¹Intelligens autem Joab filius Sarviæ quod cor regis versum esset ad Absalom,Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, understood that the heart of the king had been turned toward Absalom,

¹Intelligens autem Joab filius Sarviæ quod cor regis versum esset ad Absalom,Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, understood that the heart of the king had been turned toward Absalom,

²misit Thecuam,so he sent to Tekoa,et tulit inde mulierem sapientem:and he brought from there a wise woman.dixitque ad eam:And he said to her:Lugere te simula,“Feign that you are in mourning,et induere veste lugubri,and put on the clothing of one who mourns.et ne ungaris oleo,And do not anoint yourself with oil,ut sis quasi mulier jam plurimo tempore lugens mortuum:so that you may be like a woman who is still grieving for someone who died some time ago.

²misit Thecuam,so he sent to Tekoa,et tulit inde mulierem sapientem:and he brought from there a wise woman.dixitque ad eam:And he said to her:Lugere te simula,“Feign that you are in mourning,et induere veste lugubri,and put on the clothing of one who mourns.et ne ungaris oleo,And do not anoint yourself with oil,ut sis quasi mulier jam plurimo tempore lugens mortuum:so that you may be like a woman who is still grieving for someone who died some time ago.

³et ingredieris ad regem,And you shall enter to the king,et loqueris ad eum sermones hujuscemodi.and you shall speak words to him in this manner.”Posuit autem Joab verba in ore ejus.Then Joab put the words in her mouth.

³et ingredieris ad regem,And you shall enter to the king,et loqueris ad eum sermones hujuscemodi.and you shall speak words to him in this manner.”Posuit autem Joab verba in ore ejus.Then Joab put the words in her mouth.

⁴Itaque cum ingressa fuisset mulier Thecuitis ad regem,And so, when the woman of Tekoa had entered to the king,cecidit coram eo super terram,she fell before him on the ground,et adoravit,and she reverenced,et dixit:and she said,Serva me, rex.“Save me, O king.”

⁴Itaque cum ingressa fuisset mulier Thecuitis ad regem,And so, when the woman of Tekoa had entered to the king,cecidit coram eo super terram,she fell before him on the ground,et adoravit,and she reverenced,et dixit:and she said,Serva me, rex.“Save me, O king.”

⁵Et ait ad eam rex:And the king said to her,Quid causæ habes?“What problem do you have?”Quæ respondit:And she responded:Heu,“Alas,mulier vidua ego sum:I am a woman who is a widow.mortuus est enim vir meus.For my husband has died.

⁵Et ait ad eam rex:And the king said to her,Quid causæ habes?“What problem do you have?”Quæ respondit:And she responded:Heu,“Alas,mulier vidua ego sum:I am a woman who is a widow.mortuus est enim vir meus.For my husband has died.

⁶Et ancillæ tuæ erant duo filii:And your handmaid had two sons.qui rixati sunt adversum se in agro,And they quarreled against one another in the field.nullusque erat qui eos prohibere posset:And there was no one there who would be able to stop them.et percussit alter alterum,And one struck the other,et interfecit eum.and killed him.

⁶Et ancillæ tuæ erant duo filii:And your handmaid had two sons.qui rixati sunt adversum se in agro,And they quarreled against one another in the field.nullusque erat qui eos prohibere posset:And there was no one there who would be able to stop them.et percussit alter alterum,And one struck the other,et interfecit eum.and killed him.

⁷Et ecce consurgens universa cognatio adversum ancillam tuam,And behold, the whole family, rising up against your handmaid,dicit:said:Trade eum qui percussit fratrem suum,‘Deliver him who struck down his brother,ut occidamus eum pro anima fratris sui quem interfecit,so that we may kill him for the life of his brother, whom he killed,et deleamus hæredem: et quærunt extinguere scintillam meam quæ relicta est,and so that we may do away with the heir.’ And they are seeking to extinguish my spark that is left,ut non supersit viro meo nomen,so that there may not survive a name for my husband,et reliquiæ super terram.nor a remnant upon the earth.”

⁷Et ecce consurgens universa cognatio adversum ancillam tuam,And behold, the whole family, rising up against your handmaid,dicit:said:Trade eum qui percussit fratrem suum,‘Deliver him who struck down his brother,ut occidamus eum pro anima fratris sui quem interfecit,so that we may kill him for the life of his brother, whom he killed,et deleamus hæredem: et quærunt extinguere scintillam meam quæ relicta est,and so that we may do away with the heir.’ And they are seeking to extinguish my spark that is left,ut non supersit viro meo nomen,so that there may not survive a name for my husband,et reliquiæ super terram.nor a remnant upon the earth.”

