< 2 Samuel 16 >

1 And whanne Dauid hadde passid a litil the cop of the hil, Siba, the child of Mysphobosech, apperide in to his comyng, with tweyne assis, that weren chargid with twei hundrid looues, and with an hundrid bundels of dried grapis, and with an hundrid gobetis of pressid figus, and with twei vessels of wyn.
Now when David was a little past the top, look, Ziba the servant of Mippibaal met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a container of wine.
2 And the kyng seide to Siba, What wolen these thingis to hem silf? And Siba answeride, My lord the kyng, the assis ben to the meyneals of the kyng, that thei sitte; the looues and `figis pressid ben to thi children to ete; forsothe the wyn is, that if ony man faile in deseert, he drynke.
And the king said to Ziba, "Why did you bring these things?" And Ziba replied, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert."
3 And the kyng seide, Where is the sone of thi lord? And Siba answeride to the kyng, He dwellide in Jerusalem, `and seide, To dai the Lord of the hows of Israel schal restore to me the rewme of my fadir.
Then the king said, "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Look, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the children of Israel will restore to me the kingdom of my father.'"
4 And the kyng seide to Siba, Alle thingis that weren of Mysphibosech ben thine. And Siba seide, Y preye, fynde Y grace bifor thee, my lord the kyng.
Then the king said to Ziba, "Look, all that pertains to Mippibaal is yours." Ziba said, "I humbly bow. May I find favor in the sight of my lord the king."
5 Therfor kyng Dauid cam `til to Bahurym, and lo! a man of the meynee of the hows of Saul, Semey bi name, sone of Gera, yede out fro thennus; he yede forth goynge out, and curside.
And when king David reached Bahurim, now look, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera. He came out and cursed continuously as he approached.
6 And he sente stoonys ayens Dauid, and ayens alle seruauntis of kyng Dauid; forsothe al the puple, and alle fiyteris yeden at the riytside and at the left side of the king.
And he threw stones at David and at all his servants, and all the people and all the soldiers at his right hand and at his left.
7 Sotheli Semey spak so, whanne he curside the kyng, Go out, go out, thou man of bloodis, and man of Belial!
And Shimei said as he cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of blood, and worthless man.
8 The Lord hath yolde to thee al the blood of the hows of Saul, for thou rauyschedist the rewme fro hym; and the Lord yaf the rewme in to the hond of Absolon, thi sone; and lo! thin yuels oppressen thee, for thou art a man of blodis.
Jehovah has returned on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and Jehovah has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And look, your evil is upon you, because you are a man of bloodshed."
9 Forsothe Abisay, the sone of Saruye, seide to the kyng, Whi cursith this dogge, that schal die, my lord the kyng? Y schal go, and Y schal girde of his heed.
Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please let me go over and take off his head."
10 And the kyng seide, Ye sones of Saruye, what is to me and to you? Suffre ye hym, that he curse; for the Lord comaundide to hym, that he schulde curse Dauid; and who is he that dare seie, Whi dide he so?
The king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Jehovah has said to him, 'Curse David;' who then shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"
11 And the kyng seide to Abysay, and to alle hise seruauntis, Lo! my sone, that yede out of my wombe, sekith my lijf; hou myche more now this sone of Gemyny? Suffre ye hym, that he curse bi comaundement of the Lord;
Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Look, my son who came from my body seeks my life. So also now this Benjamite. Leave him alone and let him curse, for Jehovah has told him to.
12 if in hap the Lord biholde my turmentyng, and yelde good to me for this `cursyng of this dai.
Perhaps Jehovah will look on my affliction and return good to me for his cursing today."
13 Therfor Dauid yede, and hise felowis, bi the weie with hym; forsothe Semey yede bi the slade of the hil `bi the side ayens hym; and curside, and sente stoonus ayens him, and spreynte erthe.
So David and his men went by the way; and Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, threw stones at his flank, and threw dirt.
14 And so `Dauid the king cam, and al the puple weery with hym, and thei weren refreischid there.
Now the king and all his people arrived weary at the Jordan, and he refreshed himself there.
15 Forsothe Absolon, and al the puple of Israel entriden in to Jerusalem, but also Achitofel with hym.
Now Absalom and all the men of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
16 Sotheli whanne Chusi of Arath, the frend of Dauid, hadde come to Absolon, he spak to Absolon, Heil, kyng! heil, kyng!
And it came about when David's friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king. Long live the king."
17 To whom Absolon seide, This is thi grace to thi freend; whi yedist thou not with thi freend?
So Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?"
18 And Chusi answeride to Absolon, Nay, for Y shal be seruaunt of hym, whom the Lord hath chose, and al this puple, and al Israel; and Y schal dwelle with him.
Then Hushai said to Absalom, "No, but whom Jehovah and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I belong, and with him I will stay.
19 But that Y seie also this, to whom schal Y serue? whethir not to the sone of the kyng? as Y obeiede to thi fadir, so Y schal obeie to thee.
Again, whom should I serve? Shouldn't I serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence."
20 Forsothe Absolon seide to Achitofel, Take ye counsel, what we owen to do.
Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel. What should we do?"
21 And Achytofel seide to Absolon, Entre thou to the concubyns of thi fadir, whiche he lefte to kepe the hows; that whanne al Israel herith, that thou hast defoulid thi fadir, the hondis of hem be strengthid with thee.
Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to your father's secondary wives, that he has left to care for the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father. Then those on your side will be motivated to support you."
22 Therfor thei tildeden Absolon a tabernacle in the soler, and he entride to the concubyns of his fadir bifor al Israel.
So they set up a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom went in to his father's secondary wives in the sight of all Israel.
23 Sotheli the counsel of Achitofel, which he yaf in tho daies, was as if a man counselide God; so was al the counsel of Achitofel, bothe whanne he was with Dauid, and whanne he was with Absolon.
Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one inquired of the word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel both to David and to Absalom.

< 2 Samuel 16 >