The Latin Vulgate VUL
Good News Translation GNT
1 factum est autem post haec ut Absalom filii David sororem speciosissimam vocabulo Thamar adamaret Amnon filius David
1
David's son Absalom had a beautiful unmarried sister named Tamar. Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her.
2 et deperiret eam valde ita ut aegrotaret propter amorem eius quia cum esset virgo difficile ei videbatur ut quippiam inhoneste ageret cum ea
2
He was so much in love with her that he became sick, because it seemed impossible for him to have her; as a virgin, she was kept from meeting men.
3 erat autem Amnonis amicus nomine Ionadab filius Semaa fratris David vir prudens valde
3
But he had a friend, a very shrewd man named Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shammah.
4 qui dixit ad eum quare sic adtenuaris macie fili regis per singulos dies cur non indicas mihi dixitque ei Amnon Thamar sororem Absalom fratris mei amo
4
Jonadab said to Amnon, "You are the king's son, yet day after day I see you looking sad. What's the matter?" "I'm in love with Tamar, the sister of my half brother Absalom," he answered.
5 cui respondit Ionadab cuba super lectulum tuum et languorem simula cumque venerit pater tuus ut visitet te dic ei veniat oro Thamar soror mea ut det mihi cibum et faciat pulmentum ut comedam de manu eius
5
Jonadab said to him, "Pretend that you are sick and go to bed. When your father comes to see you, say to him, "Please ask my sister Tamar to come and feed me. I want her to fix the food here where I can see her, and then serve it to me herself.' "
6 accubuit itaque Amnon et quasi aegrotare coepit cumque venisset rex ad visitandum eum ait Amnon ad regem veniat obsecro Thamar soror mea ut faciat in oculis meis duas sorbitiunculas et cibum capiam de manu eius
6
So Amnon pretended that he was sick and went to bed. King David went to see him, and Amnon said to him, "Please let Tamar come and make a few cakes here where I can see her, and then serve them to me herself."
7 misit ergo David ad Thamar domum dicens veni in domum Amnon fratris tui et fac ei pulmentum
7
So David sent word to Tamar in the palace: "Go to Amnon's house and fix him some food."
8 venitque Thamar in domum Amnon fratris sui ille autem iacebat quae tollens farinam commiscuit et liquefaciens in oculis eius coxit sorbitiunculas
8
She went there and found him in bed. She took some dough, prepared it, and made some cakes there where he could see her. Then she baked the cakes
9 tollensque quod coxerat effudit et posuit coram eo et noluit comedere dixitque Amnon eicite universos a me cumque eiecissent omnes
9
and emptied them out of the pan for him to eat, but he wouldn't. He said, "Send everyone away" - and they all left.
10 dixit Amnon ad Thamar infer cibum in conclave ut vescar de manu tua tulit ergo Thamar sorbitiunculas quas fecerat et intulit ad Amnon fratrem suum in conclave
10
Then he said to her, "Bring the cakes here to my bed and serve them to me yourself." She took the cakes and went over to him.
11 cumque obtulisset ei cibum adprehendit eam et ait veni cuba mecum soror mea
11
As she offered them to him, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me!"
12 quae respondit ei noli frater mi noli opprimere me neque enim hoc fas est in Israhel noli facere stultitiam hanc
12
"No," she said. "Don't force me to do such a degrading thing! That's awful!
13 et ego enim ferre non potero obprobrium meum et tu eris quasi unus de insipientibus in Israhel quin potius loquere ad regem et non negabit me tibi
13
How could I ever hold up my head in public again? And you - you would be completely disgraced in Israel. Please, speak to the king, and I'm sure that he will give me to you."
14 noluit autem adquiescere precibus eius sed praevalens viribus oppressit eam et cubavit cum illa
14
But he would not listen to her; and since he was stronger than she was, he overpowered her and raped her.
15 et exosam eam habuit Amnon magno odio nimis ita ut maius esset odium quo oderat eam amore quo ante dilexerat dixitque ei Amnon surge vade
15
Then Amnon was filled with a deep hatred for her; he hated her now even more than he had loved her before. He said to her, "Get out!"
16 quae respondit ei maius est hoc malum quod nunc agis adversum me quam quod ante fecisti expellens me et noluit audire eam
16
"No," she answered. "To send me away like this is a greater crime than what you just did!" But Amnon would not listen to her;
17 sed vocato puero qui ministrabat ei dixit eice hanc a me foras et claude ostium post eam
17
he called in his personal servant and said, "Get this woman out of my sight! Throw her out and lock the door!"
18 quae induta erat talari tunica huiuscemodi enim filiae regis virgines vestibus utebantur eiecit itaque eam minister illius foras clausitque fores post eam
18
The servant put her out and locked the door. Tamar was wearing a long robe with full sleeves, the usual clothing for an unmarried princess in those days.
19 quae aspergens cinerem capiti suo scissa talari tunica inpositisque manibus super caput suum ibat ingrediens et clamans
19
She sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying.