⁸Et ait rex ad mulierem:And the king said to the woman,Vade in domum tuam,“Go to your own house,et ego jubebo pro te.and I will make a decree on your behalf.”

⁸Et ait rex ad mulierem:And the king said to the woman,Vade in domum tuam,“Go to your own house,et ego jubebo pro te.and I will make a decree on your behalf.”

⁹Dixitque mulier Thecuitis ad regem:And the woman of Tekoa said to the king:In me,“May the iniquity be upon me,domine mi rex,my lord,sit iniquitas,and upon the house of my father.et in domum patris mei:But may the kingrex autem et thronus ejus sit innocens.and his throne be innocent.”

⁹Dixitque mulier Thecuitis ad regem:And the woman of Tekoa said to the king:In me,“May the iniquity be upon me,domine mi rex,my lord,sit iniquitas,and upon the house of my father.et in domum patris mei:But may the kingrex autem et thronus ejus sit innocens.and his throne be innocent.”

¹⁰Et ait rex:And the king said,Qui contradixerit tibi,“Whoever will contradict you,adduc eum ad me,bring him to me,et ultra non addet ut tangat te.and he will never touch you again.”

¹⁰Et ait rex:And the king said,Qui contradixerit tibi,“Whoever will contradict you,adduc eum ad me,bring him to me,et ultra non addet ut tangat te.and he will never touch you again.”

¹¹Quæ ait:And she said,Recordetur rex Domini Dei sui,“Let the king remember the Lord his God,ut non multiplicentur proximi sanguinis ad ulciscendum,so that close blood relatives may not be multiplied in order to take revenge,et nequaquam interficiant filium meum.and so that they may by no means kill my son.”Qui ait:And he said,Vivit Dominus,“As the Lord lives,quia non cadet de capillis filii tui super terram.not one hair from your son shall fall to the ground.”

¹¹Quæ ait:And she said,Recordetur rex Domini Dei sui,“Let the king remember the Lord his God,ut non multiplicentur proximi sanguinis ad ulciscendum,so that close blood relatives may not be multiplied in order to take revenge,et nequaquam interficiant filium meum.and so that they may by no means kill my son.”Qui ait:And he said,Vivit Dominus,“As the Lord lives,quia non cadet de capillis filii tui super terram.not one hair from your son shall fall to the ground.”

¹²Dixit ergo mulier:Then the woman said,Loquatur ancilla tua ad dominum meum regem verbum.“Let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king.”Et ait:And he said,Loquere.“Speak.”

¹²Dixit ergo mulier:Then the woman said,Loquatur ancilla tua ad dominum meum regem verbum.“Let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king.”Et ait:And he said,Loquere.“Speak.”

¹³Dixitque mulier:And the woman said:Quare cogitasti hujuscemodi rem contra populum Dei,“Why have you thought such a thing against the people of God,et locutus est rex verbum istud,and why has the king spoken this word,ut peccet,so that he sinset non reducat ejectum suum?and does not lead back the one whom he rejected?

¹³Dixitque mulier:And the woman said:Quare cogitasti hujuscemodi rem contra populum Dei,“Why have you thought such a thing against the people of God,et locutus est rex verbum istud,and why has the king spoken this word,ut peccet,so that he sinset non reducat ejectum suum?and does not lead back the one whom he rejected?

¹⁴Omnes morimur,We are all dying,et quasi aquæ dilabimur in terram, quæ non revertuntur:and we are all like waters that flow into the ground and do not return.nec vult Deus perire animam,God does not will to lose a soul. Instead,sed retractat cogitans ne penitus pereat qui abjectus est.he renews his efforts, thinking that what has been rejected might not perish altogether.

¹⁴Omnes morimur,We are all dying,et quasi aquæ dilabimur in terram, quæ non revertuntur:and we are all like waters that flow into the ground and do not return.nec vult Deus perire animam,God does not will to lose a soul. Instead,sed retractat cogitans ne penitus pereat qui abjectus est.he renews his efforts, thinking that what has been rejected might not perish altogether.

