1 Samuel 19
1 Forsothe Saul spak to Jonathas, his sone, and to alle hise seruauntis, that thei schulden sle Dauid; certis Jonathas, the sone of Saul, louyde Dauid greetli.
Now Saul spoke to his son Jonathan, and to all his servants, so that they would kill David. But Jonathan, the son of Saul, loved David very much.
2 And Jonathas schewide to Dauid, and seide, Saul, my fadir, sekith to sle thee, wherfor, Y biseche, kepe `thou thee eerli; and thou schalt dwelle priueli, and thou schalt be hid.
And Jonathan revealed it to David, saying: “Saul, my father, is seeking to kill you. Because of this, I ask you, take care for yourself in the morning. And you should conceal yourself and remain in hiding.
3 Sotheli Y schal go out, and stonde bisidis my fadir in the feeld, where euer he schal be; and Y schal speke of thee to my fadir, and what euer thing Y shal se, Y schal telle to thee.
Then I, going out, will be standing beside my father in the field, where you will be. And I will speak about you to my father. And whatever I see, I will report to you.”
4 Therfor Jonathas spak good thingis of Dauid to Saul, his fadir, and seide to hym, Kyng, do thou not synne ayens thi seruaunt Dauid, for he `synnede not to thee, and hise werkis ben ful good to thee;
Then Jonathan spoke good things about David to his father Saul. And he said to him: “You should not sin, O king, against your servant David. For he has not sinned against you, and his works toward you are very good.
5 and he puttide his lijf in his hond, and he killide the Filistei. And the Lord made greet heelthe to al Israel; thou siy, and were glad; whi therfor synnest thou in giltles blood, and sleest Dauid, which is with out gilt?
And he took his life in his own hand, and struck down the Philistine. And the Lord wrought a great salvation for all of Israel. You saw it, and you rejoiced. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by killing David, who is without guilt?”
6 And whanne Saul hadde herd this, he was plesid with the vois of Jonathas, and swoor, `The Lord lyueth, `that is, bi the Lord lyuynge, for Dauid schal not be slayn.
And when Saul had heard this, being pleased by the voice of Jonathan, he swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.”
7 Therfor Jonathas clepide Dauid, and schewide to hym alle these wordis. And Jonathas brouyte in Dauid to Saul, and he was bifor hym as `yistirdai and the thridde dai ago.
And so Jonathan called David, and he revealed to him all of these words. And Jonathan led in David to Saul, and he was before him, just as he had been yesterday and the day before.
8 Forsothe batel was moued eft; and Dauyd yede out, and fauyt ayens Filisteis, and he smoot hem with a greet wounde, and thei fledden fro his face.
Then the war was stirred up again. And David went out and fought against the Philistines. And he struck them down with a great slaughter. And they fled from his face.
9 And the yuel spirit of the Lord was maad on Saul; sotheli he sat in his hows, and helde a spere; certis Dauid harpide in his hond.
And the evil spirit from the Lord came to Saul, who was sitting in his house and holding a lance. And David was playing music with his hand.
10 And Saul enforside to prene with the spere Dauid in the wal; and Dauid bowide fro `the face of Saul; forsothe the spere `with voide wounde was borun in to the wal; and Dauid fledde, and was saued in that niyt.
And Saul attempted to fix David to the wall with the lance. But David turned aside from the face of Saul. And the lance failed to wound him, and it became fixed in the wall. And David fled, and so he was saved that night.
11 Therfor Saul sente hise knyytis in the nyyt in to the hows of Dauid, that thei schulden kepe hym, and that he `schulde be slayn in the morewtide. And whanne Mychol, the wijf of Dauid, hadde teld this to Dauid, and seide, If thou sauest not thee in this nyyt, thou schalt die to morew;
Therefore, Saul sent his guards to David’s house, so that they might watch for him, and so that he might be killed in the morning. And after Michal, his wife, had reported this to David, saying, “Unless you save yourself this night, tomorrow you will die,”
12 sche puttide hym doun bi a wyndow. Forsothe he yede, and fledde, and was sauyd.
she lowered him down through a window. Then he fled and went away, and he was saved.
