Premier livre de Samuel 25

BIBLES DES PEUPLES	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 En ce temps-là mourut Samuel. Tout Israël se rassembla et fit une lamentation sur lui; on l’enterra dans sa maison à Rama. David descendit alors au désert de Maon.	1 Then Samuel died, and all of Israel gathered together, and they mourned him. And they buried him at his house in Ramah. And David, rising up, descended to the desert of Paran.
2 Il y avait à Maon un homme dont l’exploitation se trouvait à Karmel. C’était un homme très important, il possédait 3 000 brebis et 1 000 chèvres; il était alors à Karmel pour la tonte de ses brebis.	2 Now there was a certain man in the wilderness of Maon, and his possessions were at Carmel. And this man was exceedingly great. And three thousand sheep, and one thousand goats were his. And it happened that he was shearing his sheep at Carmel.
3 Cet homme s’appelait Nabal et sa femme, Abigayil. La femme avait du bon sens, elle était belle, mais l’homme était dur et méchant: il était du clan de Caleb.	3 Now the name of this man was Nabal. And the name of his wife was Abigail. And she was a very prudent and beautiful woman. But her husband was hard-hearted, and very wicked, and malicious. And he was of the stock of Caleb.
4 Alors qu’il était au désert, David apprit que Nabal faisait la tonte de ses brebis.	4 Therefore, when David, in the desert, had heard that Nabal was shearing his sheep,
5 David envoya dix de ses hommes avec cette recommandation: “Montez à Karmel, entrez chez Nabal et vous le saluerez de ma part.	5 he sent ten young men, and he said to them: “Ascend to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name peacefully.
6 Vous lui parlerez ainsi: Frère, salut à toi, paix à ta maison, paix sur tout ce qui t’appartient!	6 And you shall say: ‘Peace be to my brothers and to you, and peace to your house, and peace to whatever you have.
7 J’apprends que les tondeurs sont aujourd’hui chez toi. Tu dois le savoir, lorsque tes bergers étaient avec nous, nous ne leur avons pas créé de problèmes, rien de ce qui était à eux n’a disparu tout le temps qu’ils étaient à Karmel.	7 I have heard that your shepherds, who were with us in the desert, were shearing. We have never troubled them, nor was anything from the flock missing to them at any time, during the entire time that they have been with us in Carmel.
8 Interroge tes serviteurs et ils te le diront. Fais donc aujourd’hui un geste pour mes gars, puisque nous arrivons en un jour de fête. Je t’en prie, donne à tes serviteurs et à ton fils David, ce que le cœur te dira.”	8 Question your servants, and they will tell you. Now therefore, may your servants find favor in your eyes. For we have arrived on a good day. Whatever your hand will find, give it to your servants and to your son David.’ ”
9 Les gars de David allèrent transmettre à Nabal le message de David, puis ils se reposèrent sur place.	9 And when the servants of David had arrived, they spoke to Nabal all these words in the name of David. And then they were silent.
10 Nabal donna alors cette réponse aux serviteurs de David: “Mais qui est David? Qui est le fils de Jessé? Il y a trop de serviteurs aujourd’hui qui s’échappent de chez leur maître!	10 But Nabal, responding to the servants of David, said: “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? Today, servants who are fleeing from their lords are increasing.
11 Et j’irais prendre mon pain, mon vin, la viande des bêtes que j’ai égorgées pour les tondeurs, et je la donnerais à des gens qui viennent de je ne sais où!”	11 Therefore, shall I take my bread, and my water, and the meat of the cattle that I have slain for my shearers, and give it to men, when I do not know where they are from?”
12 Les gars de David refirent le chemin; ils revinrent et rapportèrent à David toutes ces paroles.	12 And so the servants of David traveled back along their way. And returning, they went and reported to him all the words that he had said.
13 David leur dit: “Que chacun de vous prenne son épée.” Chacun d’eux prit donc son épée et David prit la sienne. Ils étaient 400 qui montèrent derrière David, tandis que 200 gardaient les bagages.	13 Then David said to his servants, “Let each one gird his sword.” And each one girded his sword. And David also girded his sword. And about four hundred men followed David. But two hundred remained behind with the supplies.
14 Abigayil, la femme de Nabal, fut mise au courant par un de ses garçons; il lui dit: “David avait envoyé, du désert, des messagers pour saluer notre maître, mais celui-ci les a renvoyés comme des malpropres.	14 Then it was reported to Abigail, the wife of Nabal, by one of his servants, saying: “Behold, David has sent messengers from the desert, so that they might speak kindly to our lord. But he turned them away.
15 Pourtant ces hommes ont été très corrects avec nous, ils ne nous ont pas fait de mal durant tout le temps que nous avons passé dans la campagne, et nous n’avons rien perdu quand nous étions au milieu d’eux.	15 These men were good enough to us, and were not troublesome. Neither did we ever lose anything, during the entire time that we conversed with them in the desert.
16 Ils ont été pour nous comme un rempart, aussi bien la nuit que le jour, aussi longtemps que nous avons eu nos troupeaux au milieu d’eux.	16 They were a wall to us, as much in the night as in the day, during all the days that we were with them, pasturing the sheep.
17 Maintenant penses-y et vois ce que tu dois faire, car le sort de notre maître et de toute sa maison est déjà décidé, et lui est trop mauvais pour qu’on puisse lui parler.”	17 For this reason, consider and realize what you should do. For evil has been decided against your husband and against your house. And he is a son of Belial, so that no one is able to speak to him.”
18 Rapidement, Abigayil ramassa 200 pains, deux outres de vin, cinq brebis déjà préparées, cinq mesures de grains grillés, 100 grappes de raisins secs et deux gâteaux de figues; elle mit le tout sur des ânes.	18 And so Abigail hurried, and she took two hundred loaves, and two vessels of wine, and five cooked sheep, and five measures of cooked grain, and one hundred clusters of dried grapes, and two hundred masses of dried figs, and she set them upon donkeys.
19 Puis elle dit aux garçons: “Passez devant moi, je vous suis.” Mais elle ne dit rien à son mari Nabal.	19 And she said to her servants: “Go before me. Behold, I will follow after your back.” But she did not reveal it to her husband, Nabal.
20 Montée sur un âne, elle descendit à l’abri de la montagne pendant que David et ses hommes descendaient dans le sens inverse.	20 And when she had climbed on a donkey, and was descending to the base of the mountain, David and his men were descending to meet her. And she met them.
21 David se disait: “C’est vraiment pour rien que j’ai protégé tout ce que cet homme avait dans le désert, et que rien de ce qui lui appartenait n’a disparu. Aujourd’hui, il me rend le mal pour le bien.	21 And David said: “Truly, in vain have I preserved all that was his in the wilderness, so that nothing perished out of all that belonged to him. And he has repaid evil to me for good.
22 Que Dieu maudisse David et le maudisse encore, si d’ici demain matin je laisse en vie un seul de ses hommes.”	22 May God do these things, by the enemies of David, and may he add these other things, if I leave behind until morning, out of all that belongs to him, anything that urinates against a wall.”
23 En apercevant David, Abigayil sauta de son âne, elle tomba la face contre terre devant David et se prosterna.	23 Then, when Abigail had seen David, she hurried and descended from the donkey. And she fell upon her face before David, and she reverenced on the ground.
24 Ainsi prosternée à ses pieds, elle lui dit: “Mon seigneur, pardonne mon audace. Permets à ta servante de dire un mot, écoute les paroles de ta servante.	24 And she fell at his feet, and she said: “May this iniquity be upon me, my lord. I beg you, let your handmaid speak to your ears, and listen to the words of your servant.
25 Que mon seigneur ne tienne pas compte de cette brute de Nabal: son nom veut dire Le Fou, et c’est bien la folie qui le mène. Et moi, ta servante, je n’ai pas pu voir les garçons que mon seigneur a envoyés.	25 Let not my lord, the king, I beseech you, set his heart upon this iniquitous man, Nabal. For in accord with his name, he is senseless, and foolishness is with him. But I, your handmaid, did not see your servants, my lord, whom you had sent.
26 Par la vie de Yahvé et par ta propre vie, que tes ennemis et que tous ceux qui veulent du mal à mon seigneur, connaissent aujourd’hui le sort de Nabal! Mais regarde: Yahvé t’a empêché d’en venir au sang pour te faire justice toi-même.	26 Now therefore, my lord, as your soul lives, and as the Lord lives, who has kept your hand to yourself, and has prevented you from coming to blood: now, let your enemies be like Nabal, and like all those who are seeking evil for my lord.
27 Que l’on remette aux jeunes gens qui accompagnent mon seigneur, les cadeaux que lui apporte aujourd’hui sa servante.	27 Because of this, accept this blessing, which your handmaid has brought to you, my lord. And give it to the young men who follow you, my lord.
28 “Pardonne, je t’en prie, la faute de ta servante. Certainement Yahvé rendra inébranlable la maison de mon seigneur, car tu es le combattant des guerres de Yahvé et, de toute ta vie, on ne te prendra pas en faute.	28 Forgive the iniquity of your handmaid. For the Lord will surely make for you, my lord, a faithful house, because you, my lord, fight the battles of the Lord. Therefore, let no evil be found in you all the days of your life.
29 Si un homme veut te poursuivre et s’en prend à ta vie, l’âme de mon seigneur sera en sûreté auprès de Yahvé. Yahvé te protégera, alors qu’il lancera loin de lui, comme avec une fronde, l’âme de tes ennemis.	29 For if a man, at any time, will rise up, pursuing you and seeking your life, the life of my lord will be preserved, as if in the sheave of the living, with the Lord your God. But the lives of your enemies will be spun around, as if with the force of a whirling sling.
