1 Samueli 9
1 Panali munthu wina wa fuko la Benjamini, wotchuka, dzina lake Kisi, mwana wa Abieli, mwana wa Zerori, mwana wa Bekorati, mwana wa Afiya.
There was a rich and influential man whose name was Kish. He belonged to the tribe descended from Benjamin. Kish was the son of Abiel and the grandson of Zeror. He was from the family of Becorath and from the clan of Aphiah.
2 Iyeyu anali ndi mwana dzina lake Sauli, mnyamata wa maonekedwe abwino. Pakati pa Aisraeli onse panalibe wofanana naye. Anali wamtali kotero kuti anthu onse ankamulekeza mʼmapewa.
Kish had a son whose name was Saul. He was more handsome than any of the other Israeli men, and he was a head/foot taller than any of the other Israeli men.
3 Tsono abulu a Kisi, abambo ake a Sauli anasowa. Choncho Kisi anati kwa mwana wake Sauli, “Tenga wantchito mmodzi ndipo mupite mukafunefune abuluwo.”
One day, some of Kish’s female donkeys wandered off. So Kish told Saul, “Take one of my servants with you, and go and search for the donkeys!”
4 Choncho iwo anadutsa dziko la mapiri a Efereimu ndi dera la Salisa, koma sanawapeze. Anadutsa ku Saalimu koma abuluwo sanawapeze. Kenaka anadutsa dziko la Benjamini, koma osawapezabe.
So Saul did that. He took a servant, and they walked through the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim lived, and then they went through the areas named Shalishah and Shaalim, and then they went through all the area where the descendants of Benjamin lived, but they could not find the donkeys.
5 Atafika ku dera la Zufi, Sauli anawuza mnyamata wake kuti, “Tiye tibwerere, mwina abambo anga angasiye kudandaula za abulu ndipo adzayamba kudandaula za ife.”
Finally, they came to the area of Zuph. Then Saul said to the servant, “Let’s go back home. If we do not do that, my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
6 Koma mnyamatayo anayankha kuti, “Taonani, mu mzinda uwo muli munthu wa Mulungu. Anthu amamupatsa ulemu kwambiri, ndipo zonse zimene amanena zimachitika. Tiyeni tipite kumeneko tsopano. Mwina adzatiwuza kumene tiyenera kulowera.”
But the servant said, “I have another idea [IDM]. There is one of God’s prophets who lives in this town. People respect him very much, because everything he predicts comes true. Let’s go [talk] to him. Perhaps he can tell us where we can go [to find the donkeys].”
7 Sauli anafunsa mnyamata wake kuti, “Tikapita tikamupatsa chiyani munthuyo pakuti chakudya chimene chinali mʼmatumba mwathu chatha? Tilibe mphatso iliyonse yoti timutengere munthu wa Mulungu. Nanga tili ndi chiyani?”
Saul replied to the servant, “If we go talk with him, [we should give a gift to him, but] what can we give to him? We have no more food in our sacks. Do we have anything else to give to him?”
8 Mnyamatayo anayankha kuti, “Onani, ndili ndi kandalama kakangʼono ka siliva. Ndikamupatsa munthu wa Mulunguyo ndipo akatidziwitsa kumene kuli abuluwo.”
The servant replied, “Look [at this]! I have a small silver coin. I can give this to him, and then he will tell us where to go [to find the donkeys].”
9 (Kale mu Israeli ngati munthu afuna kukapempha nzeru kwa Mulungu ankanena kuti, “Tiyeni tipite kwa mlosi.” Ndiye kuti munthu amene lero akutchedwa mneneri, kale ankatchedwa mlosi).
Saul said, “Okay, let’s go [talk to him.”] So they went to the town where the prophet lived. As they were going up the hill into the town, they met some young women who were coming out of the town to get some water [from a well]. One of them asked the women, “Is the seer in the town [today]?” [They said that because] previously, if people [in Israel] wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go to the seer,” and people who now are called prophets were at that time called ‘those who see [(visions from God/all that God sees)].’
10 Tsono Sauli anawuza mnyamata wake kuti, “Chabwino, tiye tipite.” Ndipo ananyamuka kupita ku mzinda umene kunali munthu wa Mulunguyo.
11 Akukwera phiri kupita ku mzindawo anakumana ndi atsikana akutuluka mu mzindamo kukatunga madzi, ndipo anawafunsa kuti, “Kodi mlosi uja alipo?”
12 Iwo anayankha, “Inde alipo. Ali kutsogolo kwanuku, fulumirani tsopano, wangobwera kumene mu mzinda wathu uno lero, chifukwa lero anthu akupereka nsembe ku phiri.
The women replied, “Yes, he is in the town. In fact, he is [walking on the road] ahead of you. He has just arrived in the town, because the people are going to offer a sacrifice on the altar where the people gather [to worship God].
13 Mukangolowa mu mzindawo mumupeza asanapite ku phiri kukadya. Anthu sangayambe kudya iye asanabwere chifukwa iyeyu ayenera kudalitsa nsembeyo. Kenaka anthu oyitanidwa adzayamba kudya. Pitani tsopano, chifukwa muyenera kumupeza nthawi ino.”
If you go quickly, you will [have time to talk to him] before he goes there. The people who have been invited will not start eating until he arrives there and (blesses/asks God to bless) the sacrifice.”
14 Choncho anapita ku mzinda kuja. Akulowa mu mzindamo, anaona Samueli akutuluka mu mzindamo akubwera kumene kunali iwo, koma amapita ku phiri, ku malo wopatulika.
