9. David said to Saul, "Why do you listen when people say, ‘David wants to ruin you’?
10. Look! Today your own eyes have seen that the Lord handed you over to me in the cave. But I refused to kill you. I spared you, saying, ‘I won’t lift a hand against my master because he is the Lord’s anointed.’
11. Look here, my protector! See the corner of your robe in my hand? I cut off the corner of your robe but didn’t kill you. So know now that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I haven’t wronged you, but you are hunting me down, trying to kill me.
12. May the Lord judge between me and you! May the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but I won’t lift a hand against you.
13. As the old proverb goes, ‘Evil deeds come from evildoers!’ but I won’t lift a hand against you.
14. So who is Israel’s king coming after? Who are you chasing? A dead dog? A single flea?
15. May the Lord be the judge and decide between you and me. May he see what has happened, argue my case, and vindicate me against you!"
16. As soon as David finished saying all this to Saul, Saul said, "David, my son, is that your voice?" Then he broke down in tears,
17. telling David, "You are more righteous than I am because you have treated me generously, but I have treated you terribly.
18. Today you’ve told me the good you have done for me—how the Lord handed me over to you, but how you didn’t kill me.
19. When someone finds an enemy, do they send the enemy away in peace? May the Lord repay you with good for what you have done for me today.