2 Samuel 19

1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

Forsothe it was teld to Joab, that the kyng wepte, and biweilide his sone;

2 And the victory that day was [turned] into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

and the victorie in that dai was turned in to morenyng to al the puple; for the puple herde, that it was seid in that dai, The kyng makith sorewe on his sone.

3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

And the puple eschewide to entre in to the citee in that dai, as the puple turned and fleynge fro batel is wont to bowe awey.

4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Sotheli the kyng hilide his heed, and criede with greet vois, My sone, Absolon!

5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;

Absolon, my sone! Therfor Joab entride to the kyng in to the hows, and seide, Thou hast schent to dai the cheris of alle thi seruauntis, that han maad saaf thi lijf, and the lijf of thi sones and of thi douytris, and the lijf of thi wyues, and the lijf of thi secoundarie wyues.

6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

Thou louest hem that haten thee, and thou hatist hem that louen thee; and thou schewidist to dai that thou reckist not of thi duykis and of thi seruauntis; and verily Y haue knowe now, that if Absolon lyuede, and alle we hadden be deed, thanne it schulde plese thee.

7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

Now therfor ryse thou, and go forth, and speke thou, and make satisfaccioun to this eruauntis; for Y swere to thee bi the Lord, that if thou schalt not go out, sotheli not o man schal dwelle with thee in this nyyt; and this schal be worse to thee, than alle yuels that camen on thee fro thi yong wexynge age til in to present tyme.

8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

Therfor the kyng roos, and sat in the yate; and it was teld to al the puple, that the kyng sat in the yate, and al the multitude cam bifor the kyng. Forsothe Israel fledde in to hise tabernaclis.

9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

And al the puple stryuede in al the lynagis of Israel, and seide, The kyng delyuerede vs fro the hond of alle oure enemyes, and he sauide vs fro the hond of Filisteis; and now `he fleeth fro the lond for Absolon.

10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?

Forsothe Absolon, whom we anoyntiden on vs, is deed in batel; hou longe ben ye stille, `that is, fro knowlechyng of synne, and fro axyng of foryyuenesse, and bryngen not ayen the kyng? And the counsel of al Israel cam to the kyng.

11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, [even] to his house.

Forsothe kyng Dauid sente to Sadoch and to Abiathar, preestis, and seide, Speke ye to the grettere men in birthe of Juda, and seie ye, Whi camen ye the laste to brynge ayen the kyng in to his hows? Sotheli the word of al Israel cam to the kyng, that thei wolden brynge hym ayen in to his hows. For the kyng seide, Ye schulen seie these thingis to the puple,

12 Ye [are] my brethren, ye [are] my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?

Ye ben my britheren, ye ben my boon and my fleisch; whi the laste bryngen ye ayens the kyng?

13 And say ye to Amasa, [Art] thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

And seie ye to Amasa, Whether thou art not my boon and my fleisch? God do these thingis to me, and adde these thingis, if thou schalt not be maistir of chyualrye bifore me in al tyme aftir Joab.

14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as [the heart of] one man; so that they sent [this word] unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.

And Dauid bowide the herte of alle men of Juda as of o man; and thei senten to the kyng, and seiden, Turne thou ayen, and alle thi seruauntis.

15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

And the kyng turnede ayen, and cam `til to Jordan; and al Juda cam til in to Galgala to mete the kyng, and lede hym ouer Jordan.

16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which [was] of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

Forsothe Semei, the sone of Gera, sone of Gemyny, of Bahurym, hastide, and cam doun with the men of Juda in to the metyng of kyng Dauid,

17 And [there were] a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

with a thousynde men of Beniamyn; and Siba, a child of the hows of Saul, and fiftene sones of hym, and twenti seruauntis weren with hym; and thei braken in to Jordan, bifor the kyng,

18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;

and passide the forthis, that thei schulden lede ouer the hows of the kyng, and schulden do bi the comaundement of the kyng. Sotheli Semei, the sone of Gera, knelide bifor the king, whanne he hadde passid now Jordan, and seide to the kyng,

19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.

My lord the kyng, arette thou not wickidnesse to me, nether haue thou mynde of the wrongis of thi seruaunt in the dai, in which thou, my lord the kyng, yedist out of Jerusalem, nether sette thou, kyng, in thin herte; for Y thi seruaunt knoleche my synne;

20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.

and therfor to dai Y cam the firste of al the hows of Joseph, and Y cam doun in to the meetyng of my lord the kyng.

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?

Forsothe Abisai, the sone of Saruye, answeride and seide, Whether Semei, that curside the crist of the Lord, schal not be slayn for these wordis?

22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I [am] this day king over Israel?

