1 Samueli 16
1 Yehova anati kwa Samueli, “Kodi udzamulira Sauli mpaka liti, popeza Ine ndamukana kuti akhale mfumu ya Israeli? Dzaza mafuta mʼbotolo lako ndipo unyamuke kupita kwa Yese wa ku Betelehemu popeza ndadzisankhira mmodzi mwa ana ake kukhala mfumu.”
Finally, Yahweh said to Samuel, “I have decided that I will not allow Saul to continue to be the king. So you should not [RHQ] keep feeling sad [about what he has done]. Put some olive oil in a small container and go to Bethlehem [to anoint someone with the oil, and appoint him to be king]. I am sending you there to a man named Jesse, because I have chosen one of his sons to be the king [of Israel].”
2 Koma Samueli anati, “Kodi ndingapite bwanji? Sauli akamva zimenezi adzandipha.” Yehova anayankha, “Tenga ngʼombe yayikazi ndipo ukanene kuti, ‘Ndabwera kudzapereka nsembe kwa Yehova.
But Samuel said, “I am afraid [RHQ] to do that! If Saul hears about it, he will kill me!” Yahweh said, “Take a (heifer/young female cow) with you, and say to people that you have come to [kill it and] offer it as a sacrifice to me.
3 Ukamuyitane Yese ku mwambo wa nsembe, ndipo ine ndidzakuwuza choti ukachite. Ukandidzozere amene ndikakulozere.’”
“Invite Jesse to come to the sacrifice. [When he comes, ] I will show you what you should do. And I will show you which of his sons [I have chosen to be the king]. Then you should anoint that one [with the olive oil to be the king].”
4 Samueli anachita zimene Yehova ananena, ndipo anabweradi ku Betelehemu kuja. Akuluakulu a mu mzindawo anamuchingamira ali njenjenje ndi mantha ndipo anamufunsa kuti, “Kodi mwabwera mwa mtendere?”
Samuel did what Yahweh told him to do. He went to Bethlehem. When the town leaders came to him, they trembled, [because they were worried that Samuel had come to rebuke them about something]. One of them asked him, “Have you come [to speak] peacefully [to us]?”
5 Samueli anayankha kuti, “Inde, kwabwino. Ndabwera kudzapereka nsembe kwa Yehova. Mudzipatule ndipo mubwere kudzapereka nsembe pamodzi nane.” Kenaka iye anamupatula Yese ndi ana ake aamuna ndipo anawayitana kudzapereka nsembe.
Samuel replied, “Yes. I have come peacefully, to make a sacrifice to Yahweh. [Perform the rituals to] make yourselves acceptable to Yahweh, and then come with me to where they will offer the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the ritual to make Jesse and his sons acceptable to God, and he also invited them to the sacrifice.
6 Pamene anafika, Samueli anaona Eliabu ndipo anaganiza “Ndithu wodzozedwa wa Yehova uja ndi uyu wayima pamaso pakeyu.”
When they arrived there, Samuel looked at [Jesse’s oldest son] Eliab, and thought, “Surely this is the one whom Yahweh has appointed [to be king]!”
7 Koma Yehova anati kwa Samueli, “Usaone maonekedwe ake kapena msinkhu wake, pakuti ndamukana iyeyu. Yehova sapenya zimene munthu amapenya. Anthu amapenya zakunja, koma Mulungu amapenya za mu mtima.”
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “No, he is not the one whom I have chosen. Don’t pay attention to his being handsome and very tall, because I have not chosen him. I do not evaluate people as people do. You people evaluate people by their appearance, but I evaluate people by what is in their inner beings.”
8 Kenaka Yese anayitana Abinadabu namubweretsa pamaso pa Samueli. Koma Samueli anati, “Yehova sanamusankhenso ameneyu.”
Then Jesse told [his next oldest son] Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. [But when he did that], Samuel said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
9 Ndipo Yese anayitana Sama, koma Samueli anati, “Ngakhale uyu Yehova sanamusankhe.”
Then Jesse told [his next oldest son] Shammah to step forward. He stepped forward, but Samuel said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
10 Pambuyo pake, Yese anayitana ana ake amuna asanu ndi awiri kuti apite kwa Samueli. Koma Samueli anati, “Yehova sanasankhe amenewa.”
Similarly, Jesse told his other four sons to walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of these sons of yours.”
11 Tsono Samueli anafunsa Yese kuti, “Kodi awa ndi ana ako onse aamuna?” Yese anayankha kuti, “Ayi, alipo wina wamngʼono amene watsala, koma akuweta nkhosa.” Samueli anati, “Apite munthu akamutenge popeza sitipereka nsembe mpaka iye atabwera.”
Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Do you have any other sons?” Jesse replied, “My youngest son [is not here]; he is out [in the fields] taking care of the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send someone to bring him here! We will not sit down [to eat] until he gets here.”
12 Choncho anatuma munthu kukamutenga ndipo anabwera naye. Iye anali wofiirira, wa maonekedwe abwino ochititsa kaso. Ndipo Yehova anati, “Mudzoze popeza ndi ameneyu.”
So Jesse sent [someone] to bring [David there. And when David arrived, Samuel saw that] he was handsome and healthy, and had bright eyes. Then Yahweh said, “This is the one [whom I have chosen]; anoint him [to be king].”
13 Samueli anatenga botolo la mafuta ndi kumudzoza pamaso pa abale ake, ndipo Mzimu wa Yehova unabwera mwamphamvu pa Davide kuyambira tsiku limenelo mpaka mʼtsogolo. Pambuyo pake Samueli anabwerera ku Rama.
So as David [stood there] in front of his older brothers, Samuel took the container of oil that he had brought and poured some of it on David’s head [to set him apart to serve God. After they all ate, Samuel left] and returned to Ramah. But Yahweh’s Spirit came on David powerfully, and stayed with David for the rest of his life.
14 Nthawi imeneyo Mzimu wa Yehova unamuchokera Sauli, ndipo mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Yehova unayamba kumuzunza.
But Yahweh’s Spirit left Saul. Instead [of his Spirit staying with Saul], Yahweh sent an evil spirit to Saul to terrify him [repeatedly].
15 Atumiki a Sauli anati, “Taonani mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu ukukuzunzani.
One of his servants said to him, “It is evident that an evil spirit sent by God is terrifying you.
16 Ndiyetu, inu mbuye wathu titumeni ife antchito anu kuti tikafune munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba zeze. Tsono pamene mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu wakufikirani, iye azidzayimba ndipo mudzakhala bwino.”
So [we suggest that you] allow us, your servants here, to search for a man who plays the harp well. He can play the harp whenever the evil spirit bothers you. Then [you will calm down and] you will be okay again.”
17 Choncho Sauli anati kwa atumiki ake, “Chabwino, kandipezereni munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba ndipo mubwere naye kuno.”
Saul replied, “[Fine/Okay], find for me a man who can play [the harp] well, and bring him to me.”
18 Mmodzi mwa antchito ake anati, “Ine ndinaona mwana wa Yese wa ku Betelehemu. Ndiye munthu wodziwa bwino kuyimba, wolimba mtima, ngwazi pa nkhondo, wodziwa kuyankhula ndi wokongola. Ndipotu Yehova ali ndi iye.”
One of his servants said to him, “A man named Jesse, in Bethlehem [town], has a son who plays the harp very well. Furthermore, he is a brave man, and is a capable soldier. He is handsome and he always speaks wisely. And Yahweh always protects him.”
19 Ndipo Sauli anatumiza amithenga kwa Yese kukanena kuti, “Nditumizireni mwana wanu Davide, amene amaweta nkhosa.”
So Saul sent this message to Jesse: “Send your son David to me, the one who takes care of sheep.”
20 Choncho Yese anatenga bulu namunyamulitsa buledi, thumba la vinyo ndi mwana wambuzi mmodzi. Zonsezi anamupatsa mwana wake Davide kuti akapereke kwa Sauli.
[So after they went to] Jesse [and told him that, he agreed. He] got a young goat, a container of wine, a donkey on which he put some loaves of bread, and gave them to David to take to Saul [as a present].
21 Davide anafika kwa Sauli ndipo anayamba ntchito. Sauli anamukonda kwambiri Davide ndipo anamusandutsa wonyamula zida zake za nkhondo.
Then David went to Saul and started to work for him. Saul liked David very much, and he became the man who carried Saul’s weapons [when Saul went to fight in battles].
22 Kenaka Sauli anatumiza mawu kwa Yese ndi kuti, “Mulole kuti Davide azinditumikira, pakuti ndamukonda kwambiri.”
Then Saul sent [a messenger] to Jesse to tell him, “I am pleased with David. Please let him stay here and work for me.”
23 Nthawi zonse mzimu woyipa wochokera kwa Mulungu umati ukamufikira Sauli, Davide ankatenga zeze wake nʼkumamuyimbira. Choncho Sauli ankapeza bwino, ndipo mzimu woyipa uja unkamusiya.
[Jesse agreed, and after that], whenever the evil spirit whom God sent tormented Saul, David played the harp. Then Saul would become calm, and the evil spirit would leave him.
