1 Samuel 27

1 And Dauid seide in his herte, Sumtyme Y schal falle in o dai in the hond of Saul; whether it is not betere, that Y fle, and be sauyd in the lond of Filisteis, that Saul dispeire, and cesse to seke me in alle the endis of Israel; therfor fle we hise hondis.

And David said in his heart: 'I shall now be swept away one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel; so shall I escape out of his hand.'

2 And Dauid roos, and yede, he and sixe hundrid men with hym, to Achis, the sone of Maoth, kyng of Geth.

And David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men that were with him, unto Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

3 And Dauid dwellide with Achis in Geth, he, and hise men, and his hows; Dauid, and hise twei wyues, Achynoem of Jezrael, and Abigail, the wijf of Nabal of Carmele.

And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

4 And it was teld to Saul, that Dauid fledde in to Geth; and he addide no more `that he schulde seke Dauid.

And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath; and he sought no more again for him.

5 Forsothe Dauid seide to Achis, If Y haue founden grace in thin iyen, a place be youun to me in oon of the citees of this cuntrey, that Y dwelle there; for whi dwellith thi seruaunt in the citee of the kyng with thee?

And David said unto Achish: 'If now I have found favour in thine eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there; for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?'

6 Therfor Achis yaf to hym Sichelech in that dai, for which cause Sichelech was maad in to the possessioun of the kyngis of Juda `til in to this dai.

Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day; wherefore Ziklag belongeth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

7 Forsothe the noumbre of daies, in whiche Dauid dwellide in the cuntrei of Filisteis, was of foure monethis.

And the number of the days that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

8 And Dauid stiede, and hise men, and token preies of Gethsuri, and of Gethri, and of men of Amalech; for these townes weren enhabitid bi eld tyme in the lond, to men goynge to Sur, `til to the lond of Egipt.

And David and his men went up, and made a raid upon the Geshurites, and the Gizrites, and the Amalekites; for those were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.

9 And Dauid smoot al the lond of hem, and lefte not man `lyuynge and womman; and he took scheep, and oxun, and assis, and camels, and clothis, and turnede ayen, and cam to Achis.

And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel. And he returned, and came to Achish.

10 Sotheli Achis seide to hym, `In to whom `hurliden ye to dai? Dauid answeride, Ayens the south of Juda, and ayens the south of Hiramel, and ayens the south of Ceney.

And Achish said: 'Whither have ye made a raid to-day?' And David said: 'Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.'

11 Dauid left not quik man and womman, nether brouyte `in to Geth, and se ide, Lest perauenture thei speken ayens vs. Dauid dide these thingis, and this was his doom, in alle daies in whiche he dwellide in the cuntrei of Filisteis.

And David left neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying: 'Lest they should tell on us, saying: So did David, and so hath been his manner all the while he hath dwelt in the country of the Philistines.'

12 Therfor Achis bileuyde to Dauid, and seide, Forsothe he wrouyte many yuelis ayens his puple Israel, therfor he schal be euerlastynge seruaunt to me.

And Achish believed David, saying: 'He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.'