Old/New Testament
15 And Samuel said to Saul, The Lord sent me, that I should anoint thee into king on his people Israel (The Lord hath sent me to anoint thee king upon his people Israel); now therefore hear thou the voice of the Lord.
2 The Lord of hosts saith these things, I have brought to mind whatever things Amalek hath done to Israel; how Amalek against-stood Israel in the way, when Israel went up from Egypt. (The Lord of hosts saith these things, I have remembered all the things that the Amalekites did to Israel; how they opposed Israel on the way, when Israel came up from Egypt.)
3 Now therefore go thou, and slay Amalek, and destroy thou all his things; spare thou not him, nor covet thou anything of his things; but slay thou from man unto woman, and little child, and sucking, ox, and sheep, and camel, and ass. (And so now go thou, and kill the Amalekites, and destroy thou all of their things; spare thou not any of them, nor covet thou any of their things; but kill thou every man and woman, and little child, and suckling, yea, every ox, and sheep, and camel, and donkey.)
4 And so Saul commanded the people to be gathered together, and he numbered them as lambs, two hundred thousand of footmen, and ten thousand of men of Judah. (And so Saul commanded the people to be gathered together, and he counted, or registered, them in Telaim, and there were two hundred thousand footmen, and also ten thousand men of Judah.)
5 And when Saul came to the city of Amalek, he made ready ambushments in the (dry bed of the) strand. (And when Saul came to the Amalekite city/And when Saul came to the city of Amalek, he prepared an ambush in the dry riverbed.)
6 And Saul said to (the) Kenites, Go ye, depart ye, and go ye away from Amalek, lest peradventure I wrap thee in with them; for thou didest mercy with all the sons of Israel, when they went up from Egypt. And Kenites departed from the midst of Amalek (And so the Kenites departed from the midst of the Amalekites).
7 And Saul smote Amalek, from Havilah, till thou come to Shur, which is even against Egypt. (And Saul struck down the Amalekites, from Havilah until thou come to Shur, which is on the border with Egypt.)
8 And Saul took Agag alive, the king of Amalek; and he killed by sharpness of sword all the common people. (And Saul took Agag, the king of Amalek, alive; but they killed all the common people with the sharpness of their swords.)
9 And Saul and the people spared Agag (But Saul and his people spared Agag), and the best (of the) flocks of (the) sheep, and of (the) great beasts, and (they kept the) clothes, and (the) rams, and all things that were fair; and they would not destroy those; but whatever thing was vile, and reprovable, they destroyed that thing.
10 Forsooth the word of the Lord was made to Samuel, and said,
11 It repenteth me, that I made Saul king; for he hath forsaken me, and hath not fulfilled my words in work. And Samuel was sorry, and he cried to the Lord in all that night. (I repent, that is, I regret, that I made Saul king; for he hath deserted me, and hath not fulfilled my words in deeds. And Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.)
12 And (then) when Samuel had risen up by night to go early to Saul, it was told to Samuel, that Saul had come into Carmel, and had raised up to him a sign of victory (and had raised up a victory monument for himself there); and that he had turned again from Amalek, and had passed forth, and had gone down into Gilgal.
13 Then Samuel came to Saul, and Saul offered burnt sacrifice to the Lord of the chief things of the preys, which he had brought from Amalek. And the while Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, Blessed be thou of the Lord, I have [ful]filled the word of the Lord. (And when Samuel came to Saul, Saul was offering a burnt sacrifice to the Lord of the chief things of the prey which he had taken from the Amalekites. And when Samuel came over to Saul, Saul said to him, Blessed be thou of the Lord! I have fulfilled the word of the Lord.)
14 And Samuel said, And what is this voice of flocks (But what is this sound of the flocks), that soundeth in mine ears, and of (the) great beasts, which I hear?
15 And Saul said, They brought those from Amalek (They were taken from the Amalekites); for the people spared the best sheep and (the best) great beasts, that those should be offered to thy Lord God; and we killed the tother beasts.
