2 Samuel 16

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Meribbaal's retainer, Ziba, met him with a pair ofdonkeys, saddled and laden with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of theseason's fruits, and a skin of wine.	1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold Siba the servant of Miphiboseth came to meet him with two asses, laden with two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs, and a vessel of wine.
2 The king said to Ziba, 'What are you going to do with that?' 'The donkeys', Ziba replied, 'are for theking's family to ride, the bread and the fruit for the soldiers to eat, the wine is for drinking by those who getexhausted in the desert.'	2 And the king said to Siba: What mean these things? And Siba answered: The asses are for the king's household to sit on: and the loaves and the figs for thy servants to eat, and the wine to drink if any man be faint in the desert.
3 The king asked 'And where is your master's son?' Ziba replied to the king, 'Why, he has stayed inJerusalem because, he says, "Today, the House of Israel wil give me back my father's kingdom." '	3 And the king said: Where is thy master's son? And Siba answered the king: He remained in Jerusalem, saying: To day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then the king said to Ziba, 'Everything owned by Meribbaal is yours.' Ziba said, 'I prostrate myself!May I be worthy of your favour, my lord king!'	4 And the king said to Siba: I give thee all that belonged to Miphiboseth. And Siba said: I beseech thee let me find grace before thee, my lord, O king.
5 As David was reaching Bahurim, out came a man of the same clan as Saul's family. His name wasShimei son of Gera and, as he came, he uttered curse after curse	5 And king David came as far as Bahurim: and behold there came out from thence a man of the kindred of the house of Saul named Semei, the son of Gera, and coming out he cursed as he went on,
6 and threw stones at David and at al King David's retinue, even though the whole army and al thechampions formed an escort round the king on either side.	6 And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people, and all the warriors walked on the right, and on the left side of the king.
7 The words of his curse were these, 'Off with you, off with you, man of blood, scoundrel!	7 And thus said Semei when he cursed the king: Come out, come out, thou man of blood, and thou man of Belial.
8 Yahweh has paid you back for all the spilt blood of the House of Saul whose sovereignty you haveusurped; and Yahweh has transferred the sovereign power to Absalom your son. Now your wickedness hasovertaken you, man of blood that you are.'	8 The Lord hath repaid thee for all the blood of the house of Saul: because thou hast usurped the kingdom in his stead, and the Lord hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thy evils press upon thee, because thou art a man of blood.
9 Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, 'Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me goover and cut his head off.'	9 And Abisai the son of Sarvia said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go, and cut off his head.
10 But the king replied, 'What concern is my business to you, sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse! If Yahwehhas said to him, "Curse David!" what right has anyone to say, "Why have you done so?" '	10 And the king said: What have I to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia? Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why hath he done so?
11 David said to Abishai and al his retinue, 'Why, the son sprung from my own body is now seeking mylife; al the more reason for this Benjaminite to do so! Let him curse on, if Yahweh has told him to!	11 And the king said to Abisai, and to all his servants: Behold my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now a son of Jemini? let him alone that he may curse as the Lord hath bidden him.
12 Perhaps Yahweh wil look on my wretchedness and wil repay me with good for his curses today.'	12 Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction, and the Lord may render me good for the cursing of this day.
13 So David and his men went on their way, and Shimei kept pace with him along the oppositemountainside, cursing as he went, throwing stones and flinging dust.	13 And David and his men with him went by the way. And Semei by the hill's side went over against him, cursing, and casting stones at him, and scattering earth.
14 The king and al the people who were with him arrived exhausted at . . . . . . and there they drewbreath.	14 And the king and all the people with him came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
15 Absalom entered Jerusalem with al the men of Israel; with him was Ahithophel.	15 But Absalom and all his people came into Jerusalem, and Achitophel was with him.
16 When Hushai the Archite, David's friend, reached Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, 'Long live theking! Long live the king!'	16 And when Chusai the Arachite, David's friend, was come to Absalom, he said to him: God save thee, O king, God save thee, O king.
17 Absalom said to Hushai, 'Is this your faithful love for your friend? Why didn't you go away with yourfriend?'	17 And Absalom said to him: Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend?
18 Hushai replied to Absalom, 'No, the man whom Yahweh and this people and al the men of Israelhave chosen, he is the man for me, and with him wil I stay!	18 And Chusai answered Absalom: Nay: for I will be his, whom the Lord hath chosen, and all this people, and all Israel, and with him will I abide.
19 Besides, whom should I serve, if not his son? As I served your father, so shal I serve you.'	19 Besides this, whom shall I serve? is it not the king's son? as I have served thy father, so will I serve thee also.
20 Absalom said to Ahithophel, 'Think careful y. What shal we do?'	20 And Absalom said to Achitophel: Consult what we are to do.
21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, 'Go to your father's concubines whom he left to look after the palace;then al Israel wil hear that you have thoroughly antagonised your father, and the resolution of all yoursupporters wil be strengthened.'	21 And Achitophel said to Absalom: Go in to the concubines of thy father, whom he hath left to keep the house: that when all Israel shall hear that thou hast disgraced thy father, their hands may be strengthened with thee.
22 So a tent was pitched for Absalom on the flat roof and, with al Israel watching, Absalom went to hisfather's concubines.	22 So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and he went in to his father's concubines before all Israel.
23 At the time, whatever advice Ahithophel gave was treated like a decision obtained from God; as byDavid, so by Absalom, was al Ahithophel's advice regarded.	23 Now the counsel of Achitophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man should consult God: so was all the counsel of Achitophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with Absalom.