1 Samuel 26:21
Modern Translations
New International Version
Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong."

New Living Translation
Then Saul confessed, “I have sinned. Come back home, my son, and I will no longer try to harm you, for you valued my life today. I have been a fool and very, very wrong.”

English Standard Version
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.”

Berean Study Bible
Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”

New American Standard Bible
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again since my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have made a very great mistake.”

NASB 1995
Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error."

NASB 1977
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.”

Amplified Bible
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will not harm you again because my life was precious in your sight this day. Hear me, I have played the fool and have done a very great wrong [to you].”

Christian Standard Bible
Saul responded, “I have sinned. Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I’ve committed a grave error.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul responded, "I have sinned. Come back, my son David, I will never harm you again because today you considered my life precious. I have been a fool! I've committed a grave error."

Contemporary English Version
"David, you had the chance to kill me today. But you didn't. I was very wrong about you. It was a terrible mistake for me to try to kill you. I've acted like a fool, but I'll never try to harm you again. You're like a son to me, so please come back."

Good News Translation
Saul answered, "I have done wrong. Come back, David, my son! I will never harm you again, because you have spared my life tonight. I have been a fool! I have done a terrible thing!"

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"My servant David," Saul said, "I have sinned. Come back. I will not harm you again, because you valued my life today. I've acted like a fool and made a terrible mistake."

International Standard Version
Then Saul said, "I've wronged you. Return, my son David, for I won't harm you again because my life was precious to you today. Look, I've acted foolishly and have made a very great mistake."

NET Bible
Saul replied, "I have sinned. Come back, my son David. I won't harm you, for you treated my life with value this day. I have behaved foolishly and have made a very terrible mistake!"
Classic Translations
King James Bible
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

New King James Version
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will harm you no more, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Indeed I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.”

King James 2000 Bible
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do you harm, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

New Heart English Bible
Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Look, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly."

World English Bible
Then Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly."

American King James Version
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do you harm, because my soul was precious in your eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

American Standard Version
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

A Faithful Version
And Saul said, "I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will never do you harm any more because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have greatly erred."

Darby Bible Translation
And Saul said, I have sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have acted foolishly, and have erred exceedingly.

English Revised Version
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thy eyes this day: behold I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
Then sayde Saul, I haue sinned: come againe, my sonne Dauid: for I will doe thee no more harme, because my soule was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I haue done foolishly, and haue erred exceedingly.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
Then saide Saul, I haue sinned: Come agayne my sonne Dauid, for I will do thee no more harme, because my soule was precious in thyne eyes this day: Beholde, I haue played the foole, and haue erred exceedinly.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
And Saul sayde: I haue synned: Come agayne Dauid my sonne, I wil do the nomore hurte, because my soule hath bene deare in yi sighte this daye. Beholde, I haue done foolishly and very vnwysely.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Saul says, “I have sinned; return, my son David, for I do evil to you no more, because that my soul has been precious in your eyes this day; behold, I have acted foolishly, and err very greatly.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Saul saith, 'I have sinned; turn back, my son David, for I do evil to thee no more, because that my soul hath been precious in thine eyes this day; lo, I have acted foolishly, and do err very greatly.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Saul will say, I sinned; turn back my son David: for I will no more, do to thee evil because that my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I was foolish, and I shall go very much astray.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Saul said: I have sinned, return, my son David, for I will no more do thee harm, because my life hath been precious in thy eyes this day: for it appeareth that I have done foolishly, and have been ignorant in very many things.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Saul said: “I have sinned. Return, my son David. For I will never again do evil to you, because my life has been precious in your eyes this day. For it is apparent that I have acted senselessly, and have been ignorant of very many things.”

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Shaul said to David: “I have sinned! Return, my son, David, because I shall do no harm to you again, because you reverenced my life in your eyes today, behold, I have acted perversely and I have sinned very greatly!”

Lamsa Bible
Then Saul said to David, I have sinned; return, my son David: for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said Saul: 'I have sinned; return, my son David; for I will no more do thee harm, because my life was precious in thine eyes this day; behold, I have played the fool and erred exceedingly.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Saul said, I have sinned: turn, son David, for I will not hurt thee, because my life was precious in thine eyes; and to-day I have been foolish and have erred exceedingly.
















1 Samuel 26:20
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