I Samuel 24

vayya'al david misham vayyeshev bimtsadot en-gedi

David went from there and stayed in the wildernesses of En-gedi.

vayehi ka'asher shav sha'ul me'akhare pelishtim vayyaggidu lo lemor hinneh david bemidbar en gedi

When Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told that David was in the wilderness of En-gedi.

vayyiqqakh sha'ul sheloshet alafim ish bakhur mikkol-yisra'el vayyelekh levaqqesh et-david va'anashayw al-pene tsure hayye'elim

So Saul took three thousand of the best troops from all Israel and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the rocks of the wild goats;

vayyavo el-gidrot hatson al-hadderekh vesham me'arah vayyavo sha'ul lehasekh et-raglayw vedavid va'anashayw beyarkete hamme'arah yoshevim

and he came to the sheepfolds along the way. There was a cave there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the back of the cave.

vayyomeru anshe david elayw hinneh hayyom asher-amar Adonai elekha hinneh anokhi noten et-[oyivkha] (yvykh) beyadekha ve'asita lo ka'asher yitav be'enekha vayyaqom david vayyikhrot et-kenaf-hamme'il asher-lesha'ul ballat

David’s men said to him, “This is the day of which GOD said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy into your hands; you can do with him as you please.’” David went and stealthily cut off the corner of Saul’s cloak.

vayehi akhare-khen vayyakh lev-david oto al asher karat et-kanaf asher lesha'ul

But afterward David reproached himself for cutting off the corner of Saul’s cloak.

vayyomer la'anashayw khalilah li me-Adonai im-e'eseh et-haddavar hazzeh ladoni limshiakh Adonai lishloakh yadi bo ki-meshiakh Adonai hu

He said to his men, “GOD forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord—GOD’s anointed—that I should raise my hand against him; for he is GOD’s anointed.”

vayeshassa david et-anashayw baddevarim velo netanam laqum el-sha'ul vesha'ul qam mehamme'arah vayyelekh baddarekh

David rebuked his men and did not permit them to attack Saul. Saul left the cave and started on his way.

vayyaqom david akhare-khen vayyetse (mn hmrh) [mehamme'arah] vayyiqra akhare-sha'ul lemor adoni hammelekh vayyabbet sha'ul akharayw vayyiqqod david appayim artsah vayyishtakhu

Then David also went out of the cave and called after Saul, “My lord king!” Saul looked around and David bowed low in homage, with his face to the ground.

vayyomer david lesha'ul lammah tishma et-divre adam lemor hinneh david mevaqqesh ra'atekha

And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say, ‘David is out to do you harm?’

hinneh hayyom hazzeh ra'u enekha et asher-netanekha Adonai hayyom beyadi bamme'arah ve'amar laharagekha vattakhos alekha va'omar lo-eshlakh yadi badoni ki-meshiakh Adonai hu

You can see for yourself now that GOD delivered you into my hands in the cave today. And though I was urged to kill you, I showed you pity; for I said, ‘I will not raise a hand against my lord, since he is GOD’s anointed.’

ve'avi re'eh gam re'eh et-kenaf me'ilekha beyadi ki bekhorti et-kenaf me'ilekha velo haragtikha da ure'eh ki en beyadi ra'ah vafesha velo-khatati lakh ve'attah tsodeh et-nafshi leqakhtah

Please, sir, take a close look at the corner of your cloak in my hand; for when I cut off the corner of your cloak, I did not kill you. You must see plainly that I have done nothing evil or rebellious, and I have never wronged you. Yet you are bent on taking my life.

yishpot Adonai beni uvenekha uneqamani Adonai mimmekka veyadi lo tihyeh-bbakh

May GOD judge between you and me! And may GOD take vengeance upon you for me; but my hand will never touch you.

ka'asher yomar meshal haqqadmoni meresha'im yetse resha veyadi lo tihyeh-bbakh

As the ancient proverb has it: ‘Wickedness comes from the wicked!’ My hand will never touch you.

akhare mi yatsa melekh yisra'el akhare mi attah rodef akhare kelev met akhare parosh ekhad

Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea?

vehayah Adonai ledayyan veshafat beni uvenekha veyere veyarev et-rivi veyishpeteni miyyadekha

May GOD be arbiter and judge between you and me! May [God] take note and uphold my cause, and vindicate me against you.”

vayehi kekhallot david ledabber et-haddevarim ha'elleh el-sha'ul vayyomer sha'ul haqolekha zeh beni david vayyissa sha'ul qolo vayyevk

When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” And Saul broke down and wept.

vayyomer el-david tsaddiq attah mimmenni ki attah gemaltani hattovah va'ani gemaltikha hara'ah

He said to David, “You are right, not I; for you have treated me generously, but I have treated you badly.

(vt) [ve'attah] higgadta hayyom et asher-asitah itti tovah et asher siggerani Adonai beyadekha velo haragtani

Yes, you have just revealed how generously you treated me, for GOD delivered me into your hands and you did not kill me.

vekhi-yimtsa ish et-oyevo veshillekho bederekh tovah va-Adonai yeshallemkha tovah takhat hayyom hazzeh asher asitah li

If a man meets his enemy, does he let him go his way unharmed? Surely, GOD will reward you generously for what you have done for me this day.

ve'attah hinneh yadati ki malokh timlokh veqamah beyadekha mamlekhet yisra'el

I know now that you will become king, and that the kingship over Israel will remain in your hands.

ve'attah hishave'ah li ba-Adonai im-takhrit et-zari akharay ve'im-tashmid et-shemi mibbet avi

So swear to me by GOD that you will not destroy my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”

vayyishava david lesha'ul vayyelekh sha'ul el-beto vedavid va'anashayw alu al-hammetsudah

David swore to Saul, Saul went home, and David and his men went up to the strongholds.