So Saul and the servant entered the town. As they went through the gates, they saw Samuel as he was coming toward them, on the way to where people were going to offer sacrifices.
15 Koma chadzulo lake Sauli asanafike, Yehova anali atamuwuza kale Samueli za zimenezi kuti,
On the previous day, Yahweh had told Samuel,
16 “Mawa nthawi ngati yomwe ino ndidzakutumizira munthu wochokera ku dziko la Benjamini. Udzamudzoze kuti akhale mtsogoleri wa anthu anga, Aisraeli. Iye adzawapulumutsa mʼdzanja la Afilisti. Ine ndaona kuzunzika kwawo ndipo ndamva kulira kwawo.”
“At this time tomorrow, I will send to you a man from the land where the descendants of Benjamin live. Pour olive oil on his [head] to [indicate that he will] be the leader of my Israeli people. I have seen that my people are suffering [because the Philistine people are oppressing them], and I have heard my people as they have called out to me [for help]. The man on whose [head] you pour olive oil will rescue my people from the [MTY] Philistine people.”
17 Samueli atamuona Sauli, Yehova anamuwuza kuti, “Munthu ndinakuwuza uja ndi uyu. Iyeyu adzalamulira anthu anga.”
When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, “This is the man I told you about yesterday! He is the one who will rule my people!”
18 Tsono Sauli anayandikira Samueli pa chipata ndipo anamufunsa, “Kodi mungandiwuze kumene kuli nyumba ya mlosi?”
Saul saw Samuel as he was sitting at the town gateway [but he did not know that it was Samuel]. He went over to him and asked him, “Can you tell me, where is the house of the man who sees [(visions from God/all that God sees)]?”
19 Samueli anayankha, “Ine ndine mlosiyo. Tsogolani kupita ku phiri pakuti lero mudya ndi ine, ndipo mawa mmawa ndidzakuwuzani zonse zimene zili mu mtima mwanu.
Samuel replied, “I am that man. Go ahead of me with your servant to the place where the people make sacrifices. Both of you will eat with me today. Tomorrow morning I will tell you what you are wanting to know, and then I will send you home.
20 Musadere nkhawa za abulu anu amene akhala akusowa masiku atatu apitawa, poti apezeka kale. Kodi Aisraeli onse akufunitsitsa ndani? Kodi si ndiwe ndi nyumba yonse ya abambo ako?”
Also, do not worry any more about those donkeys that wandered away three days ago. (Someone has found them/They have been found). But [what you need to know is that] it is you and your family that all the Israeli people are wanting!” [RHQ]
21 Sauli anayankha, “Inetu ndine Mbenjamini, fuko lalingʼono la mafuko onse a Israeli, ndipo banja langa ndi lalingʼono pakati pa mabanja a fuko la Benjamini. Nanga nʼchifukwa chiyani mukunena zimenezi kwa ine?”
Saul replied, “I am from the tribe of Benjamin [RHQ]. That is the smallest tribe in Israel [RHQ]! And my family is the least important family in our tribe! So why are you talking to me like this, [about the Israeli people wanting me and my family]?”
22 Ndipo Samueli anatenga Sauli ndi mnyamata wake uja ndi kulowa nawo mʼchipinda chachikulu ndipo anawakhazika kutsogolo kwa anthu oyitanidwa. Onse pamodzi analipo anthu makumi atatu.
Then Samuel brought Saul and the servant into the big dining room, and told them to sit at the head [of the table, indicating that he was] honoring them more than he was honoring the 30 people who had been invited.
23 Tsono Samueli anati kwa wophika, “Bwera nayo nyama imene ndinakupatsa, imene ndinakuwuza kuti uyisunge pambali.”
Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring to me the special piece [of meat] that I told you to set aside.”
24 Kotero wophikayo anatenga mwendo wa nyama ndipo anawuyika patsogolo pa Sauli. Samueli anati “Nayi nyama imene ndinakusungira kuti pa nthawi yake udye pamodzi ndi anthu amene ndawayitana.” Ndipo Sauli anadya tsiku limenelo ndi Samueli.
So the cook brought the leg and the meat that was on it, and set it in front of Saul, [even though those portions were for only the priest to eat]. Samuel said to Saul, “Start eating it. I told the cook to save this for you, so that you could eat it at this time, when all these people whom I invited are here.” So Saul and Samuel ate together.
25 Atatsika kuchoka ku phiri kuja, Samueli anamukonzera Sauli malo ogona pa denga la nyumba yake, ndipo Sauli anagona pamenepo.
After they finished eating, they returned to the town. Then Samuel took Saul up to the [flat] roof [of his house], and fixed a bed for him.
26 Tsono mʼbandakucha Samueli anayitana Sauli pa dengapo nati, “Konzeka ndipo ine ndikuperekeza.” Choncho Sauli anadzuka ndipo onse awiri, Samueli ndi Sauli anakalowa mu msewu.
As the sun was rising the next morning, Samuel called up to Saul, “Get up! It is time for me to send you on the road back home.” So Saul got up, and [later] Samuel and Saul left the house together.
27 Atakafika ku mathero a mzindawo, Samueli anati kwa Sauli, “Muwuzeni mnyamata wanu kuti atsogole, koma inuyo muyime pangʼono kuti ndikuwuzeni mawu ochokera kwa Mulungu.”
When they got to the edge of the town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant ahead. After the servant left, Samuel said to Saul, “Stay here for a few minutes, in order that I can give you a message I received from God.”