16 And Samuel said to Saul, Suffer thou me (Allow me), and I shall show to thee what things the Lord hath spoken to me in this night. And Saul said to Samuel, Speak thou.
17 And Samuel said, Whether not, when thou were little in thine own eyes, thou were made head in the lineages of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee into king on Israel; (And Samuel said, Was it not, when thou were small, or insignificant, in thy own eyes, thou were made the head of all the tribes of Israel, and did not the Lord anoint thee king upon Israel?)
18 and the Lord sent thee into the way, and said, Go thou, and slay the sinners of Amalek, and thou shalt fight against them till to the slaying of them. (and the Lord sent thee on the way, and said, Go thou, and kill those sinners, the Amalekites, and thou shalt fight against them until they all be slaughtered.)
19 Why therefore heardest thou not the voice of the Lord, but thou were turned to the prey (but instead, thou took that prey), and (so) didest evil in the eyes of the Lord?
20 And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I heard the voice of the Lord, and I have gone in the way, by which the Lord sent me, and I have brought Agag, the king of Amalek, and I have killed Amalek. (And Saul said to Samuel, Yes, I did listen to the Lord’s voice, and I have gone on the way where he sent me, and I have brought Agag, the king of the Amalekites here, and I have killed all the other Amalekites.)
21 Forsooth the people took of the prey, sheep and oxen, the first fruits/the chief fruits of those things that be slain, that they make sacrifice to their Lord God in Gilgal. (But the people kept of the prey, sheep and oxen, the first fruits/the chief fruits of those things that should be killed, to offer as a sacrifice to the Lord their God here in Gilgal.)
22 And Samuel said, Whether the Lord will burnt sacrifices, either slain sacrifices, and not more, rather, that men obey to the voice of the Lord? (And Samuel said, Desireth the Lord burnt sacrifices, and slain sacrifices, or rather, that people obey his voice?) Forsooth obedience to him is better than sacrifices, and to take heed to his word is more than to offer the inner fatness of rams;
23 for it is as the sin of maumetry to fight against God’s behest, and it is as the wickedness of idolatry to not assent to God’s behest. Therefore for that, that thou castedest away the word of the Lord, the Lord casted thee away, that thou be not king. (for it is like the sin of idolatry to fight against God’s command, and it is like the wickedness of idolatry to not assent to God’s command. And so because thou hast thrown away the word of the Lord, the Lord hath thrown thee away, so that thou not be king.)
24 And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have broken the word of the Lord, and thy words; and I dreaded the people, and obeyed to the voice of them; (And Saul said to Samuel, I have sinned, for I have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and thy words; for I feared the people, and obeyed their voice;)
25 but now, I beseech thee, bear thou my sin, and turn thou again with me, (so) that I (can) worship the Lord.
26 And Samuel said to Saul, I shall not turn again with thee, for thou castedest away the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath cast away thee, that thou be not king upon Israel. (And Samuel said to Saul, I shall not return with thee, for thou hast thrown away the word of the Lord, and so the Lord hath thrown thee away, so that thou not be king upon Israel.)
27 And Samuel turned to go away; soothly Saul took the end of the mantle of Samuel, which also was rent (and Saul took hold of the end of Samuel’s mantle, and it tore).
28 And Samuel said to him, The Lord hath cut the realm of Israel from thee today (The Lord hath torn away the kingdom of Israel from thee today), and he hath given it to thy neighbour, (who is) better than thou;
29 certainly the Overcomer in Israel shall not spare them that will not obey to him, and he shall not be bowed by repentance; for he is not man, that is, changeable, that he do repentance, (for he is not a man, that is, that he change his mind).
30 And Saul said, I have sinned; but now honour thou me before the elder men of my people, and before Israel, and turn thou again with me, that I worship thy Lord God (and return thou with me, so that I can worship the Lord thy God).
