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.

Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from smiting the 'Amalekites, that David abode in Ziklag two days.

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 out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and it happened, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and prostrated himself.

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

And David said unto him, From where comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

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 unto him, What took place there? I pray thee, tell me. And he said, That the people are fled from the battle, and that also many of the people are fallen and have died; and that also 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 unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul is dead as also Jonathan his son?

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 told him said, I happened entirely by chance to be upon mount Gilboa', when, behold, there was Saul leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen had overtaken 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 turned round, and he saw me, and called unto me, And I said, Here am I.

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

And he said unto me, Who art thou! And I answered him, An 'Amalekite am I.

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 unto me, Place thyself, I pray thee, by me, and slay me; for a mortal tremor hath seized on me, although my life is yet whole 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 placed myself by him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and I have brought them unto my lord hither.

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

David thereupon took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and [so did] likewise all the men that were with him:

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 until the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by 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 unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he said, The son of a stranger, an 'Amalekite, am I.

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 unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?

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 the young men, and said, Come near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that 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 unto him, Thy blood is upon thy own head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I myself have slain the Lord's anointed.

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 said, That the children of Judah should be taught the bow; behold it is written in the book of Yashar.

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

O beauty of Israel! upon the high places slain: 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 Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; that the daughters of the Philistines may not be glad, that the daughters of the uncircumcised may not rejoice.

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.

O mountains of Gilboa', no dew, nor rain be upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was stained, the shield of Saul, as though it had not been 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, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned never back, and the sword of Saul never returned 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 dear in their lives, were even in their death not divided: more than eagles were they swift, more than lions were they strong.

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

O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with beautiful dresses, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 Hou `felden doun stronge men in batel?

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, on thy high places slain.

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 distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very dear hast thou been unto me: wonderful was thy love for me, passing the love of women.

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

How are the mighty fallen, and lost the instruments of war!