¹⁵Nunc igitur veni,Therefore,ut loquar ad dominum meum regem verbum hoc,now I have come to speak this word to my lord the king,præsente populo.in the presence of the people.Et dixit ancilla tua:And your handmaid said:Loquar ad regem,I will speak to the king,si quomodo faciat rex verbum ancillæ suæ.for perhaps there may be some way for the king to accomplish the word of his handmaid.

¹⁵Nunc igitur veni,Therefore,ut loquar ad dominum meum regem verbum hoc,now I have come to speak this word to my lord the king,præsente populo.in the presence of the people.Et dixit ancilla tua:And your handmaid said:Loquar ad regem,I will speak to the king,si quomodo faciat rex verbum ancillæ suæ.for perhaps there may be some way for the king to accomplish the word of his handmaid.

¹⁶Et audivit rex,And the king listened,ut liberaret ancillam suam de manu omnium qui volebant de hæreditate Dei delere me,and he freed his handmaid from the hand of all who were willing to take away me and my son together,et filium meum simul.from the inheritance of God.

¹⁶Et audivit rex,And the king listened,ut liberaret ancillam suam de manu omnium qui volebant de hæreditate Dei delere me,and he freed his handmaid from the hand of all who were willing to take away me and my son together,et filium meum simul.from the inheritance of God.

¹⁷Dicat ergo ancilla tua,Therefore, let your handmaid speak,ut fiat verbum domini mei regis sicut sacrificium.so that the word of my lord the king may be like a sacrifice.Sicut enim angelus Dei,For even like an Angel of God,sic est dominus meus rex,so is my lord the king,ut nec benedictione, nec maledictione moveatur:so that he is moved by neither a blessing, nor a curse.unde et Dominus Deus tuus est tecum.Then too, the Lord your God is with you.”

¹⁷Dicat ergo ancilla tua,Therefore, let your handmaid speak,ut fiat verbum domini mei regis sicut sacrificium.so that the word of my lord the king may be like a sacrifice.Sicut enim angelus Dei,For even like an Angel of God,sic est dominus meus rex,so is my lord the king,ut nec benedictione, nec maledictione moveatur:so that he is moved by neither a blessing, nor a curse.unde et Dominus Deus tuus est tecum.Then too, the Lord your God is with you.”

¹⁸Et respondens rex,And in response,dixit ad mulierem:the king said to the woman,Ne abscondas a me verbum quod te interrogo.“You shall not conceal from me a word of what I ask you.”Dixitque ei mulier:And the woman said to him,Loquere,“Speak,domine mi rex.my lord the king.”

¹⁸Et respondens rex,And in response,dixit ad mulierem:the king said to the woman,Ne abscondas a me verbum quod te interrogo.“You shall not conceal from me a word of what I ask you.”Dixitque ei mulier:And the woman said to him,Loquere,“Speak,domine mi rex.my lord the king.”

¹⁹Et ait rex:And the king said,Numquid manus Joab tecum est in omnibus istis?“Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this?”Respondit mulier,And the woman answeredet ait:and said:Per salutem animæ tuæ,“By the welfare of your soul,domine mi rex,my lord the king,nec ad sinistram,it is neither to the left,nec ad dexteram est ex omnibus his quæ locutus est dominus meus rex:nor to the right,servus enim tuus Joab,in all these things that my lord the king has spoken.ipse præcepit mihi,For your servant Joab himself instructed me,et ipse posuit in os ancillæ tuæ omnia verba hæc.and he himself placed all these words in the mouth of your handmaid.

¹⁹Et ait rex:And the king said,Numquid manus Joab tecum est in omnibus istis?“Is not the hand of Joab with you in all this?”Respondit mulier,And the woman answeredet ait:and said:Per salutem animæ tuæ,“By the welfare of your soul,domine mi rex,my lord the king,nec ad sinistram,it is neither to the left,nec ad dexteram est ex omnibus his quæ locutus est dominus meus rex:nor to the right,servus enim tuus Joab,in all these things that my lord the king has spoken.ipse præcepit mihi,For your servant Joab himself instructed me,et ipse posuit in os ancillæ tuæ omnia verba hæc.and he himself placed all these words in the mouth of your handmaid.

²⁰Ut verterem figuram sermonis hujus,Thus did I turn to this figure of speech,servus tuus Joab præcepit istud:because your servant Joab instructed it.tu autem,But you,domine mi rex,my lord the king,sapiens es,are wise,sicut habet sapientiam angelus Dei,just as an Angel of God has wisdom,ut intelligas omnia super terram.so that you understand all that is upon the earth.”

