2 Samuel 1

1 Forsothe it was doon, after that Saul was deed, that Dauid turnede ayen fro the sleyng of Amalech, and dwellide twei daies in Sichelech.

And it came to pass after Saul was dead, that David returned from smiting Amalec, and David abode two days in Sekelac.

2 Forsothe in the thridde dai a man apperide, comynge fro the castels of Saul with the cloth to-rent, and his heed spreynt with dust; and as he cam to Dauid, he felde on his face, and worschipide.

And it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came from the camp, from the people of Saul, and his garments were rent, and earth [was] upon his head: and it came to pass when he went in to David, that he fell upon the earth, and did obeisance to him.

3 And Dauid seide to hym, Fro whennus comest thou? Which seide to Dauid, Y fledde fro the castels of Israel.

And David said to him, Whence comest thou? and he said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.

4 And Dauid seide to hym, What is the word which is doon; schewe thou to me. And he seide, The puple fledde fro the batel, and many of the puple felden, and ben deed; but also Saul, and Jonathas, his sonne, perischyden.

And David said to him, What [is] the matter? tell me. And he said, The people fled out of the battle, and many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.

5 And Dauid seide to the yong man, that telde to hym, Wherof woost thou, that Saul is deed, and Jonathas, his sonne?

And David said to the young man who brought him the tidings, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

6 And the yong man seide, that telde to hym, Bi hap Y cam in to the hil of Gelboe, and Saul lenyde on his spere; forsothe charis and knyytis neiyiden to hym;

And the young man that brought the tidings, said to him, I happened accidentally to be upon mount Gelbue; and, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear, and, behold, the chariots and captains of horse pressed hard upon him.

7 and he turnede bihynde his bak, `and siy me, and clepide. To whom whanne Y hadde answeride, Y am present; he seide to me, Who art thou?

And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called me; and I said, Behold, [here am] I.

8 And Y seide to hym, Y am a man of Amalech.

And he said to me, Who art thou? and I said, I am an Amalekite.

9 And he spak to me, Stonde thou on me, and sle me; for angwischis holden me, and yit al my lijf is in me.

And he said to me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me, for a dreadful darkness has come upon me, for all my life [is] in me.

10 And Y stood on hym, and Y killide hym; for Y wiste that he myyte not lyue aftir the fallyng; and Y took the diademe, that was in his heed, and the bye fro his arm, and Y brouyte hidur to thee, my lord.

So I stood over him and slew him, because I knew he would not live after he was fallen; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was upon his arm, and I have brought them hither to my lord.

11 Forsothe Dauid took and to-rente hise clothis, and the men that weren with hym;

And David laid hold of his garments, and rent them; and all the men who were with him rent their garments.

12 and thei weiliden, and wepten, and fastiden `til to euentid, on Saul, and Jonathas, his sone, and on the puple of the Lord, and on the hows of Israel, for thei hadden feld bi swerd.

And they lamented, and wept, and fasted till evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Juda, and for the house of Israel, because they were smitten with the sword.

13 And Dauid seide to the yong man, that telde to him, Of whennus art thou? And he answeride, Y am the sone of a man comelyng, of a man of Amalech.

And David said to the young man who brought the tidings to him, Whence art thou? and he said, I am the son of an Amalekite sojourner.

14 And Dauid seide to him, Whi dreddist thou not to sende thine hond, that thou schuldist sle the crist of the Lord?

And David said to him, How was it thou wast not afraid to lift thy hand to destroy the anointed of the Lord?

15 And Dauid clepide oon of hise children, and seide, Go thou, and falle on hym. Which smoot that yong man, and he was deed.

And David called one of his young men, and said, Go and fall upon him: and he smote him, and he died.

16 And Dauid seide to hym, Thi blood be on thin heed; for thi mouth spak ayens thee, and seide, Y killide the crist of the Lord.

And David said to him, Thy blood [be] upon thine own head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain the anointed of the Lord.

17 Forsooth Dauid biweilide sych a weilyng on Saul, and on Jonathas, his sone;

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son.

18 and comaundide, that thei schulden teche the sones of Juda weilyng, as it is writun in the Book of Just Men. And Dauid seyde, Israel, biholde thou, for these men that ben deed, woundid on thin hiye placis;

And he gave orders to teach it the sons of Juda: behold, it is written in the book of Right.

19 the noble men of Israel ben slayn on thin hillis.

Set up a pillar, O Israel, for the slain that died upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

20 Hou felden stronge men? nyle ye telle in Geth, nether telle ye in the weilottis of Ascolon; lest perauenture the douytris of Filisteis be glad, lest the douytris of vncircumcidid men `be glad.

Tell it not in Geth, and tell it not as glad tidings in the streets of Ascalon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 Hillis of Gelboe, neither dew nethir reyn come on you, nether the feeldis of firste fruytis be; for the scheeld of stronge men was cast awey there, the scheeld of Saul, as `if he were not anoyntid with oile.

Ye mountains of Gelbue, let not dew no rain descend upon you, nor fields of first-fruits [be upon you], for there the shield of the mighty ones has been grievously assailed; the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.

22 Of the blood of slayn men, of the fatnesse of strong men, the arewe of Jonathas yede neuer abak, and the swerd of Saul turnede not ayen void.

From the blood of the slain, and from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan returned not empty; and the sword of Saul turned not back empty.

23 Saul and Jonathas amyable, and fair in her lijf, weren not departid also in deeth; thei weren swiftere than eglis, strongere than liouns.

Saul and Jonathan, the beloved and the beautiful, were not divided: comely [were they] in their life, and in their death they were not divided: [they were] swifter than eagles, and they were stronger than lions.

24 Douytris of Israel, wepe ye on Saul, that clothide you with fyn reed colourid in delicis, that yaf goldun ournementis to youre atyre.

Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you with scarlet together with your adorning, who added golden ornaments to your apparel.

25 Hou `felden doun stronge men in batel?

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, even the slain ones upon thy high places!

26 Jonathas was slayn in the hiye places. Y make sorewe on thee, my brother Jonathas, ful fair, `and amyable more than the loue of wymmen; as a modir loueth oon aloone sone, so Y louyde thee.

I am grieved for thee, my brother Jonathan; thou wast very lovely to me; thy love to me was wonderful beyond the love of women.

27 Hou therfor `felden doun stronge men, and armeris of batel perischide?

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!