1 Samuel 9
1 Benjamin hlang kah a capa Aphiah, Aphiah capa Bekorath, Bekorath capa Zeror, Zeror capa Abiel, Abiel capa, a ming ah Kish tah Benjamin khuiah Benjamin tongpa, tatthai hlangrhalh la om.
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 Anih taengah capa pakhat tongpang then, a ming ah Saul te om. Anih lakah a suisak aka then he Israel ca rhoek khuiah hlang a om moenih. Pilnam tom lakah anih kah a laengpang te tah a sola sang ngai.
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 Saul napa Kish kah laak rhoek a hma pah hatah Kish loh a capa Saul taengah, “Cadong rhoek khuiah pakhat te namah taengla khuen laeh. Te phoeiah thoo lamtah laak rhoek te tlap hamla ha cet laeh,” a ti nah.
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 Te dongah Ephraim tlang te a paan tih Shalisha kho khaw a lan dae hmu rhoi pawh. Te phoeiah Shaalim kho la cet rhoi dae a om pawt dongah Benjamin kho te a lan rhoi akhaw hmu rhoi pawh.
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 Zuph kho te a pha rhoi vaengah Saul loh a taengkah cadong te, “Ceh, bal pawn sih, a pa loh laak te toeng vetih mamih rhoi ham mawn ve,” a ti nah.
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 Tedae cadong loh Saul te, “Hekah kho ah Pathen kah hlang om, teka hlang loh a thui boeih tah thoeng rhoela thoeng tih hlang loh a oep. Pahoi cet pawn sih lamtah mah rhoi taengah caeh long khaw a thui khaming,” a ti nah.
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 Te dongah Saul loh a tueihyoeih taengah, “Tahae ah tarha n'cet cakhaw tekah hlang taengah balae ng'khuen eh? Mah rhoi kah hnocun khui lamkah caak khaw n'khawk. Kutdoe khuen mueh lamtah Pathen hlang taengah mamih rhoi balae n'loh eh?” a ti nah.
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 Tueihyoeih loh Saul te a rhaep la a doo tih, “Ka kut dongah cak shekel tamat om ta he. Pathen hlang te ka paek vetih mamih rhoi kah longpuei khaw mah rhoi taengah a thui bitni,” a ti nah.
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 Hlamat vaengah Israel khuikah hlang te Pathen dawt ham a caeh atah, “Halo lamtah kho aka hmu taengla cet lah sih,” a ti uh. Te dongah tihnin tonghma he hlamat vaengah tah khohmu ni a ti uh.
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 Te dongah Saul loh a taengca taengah, “Nang ol te then, halo lamtah cet pawn sih,” a ti nah. Te phoeiah Pathen hlang kah khopuei la cet rhoi.
11 Khopuei kham ah a yoeng rhoi vaengah tui than la aka lo hula rhoek te a hmuh rhoi tih amih te, “He ah he khohmu om a,” a ti nah.
12 Te vaengah amih rhoi te a doo uh tih, “Na hmai ah om ta ke, tihnin he hmuensang ah pilnam ham hmueih hnin la a om dongah khopuei la ha pawk te a loe la cet rhoi.
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 Buh ca la hmuensang ah a caeh hlanah khopuei la na kun rhoi atah anih te na hmuh bitni. Anih a pawk hlan khuiah tah pilnam long khaw ca hlan ni. Hmueih te anih loh yoethen a paek daengah ni a khue rhoek loh a caak uh. Te dongah tahae rhoe ah anih taengla cet rhoi lamtah amah te tlek na hmuh rhoi bitni,” a ti na uh.
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 Te dongah khopuei te a paan rhoi tih kho lung la a pha rhoi vaengah tah hmuensang la aka cet Samuel te amih rhoi aka doe la tarha ha pawk.
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 Saul a pha hlan kah hnin at vaengah Samuel hna te BOEIPA loh a hnacueh pah coeng tih,
On the previous day, Yahweh had told Samuel,
16 “Thangvuen he vaeng tue ah Benjamin kho lamkah hlang pakhat te nang taengla kan tueih ni. Te vaengah anih te ka pilnam Israel soah rhaengsang la koelh lamtah ka pilnam te Philisti kut lamloh khang saeh. Ka pilnam kah a pangngawlnah lohkai taengla ham pha te ka hmuh dam coeng,” a ti nah.
“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 Samuel loh Saul a hmuh vaengah BOEIPA loh, “Kai pilnam soah taemrhai saeh tila nang taengah ka thui hlang te anih la he,” a ti nah.
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 Saul tah vongka khui ah Samuel taengla thoeih tih, “Khohmu im te melae kai taengah han thui lah,” a ti nah.
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 Saul te Samuel loh a doo tih, “Kai la khohmu loel, kai hmaiah cet lamtah tihnin ah hmuensang ah kamah neh buh hmaih ca sih. Mincang ah kan tueih vetih na thinko ah aka om boeih te nang taengah kan thui bitni.
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 Laak rhoek te khaw namah taeng lamkah loh khohnin hnin thum hma coeng dae na hmuh la om coeng dongah te na lungbuei ah mawn sak boeh. Israel pum kah a sahnaih te ulae? Nang taeng neh na capa imkhui boeih taengah moenih a?” a ti nah.
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 Saul loh a doo tih, “Kai Benjamin ca he, Israel koca khuiah capoeih moenih a? Kamah huiko he khaw, Benjamin koca boeih khuiah a poeih ni. Balae tih hebang ol he kai taengah na thui,” a ti nah.
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 Samuel loh Saul neh a taengca te a khuen tih imkhui la a kun puei. Tedae a khue hlang sawmthum tluk kah a lu ah amih rhoi te hmuen a paek.
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 Te phoeiah Samuel loh imtawt taengah, “Nang taengah, ‘Khueh dae,’ kan ti nah tih, namah kam paek maehvae te hang khuen,” a ti nah.
Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring to me the special piece [of meat] that I told you to set aside.”
24 Te dongah imtawt loh maeh laeng te a pom tih Saul hmai ah a tloeng pah. Te phoeiah, “Nang hmai ah tloeng ham a paih coeng ca laeh. ‘Khoning vaengkah la nang ham kael pah,’ tila ka khue pilnam khaw ka ti nah,” a ti nah. Te dongah tekah khohnin ah tah Saul te Samuel taengah buh a caak.
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 Hmuensang lamloh khopuei la ha suntlak phoeiah imphu ah Saul neh a cal puei.
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 Mincang a pha tom vaengah thoo rhoi tih Samuel loh Saul te imphu, imphu lamloh a khue. Te vaengah, “Thoo lamtah nang te kan tueih pawn eh,” a ti nah. Te dongah Saul te thoo tih amamih rhoi khaw, Samuel khaw kawtpoeng la cet uh.
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 Amih te khopuei a bawt la suntla uh tih, Samuel loh Saul taengah, “Na taengca te thui pah lamtah mamih rhoi hmai ah caeh sak. Tedae anih te cet mai cakhaw namah tah hnin at om mai dae. Te vaengah Pathen ol te nang taengah kan yaak sak eh,” a ti nah.
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.”
