Common English Bible CEB
New Revised Standard NRS
17 Then David sang this funeral song for Saul and his son Jonathan.
17
David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan.
18 David ordered everyone in Judah to learn the Song of the Bow. (In fact, it is written in the scroll from Jashar.)
18
(He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said:
19 Oh, no, Israel! Your prince lies dead on your heights. Look how the mighty warriors have fallen!
19
Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
20 Don't talk about it in Gath; don't bring news of it to Ashkelon's streets, or else the Philistines' daughters will rejoice; the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.
20
Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
21 You hills of Gilboa! Let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields yielding grain offerings. Because it was there that the mighty warrior's shield was defiled— the shield of Saul!—never again anointed with oil.
21
You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor bounteous fields! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.
22 Jonathan's bow never wavered from the blood of the slain, from the gore of the warriors. Never did Saul's sword return empty.
22
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, nor the sword of Saul return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan! So well loved, so dearly cherished! In their lives and in their deaths they were never separated. They were faster than eagles, stronger than lions!
23
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul! He dressed you in crimson with jewels; he decorated your clothes with gold jewelry.
24
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with crimson, in luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 Look how the mighty warriors have fallen in the midst of battle! Jonathan lies dead on your heights.
25
How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
26 I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan! You were so dear to me! Your love was more amazing to me than the love of women.
26
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; greatly beloved were you to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27 Look how the mighty warriors have fallen! Look how the weapons of war have been destroyed!
27
How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.