1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David remained two days in Ziklag,2 that on the third day, behold, a man came from Sauls camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.3 And David said to him, Where have you come from? So he said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel.4 And David said to him, How did the matter go? Please tell me. And he answered, The people have fled from the battle, many of the people have fallen and died, and Saul and Jonathan his son have died.5 And David said to the young man who told him, How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son have died?6 And the young man who told him said, As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen closely pursued him.7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, Here am I.8 And he said to me, Who are you? So I answered him, I am an Amalekite.9 He said to me again, Please stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me because my soul still remains in me.10 So I stood over him and killed him, because I perceived that he could not live after he had fallen. And 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.11 Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men with him.12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of Jehovah and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.13 Then David said to the young man who told him, Where are you from? And he answered, I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.14 And David said to him, How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?15 And David summoned one of the young men and said, Go near, and fall upon him! And he struck him so that he died.16 And David said to him, Your blood is on your own head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have killed the anointed of Jehovah.17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,18 and he commanded them to teach the sons of Judah the Song of the Bow; behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher:19 The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!20 Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings; for the shield of the mighty has been rejected as loathsome there! The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan has not turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.23 Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they have not been separated. They have been swifter than eagles, they have been stronger than lions.24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury; who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, slain on your high places.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.27 How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
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.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.3 And Dauid seide to hym, Fro whennus comest thou? Which seide to Dauid, Y fledde fro the castels 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.5 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 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 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 Y seide to hym, Y am a man of Amalech.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.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.11 Forsothe Dauid took and to-rente hise clothis, and the men that weren with hym;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.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.14 And Dauid seide to him, Whi dreddist thou not to sende thine hond, that thou schuldist sle the crist 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.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.17 Forsooth Dauid biweilide sych a weilyng on Saul, and on Jonathas, his sone;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;19 the noble men of Israel ben slayn on thin hillis.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.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.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.23 Saul and Jonathas amyable, and fair in her lijf, weren not departid also in deeth; thei weren swiftere than eglis, strongere than liouns.24 Douytris of Israel, wepe ye on Saul, that clothide you with fyn reed colourid in delicis, that yaf goldun ournementis to youre atyre.25 Hou `felden doun stronge men in batel?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.27 Hou therfor `felden doun stronge men, and armeris of batel perischide?