1 Samuel 24

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 From there David went up and installed himself in the strongholds of En-Gedi.	1 Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.
2 Once Saul was back from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, 'David is now in the desert 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.
3 Saul thereupon took three thousand men selected from al Israel and went in search of David and hismen east of the Rocks of the Mountain Goats.	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.
4 He came to the sheepfolds along the route, where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet.Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses 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.
5 David's men said to him, 'Today is the day of which Yahweh said to you, "I shall deliver your enemyinto your power; do what you like with him." ' David got up and, unobserved, cut off the border of Saul's cloak.	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.
6 Afterwards David reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul's cloak.	6 After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
7 He said to his men, 'Yahweh preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord as to raise my handagainst him, since he is Yahweh'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.
8 By these words David restrained his men and would not let them attack Saul.	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.
9 Saul then left the cave and went on his way. After this, David too left the cave and cal ed after Saul,'My lord king!' Saul looked behind him and David, bowing to the ground, prostrated himself.	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,
10 David then said to Saul, 'Why do you listen to people who say, "David intends your ruin"?	10 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
11 This very day you have seen for yourself how Yahweh put you in my power in the cave and how,refusing to kil you, I spared you saying, "I wil not raise my hand against my lord, since he is Yahweh'sanointed."	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.
12 Look, father, look at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since, although I cut the border off yourcloak, I did not kil you, surely you realise that I intend neither mischief nor crime. I have not wronged you, andyet you hunt me down to take my life.	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.
13 May Yahweh be judge between me and you, and may Yahweh avenge me on you; but I shall neverlay a hand on you!	13 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
14 (As the old proverb says: Wickedness comes out of wicked people, but I shal never lay a hand onyou!)	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?
15 On whose trail is the king of Israel campaigning? Whom are you pursuing? On the trail of a deaddog, of a flea!	15 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
16 May Yahweh be the judge and decide between me and you; may he examine and defend my causeand give judgement for me by rescuing me from your clutches!'	16 Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
17 When David had finished saying this to Saul, Saul said, 'Is that your voice, my son David?' And Saulbegan to weep aloud.	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.
18 'You are upright and I am not,' he said to David, 'since you have behaved wel to me, whereas I havebehaved badly to you.	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.
19 And today you have shown how well you have behaved to me, since Yahweh had put me in yourpower but you did not kil me.	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.
20 When a man comes on his enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May Yahweh reward you for thegood you have done me today!	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.
21 Now I know that you wil indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel wil pass into your hands.	21 And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
22 Now swear to me by Yahweh that you wil not suppress my descendants once I am gone, or blot myname out of my family.'	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.
23 This David swore to Saul, and Saul went home while David and his men went back to the stronghold.	23 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.