249. And it is written, "And David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot" (II Shmuel 15:30). HE ASKS, Wherefore was "his head covered, and he went barefoot?" AND HE ANSWERS, He was reprimanded; he made himself reprimanded in order to receive punishment, and the people were four cubits apart from him. Happy is the servant who serves his Master this way, and makes known his sin, in order to wholly repent it.
249. וּכְתִיב, וְדָוִד עֹלֶה בְּמַעֲלֵה הַזֵּיתִים עוֹלֶה וּבוֹכֶה וְרֹאשׁ לוֹ חָפוּי וְהוּא הוֹלֵךְ יָחֵף. רֹאשׁ לוֹ חָפוּי, וְיָחֵף אֲמַאי. אֶלָּא, נָזוּף הֲוָה, עָבֵד גַּרְמֵיהּ נָזוּף, לְקַבְּלָא עֹנְשָׁא. וְעַמָּא הֲווֹ רְחִיקִין מִנֵּיהּ ד' אַמּוֹת. זַכָּאָה עַבְדָּא דְּהָכִי פָּלַח לְמָארֵיהּ, וְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדָע בְּחוֹבֵיהּ, לְאָתָבָא מִנֵיהּ בִּתְיוּבְתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא.