1 Samuel 9
1 And `a man was of Beniamyn, `Cys bi name, the sone of Abiel, sone of Seor, sone of Bethor, sone of Aphia, sone of the man Gemyny, strong in bodili myyt.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2 And to hym was a sone, Saul bi name, chosun and good; and no man of the sones of Israel was betere than he; fro the schuldur and aboue he apperide ouer al the puple.
He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Sotheli the femal assis of Cys, the fadir of Saul, perischyden. And Cys seide to Saul his sone, Take with thee oon of the children, and rise thou, and go, and seke the femal assis. And whanne thei hadden go bi the hil of Effraym,
The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.”
4 and bi the lond of Salisa, and hadden not foundun, thei passiden also bi the lond of Salym, and tho weren not there; but also 'thei passiden bi the lond of Gemyny, and founden not.
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 Sotheli whanne thei hadden come in to the lond of Suph, and hadden not founde, Saul seide to his child that was with hym, Come thou, and turne we ayen; lest perauenture my fadir hath lefte the femal assis, and is bisy for vs.
When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come! Let’s return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.”
6 Which child seide to hym, Lo! the man of God is in this citee, a noble man; al thing that he spekith, cometh with out doute. Now therfor go we thidir, if perauenture he schewe to vs of oure weie, for which we camen.
The servant said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says surely happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 And Saul seide to his child, Lo! we schulen go; what schulen we bere to the man of God? Breede failide in oure scrippis, and we han no present, that we yyue to the man of God, `nether ony othir thing.
Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what should we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our sacks, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 Eft the child answeride to Saul, and seide, Lo! the fourthe part of `a stater, that is, a cicle, of siluer is foundun in myn hond; yyue we to the man of God, that he schewe to vs oure weie.
The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.”
9 Sumtyme in Israel ech man goynge to counsel God spak thus, Come ye, and go we to the seere; for he, that is seid `to dai a profete, was clepid sumtyme a seere.
(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come! Let’s go to the seer;” for he who is now called a prophet was before called a seer.)
10 And Saul seide to his child, `Thi word is the beste; come thou, go we. And thei yeden in to the citee, `in which the man of God was.
Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come! Let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 And whanne thei stieden in to the hiynesse of the citee, thei founden damesels goynge out to drawe watir, and thei seiden to the dameselis, Whether the seere is here?
As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
12 Whiche dameselis answeriden, and seiden to hem, He is here; lo! he is bifor thee; `haste thou now, for to day he cam in to the citee; for to dai is sacrifice of the puple in the hiy place.
They answered them and said, “He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
13 Ye schulen entre in to the citee, and anoon ye schulen fynde hym, bifor that he stie in to the hiy place to ete; for the puple schal not ete til he come, for he schal blesse the sacrifice, and afterward thei schulen ete that ben clepid. Now therfor stie ye, for to day ye schulen fynde hym.
As soon as you have come into the city, you will immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you will find him.”
14 And thei stieden in to the citee. And whanne thei yeden in the myddis of the citee, Samuel apperide goynge out ayens hem, that he schulde stie in to the hiy place.
They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place.
15 Forsothe the Lord `hadde maad reuelacioun in the eere of Samuel `bifor o dai, that Saul cam, and seide,
Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
16 In this same our which is now to morewe, Y schal sende to thee a man of the lond of Beniamyn, and thou schalt anoynte hym duyk on my puple Israel, and he schal saue my puple fro the hond of Filisteis; for Y haue biholde my puple, for `the cry of hem cam to me.
“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.”
17 And whanne Samuel hadde biholde Saul, the Lord seide to Samuel, Lo! the man, whom Y seide to thee; this man schal be lord of my puple.
When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! He will have authority over my people.”
18 Forsothe Saul neiyede to Samuel in the myddis of the yate, and seide, Y preye, schewe thou to me, where is the hows of the seere?
Then Saul approached Samuel in the gateway, and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
19 And Samuel answeride to Saul, and seide, Y am the seere; stie thou bifor me in to the hiy place, that thou ete with me to dai, and Y schal delyuere thee in the morewtid, and Y schal schewe to thee alle thingis that ben in thin herte.
Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you are to eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 And be thou not bisy of the femal assis, whiche thou lostist the thridde dai agoon, for tho ben foundun; and whose schulen be alle the beste thingis of Israel, whether not to thee, and to al the hows of thi fader?
As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. For whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you and all your father’s house?”
21 Sotheli Saul answeride, and seide, Whether Y am not a sone of Gemyny, of the leeste lynage of Israel, and my kynrede is the laste among alle the meynees of the lynage of Beniamyn? Whi therfor hast thou spoke to me this word?
Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?”
22 Therfor Samuel took Saul, and his child, and ledde hem in to the chaumbur of thre ordris, and he yaf to hem a place in the bigynnyng of hem that weren clepid; for thei weren as thretti men.
Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons.
23 And Samuel seide to the cook, Yyue thou the part, which Y yaf to thee, and comaundide, that thou schuldist kepe bi it silf anentis thee.
Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’”
24 Sotheli the cook reiside the schuldir, and settide bifor Saul. And Samuel seide, Lo! that, that lefte, `sette thou bifor thee, and ete; for of purpos it was kept to thee, whanne Y clepide the puple. And Saul eet with Samuel in that dai.
The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, “Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because it has been kept for you for the appointed time, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 And thei camen doun fro the hiy place in to the citee; and Samuel spak with Saul in the soler, and Saul `araiede a bed in the soler, and slepte.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop.
26 And whanne thei hadden rise eerli, and `now it bigan to be cleer, Samuel clepide Saul in to the soler, and seide, Rise thou, that Y delyuere thee. And Saul roos, and bothe yeden out, that is, he, and Samuel.
They arose early; and about daybreak, Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” Saul arose, and they both went outside, he and Samuel, together.
27 And whanne thei yeden doun in the laste part of the citee, Samuel seide to Saul, Seie thou to the child, that he go bifor vs, and passe; forsothe stonde thou a litil, that Y schewe to thee the word of the Lord.
As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” He went ahead, then Samuel said, “But stand still first, that I may cause you to hear God’s message.”