²⁰Ut verterem figuram sermonis hujus,Thus did I turn to this figure of speech,servus tuus Joab præcepit istud:because your servant Joab instructed it.tu autem,But you,domine mi rex,my lord the king,sapiens es,are wise,sicut habet sapientiam angelus Dei,just as an Angel of God has wisdom,ut intelligas omnia super terram.so that you understand all that is upon the earth.”

²¹Et ait rex ad Joab:And the king said to Joab:Ecce placatus feci verbum tuum:“Behold, your word has succeeded in appeasing me.vade ergo,Therefore,et revoca puerum Absalom.go and call back the boy Absalom.”

²¹Et ait rex ad Joab:And the king said to Joab:Ecce placatus feci verbum tuum:“Behold, your word has succeeded in appeasing me.vade ergo,Therefore,et revoca puerum Absalom.go and call back the boy Absalom.”

²²Cadensque Joab super faciem suam in terram,And falling to the ground upon his face,adoravit,Joab reverenced,et benedixit regi:and he blessed the king.et dixit Joab:And Joab said:Hodie intellexit servus tuus quia inveni gratiam in oculis tuis,“Today your servant has understood that I have found grace in your sight,domine mi rex:my lord the king.fecisti enim sermonem servi tui.For you have accomplished the word of your servant.”

²²Cadensque Joab super faciem suam in terram,And falling to the ground upon his face,adoravit,Joab reverenced,et benedixit regi:and he blessed the king.et dixit Joab:And Joab said:Hodie intellexit servus tuus quia inveni gratiam in oculis tuis,“Today your servant has understood that I have found grace in your sight,domine mi rex:my lord the king.fecisti enim sermonem servi tui.For you have accomplished the word of your servant.”

²³Surrexit ergo JoabThen Joab rose up,et abiit in Gessur,and he went away to Geshur.et adduxit Absalom in Jerusalem.And he brought Absalom into Jerusalem.

²³Surrexit ergo JoabThen Joab rose up,et abiit in Gessur,and he went away to Geshur.et adduxit Absalom in Jerusalem.And he brought Absalom into Jerusalem.

²⁴Dixit autem rex:But the king said,Revertatur in domum suam,“Let him return to his own house,et faciem meam non videat.but let him not see my face.”Reversus est itaque Absalom in domum suam,And so, Absalom returned to his own house,et faciem regis non vidit.but he did not see the face of the king.

²⁴Dixit autem rex:But the king said,Revertatur in domum suam,“Let him return to his own house,et faciem meam non videat.but let him not see my face.”Reversus est itaque Absalom in domum suam,And so, Absalom returned to his own house,et faciem regis non vidit.but he did not see the face of the king.

²⁵Porro sicut Absalom,Now in all of Israel,vir non erat pulcher in omni Israël, et decorus nimis:there was no man so handsome, and so very stately as Absalom.a vestigio pedis usque ad verticem non erat in eo ulla macula.From the sole of the foot to the top of the head, there was no blemish in him.

²⁵Porro sicut Absalom,Now in all of Israel,vir non erat pulcher in omni Israël, et decorus nimis:there was no man so handsome, and so very stately as Absalom.a vestigio pedis usque ad verticem non erat in eo ulla macula.From the sole of the foot to the top of the head, there was no blemish in him.

²⁶Et quando tondebat capillum (semel autem in anno tondebatur,And when he shaved off his hair, for he shaved it off once a year,quia gravabat eum cæsaries),because his long hair was burdensome to him,ponderabat capillos capitis sui ducentis siclis,he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels,pondere publico.by the public weights.

²⁶Et quando tondebat capillum (semel autem in anno tondebatur,And when he shaved off his hair, for he shaved it off once a year,quia gravabat eum cæsaries),because his long hair was burdensome to him,ponderabat capillos capitis sui ducentis siclis,he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels,pondere publico.by the public weights.

²⁷Nati sunt autem Absalom filii tres,Then three sons were born to Absalom,et filia una nomine Thamar,and one daughter, of elegant form,elegantis formæ.whose name was Tamar.

²⁷Nati sunt autem Absalom filii tres,Then three sons were born to Absalom,et filia una nomine Thamar,and one daughter, of elegant form,elegantis formæ.whose name was Tamar.