13 Sotheli Mychol took an ymage, and puttide it on the bed, and puttide `an heeri skyn of geet at the heed therof, and hilide it with clothis.
Then Michal took a statue, and placed it on the bed. And she placed the pelt of a goat for the hair at its head. And she covered it with clothes.
14 Forsothe Saul sente sergeauntis, `that schulden rauysche Dauid, and it was answeride, that he was sijk.
And Saul sent attendants to seize David. And it was answered that he was sick.
15 And eft Saul sente messangeris, that thei schulden se Dauid, and he seide, Brynge ye hym to me in the bed, that he be slayn.
And again, Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him to me on the bed, so that he may be killed.”
16 And whanne the messangeris hadden come, `a symylacre was foundun on the bed, and `skynnes of geet at the heed therof.
And when the messengers had arrived, they found a likeness on the bed, with a goat pelt at its head.
17 And Saul seide to Mychol, Whi scornedist thou me so, and `delyueredist myn enemy, that he fledde? And Mychol answeride to Saul, For he spak to me, and seide, Delyuere thou me, ellis Y schal slee thee.
And Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me in this way, and released my enemy, so that he may flee?” And Michal responded to Saul, “Because he said to me, ‘Release me, otherwise I will kill you.’”
18 Forsothe Dauid fledde, and was sauyd; and he cam to Samuel in to Ramatha, and telde to hym alle thingis which Saul hadde do to hym; and he and Samuel yeden, and dwelliden in Naioth.
Now David was saved by fleeing, and he went to Samuel in Ramah. And he reported to him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went away and stayed at Naioth.
19 Forsothe it was teld to Saul of men, seiynge, Lo! Dauid is in Naioth in Ramatha.
Then it was reported to Saul by some, saying, “Behold, David is at Naioth, in Ramah.”
20 Therfor Saul sente sleeris, that thei schulden rauysche Dauid; and whanne thei hadden seyn the cumpeny of profetis profeciynge, and Samuel stondynge ouer hem, the Spirit of the Lord, `that is, the spirit of deuocioun, was maad in hem, and thei also bigunnen to prophecie.
Therefore, Saul sent officers to seize David. And when they had seen a company of prophets prophesying, with Samuel presiding over them, the Spirit of the Lord also came to them, and they also began to prophesy.
21 And whanne this was teld to Saul, he sente also othere messangeris; `sotheli and thei profesieden. And eft Saul sente the thridde messangeris, and thei prophecieden. And Saul was wrooth `with irefulnesse;
And when this was reported to Saul, he sent other messengers. But they also prophesied. And again, Saul sent messengers a third time. And they also prophesied. And Saul, being exceedingly angry,
22 and he also yede in to Ramatha, and he cam `til to the greet cisterne, which is in Socoth, and he axide, and seide, In what place ben Samuel and Dauid? And it was seid to hym, Lo! thei ben in Naioth in Ramatha.
also went to Ramah himself. And he went as far as the great cistern, which is in Socoh. And he inquired and said, “In which place are Samuel and David?” And it was told to him, “Behold, they are at Naioth, in Ramah.”
23 And he yede in `to Naioth in Ramatha; and the Spirit of the Lord was maad also on him; and he `yede, and entride, and propheciede, `til the while he cam `in to Naioth in Ramatha.
And he went to Naioth, in Ramah, and the Spirit of the Lord came to him also. And he continued on, walking and prophesying, until he arrived at Naioth, in Ramah.
24 And `he also dispuylide him silf of hise clothis, and propheciede with othere men bifor Samuel, and he profeciede nakid in al that dai and nyyt. Wherfor `a prouerbe, that is, a comyn word, yede out, Whether and Saul among prophetis?
And he also took off his garments, and he prophesied with the others before Samuel. And he fell down naked, throughout that day and night. From this, too, is derived the proverb, “Could Saul also be among the prophets?”
