CHAPTER XIII.
1 Concerning David. 7 His unpopularity amongst certain of the people. 9 The rulers disagree. 11 David speaketh out. 14 He findeth favour with his enemies. 17 The things that he did do. 24 He reacheth unto high office. 27 The Pharisees fall away from him. 29 His greatness.
Now there was a certain man and his name was David, and his place was amongst the rulers of the land of En.
2 Though small of stature, yet was he of a fiery spirit, and the hair upon his face was as the bristles of a badger that is roused.
3 And his tongue was for ever loose and did wag itself continually, being like unto the tail of a small dog that scenteth its food from afar.
4 Now David was one of them that did come from the land of Cam, but the language of his kindred did he speak only upon occasion;
5 And at other times he did speak as the men of En, save only when he delivered him a warning unto them that would butt in; and in such case his words were those of the land of Amer.
6 Now at the time when Willi did lead out his hosts for to fight, David was the chief tax gatherer in the land of En.
7 ¶ And his name was an abomination throughout the land. Men cursed him in the market places, in the sight of the publicans he was a thing unclean, and his name stank vilely in the nostrils of the priests.
8 Verily, to love En and David both, was not thought possible by many. Only amongst the Pharisees was it not so, and these men of little mind did glorify him with a great praise.
9 ¶ Now it came to pass when the rulers of the land of En took counsel, the one with the other, concerning whether they should make them a war, there were some that did say, Let us make a war, for an honourable pledge demandeth fulfilment; nought can absolve a nation from its plighted word, and we are what we are.
10 And there were others that were the Pharisees, and they did say, Why hasten ye towards the shedding of men's blood? Better a peace that obeyeth divine precept than a war that upholdeth the word of a nation.
11 ¶ And when David heard the things that the Pharisees did say, behold, he arose from his seat in the council chamber and spake unto all them that were there.
12 And he lashed the Pharisees with his tongue, sparing them not. And because he was of them, therefore were the words that he did say unto them passing apt, so that they did wriggle in their seats as worms that are upon an hot plate.
13 And them that would preserve the nation's honour at a cost of blood, these did he sustain with the strength of his doings and the whole might of his oratory.
14 ¶ And when the publicans and the priests and those that had cursed him in the market places were told what he had done, they were amazed that such a thing could come to pass.
15 And they said unto each other, What manner of man is this that hath for so long been against us, yet now speaketh our very minds?
16 And they raised him up and made him to be ruler over them, and he did find more favour amongst those people than he had found amongst the Pharisees in the time that was gone.
17 ¶ And it came to pass that whatsoever there was to be done, that thing did David do; verily, his capacities were as manifold as the lies of a woman accused.
18 And they made him chief over the munitioners, and he did make him engines of war and instruments of siege, and other implements of battle also, the quantity whereof exceeded calculation.
19 And nobody throughout all the land excelled him in energy and in ingenuity of the mind. And he did even make the workers to work; and this was a thing that was never before known in the land of En.
20 And when the men of Ire, because they were never content, waxed angry, the one with the other, and there was like to be rebellion amongst them, and there was need of a mediator for to judge between them,
21 Then the choice of the people fell upon David, and they did send him unto the land of Ire for to speak the soft word that charmeth away wrath.
22 And David went. And after he had finished speaking unto the men of Ire, he returned him unto his seat amongst the rulers.
23 And because he was the first man that did go for to pacify the men of Ire, yet stirred not up further strife, therefore was his name honoured above any, and poets did sing his praises on the feast days of the Eisteddfod.
24 If And the rulers did choose him to succeed unto a great soldier, and they did place him over the hosts of En, making of him a mighty captain. And because the people would have none other, therefore was he chosen.
25 And the work that was already begun, that did he continue. And he did make the hosts of En great beyond all conception, and the strength of En was as the foundations of the earth.
26 And his popularity with the people did grow day by day, wherefore men said, in jest, Behold, here cometh David, George that is the Sixth. And they that had hated him before did worship him as a god.
27 ¶ But the Pharisees knew not what to do, for he was become as a revelation unto them. Therefore did they say very little concerning him; and when it happened that they had occasion to utter his name, then would they do so with a sniff upon the word.
28 For such is the way of the Pharisees. And these do place peace above the honour of a nation and an unctuous word before the doing of a thing that is right. And in them there is no stomach for the fray.
29 ¶ But David cared not at all for such as these, and there was no man greater in all the land. And when the time came, he did sit upon the highest seat amongst the rulers of the land, because he was the chosen of the people, and they would have none other.