Léctio libri primi Samuélis (24,3-21)
In diébus illis: Assúmens Saul tria mília electórum virórum ex omni Israel perréxit ad investigándum David et viros eíus ad rupes íbicum. Et venit ad caulas óvium, quæ se offerébant viánti. Erátque ibi spelúnca, quam ingréssus est Saul, ut purgáret ventrem; porro David et viri eíus in interióre parte spelúncæ latébant. Et dixérunt viri David ad eum: “Ecce dies, de qua locútus est Dóminus ad te: ‘Ego trado tibi inimícum tuum, ut fácias ei sicut placúerit in óculis tuis.’” Surréxit ergo David et prǽcidit oram chlámydis Saul silénter. Post hæc cor David percússit eum, eo quod abscidísset oram chlámydis Saul, dixítque ad viros suos: “Propítius mihi sit Dóminus, ne fáciam hanc rem dómino meo, christo Dómini, ut mittam manum meam in eum, quóniam christus Dómini est.” Et cohíbuit David viros suos sermónibus et non permísit eos, ut consúrgerent in Saul. Porro Saul exsúrgens de spelúnca pergébat cœpto itínere. Surréxit autem et David post eum et egréssus de spelúnca clamávit post tergum Saul dicens: “Dómine mi rex!” Et respéxit Saul post se, et inclínans se David pronus in terram adorávit dixítque ad Saul: “quáre audis verba hóminum loquéntium: “Dávid quærit malum advérsum te?” Ecce hódie vidérunt óculi tui quod tradíderit te Dóminus hódie in manu mea in spelúnca; et dictum est mihi, ut occíderem te, sed pepércit tibi óculus meus. Dixi enim: Non exténdam manum meam in dóminum meum, quia christus Dómini est et pater meus. Quin pótius vide et cognósce oram chlámydis tuæ in manu mea, quóniam, cum præcíderem summitátem chlámydis tuæ, nólui occídere te. Animadvérte et vide quóniam non est in manu mea malum neque iníquitas, neque peccávi in te; tu autem insidiáris ánimæ meæ, ut áuferas eam. Iúdicet Dóminus inter me et te et ulciscátur me Dóminus ex te; manus autem mea non sit in te. Sicut et in provérbio antíquo dícitur: “Ab ímpiis egrediétur impiétas”, manus ergo mea non sit in te. Quem séquitur rex Israel? Quem perséqueris? Canem mórtuum et púlicem unum. Sit Dóminus iúdex et iúdicet inter me et te et vídeat et diiúdicet causam meam et éruat me de manu tua.” Cum autem complésset David loquens sermónes huiuscémodi ad Saul, dixit Saul: “Númquid vox hæc tua est, fili mi David?” Et levávit Saul vocem suam et flevit. Dixítque ad David: “Iústior tu es quam ego; tu enim tribuísti mihi bona, ego autem réddidi tibi mala. Et tu indicásti hódie, quæ féceris mihi bona, quómodo tradíderit me Dóminus in manu tua, et non occíderis me. Quis enim, cum invénerit inimícum suum, dimíttet eum in via bona? Sed Dóminus reddat tibi vicissitúdinem hanc, pro eo quod hódie operátus es in me. Et nunc, quia scio quod certíssime regnatúrus sis et habitúrus in manu tua regnum Israel.
In those days: Saul taking unto him three thousand chosen men of all Israel, went forth to search out David & his men, yea over the steep broken rocks, which are accessible only to wild goats. And he came to the sheepcotes, which fell in his way as he went, and there was a cave, which Saul entered into, to do his easement: moreover David and his men lay hid in the inner part of the cave. And the servants of David said to him: Behold the day, whereof our Lord said to thee: I will deliver thee thine enemy, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good in thine eyes. David therefore arose, and cut off the hem of Saul's cloak softly. After this David's heart struck him, for that he had cut off the hem of Saul's cloak. And he said to his men: Our Lord be merciful unto me, that I do not this thing to my master the anointed of our Lord, that I should lay my hand upon him, because he is the anointed of our Lord. And David persuaded his men with words, and permitted them not to rise against Saul: moreover Saul rising out of the cave, went on his journey begun. And David rose up after him: and going out of the cave, cried behind Saul's back, saying: My lord king. And Saul looked back behind him: and David bowing himself flat toward the ground adored, and said to Saul: Why dost thou hear the words of men that say: David seeketh evil against thee? Lo this day thine eyes have seen, that our Lord delivered thee in my hand, in the cave, and I had a cogitation to kill thee, but mine eye hath spared thee. For I said: I will not extend mine hand upon my Lord, because he is the anointed of our Lord. But rather see and know, o my father, the hem of thy cloak in my hand, that when I did cut off the hem of thy cloak, I would not extend my hand upon thee. Mark, 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. Our Lord judge between me and thee, and our Lord revenge me of thee, but be not my hand upon thee. As also it is said in the old proverb: From The Impious shall impiety proceed: be not therefore my hand upon thee: Whom dost thou persecute, o king of Israel? Whom dost thou persecute? Thou persecutest a dead dog, and a flea. Our Lord be judge, and judge between me and thee, and he see, and judge my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand. And when David had fully ended speaking such words to Saul, Saul said: Is this thy voice my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept: and said to David: Thou art juster than I: for thou hast done me good turns, and I have rendered thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day what good things thou hast done to me: how our Lord delivered me into thy hand, and thou hast not killed me. For who when he hath found his enemy, will let him go in a good way? But our Lord render thee this good turn, for that which thou hast wrought toward me this day. And now because I know that thou most certainly shalt reign, and have the Kingdom of Israel in thy hand:
