusque est thronus matri regis, quæ sedit ad dexteram ejus.

Then Bethsabee came to king Solomon, to speak to him for Adonias: and the king arose to meet her, and bowed to her, and sat down upon his throne: and a throne was set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right hand.

Bethsabee, then, made her way to king Solomon, to prefer Adonias’ request; the king rose to meet her and bowed low, then he sat down on his throne again, and a throne was brought for her, the king’s mother, to sit down at his right hand.

Dixitque ei: Petitionem unam parvulam ego deprecor a te: ne confundas faciem meam. Et dixit ei rex: Pete, mater mea: neque enim fas est ut avertam faciem tuam.

And she said to him: I desire one small petition of thee, do not put me to confusion. And the king said to her: My mother, ask: for I must not turn away thy face.

There is a light request, she told him, that I would make of thee; pray do not disappoint me. Make thy request, mother, said he; I will not turn a deaf ear to it.

Quæ ait: Detur Abisag Sunamitis Adoniæ fratri tuo uxor.

And she said: Let Abisag the Sunamitess be given to Adonias thy brother to wife.

It is, said she, that thy brother Adonias should be given Abisag the Sunamite for his wife.

Responditque rex Salomon, et dixit matri suæ: Quare postulas Abisag Sunamitidem Adoniæ? postula ei et regnum: ipse est enim frater meus major me, et habet Abiathar sacerdotem, et Joab filium Sarviæ.

And king Solomon answered, and said to his mother: Why dost thou ask Abisag the Sunamitess for Adonias? ask for him also the kingdom: for he is my elder brother, and hath Abiathar the priest, and Joab the son of Sarvia.

But this was king Solomon’s answer to his mother, What, Abisag the Sunamite for Adonias? Ask me to give him the kingdom, too; he is my elder brother, and has the priest Abiathar, and Joab son of Sarvia, to maintain his cause.

Juravit itaque rex Salomon per Dominum, dicens: Hæc faciat mihi Deus, et hæc addat, quia contra animam suam locutus est Adonias verbum hoc.

Then king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying: So and so may God do to me, and add more, if Adonias hath not spoken this word against his own life.

And hereupon king Solomon took an oath in the Lord’s name; May the Lord punish me as I deserve, and more than I deserve, if this plea Adonias has made does not cost him his life!

Et nunc vivit Dominus, qui firmavit me, et collocavit me super solium David patris mei, et qui fecit mihi domum, sicut locutus est, quia hodie occidetur Adonias.

And now as the Lord liveth, who hath established me, and placed me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made me a house, as he promised, Adonias shall be put to death this day.

As the Lord is a living God, he that has established me firmly on my father David’s throne, and made the dynasty mine, as he promised, Adonias shall die this day!

Misitque rex Salomon per manum Banaiæ filii Jojadæ, qui interfecit eum, et mortuus est.

And king Solomon sent by the hand of Banaias the son of Joiada, who slew him, and he died.

So king Solomon gave orders to Banaias son of Joiada, and by his hand Adonias was put to death.

Abiathar quoque sacerdoti dixit rex: Vade in Anathoth ad agrum tuum: equidem vir mortis es: sed hodie te non interficiam, quia portasti arcam Domini Dei coram David patre meo, et sustinuisti laborem in omnibus in quibus laboravit pater meus.

And the king said also to Abiathar the priest: Go to Anathoth to thy lands, for indeed thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou didst carry the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and hast endured trouble in all the troubles my father endured.

The king had a command, too, for the priest Abiathar; Go back to thy lands at Anathoth. Nothing better thou deservest than death, but I will spare thy life this day; thine it was to carry the ark in my father’s presence, and to share all the perils he endured.

Ejecit ergo Salomon Abiathar ut non esset sacerdos Domini, ut impleretur sermo Domini quem locutus est super domum Heli in Silo.

So Solomon cast out Abiathar, from being the priest of the Lord, that the word of the Lord might be fulfilled, which he spoke concerning the house of Heli in Silo.

