1 Samuel 24
1 When Saul returned from chasing the Philistines, it was reported to him, “David is in the Desert of En-gedi.”
And whanne Saul turnede ayen, aftir that he pursuede Filisteis, thei telden to hym, and seiden, Lo! Dauid is in the deseert of Engaddi.
2 So Saul took three thousand specially-picked men from all Israel and went searching for David and his men in the area around Wild Goats' Rocks.
Therfor Saul took three thousinde of chosun men of al Israel, and yede to seke Dauid and hise men, yhe on moost brokun rochis, that ben `able to weie to wield geet aloone.
3 As Saul passed the sheep pens on the way, there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. David and his men were hiding deep inside the cave.
And he cam to the fooldis of scheep, that offriden hem silf to the wei goere. And there was a denne, in to which denne Saul entride, that he schulde purge the wombe; forsothe Dauid and hise men weren hid in the ynnere part of the denne.
4 David's men said to him, “Today's the day the Lord promised you when he told you, ‘Listen, I'm going to hand over your enemy to you, so you can do to him whatever you want.’” Then David crept up quietly and cut a piece from the edge of Saul's robe.
And the seruauntis of Dauid seiden to hym, Lo! the dai of which the Lord spak to the, Y schal bitake to thee thin enemy, that thou do to hym as it plesith in thin iyen. Therfor Dauid roos, and kittide the hemme of the mentil of Saul priuely.
5 But afterwards David felt really bad because he'd cut off a piece of Saul's robe.
Aftir these thingis Dauid smoot his herte, for he hadde kit awei the hemme of the mentil of Saul.
6 He told his men, “May the Lord prevent me from doing anything like this to my master, the Lord's anointed one. I will never attack him, for he is the Lord's anointed one.”
And Dauid seide to hise men, The Lord be merciful to me, lest Y do this thing to my lord, the crist of the Lord, that Y sende myn hond `in to hym, for he is the crist of the Lord. The Lord lyueth, for no but the Lord smyte hym, ether his dai come, that he die, ether he go doun in to batel and perische, the Lord be merciful to me, that Y sende not myn hond in to the crist of the Lord.
7 He reprimanded his men and didn't allow them to attack Saul. Saul stood up and went on his way.
Forsothe Saul roos out of the denne, and yede in the weie bigunnun.
8 A little later David came out of the cave and shouted, “My master the king!” When Saul looked around, David bowed down with his face to the ground.
Sotheli Dauid roos aftir hym, and he yede out of the denne, and criede aftir the bak of Saul, and seide, My lord, the kyng! And Saul bihelde bihinde him silf; and Dauid bowide hym silf lowe to the erthe, and worschipide.
9 “Why do you pay attention to people who say, ‘Watch out, David wants to harm you’?” David asked.
And he seide to Saul, Whi herist thou the wordis of men spekynge, Dauid sekith yuel ayens thee?
10 “Just look! You've seen with your own eyes today that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I showed you compassion, and said, ‘I refuse to attack my master, for he is the Lord's anointed one.’
Lo! to dai thin iyen siyen, that the Lord bitook thee in myn hond in the denne, and Y thouyte that Y wolde sle thee, but myn iye sparide thee; for Y seide, Y schal not holde forth myn hond in to my lord, which is the crist, `that is, anoyntid, of the Lord.
11 Take a look, my father! You see this piece of your robe I'm holding. Yes, I did I cut it off, but I didn't kill you. Now you can see for yourself and you can be sure that I have done nothing evil or rebellious. I have not sinned against you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
But rathere, my fadir, se thou, and knowe the hemme of thi mentil in myn hond, for whanne Y kittide aweie the hemme of thi mentil, Y nolde holde forth myn hond in thee; perseyue thou, and see, for nether yuel nether wickidnesse is in myn hond, nether Y synnede ayens thee; but thou aspiest my lijf, that thou do it awei.
12 May the Lord decide between you and me as to who of us is right, and may the Lord punish you, but I myself will never try to harm you.
The Lord deme bitwixe me and thee, and the Lord venge me of thee; but myn hond be not in thee,
13 As the old saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness,’ but I myself will never try to harm you.
as it is seid also in eld prouerbe, Wickidnesse schal go out of wickid men; therfor myn hond be not in thee.
14 Who is the king of Israel coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog! Just a flea!
`Whom pursuest thou, kyng of Israel, whom pursuest thou? Thou pursuest a deed hound, and a quyk fle.
15 May the Lord decide and choose between you and me. May he pay attention to my case and support it; may he save me from you.”
The Lord be iuge, and the Lord deme bitwixe me and thee, and se, and deme my cause, and delyuere me fro thin hond.
16 After David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that you speaking, David my son?” and he wept out loud.
Sotheli whanne Dauid hadde fillid spekynge siche wordis to Saul, Saul seide, Whether this is thi vois, my sone Dauid? And Saul reiside his vois, and wepte.
17 He told David, “You are a better person than I am, because you have repaid me with good, but I have repaid you with evil.
And he seide to Dauid, Thou art more iust than Y; for thou yauest goodis to me; forsothe Y yeldide yuelis to thee.
18 Today you have demonstrated how well you have treated me—for when the Lord handed me over to you, you didn't kill me.
And thou schewidist to me to dai, what goodis thou hast do to me, how the Lord bitook me in thin hond, and thou killidist not me.
19 For if a man caught hold of his enemy, would he let him escape unharmed? The Lord reward you well for how you've treated me today.
For who, `whanne he fyndith his enemy, schal delyuere hym in good weie? But the Lord yelde to thee this while, for that, that thou wrouytist to dai in me.
20 Listen, I know you definitely will be king, and your rule over the kingdom of Israel will be secure.
And now, for Y woot, that thou schalt regne moost certeynli, and schalt haue in thin hond the rewme of Israel, swere thou to me in the Lord,
21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not destroy my descendants who follow me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my family line.”
that thou do not a wei my seed aftir me, nether take a wey my name fro the hows of my fadir.
22 So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went back home, but David and his men returned to the stronghold.
And Dauid swoor to Saul. Therfor Saul yede in to his hows, and Dauid and hise men stieden to sikire placis.
