Saul seeketh David in the wilderness of Engaddi: he goeth into a cave where David hath him in his power.

 1 Then David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds of Engaddi.
Ascendit ergo David inde : et habitavit in locis tutissimis Engaddi.

 2 And when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, they told him, saying: Behold, David is in the desert of Engaddi.
Cumque reversus esset Saul, postquam persecutus est Philisthaeos, nuntiaverunt ei, dicentes : Ecce, David in deserto est Engaddi.

 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.
Assumens ergo Saul tria millia electorum virorum ex omni Israel, perrexit ad investigandum David et viros ejus, etiam super abruptissimas petra, quae solis ibicibus perviae sunt.

 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.
Et venit ad caulas ovium, quae se offerebant vianti : eratque ibi spelunca, quam ingressus est Saul, ut purgaret ventrem : porro David et viri ejus in interiore parte speluncae latebant.

 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.
Et dixerunt servi David ad eum : Ecce dies, de qua locutus est Dominus ad te : Ego tradam tibi inimicum tuum, ut facias ei sicut placuerit in oculis tuis. Surrexit ergo David, et praecidit oram chlamydis Saul silenter.

 6 After which David's heart struck him, because he had cut off the hem of Saul's robe.
Post haec percussit cor suum David, eo quod abscidisset oram chlamydis Saul.

 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.
Dixitque ad viros suos : Propitius sit mihi Dominus, ne faciam hanc rem domino meo, christo Domini, ut mittam manum meam in eum, quia christus Domini est.

 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.
Et confregit David viros suos sermonibus, et non permisit eos ut consurgerent in Saul : porro Saul exsurgens de spelunca, pergebat coepto itinere.

 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,
Surrexit autem et David post eum : et egressus de spelunca, clamavit post tergum Saul, dicens : Domine mi rex. Et respexit Saul post se : et inclinans se David pronus in terram adoravit,

 10 And said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say David seeketh thy hurt?
dixitque ad Saul : Quare audis verba hominum loquentium, David quaerit malum adversum te?

 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.
Ecce hodie viderunt oculi tui, quod tradiderit te Dominus in manu mea in spelunca : et cogitavi ut occiderem te, sed pepercit tibi oculus meus : dixi enim : Non extendam manum meam in dominum meum, quia christus Domini est.

 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.
Quin potius pater mi, vide, et cognosce oram chlamydis tuae in manu mea : quoniam cum praescinderem summitatem chlamydis tuae, nolui extendere manum meam in te : animadverte, et vide, quoniam non est in manu mea malum, neque iniquitas, neque peccavi in te : tu autem insidiaris animae meae ut auferas eam.

 13 The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord revenge me of thee: but my hand shall not be upon thee.
Judicet Dominus inter me et te, et ulciscatur me Dominus ex te : manus autem mea non sit in te.

 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?
Sicut et in proverbio antiquo dicitur : Ab impiis egredietur impietas : manus ergo mea non sit in te.

 15 After whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea.
Quem persequeris, rex Israel? quem persequeris? canem mortuum persequeris, et pulicem unum.

 16 Be the Lord judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.
Sit Dominus judex, et judicet inter me et te : et videat, et judicet causam meam, et eruat me de manu tua.

 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.
Cum autem complesset David loquens sermones hujuscemodi ad Saul, dixit Saul : Numquid vox haec tua est fili mi David? Et levavit Saul vocem suam, et flevit :

 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.
dixitque ad David : Justior tu es quam ego : tu enim tribuisti mihi bona : ego autem reddidi tibi mala.

 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.
Et tu indicasti hodie quae feceris mihi bona : quomodo tradiderit me Dominus in manum tuam, et non occideris me.

 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.
Quis enim cum invenerit inimicum suum, dimittet eum in via bona? Sed Dominus reddat tibi vicissitudinem hanc pro eo quod hodie operatus es in me.

 21 And now as I know that thou shalt surely be king, and have the kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
Et nunc quia scio quod certissime regnaturus sis, et habiturus in manu tua regnum Israel :

 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.
jura mihi in Domino, ne deleas semen meum post me, neque auferas nomen meum de domo patris mei.

 23 And David swore to Saul. So Saul went home: and David and his men went up into safer places.
Et juravit David Sauli. Abiit ergo Saul in domum suam : et David et viri ejus ascenderunt ad tutiora loca.