31 Therefore Samuel turned again, and followed Saul, and Saul worshipped the Lord.
32 And Samuel said, Bring ye to me Agag, the king of Amalek. And Agag, most fat (and) trembling, was brought to him. And Agag said, Whether thus departeth bitter death? (And Samuel said, Bring ye to me Agag, the king of the Amalekites. And Agag, most fat and trembling, was brought to him. And Agag said, Hath bitter death thus departed, that is, May I live?)
33 And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women without free children, so thy mother shall be without free children among women. And Samuel hewed Agag into gobbets before the Lord in Gilgal.
34 And (then) Samuel went into Ramah; and Saul went up into his house in Gibeah.
35 And Samuel saw no more Saul unto the day of his death; nevertheless Samuel bewailed Saul, for it repented the Lord, that he had ordained Saul king upon Israel. (And Samuel never again saw Saul until his dying day; nevertheless Samuel bewailed Saul, and the Lord repented, that is, he regretted, that he had made Saul king upon Israel.)
16 And the Lord said to Samuel, How long bewailest thou Saul, since I have cast him away, that he reign not upon Israel(?); fill thine horn with oil, and come, that I send thee to Jesse of Bethlehem; for among his sons I have purveyed a king to me (for I have chosen myself a king from among his sons).
2 And Samuel said, How shall I go? for Saul shall hear (of it), and he shall slay me. And the Lord said, Thou shalt take a calf of the drove in thy hand (Thou shalt take a calf from the herd with thee), and thou shalt say, I came to make sacrifice to the Lord.
3 And thou shalt call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I shall show to thee (and I shall tell thee), what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint whomever I shall show to thee.
4 Then Samuel did, as the Lord spake to him; and he came into Bethlehem, and the elder men of the city wondered, and came to him, and said, Whether thine entry be peaceable? (Hast thou come in peace?/Is all well?)
5 And he said, It is peaceable; I came to make sacrifice to the Lord; be ye hallowed, and come ye with me, that I make sacrifice. Therefore he hallowed Jesse, and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice. (And he said, Yea, I have come in peace/all is well; I have come to offer a sacrifice to the Lord; be ye hallowed, and then come ye with me, and make ye also the sacrifice. Then he hallowed Jesse, and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice.)
6 And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and said, in his heart, Whether before the Lord is his christ? (Is this the Lord’s anointed?)
7 And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold thou not his cheer (Look thou not at his face), neither the highness of his stature; for I have cast him away, and I deem not by man’s sight; for man seeth those things that be open, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.
8 And Jesse called Abinadab, and brought him before Samuel; and he said, Neither the Lord hath chosen this (and he said, The Lord hath not chosen this man either).
9 And Jesse brought forth Shammah; of whom Samuel said, Also the Lord hath not chosen this (man).
10 And so Jesse brought forth his seven sons before Samuel (And so Jesse brought forth seven of his sons before Samuel); and Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord hath chosen none of these.
11 And Samuel said to Jesse, Whether thy sons be now filled? And Jesse answered, Yet there is another little child, and he pastureth sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send ye, and bring him hither; for we shall not sit to meat, before that he come hither. (And Samuel said to Jesse, Be these all thy sons? And Jesse answered, There is still another young boy, and he pastureth the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send ye for him, and bring him here; for we shall not sit to the meal, before that he come here.)
12 Therefore Jesse sent, and brought him (And so Jesse sent for him, and brought him forth); soothly he was ruddy, and fair in sight, and of seemly face. And the Lord said, Rise thou, and anoint him; for it is he.
13 Therefore Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the Spirit of the Lord was directed into David from that day forth. And (then) Samuel rose up, and went into Ramah.
14 And so the Spirit of the Lord went away from Saul, and a wicked spirit of the Lord travailed Saul (and then a wicked spirit from the Lord tormented him).