Thus king Solomon deprived Abiathar of his priesthood, in fulfilment of that sentence which the Lord passed on the race of Heli, long ago at Silo.

Venit autem nuntius ad Joab, quod Joab declinasset post Adoniam, et post Salomonem non declinasset: fugit ergo Joab in tabernaculum Domini, et apprehendit cornu altaris.

And the news came to Joab, because Joab had turned after Adonias, and had not turned after Solomon: and Joab fled into the tabernacle of the Lord and laid hold on the horn of the altar.

Tidings of this came to Joab, that had taken part with Adonias, not with Solomon; and he took refuge in the Lord’s tabernacle, where he clung to one of the altar-horns.

Nuntiatumque est regi Salomoni quod fugisset Joab in tabernaculum Domini, et esset juxta altare: misitque Salomon Banaiam filium Jojadæ, dicens: Vade, interfice eum.

And it was told king Solomon, that Joab was fled into the tabernacle of the Lord, and was by the altar: and Solomon sent Banaias the son of Joiada, saying: Go, kill him.

And king Solomon, hearing he had fled to the tabernacle and was to be found there, close by the altar, sent Banaias son of Joiada with orders to kill him.

Et venit Banaias ad tabernaculum Domini, et dixit ei: Hæc dicit rex: Egredere. Qui ait: Non egrediar, sed hic moriar. Renuntiavit Banaias regi sermonem, dicens: Hæc locutus est Joab, et hæc respondit mihi.

And Banaias came to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said to him: Thus saith the king: Come forth. And he said: I will not come forth, but here I will die. Banaias brought word back to the king, saying: Thus saith Joab, and thus he answered me.

So Banaias went to the Lord’s tabernacle and bade Joab remove from it, in the king’s name. Not I, said Joab, I will die here. When Banaias brought tidings of the answer Joab had made him,

Dixitque ei rex: Fac sicut locutus est, et interfice eum, et sepeli: et amovebis sanguinem innocentem qui effusus est a Joab, a me, et a domo patris mei.

And the king said to him: Do as he hath said: and kill him, and bury him, and thou shalt remove the innocent blood which hath been shed by Joab, from me, and from the house of my father.

the king said, Let him have his will; put him to death there, and give him burial. Only rid me, and my father’s kindred, of the blood-guilt Joab has brought upon us.

Et reddet Dominus sanguinem ejus super caput ejus, quia interfecit duos viros justos, melioresque se: et occidit eos gladio, patre meo David ignorante, Abner filium Ner principem militiæ Israël, et Amasam filium Jether principem exercitus Juda:

And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, because he murdered two men, just and better than himself: and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it, Abner the son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, general of the army of Juda.

On his head may the Lord’s vengeance fall; did he not slay two innocent men that were his betters, Abner son of Ner that commanded Israel, and Amasa son of Jether that commanded Juda, drawing his sword on them with no word said to my father, king David?

et revertetur sanguis illorum in caput Joab, et in caput seminis ejus in sempiternum. David autem et semini ejus, et domui, et throno illius, sit pax usque in æternum a Domino.

And their blood shall return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever. But to David and his seed and his house, and to his throne be peace for ever from the Lord.

On Joab let the blood-guilt fall, and on his race for ever; to David and David’s race, to David’s throne and dynasty, may the Lord grant eternal prosperity!

Ascendit itaque Banaias filius Jojadæ, et aggressus eum interfecit: sepultusque est in domo sua in deserto.

So Banaias the son of Joiada went up, and setting upon him slew him, and he was buried in his house in the desert.

With that, Banaias son of Joiada went back and gave Joab his death-blow. He was buried at his own home, out in the wilderness;

Et constituit rex Banaiam filium Jojadæ pro eo super exercitum, et Sadoc sacerdotem posuit pro Abiathar.

And the king appointed Banaias the son of Joiada in his room over the army, and Sadoc the priest he put in the place of Abiathar.

command of the army the king gave to Banaias son of Joiada, and the high-priesthood to Sadoc instead of Abiathar.

