Léctio libri primi Samuélis (16,1-13)
In diébus illis: Dixít Dóminus ad Samúelem: “Usquéquo tu luges Saul, cum ego proiécerim eum, ne regnet super Israel? Imple cornu tuum óleo et veni, ut mittam te ad Ísai Bethlehémitem; próvidi enim in fíliis eíus mihi regem.” Et ait Sámuel: “Quómodo vadam? Áudiet enim Saul et interfíciet me.” Et ait Dóminus: “Vítulam de arménto tolles in manu tua et dices: “Ad immolándum Dómino veni.” Et vocábis Ísai ad víctimam; et ego osténdam tibi quid fácias, et unges quemcúmque monstrávero tibi.” Fecit ergo Sámuel, sicut locútus est ei Dóminus, venítque in Béthlehem. Et expavérunt senióres civitátis occurréntes ei dixerúntque: “Pacificúsne ingréssus tuus?” Et ait: “Pacíficus; ad immolándum Dómino veni. Sanctificámini et veníte mecum, ut ímmolem.” Sanctificávit ergo Ísai et fílios eíus et vocávit eos ad sacrifícium. Cumque ingréssi essent, vidit Elíab et ait: “Absque dúbio coram Dómino est christus eíus!” Et dixit Dóminus ad Samúelem: “Ne respícias vultum eíus neque altitúdinem statúræ eíus, quóniam abiéci eum; nec iúxta intúitum hóminis iúdico: homo enim videt ea, quæ parent, Dóminus autem intuétur cor.” Et vocávit Ísai Abinádab et addúxit eum coram Samúele, qui dixit: “Nec hunc elégit Dóminus.” Addúxit autem Ísai Samma, de quo ait: “Étiam hunc non elégit Dóminus.” Addúxit ítaque Ísai septem fílios suos coram Samúele, et ait Sámuel ad Ísai: “Non elégit Dóminus ex istis.” Dixítque Sámuel ad Ísai: “Númquid iam compléti sunt fílii?” Qui respóndit: “Adhuc réliquus est mínimus et pascit oves.” Et ait Sámuel ad Ísai: “Mítte et adduc eum; nec enim discumbémus prius quam huc ille vénerit.” Misit ergo et addúxit eum; erat autem rufus et pulcher aspéctu decoráque fácie. Et ait Dóminus: “Súrge, unge eum; ipse est enim.” Tulit ígitur Sámuel cornu ólei et unxit eum in médio fratrum eíus; et diréctus est spíritus Dómini in David a die illa et in réliquum. Surgénsque Sámuel ábiit in Rama.
In those days: our Lord said to Samuel: How long dost thou mourn Saul, whom I have rejected that he rule not over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come, that I may send thee to Isai the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said: How shall I go? For Saul will hear of it, and will kill me. And our Lord said: A calf of the herd shalt thou take in thy hand, and shalt say: I am come to immolate unto our Lord. And thou shalt call Isai to the victim, and I will shew thee what thou must do, and thou shalt anoint whomsoever I shall shew to thee. Samuel therefore did as our Lord spake to him. And he came into Bethlehem, and the ancients of the city marveled meeting him, and they said: Is thy entrance peaceable? And he said: Peaceable: I am come to immolate unto our Lord, be ye sanctified and come with me that I may immolate. He therefore sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. And when they were entered in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is there before our Lord his Christ? And our Lord said to Samuel: Respect not his countenance, nor the tallness of his stature: because I have rejected him, neither do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things which appear, but our Lord beholdeth the heart. And Isai called Aminadab, and brought him before Samuel. Who said: Neither this hath our Lord chosen. And Isai brought Samma, of whom he said: This also hath not our Lord chosen. Isai therefore brought his seven sons before Samuel: & Samuel said to Isai: Our Lord hath not chosen of these. And Samuel said to Isai: Are all thy sons now fully come? Who answered: Yet there is left a little one, & he feedeth sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and bring him: for neither will we sit down till he come hither. He sent therefore, and brought him. And he was red and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And our Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for he it is. Samuel therefore took the horn of oil, & anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of our Lord from that day & so forward was directed upon David: & Samuel rising went into Ramatha.
