2 Samuel 1

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag,

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 on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.

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 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”

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

4 David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”

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 David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know 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 The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind 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 When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’

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 He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

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

9 He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers 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 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”

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 Then David took hold on his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise.

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

12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had 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 David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”

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 David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”

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

15 David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died.

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 David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’”

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 David lamented 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 commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

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 “Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!

the noble men of Israel ben slayn on thin hillis.

20 Do not tell it in Gath. Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

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 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, the shield of Saul was not 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 slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow did not turn back. Saul’s sword did 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 were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.

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

24 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put 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 the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan was slain on your high places.

Hou `felden doun stronge men in batel?

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing 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 the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”

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