Misit quoque rex, et vocavit Semei: dixitque ei: Ædifica tibi domum in Jerusalem, et habita ibi: et non egredieris inde huc atque illuc.

The king also sent, and called for Semei, and said to him: Build thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there: and go not out from thence any whither.

Then the king bade Semei come before him; Thou must build thyself a house, he told him, here at Jerusalem, and come to live there, instead of travelling freely this way and that.

Quacumque autem die egressus fueris, et transieris torrentem Cedron, scito te interficiendum: sanguis tuus erit super caput tuum.

For on what day soever thou shalt go out, and shalt pass over the brook Cedron, know that thou shalt be put to death: thy blood shall be upon thy own head:

The day on which thou leavest Jerusalem to cross Cedron river shall be thy last, and the blame will lie only on thyself.

Dixitque Semei regi: Bonus sermo: sicut locutus est dominus meus rex, sic faciet servus tuus. Habitavit itaque Semei in Jerusalem diebus multis.

And Semei said to the king: The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Semei dwelt in Jerusalem, many days.

To this Semei agreed, promising obedience to the royal command; and for a long time he continued to live at Jerusalem.

Factum est autem post annos tres ut fugerent servi Semei ad Achis filium Maacha regem Geth: nuntiatumque est Semei quod servi ejus issent in Geth.

And it came to pass after three years, that the servants of Semei ran away to Achis the son of Maacha the king of Geth: and it was told Semei that his servants were gone to Geth.

Then, after three years, it chanced that some of his servants ran away, and took refuge with Achis son of Maacha, king of Geth. And when Semei was told that his servants were in Geth,

Et surrexit Semei, et stravit asinum suum, ivitque ad Achis in Geth ad requirendum servos suos, et adduxit eos de Geth.

And Semei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Achis to Geth to seek his servants, and he brought them out of Geth.

he saddled his ass for a journey; to Geth he went and to the court of Achis in search of them, and brought them home with him.

Nuntiatum est autem Salomoni quod isset Semei in Geth de Jerusalem, et rediisset.

And it was told Solomon that Semei had gone from Jerusalem to Geth, and was come back.

The news that Semei had journeyed to Geth and back reached Solomon’s ears,

Et mittens vocavit eum, dixitque illi: Nonne testificatus sum tibi per Dominum, et prædixi tibi: Quacumque die egressus ieris huc et illuc, scito te esse moriturum: et respondisti mihi: Bonus sermo, quem audivi?

And sending he called for him, and said to him: Did I not protest to thee by the Lord, and tell thee before: On what day soever thou shalt go out and walk abroad any whither, know that thou shalt die? And thou answeredst me: The word that I have heard is good.

and thereupon he sent for him. Did I not bind thee by an oath in the Lord’s name, said he, warning thee that the day when thou shouldst begin to travel this way and that should be thy last? And didst thou not agree to the conditions I made?

quare ergo non custodisti jusjurandum Domini, et præceptum quod præceperam tibi?

Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment that I laid upon thee?

Forgotten, thy oath to the Lord, forgotten, the warning I gave thee!

Dixitque rex ad Semei: Tu nosti omne malum cujus tibi conscium est cor tuum, quod fecisti David patri meo: reddidit Dominus malitiam tuam in caput tuum:

And the king said to Semei: Thou knowest all the evil, of which thy heart is conscious, which thou didst to David my father: the Lord hath returned thy wickedness upon thy own head:

Then he added, Bethink thee, for it rankles yet in thy heart, of thy malice towards my father king David. Now the Lord has made thy ill will recoil on thyself;

et rex Salomon benedictus, et thronus David erit stabilis coram Domino usque in sempiternum.

And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.

it is a blessing, not a curse, king Solomon inherits, and David’s dynasty remains firm on the throne, to serve the Lord for ever.

Jussit itaque rex Banaiæ filio Jojadæ, qui egressus, percussit eum, et mortuus est.

So the king commanded Banaias the son of Joiada: and he went out and struck him, and he died.

Then the king gave orders to Banaias son of Joiada, and he followed Semei out and put him to death.