1. And when Dovid was a little past the top of the hill, hinei, Tziva the na'ar of Mephivoshet met him, with a couple of chamorim saddled, and upon them 200 lechem, and 100 bunches of tzimmukim, and 100 kayitz, and a skin of yayin.
2. And HaMelech said unto Tziva, What meanest thou by these? And Tziva said, The chamorim are for the Bais HaMelech to ride on; and the lechem and kayitz for the ne'arim to eat; and the yayin, that such as be faint in the midbar may drink.
3. And HaMelech said, And where is the ben adoneicha [i.e., Sa'ul grandson Mephivoshet]? And Tziva said unto HaMelech, Hinei, he abideth at Yerushalayim; for he said, Today shall Bais Yisroel restore to me the mamlechut avi.
4. Then said HaMelech to Tziva, Hinei, thine are all that pertained unto Mephivoshet. Tziva said, I humbly prostrate myself. May I find chen in thy sight, adoni, O Melech.
5. When Dovid HaMelech came to Bachurim, hinei, from there came out an ish of the mishpakhat Bais Sha'ul; shmo Shimei Ben Gera; and he, cursing continuously, came.
6. And he cast avanim (stones) at Dovid, and at all the avadim of Dovid HaMelech; and at kol haAm and at all the Gibborim that were on his right and on his left.
7. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou ish hadamim and thou ish habeliyya'al;
8. Hashem hath returned upon thee all the dahm of the Bais Sha'ul, in whose place thou hast reigned; and Hashem hath delivered the meluchah (kingdom) into the yad Avshalom binecha; and, behold, thou art taken in thy ra'ah, because thou art an ish damim.
9. Then said Avishai Ben Tzeruyah unto HaMelech, Why should this kelev hamet (dead dog) curse adoni HaMelech? Let me go over, now and cut off his rosh.
10. And HaMelech said, What have I to do with you, ye Bnei Tzeruyah? So let him curse, because Hashem hath said unto him, Curse Dovid. Who shall then say, why hast thou done so?