Deuxième livre de Samuel 18

JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 David passa en revue les troupes qui étaient avec lui et il mit à leur tête des chefs de mille et deschefs de cent.	1 And so David, having reviewed his people, appointed over them tribunes and centurions.
2 David divisa l'armée en trois corps: un tiers aux mains de Joab, un tiers aux mains d'Abishaï, filsde Ceruya et frère de Joab, un tiers aux mains d'Ittaï de Gat. Puis David dit aux troupes: "Je partirai en guerreavec vous moi aussi."	2 And he placed a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Ittai, who was from Gath. And the king said to the people, “I, too, will go forth with you.”
3 Mais les troupes répondirent: "Tu ne dois pas partir. Car, si nous prenions la fuite, on n'y feraitpas attention, et si la moitié d'entre nous mourait, on n'y ferait pas attention, tandis que toi tu es comme 10.000d'entre nous. Et puis, il vaut mieux que tu nous sois un secours prêt à venir de la ville."	3 And the people responded: “You shall not go out. For if we flee, there will not be great concern in them for us. Or if one half part of us will fall, they will not care much. For you are considered as one for ten thousand. Therefore, it is better that you should be in the city to strengthen us.”
4 David leur dit: "Je ferai ce qui vous semble bon." Le roi se tint à côté de la porte, tandis quel'armée sortait par unités de cent et de mille.	4 And the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems good to you.” Therefore, the king stood beside the gate. And the people went out by their troops, by hundreds and by thousands.
5 Le roi fit un commandement à Joab, à Abishaï et à Ittaï: "Par égard pour moi, ménagez le jeuneAbsalom!" et toute l'armée entendit que le roi donnait à tous les chefs cet ordre concernant Absalom.	5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Preserve for me the boy Absalom.” And all the people heard the king commanding all the leaders on behalf of Absalom.
6 L'armée sortit en pleine campagne à la rencontre d'Israël et la bataille eut lieu dans la forêtd'Ephraïm.	6 And so, the people departed into the field against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 L'armée d'Israël y fut battue devant la garde de David, et ce fut ce jour-là une grande défaite, quifrappa 20.000 hommes.	7 And the people of Israel were cut down in that place by the army of David. And a great slaughter occurred on that day: twenty thousand men.
8 Le combat s'éparpilla dans toute la région et, ce jour-là, la forêt fit dans l'armée plus de victimesque l'épée.	8 Now the battle in that place was dispersed over the face of all the land. And there were many more of the people whom the forest had consumed, than the sword had devoured, on that day.
9 Absalom se heurta par hasard à des gardes de David. Absalom montait un mulet et le mulets'engagea sous la ramure d'un grand chêne. La tête d'Absalom se prit dans le chêne et il resta suspendu entre cielet terre tandis que continuait le mulet qui était sous lui.	9 Then it happened that Absalom, riding on a mule, met the servants of David. And when the mule had entered under a thick and large oak tree, his head became trapped in the oak. And while he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule on which he had been sitting continued on.
10 Quelqu'un l'aperçut et prévint Joab: "Je viens de voir, dit-il, Absalom suspendu à un chêne."	10 Then a certain one saw this and reported it to Joab, saying, “I saw Absalom hanging from an oak.”
11 Joab répondit à l'homme qui portait cette nouvelle: "Puisque tu l'as vu, pourquoi ne l'as-tu pasabattu sur place? J'aurais pris sur moi de te donner dix sicles d'argent et une ceinture!"	11 And Joab said to the man who had reported it to him, “If you saw him, why did you not stab him to the ground, and I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt?”
12 Mais l'homme répondit à Joab: "Quand même je soupèserais dans mes paumes mille siclesd'argent, je ne porterais pas la main sur le fils du roi! C'est à nos oreilles que le roi t'a donné cet ordre ainsi qu'àAbishaï et à Ittaï: Par égard pour moi, épargnez le jeune Absalom.	12 And he said to Joab: “Even if you weighed out to my hands one thousand silver coins, I would never lay my hands on the son of the king. For in our hearing the king ordered you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Keep for me the boy Absalom.’
13 Que si je m'étais menti à moi-même, rien ne reste caché au roi, et toi, tu te serais tenu àdistance."	13 Then too, if I had acted with such audacity, against my own life, this would never have been able to be hidden from the king. And would you then have stood by my side?”
14 Alors Joab dit: "Je ne vais pas ainsi perdre mon temps avec toi." Il prit en mains trois javelots etles planta dans le coeur d'Absalom encore vivant au milieu du chêne.	14 And Joab said, “It will not be as you wish. Instead, I will be assailing him in your sight.” Then he took three lances in his hand, and he fixed them in the heart of Absalom. And while he was still clinging to life upon the oak,
15 Puis s'approchèrent dix cadets, les écuyers de Joab, qui frappèrent Absalom et l'achevèrent.	15 ten young men, armor bearers of Joab, ran up, and striking him, they killed him.
16 Joab fit alors sonner du cor et l'armée cessa de poursuivre Israël, car Joab retint l'armée.	16 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and he held back the people, lest they pursue Israel in their flight, for he was willing to spare the multitude.
17 On prit Absalom, on le jeta dans une grande fosse en pleine forêt et on dressa sur lui un énormemonceau de pierres. Tous les Israélites s'étaient enfuis, chacun à ses tentes.	17 And they took Absalom, and they threw him into a great pit in the forest. And they piled an exceedingly great heap of stones over him. But all of Israel fled to their own tents.
