1 Samuel 18

1 After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.

1 Come Davide ebbe finito di parlare con Saul, l’anima di Gionathan rimase così legata all’anima di lui, che Gionathan l’amò come l’anima sua.

2 And from that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house.

2 Da quel giorno Saul lo tenne presso di sé e non permise più ch’ei se ne tornasse a casa di suo padre.

3 Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.

3 E Gionathan fece alleanza con Davide, perché lo amava come l’anima propria.

4 And Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

4 Quindi Gionathan si tolse di dosso il mantello, e lo diede a Davide; e così fece delle sue vesti, fino alla sua spada, al suo arco e alla sua cintura.

5 So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.

5 E Davide andava e riusciva bene dovunque Saul lo mandava: Saul lo mise a capo della gente di guerra, ed egli era gradito a tutto il popolo, anche ai servi di Saul.

6 As the troops were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs, and with tambourines and other instruments.

6 Or all’arrivo dell’esercito, quando Davide, ucciso il Filisteo, facea ritorno, le donne uscirono da tutte le città d’Israele incontro al re Saul, cantando e danzando al suon de’ timpani e de’ triangoli, e alzando grida di gioia;

7 And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

7 e le donne, danzando, si rispondevano a vicenda e dicevano: Saul ha ucciso i suoi mille, e Davide i suoi diecimila.

8 And Saul was furious and resented this song. “They have ascribed tens of thousands to David,” he said, “but only thousands to me. What more can he have but the kingdom?”

8 Saul n’ebbe sdegno fortissimo; quelle parole gli dispiacquero, e disse: “Ne dànno diecimila a Davide, e a me non ne dan che mille! Non gli manca più che il regno!”

9 And from that day forward Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

9 E Saul, da quel giorno in poi, guardò Davide di mal occhio.

10 The next day a spirit of distress sent from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house while David played the harp as usual. Now Saul was holding a spear,

10 Il giorno dopo, un cattivo spirito, suscitato da Dio, s’impossessò di Saul che era come fuori di sé in mezzo alla casa, mentre Davide sonava l’arpa, come solea fare tutti i giorni. Saul aveva in mano la sua lancia;

11 and he hurled it, thinking, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice.

11 e la scagliò, dicendo: “Inchioderò Davide al muro!” Ma Davide schivò il colpo per due volte.

12 So Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.

12 Saul avea paura di Davide, perché l’Eterno era con lui e s’era ritirato da Saul;

13 Therefore Saul sent David away and gave him command of a thousand men. David led the troops out to battle and back,

13 perciò Saul lo allontanò da sé, e lo fece capitano di mille uomini; ed egli andava e veniva alla testa del popolo.

14 and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.

14 Or Davide riusciva bene in tutte le sue imprese, e l’Eterno era con lui.

15 When Saul saw that David was very successful, he was afraid of him.

15 E quando Saul vide ch’egli riusciva splendidamente, cominciò ad aver timore di lui;

16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was leading them out to battle and back.

16 ma tutto Israele e Giuda amavano Davide, perché andava e veniva alla loro testa.

17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.” But Saul was thinking, “I need not raise my hand against him; let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”

17 Saul disse a Davide: “Ecco Merab, la mia figliuola maggiore; io te la darò per moglie; solo siimi valente, e combatti le battaglie dell’Eterno”. Or Saul diceva tra sé: “Non sia la mia mano che lo colpisca, ma sia la mano de’ Filistei”.

18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my family or my father’s clan in Israel, that I should become the son-in-law of the king?”

18 Ma Davide rispose a Saul: “Chi son io, che è la vita mia, e che è la famiglia di mio padre in Israele, ch’io abbia ad essere genero del re?”

19 So when it was time to give Saul’s daughter Merab to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah.

19 Or avvenne che, quando Merab figliuola di Saul doveva esser data a Davide, fu invece sposata ad Adriel di Mehola.

20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.

20 Ma Mical, figliuola di Saul, amava Davide; lo riferirono a Saul, e la cosa gli piacque.

21 “I will give her to David,” Saul thought, “so that she may be a snare to him, and the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” So Saul said to David, “For a second time now you can be my son-in-law.”

21 E Saul disse: “Gliela darò, perché sia per lui un’insidia ed egli cada sotto la mano de’ Filistei”. Saul dunque disse a Davide: “Oggi, per la seconda volta, tu puoi diventar mio genero”.

22 Then Saul ordered his servants, “Speak to David privately and tell him, ‘Behold, the king is pleased with you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become his son-in-law.’”

22 Poi Saul diede quest’ordine ai suoi servitori: “Parlate in confidenza a Davide, e ditegli: Ecco, tu sei in grazia del re, e tutti i suoi servi ti amano, diventa dunque genero del re”.

23 But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”

23 I servi di Saul ridissero queste parole a Davide. Ma Davide replicò: “Sembra a voi cosa lieve il diventar genero del re? E io son povero e di basso stato”.

24 And the servants told Saul what David had said.

24 I servi riferirono a Saul: “Davide ha risposto così e così”.

25 Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines.

25 E Saul disse: “Dite così a Davide: Il re non domanda dote; ma domanda cento prepuzi di Filistei, per trar vendetta de’ suoi nemici”. Or Saul aveva in animo di far cader Davide nelle mani de’ Filistei.

26 When the servants reported these terms to David, he was pleased to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the wedding day arrived,

26 I servitori dunque riferirono quelle parole a Davide, e a Davide piacque di diventar in tal modo genero del re. E prima del termine fissato,

27 David and his men went out and killed two hundred Philistines. He brought their foreskins and presented them as payment in full to become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave his daughter Michal to David in marriage.

27 Davide si levò, partì con la sua gente, uccise duecento uomini de’ Filistei, portò i loro prepuzi e ne consegnò il numero preciso al re, per diventar suo genero.

28 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David,

28 E Saul gli diede per moglie Mical, sua figliuola. E Saul vide e riconobbe che l’Eterno era con Davide; e Mical, figliuola di Saul, l’amava.

29 he grew even more afraid of David. So from then on Saul was David’s enemy.

29 E Saul continuò più che mai a temer Davide, e gli fu sempre nemico.

30 Every time the Philistine commanders came out for battle, David was more successful than all of Saul’s officers, so that his name was highly esteemed.

30 Or i principi de’ Filistei uscivano a combattere; e ogni volta che uscivano, Davide riusciva meglio di tutti i servi di Saul, in guisa che il suo nome divenne molto famoso.