15 And the servants of Saul said to him, Lo! an evil spirit of the Lord travaileth thee; (And Saul’s servants said to him, Lo! an evil spirit from the Lord tormenteth thee;)
16 our lord the king command, and thy servants, that be before thee, shall seek a man, that can sing with an harp, and when the evil spirit of the Lord taketh thee, he harp with his hand, and thou bear it more easily. (let our lord the king command, and then thy servants, who be before thee, shall seek out a man who can play a harp, and so when the evil spirit from the Lord taketh hold of thee, he shall play his harp, and then thou shalt be able to bear it more easily.)
17 And Saul said to his servants, Purvey ye to me some man singing well (Find ye some man for me who can play well), and bring ye him to me.
18 And one of his servants answered and said, Lo! I saw a son of Jesse of Bethlehem, cunning to sing (who knoweth how to play), and (a) most strong man, and a man able to (do) battle, and prudent in words, and a fair man; and the Lord is with him.
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send thou to me David thy son, that is keeping thy beasts. (And so Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, Send thou to me thy son David, who is keeping watch over thy sheep.)
20 And so Jesse took an ass charged with loaves, and a gallon of wine, and a goat kid; and he sent those by the hand of David his son to Saul. (And so Jesse took a donkey loaded with loaves, and a gallon of wine, and a goat kid; and he sent them to Saul with his son David.)
21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and Saul loved him greatly (and Saul greatly loved him), and he was made his squire.
22 And Saul sent to Jesse, and said, (Let) David stand in my sight, for he hath found grace in mine eyes.
23 Then whenever the evil spirit of the Lord travailed Saul (And whenever the evil spirit from the Lord tormented Saul), David took his harp, and harped with his hand, and Saul was comforted, and he had it more lightly; for (then) the evil spirit went away from him.
25 And lo! a wise man of the law rose up, tempting him, and saying, Master, what thing shall I do to have everlasting life? [And lo! a wise man of law rose, tempting him, and saying, Master, what thing doing shall I wield everlasting life?]
26 And he said to him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27 He answered, and said, Thou shalt love thy Lord God [He answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God] of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and of all thy strengths, and of all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And Jesus said to him, Thou hast answered rightly; do this thing, and thou shalt live.
29 But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus beheld, and said, A man came down from Jerusalem into Jericho, and fell among thieves, and they robbed him[a], and wounded him, and went away, and left the man half alive.
31 And it befell, that a priest came down the same way, and passed forth, when he had seen him. [Forsooth it befell, that some priest came down in the same way, and, him seen, he passed forth.]
32 Also [and] a deacon, when he was beside the place, and saw him, passed forth.
33 But a Samaritan, going the way [Forsooth some Samaritan, making journey], came beside him; and he saw him, and had ruth on him;
34 and came to him, and bound together his wounds, and poured in oil and wine [pouring in oil and wine]; and laid him on his beast, and led him into an hostelry, and did the care of him.
35 And another day he brought forth two pence, and gave to the hosteler, and said, Have the care of him; and whatever thou shalt give over, I shall yield to thee, when I come again.
36 Who of these three, seemeth to thee, was neighbour to him, that fell among [the] thieves?
37 And he said, He that did mercy into him. And Jesus said to him, Go thou, and do thou in like manner.[b]
38 And it was done, while they went, he entered into a castle; and a woman, Martha by name, received him into her house. [Forsooth it was done, while they went, and he entered into some castle; and some woman, Martha by name, received him into her house.]
39 And to this was a sister, Mary by name, which also sat beside the feet of the Lord, and heard his word.
40 But Martha busied about the oft service. And she stood, and said, Lord, takest thou no keep, that my sister hath left me alone to serve? therefore say thou to her, that she help me.[c]
41 And the Lord answered, and said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art busy, and art troubled about full many things;
42 but one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part [Mary hath chosen the better part], which shall not be taken away from her.
2001 by Terence P. Noble