2 Samuel 1

1 And it cometh to pass, after the death of Saul, that David hath returned from smiting the Amalekite, and David dwelleth in Ziklag two days,

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

2 and it cometh to pass, on the third day, that lo, a man hath come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments [are] rent, and earth on his head; and it cometh to pass, in his coming in unto David, that he falleth to the earth, and doth obeisance.

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.

3 And David saith to him, 'Whence comest thou?' and he saith unto him, 'Out of the camp of Israel I have escaped.'

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

4 And David saith unto him, 'What hath been the matter? declare, I pray thee, to me.' And he saith, that 'The people hath fled from the battle, and also a multitude hath fallen of the people, and they die; and also Saul and Jonathan his son have died.'

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.

5 And David saith unto the youth who is declaring [it] to him, 'How hast thou known that Saul and Jonathan his son [are] dead?'

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

6 And the youth who is declaring [it] to him saith, I happened to meet in mount Gilboa, and lo, Saul is leaning on his spear; and lo, the chariots and those possessing horses have followed him;

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;

7 and he turneth behind him, and seeth me, and calleth unto me, and I say, Here [am] I.

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?

8 And he saith to me, Who [art] thou? and I say unto him, An Amalekite I [am].'

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

9 'And he saith unto me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and put me to death, for seized me hath the arrow, for all my soul [is] still in me.

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

10 And I stand over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he doth not live after his falling, and I take the crown which [is] on his head, and the bracelet which [is] on his arm, and bring them in unto my lord hither.'

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.

11 And David taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them, and also all the men who [are] with him,

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

12 and they mourn, and weep, and fast till the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they have fallen by the sword.

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.

13 And David saith unto the youth who is declaring [it] to him, 'Whence [art] thou?' and he saith, 'Son of a sojourner, an Amalekite, I [am].'

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.

14 And David saith unto him, 'How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?'

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

15 And David calleth to one of the youths, and saith, 'Draw nigh — fall upon him;' and he smiteth him, and he dieth;

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

16 and David saith unto him, 'Thy blood [is] on thine own head, for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I — I put to death the anointed of Jehovah.'

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.

17 And David lamenteth with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son;

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

18 and he saith to teach the sons of Judah 'The Bow;' lo, it is written on the book of the Upright: —

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;

19 'The Roebuck, O Israel, On thy high places [is] wounded; How have the mighty fallen!

the noble men of Israel ben slayn on thin hillis.

20 Declare [it] not in Gath, Proclaim not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest they rejoice — The daughters of the Philistines, Lest they exult — The daughters of the Uncircumcised!

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.

21 Mountains of Gilboa! No dew nor rain be on you, And fields of heave-offerings! For there hath become loathsome The shield of the mighty, The shield of Saul — without the anointed with oil.

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.

22 From the blood of the wounded, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan Hath not turned backward; And the sword of Saul doth not return empty.

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.

23 Saul and Jonathan! They are loved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they have not been parted. Than eagles they have been lighter, Than lions they have been mightier!

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

24 Daughters of Israel! for Saul weep ye, Who is clothing you [in] scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up ornaments of gold on your clothing.

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

25 How have the mighty fallen In the midst of the battle! Jonathan! on thy high places wounded!

Hou `felden doun stronge men in batel?

26 I am in distress for thee, my brother Jonathan, Very pleasant wast thou to me; Wonderful was thy love to me, Above the love of women!

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.

27 How have the mighty fallen, Yea, the weapons of war perish!'

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