20 dixit autem ei Absalom frater suus num Amnon frater tuus concubuit tecum sed nunc soror tace frater tuus est neque adfligas cor tuum pro re hac mansit itaque Thamar contabescens in domo Absalom fratris sui
20
When her brother Absalom saw her, he asked, "Has Amnon molested you? Please, sister, don't let it upset you so much. He is your half brother, so don't tell anyone about it." So Tamar lived in Absalom's house, sad and lonely.
21 cum autem audisset rex David verba haec contristatus est valde
21
When King David heard what had happened, he was furious.
22 porro non est locutus Absalom ad Amnon nec malum nec bonum oderat enim Absalom Amnon eo quod violasset Thamar sororem suam
22
And Absalom hated Amnon so much for having raped his sister Tamar that he would no longer even speak to him.
23 factum est autem post tempus biennii ut tonderentur oves Absalom in Baalasor quae est iuxta Ephraim et vocavit Absalom omnes filios regis
23
Two years later Absalom was having his sheep sheared at Baal Hazor, near the town of Ephraim, and he invited all the king's sons to be there.
24 venitque ad regem et ait ad eum ecce tondentur oves servi tui veniat oro rex cum servis suis ad servum suum
24
He went to King David and said, "Your Majesty, I am having my sheep sheared. Will you and your officials come and take part in the festivities?"
25 dixitque rex ad Absalom noli fili mi noli rogare ut veniamus omnes et gravemus te cum autem cogeret eum et noluisset ire benedixit ei
25
"No, my son," the king answered. "It would be too much trouble for you if we all went." Absalom insisted, but the king would not give in, and he asked Absalom to leave.
26 et ait Absalom si non vis venire veniat obsecro nobiscum saltem Amnon frater meus dixitque ad eum rex non est necesse ut vadat tecum
26
But Absalom said, "Well, then, will you at least let my brother Amnon come?" "Why should he?" the king asked.
27 coegit itaque eum Absalom et dimisit cum eo Amnon et universos filios regis
27
But Absalom kept on insisting until David finally let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom. Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king
28 praeceperat autem Absalom pueris suis dicens observate cum temulentus fuerit Amnon vino et dixero vobis percutite eum et interficite nolite timere ego enim sum qui praecepi vobis roboramini et estote viri fortes
28
and instructed his servants: "Notice when Amnon has had too much to drink, and then when I give the order, kill him. Don't be afraid. I will take the responsibility myself. Be brave and don't hesitate!"
29 fecerunt ergo pueri Absalom adversum Amnon sicut praeceperat eis Absalom surgentesque omnes filii regis ascenderunt singuli mulas suas et fugerunt
29
So the servants followed Absalom's instructions and killed Amnon. All the rest of David's sons mounted their mules and fled.
30 cumque adhuc pergerent in itinere fama praevenit ad David dicens percussit Absalom omnes filios regis et non remansit ex eis saltem unus
30
While they were on their way home, David was told: "Absalom has killed all your sons - not one of them is left!"
31 surrexit itaque rex et scidit vestimenta sua et cecidit super terram et omnes servi ipsius qui adsistebant ei sciderunt vestimenta sua
31
The king stood up, tore his clothes in sorrow, and threw himself to the ground. The servants who were there with him tore their clothes also.
32 respondens autem Ionadab filius Samaa fratris David dixit ne aestimet dominus meus quod omnes pueri filii regis occisi sint Amnon solus mortuus est quoniam in ore Absalom erat positus ex die qua oppressit Thamar sororem eius
32
But Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shammah, said, "Your Majesty, they haven't killed all your sons. Only Amnon is dead. You could tell by looking at Absalom that he had made up his mind to do this from the time that Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33 nunc ergo ne ponat dominus meus rex super cor suum verbum istud dicens omnes filii regis occisi sunt quoniam Amnon solus mortuus est
33
So don't believe the news that all your sons are dead; only Amnon was killed."
34 fugit autem Absalom et levavit puer speculator oculos suos et aspexit et ecce populus multus veniebat per iter devium ex latere montis
34
In the meantime Absalom had fled. Just then the soldier on sentry duty saw a large crowd coming down the hill on the road from Horonaim. He went to the king and reported what he had seen.
35 dixit autem Ionadab ad regem ecce filii regis adsunt iuxta verbum servi tui sic factum est
35
Jonadab said to David, "Those are your sons coming, just as I said they would."
36 cumque cessasset loqui apparuerunt et filii regis et intrantes levaverunt vocem suam et fleverunt sed et rex et omnes servi eius fleverunt ploratu magno nimis
36
As soon as he finished saying this, David's sons came in; they started crying, and David and his officials also cried bitterly.
37 porro Absalom fugiens abiit ad Tholomai filium Amiur regem Gessur luxit ergo David filium suum cunctis diebus
37
Absalom fled and went to the king of Geshur, Talmai son of Ammihud, and stayed there three years. David mourned a long time for his son Amnon;
38 Absalom autem cum fugisset et venisset in Gessur fuit ibi tribus annis
39 cessavitque David rex persequi Absalom eo quod consolatus esset super Amnon interitu
39
but when he got over Amnon's death, he was filled with longing for his son Absalom.
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.