1 Samuel 24
1 And whanne Saul turnede ayen, aftir that he pursuede Filisteis, thei telden to hym, and seiden, Lo! Dauid is in the deseert of Engaddi.
After Saul had returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.”
2 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.
So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and went to look for David and his men in the region of the Rocks of the Wild Goats.
3 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.
Soon Saul came to the sheepfolds along the road, where there was a cave, and he went in to relieve himself. And David and his men were hiding in the recesses of the cave.
4 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.
So David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the LORD said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do with him as you wish.’” Then David crept up secretly and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 Aftir these thingis Dauid smoot his herte, for he hadde kit awei the hemme of the mentil of Saul.
Afterward, David’s conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe.
6 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.
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”
7 Forsothe Saul roos out of the denne, and yede in the weie bigunnun.
With these words David restrained his men, and he did not let them rise up against Saul. Then Saul left the cave and went on his way.
8 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.
After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence
9 And he seide to Saul, Whi herist thou the wordis of men spekynge, Dauid sekith yuel ayens thee?
and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
10 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.
Behold, this day you have seen with your own eyes that the LORD delivered you into my hand in the cave. I was told to kill you, but I spared you and said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my lord, since he is the LORD’s anointed.’
11 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.
See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. See and know that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
12 The Lord deme bitwixe me and thee, and the Lord venge me of thee; but myn hond be not in thee,
May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD take vengeance on you, but my hand will never be against you.
13 as it is seid also in eld prouerbe, Wickidnesse schal go out of wickid men; therfor myn hond be not in thee.
As the old proverb says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand will never be against you.
14 `Whom pursuest thou, kyng of Israel, whom pursuest thou? Thou pursuest a deed hound, and a quyk fle.
Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea?
15 The Lord be iuge, and the Lord deme bitwixe me and thee, and se, and deme my cause, and delyuere me fro thin hond.
May the LORD be our judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from your hand.”
16 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.
When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?” Then Saul wept aloud
17 And he seide to Dauid, Thou art more iust than Y; for thou yauest goodis to me; forsothe Y yeldide yuelis to thee.
and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
18 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.
And you have shown this day how well you have dealt with me; for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.
19 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.
When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
20 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,
Now I know for sure that you will be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.
21 that thou do not a wei my seed aftir me, nether take a wey my name fro the hows of my fadir.
So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”
22 And Dauid swoor to Saul. Therfor Saul yede in to his hows, and Dauid and hise men stieden to sikire placis.
So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
