1 Kings 21
1 Forsothe after these wordis, in that tyme, the vyner of Naboth of Jezrael, `that was in Jezrael, was bisidis the paleis of Achab, kyng of Samarye.
Now some time later, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, near the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.
2 Therfor Achab spak to Naboth, and seide, Yyue thou to me the vyner, that Y make to me a gardyn of wortis, for it is nyy, and nyy myn hows; and Y schal yyue to thee a betere vyner for it; ethir if thou gessist it more profitable to thee, Y schall yyue the prijs of siluer, as myche as it is worth.
Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, so I can have it as a vegetable garden, because it is near my house. In exchange, I will give you a better vineyard, or, if you prefer, I will pay you its value in money.”
3 To whom Naboth answeride, The Lord be merciful to me, that Y yyue not to thee the eritage of my fadris.
Naboth replied to Ahab, “May Yahweh forbid that I should give the inheritance of my ancestors to you.”
4 Therfor Acab cam in to his hows, hauynge indignacioun, and gnastyng on the word which Naboth of Jezrael hadde spoke to him, and seide, Y schal not yyue to thee the eritage of my fadirs. And Achab castide doun him silf in to his bed, and turnede awei his face to the wal, and ete not breed.
So Ahab went into his palace resentful and angry because of the answer Naboth the Jezreelite gave him when he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and refused to eat any food.
5 Forsothe Jezabel, his wijf, entride to hym, and seide to hym, What is this thing, wherof thi soule is maad sory? and whi etist thou not breed?
Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your heart so sad, so that you eat no food?”
6 Which answeride to hir, Y spak to Naboth of Jezrael, and Y seide to hym, Yyue thi vyner to me for money takun, ethir if it plesith thee, Y schal yyue to thee a betere vyner for it. And he seide, Y schal not yyue to thee my vyner.
He replied to her, “I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money, or if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard to be yours.' Then he answered me, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'”
7 Therfor Jezabel, his wijf, seide to hym, Thou art of greet auctorite, and thou gouernest wel Israel; rise thou, and ete breed, and be thou `pacient, ethir coumfortid; Y schal yyue to thee the vyner of Naboth of Jezrael.
So Jezebel his wife replied to him, “Do you not still rule the kingdom of Israel? Get up and eat; let your heart be happy. I will obtain for you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 Therfor sche wroot lettris in the name of Achab, and seelide tho with the ryng of hym; and sche sente to the grettere men in birthe, and to the beste men, that weren in the citee of hym, and dwelliden with Naboth.
So Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and to the wealthy who sat with him in meetings, and who lived near Naboth.
9 Sotheli this was the sentence of the lettre; Preche ye fastyng, and make ye Naboth to sitte among the firste men of the puple;
She wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth above the people.
10 and sende ye priueli twei men, the sones of Belial, ayens hym, and sey thei fals witnessyng, Naboth blesside God and the kyng; and lede ye out hym, and stoon ye him, and die he so.
Also place two dishonest men with him and let them testify against him, saying, 'You cursed God and the king.'” Then take him out and stone him to death.
11 Therfor hise citeseyns, the grettere men in birthe, and the beste men that dwelliden with hym in the citee, diden as Jezabel hadde comaundid, and as it was writun in the lettris, whiche sche hadde sent to hem.
So the men of his city, the elders and the wealthy who lived in Naboth's city, did as Jezebel had described to them, as was written in the letters that she had sent to them.
12 Thei prechiden fastyng, and maden Naboth to sitte among the firste men of the puple;
They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth above the people.
13 and whanne twey men, sones of the deuel, weren brouyt, thei maden hem to sitte ayens hym, and thei, that is, as men of the deuel, seiden witnessyng ayens him bifor al the multitude, Naboth blesside God and the kyng; for which thing thei ledden hym with out the citee, and killiden him with stoonys.
The two dishonest men came in and sat before Naboth; they testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed both God and the king.” Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death.
14 And thei senten to Jezabel, and seiden, Naboth is stoonyd, and is deed.
Then the elders sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
15 Forsothe it was doon, whanne Jezabel hadde herd Naboth stonyd and deed, sche spak to Achab, Rise thou, take thou in possessioun the vyner of Naboth of Jezrael, which nolde assente to thee, and yyue it for money takun; for Naboth lyueth not, but is deed.
So when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, because Naboth is not alive, but dead.”
16 And whanne Achab hadde herd this, that is, Naboth deed, he roos, and yede doun in to the vyner of Naboth of Jezrael, to haue it in possessioun.
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite and take possession of it.
17 Therfor the word of the Lord was maad to Elie of Thesbi,
Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18 and seide, Rise thou, go doun in to the comyng of Achab, kyng of Israel, which is in Samarie; lo! he goith doun to the vyner of Naboth, that he haue it in possessioun.
“Get up and go meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. He is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it.
19 And thou schalt speke to hym, and `thou schalt seie, The Lord God seith these thingis, Thou hast slayn, ferthermore and thou hast take in possessioun; and aftir these thingis thou schalt adde, In this place, wherynne doggis lickiden the blood of Naboth, thei schulen licke also thi blood.
You must speak to him and say that Yahweh says, 'Have you killed and also taken possession?' Then you will tell him that Yahweh says, 'In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, the dogs will lick your blood, yes, your blood.'”
20 And Achab seyde to Elie, Whether thou hast founde me thin enemy? Which Elie seide, Y haue founde, for thou art seeld that thou schuldist do yuel in the siyt of the Lord.
Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” Elijah answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of Yahweh.
21 Therfor the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal brynge yn on thee yuel, and Y schal kitte awey thin hyndrere thingis, and Y schal sle of Achab a pissere to the wal, and prisoned, and the laste in Israel;
Yahweh says this to you: 'See, I will bring disaster on you and will completely consume and cut off from you every male child and slave and free man in Israel.
22 and Y schal yyue thin hows as the hows of Jeroboam, sone of Naboth, and as the hows of Baasa, sone of Ahia; for thou didist to excite me to wrathfulnesse, and madist Israel to do synne.
I will make your family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the family of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have led Israel to sin.'
23 But also the Lord spak of Jezabel, and seide, Doggis schulen ete Jezabel in the feeld of Jesrael;
Yahweh has also spoken concerning Jezebel, saying, 'The dogs will eat Jezebel beside the wall of Jezreel.'
24 if Achab schal die in the citee, doggis schulen ete hym; sotheli if he schal die in the feeld, briddis of the eyr schulen ete hym.
Anyone who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat; and the birds of the sky will eat anyone who dies in the field.”
25 Therfor noon other was sich as Achab, that was seeld to do yuel in the siyt of the Lord; for Jezabel his wijf excitide hym;
There was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, whom Jezebel his wife incited to sin.
26 and he was maad abhomynable, in so myche that he suede the ydols that Ammorreis maden, which Ammorreis the Lord wastide fro the face of the sones of Israel.
Ahab did disgusting deeds for the idols he followed, just as all that the Amorites had done, those whom Yahweh had removed before the people of Israel.
27 Therfor whanne Achab hadde herd these wordis, he to-rente his cloth, and hilide his fleisch with an hayre, and he fastide, and slepte in a sak, and yede with the heed cast doun.
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body and fasted, and lay in sackcloth and became very sad.
28 The word of the Lord was maad to Elie of Thesbi, and seide,
Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29 Whethir thou hast not seyn Achab maad low bifor me? Therfor for he is maad low for the cause of me, Y schal not brynge yn yuel in hise daies, but in the daies of his sone Y schal bryng yn yuel to his hows.
“Do you see how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the coming disaster in his days; it is in his son's day that I will bring disaster on his family.”