18 De son vivant, Absalom avait entrepris de s'ériger la stèle qui est dans la vallée du Roi, car ils'était dit: "Je n'ai pas de fils pour commémorer mon nom", et il avait donné son nom à la stèle. On l'appelleencore aujourd'hui le monument d'Absalom.	18 Now Absalom had raised up for himself, when he was still alive, a monument, which is in the Valley of the King. For he said, “I have no son, and so this shall be the memorial to my name.” And he called the monument by his own name. And it is called the Hand of Absalom, even to this day.
19 Ahimaaç, fils de Sadoq, dit: "Je vais courir et annoncer au roi cette bonne nouvelle, que Yahvélui a rendu justice en le délivrant de ses ennemis."	19 Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said, “I will run and report to the king that the Lord has accomplished judgment for him, from the hand of his enemies.”
20 Mais Joab lui dit: "Tu ne serais pas un porteur d'heureux message aujourd'hui; tu le seras unautre jour, mais aujourd'hui tu ne porterais pas une bonne nouvelle, puisque le fils du roi est mort."	20 And Joab said to him: “You shall not be the messenger on this day. Instead, you shall report on another day. I am not willing for you to give the report today, because the son of the king is dead.”
21 Et Joab dit au Kushite: "Va rapporter au roi tout ce que tu as vu." Le Kushite se prosternadevant Joab et partit en courant.	21 Then Joab said to Hushai, “Go, and report to the king what you have seen.” Hushai reverenced Joab, and he ran.
22 Ahimaaç, fils de Sadoq, insista encore et dit à Joab: "Advienne que pourra, je veux courir moiaussi derrière le Kushite." Joab dit: "Pourquoi courrais-tu, mon fils, tu n'en tireras aucune récompense."	22 And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok, said to Joab again, “What prevents me from running after Hushai also?” And Joab said to him: “Why do you want to run, my son? You would not be the bearer of good news.”
23 Il reprit: "Advienne que pourra, je courrai!" Joab lui dit: "Cours donc." Et Ahimaaç partit encourant par le chemin de la Plaine et il dépassa le Kushite.	23 And he responded, “But what if I do run?” And he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz, running along a shorter way, passed Hushai.
24 David était assis entre les deux portes. Le guetteur étant monté à la terrasse de la porte, sur lerempart, leva les yeux et aperçut un homme qui courait seul.	24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. Truly, the watchman, who was at the summit of the gate upon the wall, lifting up his eyes, saw a man running alone.
25 Le guetteur cria et avertit le roi, et le roi dit: "S'il est seul, c'est qu'il a une bonne nouvelle surles lèvres." Comme celui-là continuait d'approcher,	25 And crying out, he told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is good news in his mouth.” But as he was advancing and drawing nearer,
26 le guetteur vit un autre homme qui courait, et le guetteur qui était sur la porte cria: "Voici unautre homme, qui court seul." Et David dit: "Celui-ci est encore un messager de bon augure."	26 the watchman saw another man running. And so, crying out from the height, he said: “Another man has appeared, running alone.” And the king said, “This one also is a good messenger.”
27 Le guetteur dit: "Je reconnais la façon de courir du premier, c'est la façon de courir d'Ahimaaç,fils de Sadoq." Le roi dit: "C'est un homme de bien, il vient pour une bonne nouvelle."	27 Then the watchman said, “The running of the closest one seems like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and he arrives bearing good news.”
28 Ahimaaç s'approcha du roi et dit: "Salut!" Il se prosterna face contre terre devant le roi etpoursuivit: "Béni soit Yahvé ton Dieu qui a livré les hommes qui avaient levé la main contre Monseigneur leroi!"	28 Then, Ahimaaz, crying out, said to the king, “Be well, O king.” And reverencing the king prone on the ground before him, he said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has enclosed the men who had lifted up their hands against my lord the king.”
29 Le roi demanda: "En va-t-il bien pour le jeune Absalom?" Et Ahimaaç répondit: "J'ai vu ungrand tumulte au moment où Joab, serviteur du roi, envoyait ton serviteur, mais je ne sais pas ce que c'était."	29 And the king said, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And Ahimaaz said: “I saw a great tumult, O king, when your servant Joab sent me, your servant. I know nothing else.”
30 Le roi dit: "Range-toi et tiens-toi là." Il se rangea et attendit.	30 And the king said to him, “Pass, and stand here.” And when he had passed and stood still,
31 Alors arriva le Kushite et il dit: "Que Monseigneur le roi apprenne la bonne nouvelle. Yahvé t'arendu justice aujourd'hui en te délivrant de tous ceux qui s'étaient dressés contre toi."	31 Hushai appeared. And approaching, he said: “I bear good news, my lord the king. For today the Lord has judged for you, from the hand of all who had risen up against you.”
32 Le roi demanda au Kushite: "En va-t-il bien pour le jeune Absalom?" Et le Kushite répondit:"Qu'ils aient le sort de ce jeune homme, les ennemis de Monseigneur le roi et tous ceux qui se sont dresséscontre toi pour le mal!"	32 But the king said to Hushai, “Is there peace for the boy Absalom?” And responding, Hushai said to him, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against him for evil, be as the boy is.”
	33 And so the king, being greatly saddened, ascended to the upper room of the gate, and he wept. And as he went, he was speaking in this manner: “My son Absalom! Absalom my son! Who can grant to me that I may die on your behalf? Absalom, my son! My son, Absalom!”