And Dauid seide, What is to me and to you, ye sones of Saruye? Whi ben ye maad to me to dai in to Sathan? Therfor whether a man schal be slayn to dai in Israel? Whether Y knowe not me maad kyng to dai on Israel?

23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

And the kyng seide to Semey, Thou schalt not die; and the kyng swoor to hym.

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came [again] in peace.

Also Myphibosech, sone of Jonathas, sone of Saul, cam doun with vnwaischun feet, and with berd vnclippid, in to the comyng of the kyng. And Mysphibosech hadde not waische hise clothis, fro the dai in which the kyng yede out of Jerusalem til to the dai of his turnyng ayen in pees.

25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?

And whanne at Jerusalem he hadde come to the kyng, the kyng seide to him, Myphibosech, whi camest thou not with me?

26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant [is] lame.

And he answeride and seide, My lord the kyng, my seruaunt dispiside me; and Y thi seruaunt seide to hym, that he schulde sadle the asse to me, and Y schulde stie, and Y schulde go with the king; for Y thi seruaunt am crokid.

27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king [is] as an angel of God: do therefore [what is] good in thine eyes.

More ouer and he accuside me, thi seruaunt, to thee, my lord the kyng; forsothe thou, my lord `the kyng, art as the aungel of God; do thou that, that is plesaunt to thee.

28 For all [of] my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?

For the hows of my fadir was not no but gilti of deeth to my lord the kyng; sotheli thou hast set me thi seruaunt among the gestis of thi boord; what therfor haue Y of iust pleynt, ether what may Y more crye to the kyng?

29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

Sotheli the kyng seide to hym, What spekist thou more? that that Y haue spoke is stidefast; thou and Siba depart possessyouns.

30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.

And Myphibosech answeride to the kyng, Yhe, take he alle thingis, aftir that my lord the kyng turnede ayen pesibli in to his hows.

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

Also Berzellai of Galaad, a ful eld man, cam doun fro Rogelym, and ledde the kyng ouer Jordan, redi also to sue hym ouer the flood.

32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, [even] fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he [was] a very great man.

Forsothe Berzellai of Galaad was ful eld, that is, of foure score yeer, and he yaf metis to the kyng, whanne the kyng dwellyde in castels; for Berzellai was a ful riche man.

33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

Therfor the kyng seide to Berzellai, Come thou with me, that thou reste sikirli with me in Jerusalem.

34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?

And Berzellai seide to the kyng, Hou manye ben the daiest of yeeres of my lijf, that Y stie with the kyng in to Jerusalem?

35 I [am] this day fourscore years old: [and] can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

Y am of foure score yeer to dai; whether my wittis ben quike to deme swete thing ethir bittir, ether mete and drynk may delite thi seruaunt, ether may Y here more the vois of syngeris ether of syngsters? Whi is thi seruaunt to charge to my lord the kyng?

36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?

Y thi seruaunt schal go forth a litil fro Jordan with thee, Y haue no nede to this yeldyng;

37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, [and be buried] by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

but Y biseche, that Y thi seruaunt turne ayen, and die in my citee, and be biried bisidis the sepulcre of my fadir and of my modir; forsothe Chamaam is thi seruaunt, my lord the kyng, go he with thee, and do thou to hym that that semeth good to thee.

38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, [that] will I do for thee.

Therfor the kyng seide to hym, Chamaam passe with me; and Y schal do to hym what euer thing plesith thee, and thou schalt gete al thing, which thou axist of me.

39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.

And whanne al the puple and the kyng hadden passid Jordan, the kyng abood; and `the kyng kisside Berzellai, and blesside hym; and he turnede ayen in to his place.

40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

Therfor the kyng passide in to Galgala, and Chamaam with hym. Sotheli al the puple of Juda hadde ledde the kyng ouer, and the half part oneli of the puple of Israel was present.

41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?

Therfor alle the men of Israel camen togidere to the king, and seiden to hym, Whi han oure britheren, the men of Juda, stole thee, and han led the kyng and his hows ouer Jordan, and alle the men of Dauid with hym?

42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king [is] near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s [cost]? or hath he given us any gift?

And ech man of Juda answeride to the men of Israel, For the kyng is neer to me; whi art thou wrooth on this thing? Whether we han ete ony thing of the kyng, ether yiftis ben youun to vs?

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more [right] in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

And a man of Israel answeride to the men of Juda, and seide, Y am grettere bi ten partis at the kyng, and Dauith perteyneth more to me than to thee; whi hast thou do wrong to me, and `it was not teld to `me the formere, that Y schulde brynge ayen my kyng? Forsothe the men of Juda answeryden hardere to the men of Israel.