1 Samuel 26
1 And Zipheis camen to Saul in to Gabaa, and seiden, Lo! Dauid is hidde in the hille of Achille, which is `euene ayens the wildirnesse.
The Ziphites came to Saul to Gibeah, saying, “Does not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert?”
2 And Saul roos, and yede doun in to deseert of Ziph, and with hym thre thousynde of men of the chosun of Israel, that he schulde seke Dauid in the desert of Ziph.
Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph.
3 And Saul settide tentis in Gabaa of Achille, that was euen ayens the wildirnesse in the weie. Sotheli Dauid dwellide in deseert. Forsothe Dauid siy that Saul hadde come aftir hym in to deseert;
Saul encamped in the hill of Hachilah, which is before the desert, by the way. But David stayed in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness.
4 and Dauid sente aspieris, and lernede moost certeynli, that Saul hadde come thidur.
David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul had certainly come.
5 And Dauid roos priueli, and cam to the place where Saul was. And whanne Dauid hadde seyn the place, wher ynne Saul slepte, and Abner, the sone of Ner, the prince of his chyualrye, and Saul slepynge in the tente, and the tother comyn puple bi his cumpas, Dauid seide to Achymelech,
Then David arose and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his army. Saul lay within the place of the wagons, and the people were encamped around him.
6 Ethey, and to Abisai, sone of Saruye, the brother of Joab, `and seide, Who schal go doun with me to Saul in to `the castels? And Abisai seide, Y schal go doun with thee.
Then David answered and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, “Who will go down with me to Saul to the camp?” Abishai said, “I will go down with you.”
7 Therfor Dauid and Abisai camen to the puple in the nyyt, and thei founden Saul lyggynge and slepynge in `the tente, and a spere sette faste in the erthe at his heed; `forsothe thei founden Abner and the puple slepynge in his cumpas.
So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.
8 And Abisay seide to Dauid, God hath closid to dai thin enemy in to thin hondis; now therfor Y schal peerse hym with a spere onys in the erthe, and `no nede schal be the secounde tyme.
Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”
9 And Dauid seide to Abysai, Sle thou not hym, for who schal holde forth his hond into the crist of the Lord, and schal be innocent?
David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?”
10 And Dauid seide, 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;
David said, “As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him; or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down into battle and perish.
11 the Lord be merciful to me, that Y holde not forth myn hond in to the crist of the Lord; now therfor take thou the spere, which is at his heed, and `take thou the cuppe of watir, and go we awei.
The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let’s go.”
12 Dauid took the spere, and the cuppe of watir, that was at the heed of Saul, and thei yeden forth, and no man was that siy, and vndirstood, and wakide, but alle men slepten; for the sleep of the Lord `hadde feld on hem.
So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and they went away. No man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them.
13 And whanne Dauid hadde passid euene ayens, and hadde stonde on the cop of the hil afer, and a greet space was bitwixe hem,
Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of the mountain far away, a great space being between them;
14 Dauid criede to the puple, and to Abner, the sone of Ner, and seide, Abner, whether thou schalt not answere? And Abner answeride, and seide, Who art thou, that criest, and disesist the kyng?
and David cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, “Do not you answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered, “Who are you who calls to the king?”
15 And Dauith seide to Abner, Whether thou art not a man, and what other man is lijk thee in Israel? whi therfor `kepist thou not thi lord the kyng? `For o man of the cumpanye entride, that he schulde sle thi lord the kyng;
David said to Abner, “Are not you a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king.
16 this that thou hast doon, is not good; the Lord lyueth, for ye ben sones of deeth, that kepten not youre lord, the crist of the Lord. Now therfor se thou, where is the spere of the kyng, and where is the cuppe of watir, that weren at his heed.
This thing is not good that you have done. As the LORD lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.”
17 Forsothe Saul knew the vois of Dauid, and seide, Whether this vois is thin, my sone Dauid? And Dauid seide, My lord the kyng, it is my vois.
Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.”
18 And Dauid seide, For what cause pursueth my lord his seruaunt? What haue Y do, ether what yuel is in myn hond? Now therfor,
He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?
19 my lord the kyng, Y preye, here the wordis of thi seruaunt; if the Lord stirith thee ayens me, the sacrifice be smellid; forsothe if sones of men stiren thee, thei ben cursid in the siyt of the Lord, whiche han cast me out `to dai, that Y dwelle not in the erytage of the Lord, and seien, Go thou, serue thou alien goddis.
Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that the LORD has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before the LORD; for they have driven me out today that I should not cling to the LORD’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’
20 And now my blood be not sched out in the erthe bifor the Lord; for the kyng of Israel yede out, that he seke a quike fle, as a partrich is pursuede in hillis.
Now therefore, do not let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”
21 And Saul seide, Y synnede; turne ayen, my sone Dauid, for Y schal no more do yuel to thee, for my lijf was precious to day in thin iyen; for it semeth, that Y dide folili, and Y vnknew ful many thingis.
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.”
22 And Dauid answeride and seide, Lo! the spere of the kyng, oon of the `children of the kyng passe, and take it; forsothe the Lord schal yelde to ech man bi his riytfulnesse and feith;
David answered, “Behold the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it.
23 for the Lord bitook thee to dai in to myn hond, and Y nolde holde forth myn hond in to the crist of the Lord;
The LORD will render to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I would not stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed.
24 and as thi lijf is magnified to dai in myn iyen, so my lijf be magnyfied in the iyen of the Lord, and delyuere he me fro al angwisch.
Behold, as your life was respected today in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the LORD’s eyes, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.”
25 Therfor Saul seide to Dauid, Blessid be thou, my sone Dauid; and sotheli thou doynge schalt do, and thou myyti schalt be myyti. Therfor Dauid yede in to his weie, and Saul turnede ayen in to his place.
Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
