1 Samuel 19

¹ Therfor Jonathas clepide Dauid, and schewide to hym alle these wordis. And Jonathas brouyte in Dauid to Saul, and he was bifor hym as yistirdai and the thridde dai ago. 2 Forsothe batel was moued eft; and Dauyd yede out, and fauyt ayens Filisteis, and he smoot hem with a greet wounde, and thei fledden fro his face. 3 And the yuel spirit of the Lord was maad on Saul; sotheli he sat in his hows, and helde a spere; certis Dauid harpide in his hond. 4 And Saul enforside to prene with the spere Dauid in the wal; and Dauid bowide fro the face of Saul; forsothe the spere with voide wounde was borun in to the wal; and Dauid fledde, and was saued in that niyt. 5 Therfor Saul sente hise knyytis in the nyyt in to the hows of Dauid, that thei schulden kepe hym, and that he schulde be slayn in the morewtide. And whanne Mychol, the wijf of Dauid, hadde teld this to Dauid, and seide, If thou sauest not thee in this nyyt, thou schalt die to morew; ⁶ sche puttide hym doun bi a wyndow. Forsothe he yede, and fledde, and was sauyd. ⁷ Sotheli Mychol took an ymage, and puttide it on the bed, and puttide an heeri skyn of geet at the heed therof, and hilide it with clothis. 8 Forsothe Saul sente sergeauntis, that schulden rauysche Dauid, and it was answeride, that he was sijk. ⁹ And eft Saul sente messangeris, that thei schulden se Dauid, and he seide, Brynge ye hym to me in the bed, that he be slayn. ¹⁰ And whanne the messangeris hadden come, a symylacre was foundun on the bed, and skynnes of geet at the heed therof. ¹¹ And Saul seide to Mychol, Whi scornedist thou me so, and delyueredist myn enemy, that he fledde? And Mychol answeride to Saul, For he spak to me, and seide, Delyuere thou me, ellis Y schal slee thee. 12 Forsothe Dauid fledde, and was sauyd; and he cam to Samuel in to Ramatha, and telde to hym alle thingis which Saul hadde do to hym; and he and Samuel yeden, and dwelliden in Naioth. 13 Forsothe it was teld to Saul of men, seiynge, Lo! Dauid is in Naioth in Ramatha. 14 Therfor Saul sente sleeris, that thei schulden rauysche Dauid; and whanne thei hadden seyn the cumpeny of profetis profeciynge, and Samuel stondynge ouer hem, the Spirit of the Lord, that is, the spirit of deuocioun, was maad in hem, and thei also bigunnen to prophecie. ¹⁵ And whanne this was teld to Saul, he sente also othere messangeris; sotheli and thei profesieden. And eft Saul sente the thridde messangeris, and thei prophecieden. And Saul was wrooth with irefulnesse; ¹⁶ and he also yede in to Ramatha, and he cam til to the greet cisterne, which is in Socoth, and he axide, and seide, In what place ben Samuel and Dauid? And it was seid to hym, Lo! thei ben in Naioth in Ramatha. 17 And he yede in to Naioth in Ramatha; and the Spirit of the Lord was maad also on him; and he yede, and entride, and propheciede, til the while he cam in to Naioth in Ramatha. 18 And he also dispuylide him silf of hise clothis, and propheciede with othere men bifor Samuel, and he profeciede nakid in al that dai and nyyt. Wherfor a prouerbe, that is, a comyn word, yede out, Whether and Saul among prophetis? 20 Forsothe Dauid fledde fro Naioth, which is in Ramatha, and cam and spak bifor Jonathas, What haue Y do? what is my wickidnesse, and what is my synne ayens thi fadir, for he sekith my lijf? 21 And Jonathas seide to hym, Fer be it fro thee, thou schalt not die, for my fadir schal not do ony thing greet ether litil, no but he schewe firste to me; therfor my fadir kepte preuy fro me this word oneli, forsothe it schal not be. ²² And eft he swoor to Dauid. And Dauid seide, Treuli thi fadir woot, that Y haue founde grace in thin iyen, and he schal seie, Jonathas wite not this, lest perauenture he be sory; certis the Lord lyueth, and thi soule lyueth, for, that Y seie so, Y and deeth ben departid oneli bi o degree. ²³ And Jonathas seide to Dauid, What euer thing thi soule schal seie to me, Y schal do to thee. ²⁴ And Dauid seide to Jonathas, Lo! calendis ben to morewe, and bi custom Y am wont to sitte bi the kyng to ete; therfor suffre thou me, that Y be hid in the feeld til to euentid of the thridde dai.