Behold: the focusing particle here serves to heighten the excitement of the account. But since the text already says as soon as he had finished speaking, it may be unnecessary to translate the particle here.

The king’s sons: since this is narrative and not a part of a direct quotation, it will be acceptable to render it literally or to say more explicitly “David’s sons” as Good News Translation has done.

Lifted up their voices and wept: that is, they “began to cry out loud” or “broke into loud lamentations” (Revised English Bible).

All his servants: once again the servants in question will probably have been of rather high status, and so the expression may be rendered “all his officials” (though see the comments on verse 31).

Wept very bitterly: literally “they wept a weeping very great.” New Century Version, “began crying also,” seems a rather weak translation of this expression. Bible en français courant provides a better model for some languages, “poured out abundant tears.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .