< 2 Kings 2 >

1 Forsothe it was don, whanne the Lord wolde reise Elie bi a whirlewynd in to heuene, Elie and Elisee yeden fro Galgalis.
When the LORD was about to take Elijah up by a whirlwind into heaven, Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And Elie seide to Elisee, Sitte thou here, for the Lord sente me til into Bethel. To whom Elisee seide, The Lord lyueth and thi soule lyueth, for Y schal not forsake thee. And whanne thei hadden come doun to Bethel,
Elijah said to Elisha, “Please wait here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.
3 the sones of prophetis, that weren in Bethel, yeden out to Elisee, and seiden to hym, Whether thou knowist, that the Lord schal take awey thi lord to dai fro thee? Which answeride, And I knowe; be ye stille.
The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” He said, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.”
4 Forsothe Elie seide to Elisee, Sitte thou here, for the Lord sente me into Jerico. And he seide, The Lord lyueth and thi soule lyueth, for Y schal not forsake thee. And whanne thei hadden come to Jerico,
Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please wait here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” He said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.
5 the sones of prophetis, that weren in Jerico, neiyiden to Elisee, and seiden to hym, Whether thou knowist, that the Lord schal take awei thi lord to dai fro thee? And he seide, Y knowe; be ye stille.
The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” He answered, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.”
6 Forsothe Elie seide to Elisee, Sitte thou here, for the Lord sente me `til to Jordan. Which seide, The Lord lyueth and thi soule lyueth, for Y schal not forsake thee. Therfor bothe yeden togidere;
Elijah said to him, “Please wait here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” He said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” Then they both went on.
7 and fifti men of the sones of prophetis sueden, which also stoden fer euen ayens; sothely thei bothe stoden ouer Jordan.
Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance; and they both stood by the Jordan.
8 And Elie took his mentil, and wlappide it, and smoot the watris; whiche weren departid `into euer ethir part, and bothe yeden bi the drie.
Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the waters; and they were divided here and there, so that they both went over on dry ground.
9 And whanne thei hadden passid, Elie seide to Elisee, Axe thou that, that thou wolt that Y do to thee, bifor that Y be takun awey fro thee. And Elisee seide, Y biseche, that thi double spirit be `maad in me.
When they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me.”
10 Which Elie answeride, Thou axist an hard thing; netheles if thou schalt se me, whanne Y schal be takun awei fro thee, that that thou axidist schal be; sotheli, if thou schalt not se, it schal not be.
He said, “You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it will be so for you; but if not, it will not be so.”
11 And whanne thei yeden, and spaken goynge, lo! a chare of fier and horsys of fier departiden euer either; and Elie stiede bi a whirlewynd in to heuene.
As they continued on and talked, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 Forsothe Elise siy, and criede, My fadir! my fadir! the chare of Israel, and the charietere therof. And he siy no more Elie. And he took hise clothis, and to-rente tho in to twei partis.
Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” He saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
13 And he reiside the mentil of Elie, that felde doun to hym; and he turnede ayen, and stood ouer the ryuer of Jordan.
He also took up Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
14 And with the mentil of Elie, that felde doun to hym, he smoot the watris, whiche weren not departid. And he seide, Where is God of Elie also now? And he smoot the watris, and tho weren departid hidur and thidur; and Elisee passide.
He took Elijah’s mantle that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” When he also had struck the waters, they were divided apart, and Elisha went over.
15 Sotheli the sones of prophetis, that weren in Jerico euene ayens, siyen, and seiden, The spirit of Elie restide on Elisee. And thei camen in to the meetyng of hym, and worschipiden hym lowli to erthe.
When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho facing him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
16 And thei seiden to hym, Lo! with thi seruauntis ben fifti stronge men, that moun go, and seke thi lord, lest perauenture the Spirit of the Lord hath take hym, and hath cast forth hym in oon of the hillis, ethir in oon of the valeys.
They said to him, “See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. Perhaps the LORD’s Spirit has taken him up, and put him on some mountain or into some valley.” He said, “Do not send them.”
17 Which seide, `Nyle ye sende. And thei constreyneden hym, til he assentide to hem, and seide, Sende ye. And thei senten fifti men; and whanne thei hadden souyt bi thre daies, thei founden not.
When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.” Therefore they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him.
18 And thei turneden ayen to hym; and he dwelide in Jerico. And he seide to hem, Whether Y seide not to you, Nyle ye sende?
They came back to him while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, “Did not I tell you, ‘Do not go’?”
19 Therfor the men of the citee seiden to Elisee, Lo! the dwellyng of this cite is ful good, as thou thi silf, lord, seest; but the watris ben ful yuele, and the lond is bareyn.
The men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, please, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is barren.”
20 And he seide, Brynge ye to me a newe vessel, and sende ye salt in to it. And whanne thei hadden brouyt it,
He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” Then they brought it to him.
21 he yede out to the welle of watris, and sente salt in to it, and seide, The Lord seith these thingis, Y haue helid these watris, and nethir deeth, nether bareynesse, schal be more in tho.
He went out to the spring of the waters, and threw salt into it, and said, “The LORD says, ‘I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there any more death or barren wasteland.’”
22 Therfor the watris weren heelid til in to this dai, bi the word of Elisee, which he spak.
So the waters were healed to this day, according to Elisha’s word which he spoke.
23 Forsothe Elisee stiede fro thennus in to Bethel; and whanne he stiede bi the weie, litle children yeden out of the citee, and scorneden hym, and seiden, Stie, thou ballard! stie, thou ballard!
He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!”
24 And whanne he hadde biholde, he siy hem, and curside hem in the name of the Lord. And twey beeris yeden out of the forest, and to-rente fourti children of hem.
He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the LORD’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of those youths.
25 Sotheli Elisee wente fro thennus in to the hil of Carmele, and fro thennus he turnede `ayen to Samarie.
He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

< 2 Kings 2 >