²⁸Mansitque Absalom in Jerusalem duobus annis,And Absalom remained for two years in Jerusalem,et faciem regis non vidit.and he did not see the face of the king.

²⁸Mansitque Absalom in Jerusalem duobus annis,And Absalom remained for two years in Jerusalem,et faciem regis non vidit.and he did not see the face of the king.

²⁹Misit itaque ad Joab,And so, he sent to Joab,ut mitteret eum ad regem:so that he might send him to the king.qui noluit venire ad eum.But he refused to come to him.Cumque secundo misisset,And when he had sent a second time,et ille noluisset venire ad eum,and he had refused to come to him,

²⁹Misit itaque ad Joab,And so, he sent to Joab,ut mitteret eum ad regem:so that he might send him to the king.qui noluit venire ad eum.But he refused to come to him.Cumque secundo misisset,And when he had sent a second time,et ille noluisset venire ad eum,and he had refused to come to him,

³⁰dixit servis suis:he said to his servants:Scitis agrum Joab juxta agrum meum,“You know that the field of Joab,habentem messem hordei:the one that is near my field,ite igitur,has a harvest of barley.et succendite eum igni.Therefore, go and set it on fire.”Succenderunt ergo servi Absalom segetem igni.And so, the servants of Absalom set fire to the grain field.Et venientes servi Joab,And the servants of Joab,scissis vestibus suis, dixerunt:arriving with their garments torn, said,Succenderunt servi Absalom partem agri igni.“The servants of Absalom have set fire to part of the field!”

³⁰dixit servis suis:he said to his servants:Scitis agrum Joab juxta agrum meum,“You know that the field of Joab,habentem messem hordei:the one that is near my field,ite igitur,has a harvest of barley.et succendite eum igni.Therefore, go and set it on fire.”Succenderunt ergo servi Absalom segetem igni.And so, the servants of Absalom set fire to the grain field.Et venientes servi Joab,And the servants of Joab,scissis vestibus suis, dixerunt:arriving with their garments torn, said,Succenderunt servi Absalom partem agri igni.“The servants of Absalom have set fire to part of the field!”

³¹Surrexitque Joab,And Joab rose up,et venit ad Absalom in domum ejus,and he went to Absalom at his house,et dixit:and he said,Quare succenderunt servi tui segetem meam igni?“Why have your servants set fire to my grain field?”

³¹Surrexitque Joab,And Joab rose up,et venit ad Absalom in domum ejus,and he went to Absalom at his house,et dixit:and he said,Quare succenderunt servi tui segetem meam igni?“Why have your servants set fire to my grain field?”

³²Et respondit Absalom ad Joab:And Absalom responded to Joab:Misi ad te obsecrans ut venires ad me,“I sent to you, begging that you might come to me,et mitterem te ad regem,and that I might send you to the king,et diceres ei:and that you might say to him:Quare veni de Gessur?‘Why was I brought from Geshur?melius mihi erat ibi esse:It would have been better for me to be there.’obsecro ergo ut videam faciem regis:I beg you, therefore, that I may see the face of the king.quod si memor est iniquitatis meæ,And if he is mindful of my iniquity,interficiat me.let him put me to death.”

³²Et respondit Absalom ad Joab:And Absalom responded to Joab:Misi ad te obsecrans ut venires ad me,“I sent to you, begging that you might come to me,et mitterem te ad regem,and that I might send you to the king,et diceres ei:and that you might say to him:Quare veni de Gessur?‘Why was I brought from Geshur?melius mihi erat ibi esse:It would have been better for me to be there.’obsecro ergo ut videam faciem regis:I beg you, therefore, that I may see the face of the king.quod si memor est iniquitatis meæ,And if he is mindful of my iniquity,interficiat me.let him put me to death.”

³³Ingressus itaque Joab ad regem,And so, Joab, entering to the king,nuntiavit ei omnia:reported everything to him.vocatusque est Absalom,And Absalom was summoned.et intravit ad regem,And he entered to the king,et adoravit super faciem terræ coram eo:and he reverenced on the face of the earth.osculatusque est rex Absalom.And the king kissed Absalom.

³³Ingressus itaque Joab ad regem,And so, Joab, entering to the king,nuntiavit ei omnia:reported everything to him.vocatusque est Absalom,And Absalom was summoned.et intravit ad regem,And he entered to the king,et adoravit super faciem terræ coram eo:and he reverenced on the face of the earth.osculatusque est rex Absalom.And the king kissed Absalom.