1 Samuel 24

DOUAI-RHEIMS	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.	1 When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, "Behold, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi."
2 And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.	2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks.
3 Saul therefore took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went out to seek after David, and his men, even upon the most craggy rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats.	3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.
4 And he came to the sheepcotes, which were in his way. And there was a cave, into which Saul went, to ease nature: now David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave.	4 And the men of David said to him, "Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose and stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.
5 And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, of which the Lord said to thee: I will deliver thy enemy unto thee, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thy eyes. Then David arose, and secretly cut off the hem of Saul's robe.	5 And afterward David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
6 After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe.	6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."
7 And he said to his men: The Lord be merciful unto me, that I may do no such thing to my master the Lord's anointed, as to lay my hand upon him, because he is the Lord's anointed.	7 So David persuaded his men with these words, and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave, and went upon his way.
8 And David stopped his men with his words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rising up out of the cave, went on his way.	8 Afterward David also arose, and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.
9 And David also rose up after him: and going out of the cave cried after Saul, saying: My lord the king. And Saul looked behind him: and David bowing himself down to the ground, worshipped,	9 And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, Behold, David seeks your hurt?
10 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?	10 Lo, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill you, but I spared you. I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD's anointed.'
11 Behold this day thy eyes have seen, that the Lord hath delivered thee into my hand, in the cave, and I had a thought to kill thee, but my eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not put out my hand against my lord, because he is the Lord's anointed.	11 See, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it.
12 Moreover see and know, O my father, the hem of thy robe in my hand, that when I cut, off the hem of thy robe, I would not put out my hand against thee. Reflect, and see, that there is no evil in my hand, nor iniquity, neither have I sinned against thee: but thou liest in wait for my life, to take it away.	12 May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me upon you; but my hand shall not be against you.
13 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.	13 As the proverb of the ancients says, Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness'; but my hand shall not be against you.
14 As also it is said in the old proverb: From the wicked shall wickedness come forth: therefore my hand shall not be upon thee. After whom dost thou come out, O king of Israel?	14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!
15 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.	15 May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see to it, and plead my cause, and deliver me from your hand."
16 Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.	16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.
17 And when David had made an end of speaking these words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.	17 He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.
18 And he said to David: Thou art more just than I: for thou hast done good to me, and I have rewarded thee with evil.	18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands.
19 And thou hast shewn this day what good things thou hast done to me: how the Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me.	19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
20 For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go well away? But the Lord reward thee for this good turn, for what thou hast done to me this day.	20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
21 And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:	21 Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house."
22 Swear to me by the Lord, that thou wilt not destroy my seed after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.	22 And David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
23 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.