30 Ainsi, lorsque Yahvé aura accompli à ton égard toutes les promesses qu’il t’a faites, lorsqu’il t’aura établi comme chef sur Israël,	30 Therefore, when the Lord will have done for you, my lord, all the good that he has spoken about you, and when he will have appointed you as leader over Israel,
31 tu ne pourras pas te reprocher d’avoir répandu le sang sans raison et de t’être fait justice toi-même. Lorsque Yahvé aura comblé mon seigneur, qu’il se souvienne de sa servante!”	31 this will not be for you a regret or a scruple of the heart, my lord, that you had shed innocent blood, or had taken revenge for yourself. And when the Lord will have done well for my lord, you shall remember your handmaid.”
32 David répondit à Abigayil: “Béni soit Yahvé, le Dieu d’Israël, qui t’a envoyée à ma rencontre aujourd’hui!	32 And David said to Abigail: “Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me. And blessed is your eloquence.
33 Sois bénie pour ta prudence, sois bénie parce qu’aujourd’hui tu m’as empêché d’en venir au sang et de me faire justice moi-même.	33 And blessed are you, who prevented me today from going to blood, and from taking revenge for myself with my own hand.
34 Car je te le jure par la vie de Yahvé, le Dieu d’Israël qui m’a empêché de te faire du mal, si tu n’étais venue aussi vite à ma rencontre, avant même le lever du soleil il ne serait pas resté à Nabal un seul homme en vie.”	34 But instead, as the Lord God of Israel lives, he has prevented me from doing evil to you. But if you had not come quickly to meet me, there would not have been left to Nabal by the morning light, anything that urinates against a wall.”
35 David prit de sa main ce qu’elle lui avait apporté, puis il dit: “Retourne en paix chez toi, je t’ai écoutée et je t’ai fait grâce.”	35 Then David received from her hand all that she had brought to him. And he said to her: “Go in peace to your own house. Behold, I have heeded your voice, and I have honored your face.”
36 Lorsque Abigayil rentra, Nabal était attablé chez lui pour un festin royal. Nabal était tout joyeux, complètement ivre, et elle ne lui raconta rien jusqu’au lendemain matin.	36 Then Abigail went to Nabal. And behold, he was holding a feast for himself in his house, like the feast of a king. And the heart of Nabal was cheerful. For he was greatly inebriated. And she did not reveal a word to him, small or great, until morning.
37 Mais le lendemain, lorsque Nabal eut cuvé son vin, sa femme lui raconta ce qui s’était passé. Il en eut une attaque et il devint comme une pierre.	37 Then, at first light, when Nabal had digested his wine, his wife revealed to him these words, and his heart died within himself, and he became like a stone.
38 Environ dix jours plus tard, Yahvé frappa Nabal et il mourut.	38 And after ten days had passed, the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.
39 Lorsque David apprit que Nabal était mort, il dit: “Béni soit Yahvé! Il a fait payer Nabal qui m’avait insulté, et il m’a épargné une mauvaise action. Yahvé a fait retomber sur la tête de Nabal sa propre méchanceté.” Alors David envoya dire à Abigayil qu’il la prendrait pour femme.	39 And when David had heard that Nabal was dead, he said: “Blessed is the Lord, who has judged the case of my reproach at the hand of Nabal, and who has preserved his servant from evil. And the Lord has repaid the malice of Nabal upon his own head.” Then David sent and he spoke with Abigail, so that he might take her to himself as wife.
40 Les serviteurs de David arrivèrent donc chez Abigayil, à Karmel, et ils lui dirent ceci: “David nous a envoyés vers toi, il veut te prendre pour épouse.”	40 And David’s servants went to Abigail at Carmel, and they spoke to her, saying, “David has sent us to you, so that he might take you to himself as wife.”
41 Elle se leva, se prosterna à terre et dit: “Ta servante sera pour toi comme une esclave, pour laver les pieds des serviteurs de mon seigneur.”	41 And rising up, she reverenced prone on the ground, and she said, “Behold, let your servant be a handmaid, to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
42 Abigayil se décida aussitôt, elle monta sur son âne et cinq jeunes servantes la suivirent; elle partit derrière les envoyés de David et devint ainsi sa femme.	42 And Abigail rose up and hurried, and she climbed upon a donkey, and five girls went with her, her attendants. And she followed the messengers of David, and she became his wife.
43 David avait épousé également Ahinoam de Yizréel: toutes deux devinrent femmes de David.	43 Moreover, David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel. And both of them were his wives.
44 Pendant ce temps Saül avait donné sa fille Mikal, femme de David, à Pâti, fils d’In de Gallim.	44 Then Saul gave his daughter Michal, the wife of David, to Palti, the son of Laish, who was from Gallim.