1 Samuel 16

1 And the Lord seide to Samuel, Hou long biweilist thou Saul, sithen Y castide hym awey, that he regne not on Israel; fille thin horn with oile, and come, that Y sende thee to Ysay of Bethleem; for among hise sones Y haue purueide a king to me.

And the LORD said unto Samuel: 'How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided Me a king among his sons.'

2 And Samuel seide, Hou schal Y go? for Saul schal here, and he schal sle me. And the Lord seide, Thou schalt take a calf of the droue in thi hond, and thou schalt seye, Y cam to make sacrifice to the Lord.

And Samuel said: 'How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.' And the LORD said: 'Take a heifer with thee, and say: I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 And thou schalt clepe Ysay to the sacrifice, and Y schal schewe to thee, what thou schalt do; and thou schalt anoynte, whom euere Y schal schewe to thee.

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto Me him whom I name unto thee.'

4 Therfor Samuel dide, as the Lord spak to hym; and he cam in to Bethleem, and the eldere men of the citee wondriden, and camen to hym, and seiden, Whether thin entryng is pesible?

And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said: 'Comest thou peaceably?'

5 And he seide, It is pesible; Y cam to make sacrifice to the Lord; be ye halewid, and come ye with me, that Y make sacrifice. Therfor he halewide Ysai, and hise sones, and clepide hem to the sacrifice.

And he said: 'Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.' And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 And whanne thei hadden entrid, he siy Eliab, and seide, Whether bifor the Lord is his crist?

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he beheld Eliab, and said: 'Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him.'

7 And the Lord seide to Samuel, Biholde thou not his cheer, nethir hiynesse of his stature; for Y castide hym awei, and Y demyde not bi `the siyt of man; for a man seeth tho thingis that ben opyn, but the Lord biholdith the herte.

But the LORD said unto Samuel: 'Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.'

8 And Ysai clepide Amynadab, and brouyte hym bifor Samuel; which seide, Nether the Lord hath chose this.

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said: 'Neither hath the LORD chosen this.'

9 Forsothe Isay brouyte Samma; of whom Samuel seide, Also the Lord hath not chose this.

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said: 'Neither hath the LORD chosen this.'

10 Therfor Isai brouyte hise seuene sones bifor Samuel; and Samuel seide to Ysai, The Lord hath `not chose of these.

And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'The LORD hath not chosen these.'

11 And Samuel seide to Isai, Whether thi sones ben now fillid? And Isai answeride, Yit `another is, a litil child, and lisewith scheep. And Samuel seide to Isai, Sende thou, and brynge hym; for we schulen not sitte to mete, bifor that he come hidur.

And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Are here all thy children?' And he said: 'There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.' And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.'

12 Therfor Ysai sente, and brouyte hym; sotheli he was rodi, and fair in siyt, and of semely face. And the Lord seide, Rise thou, and anoynte hym; for it is he.

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon. And the LORD said: 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'

13 Therfor Samuel took the horn of oyle, and anoyntid hym in the myddis of his britheren; and the Spirit of the Lord was dressid in to Dauid fro that day `and afterward. And Samuel roos, and yede in to Ramatha.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 And so the Spirit of the Lord yede awei fro Saul, and a wickid spirit of the Lord trauelide Saul.

Now the spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him.

15 And the seruauntis of Saul seiden to hym, Lo! an yuel spirit of the Lord traueilith thee;

And Saul's servants said unto him: 'Behold now, an evil spirit from God terrifieth thee.

16 oure lord the kyng comaunde, and thi seruauntis that ben bifore thee, schulen seke a man, that kan synge with an harpe, that whanne the yuel spirit of the Lord takith thee, he harpe with his hond, and thou bere esiliere.

Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp; and it shall be, when the evil spirit from God cometh upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.'

17 And Saul seide to hise seruauntis, Puruey ye to me sum man syngynge wel, and brynge ye hym to me.

And Saul said unto his servants: 'Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.'

18 And oon of the children answeride and seide, Lo! Y siy the sone of Ysai of Bethleem, kunnynge to synge, and `strongeste in myyt, and `a man able to batel, and prudent in wordis, and a feir man; and the Lord is with hym.

Then answered one of the young men, and said: 'Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.'

19 Therfor Saul sente messangeris to Ysay, and seide, Sende thou to me Dauid thi sone, `which is in the lesewis.

Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said: 'Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.'

20 Therfor Isai took an asse `ful of looues, and a galoun of wyn, and a `kyde of geet; and sente bi the hond of Dauid his sone to Saul.

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

21 And Dauid cam to Saul, and stood bifor hym; and Saul louyde hym greetli, and he was maad `his squyer.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.

22 And Saul sente to Isay, and seide, Dauid stonde in my siyt, for he foond grace in myn iyen.

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: 'Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.'

23 Therfor whanne euer the wickid spirit of the Lord took Saul, Dauid took the harpe, and smoot with his hond, and Saul was coumfortid, and he hadde liytere; for the wickid spirit yede awey fro hym.

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul found relief, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.