1 Samuel 9
1 Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.
Pea naʻe ai ʻae tangata ʻo Penisimani, ko Kisi hono hingoa, ko e foha ʻo ʻApieli, ko e foha ʻo Siloa, ko e foha ʻo Pikolati, ko e foha ʻo ʻAfia ko e tangata Penisimani, ko e tangata mālohi.
2 And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.
Pea naʻe ʻiate ia ʻae foha ko Saula hono hingoa, ko e tangata talavou lelei, mo toulekeleka: pea naʻe ʻikai ha tangata ʻi he fānau ʻa ʻIsileli naʻe lelei hake ʻiate ia: mei hono uma ʻo fai ki ʻolunga naʻe māʻolunga lahi taha pe ia ʻi he kakai kotoa pē.
3 One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.”
Pea naʻe hē ʻae fanga ʻasi ʻa Kisi ko ʻene tamai. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Kisi kia Saula ko hono foha, “Ko eni ke ke ʻave ʻae tokotaha ʻoe kau tamaioʻeiki, pea ke ʻalu ʻo kumi ʻae fanga ʻasi.”
4 So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
Pea naʻe ʻalu ia, ʻo ʻasi ʻi he moʻunga ʻo ʻIfalemi, ʻo ne ʻosiki ʻae fonua ʻo Salisa, ka naʻe ʻikai te na ʻilo ʻakinautolu: pea naʻa na toki ō ʻo ʻasi ʻi he fonua ʻo Salima, pea naʻe ʻikai tenau ʻi ai: pea ʻalu ia ʻo ʻasi ʻi he fonua ʻoe kakai Penisimani, ka naʻe ʻikai te na ʻilo ʻakinautolu.
5 When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
Pea ʻi he ʻena hoko ki he fonua ʻo Sufi, naʻe pehē ʻe Saula ki heʻene tamaioʻeiki naʻe ʻiate ia, “Ke ta tafoki; telia naʻa tuku ʻe heʻeku tamai ʻene tokanga ki he fanga ʻasi, pea hoko ʻo tokanga kiate kitaua.”
6 “Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia kiate ia, “Vakai mai, ʻoku ʻi he kolo ni ʻae tangata ʻoe ʻOtua, pea ko e tangata ongoongolelei ia; ʻoku hoko moʻoni ʻaia kotoa pē ʻoku ne lea ki ai: pea ko eni ke ta ō ki ai; heiʻilo pe te ne faʻa fakahā mai hota hala ke ta ō ai.”
7 “If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
Pea naʻe pehē ai ʻe Saula ki heʻene tamaioʻeiki, “Kae vakai, kapau te ta ō, ko e hā te ta ʻave ki he tangata? He kuo ʻosi ʻae mā ʻi heʻeta ngaahi ipu, pea ʻoku ʻikai ha meʻaʻofa ke ʻatu ki he tangata ʻoe ʻOtua: ko e hā ʻoku ta maʻu?”
8 The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”
Pea naʻe toe lea ʻae tamaioʻeiki kia Saula, ʻo pehē, “Vakai, ʻoku ʻiate au hono fā ʻoe vahe ʻoe sikeli siliva: te u ʻatu ia ki he tangata ʻoe ʻOtua, ke ne fakahā hota hala.”
9 (Formerly in Israel, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.)
(ʻI he ʻalu ha tangata ʻi muʻa ʻi ʻIsileli ke fehuʻi ki he ʻOtua, naʻe lea ia ʻo pehē, “Haʻu ke tau ō ki he tangata kikite: he ko ia ʻoku ui ni ko e Palōfita, naʻe ui ia ʻi muʻa ko e tangata kikite.”)
10 “Good,” said Saul to his servant. “Come, let us go.” So they set out for the city where the man of God was.
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Saula ki heʻene tamaioʻeiki, “ʻOku lelei hoʻo lea, haʻu ke ta ō.” Ko ia ne na ō ai ki he kolo ʻaia naʻe ʻi ai ʻae tangata ʻoe ʻOtua.
11 And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?”
Pea ʻi heʻena ʻohake ʻi he moʻunga ki he kolo, naʻa na ʻilo ʻae kau finemui naʻe ʻalu ke ʻutu vai, pea ne na pehē kiate kinautolu, “ʻOku ʻi heni ʻae tangata kikite?”
12 “Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.
Pea naʻa nau tali ʻakinaua, ʻo pehē, “ʻOku ʻi ai ia; vakai, ʻoku ʻalu muʻomuʻa ia ʻiate kimoua: mo fakatoʻotoʻo, he naʻe haʻu he ʻaho ni ia ki he kolo; he ʻoku ai ʻae kātoanga ʻae kakai he ʻaho ni ʻi he potu māʻolunga:
13 As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”
ʻI hoʻomo hoko ki he kolo, te mo ʻilo leva ia, ʻi he teʻeki ke ʻalu hake ia ki he potu māʻolunga ke kai: koeʻuhi ʻe ʻikai kai ʻe he kakai kaeʻoua ke hoko ange ia, he ʻoku ne tāpuaki ʻae feilaulau; pea hili ia, ʻe toki kai ʻakinautolu naʻe tala ki ai. Ko ia mo ʻohake eni; he ko e feituʻulaʻā eni te mo ʻilo ia.”
14 So Saul and his servant went up toward the city, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way up to the high place.
Pea naʻa na ʻohake ki he kolo: pea ʻi heʻena hoko hake ki he kolo, vakai, naʻe hū kituʻa ʻa Samuela kiate kinaua, koeʻuhi ke ʻalu hake ki he potu māʻolunga.
15 Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
Ka ko eni kuo ʻosi hono fakahā ʻe Sihova ki he telinga ʻo Samuela ʻi he ʻaho naʻe muʻa ʻi he hoko atu ʻa Saula, ʻo pehē,
16 “At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him leader over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”
“Feʻunga mo e feituʻulaʻā ni ʻapongipongi te u fekau kiate koe ʻae tangata mei he fonua ʻo Penisimani, pea te ke fakanofo ia ko e ʻeiki ki hoku kakai ko ʻIsileli, koeʻuhi ke ne fakamoʻui hoku kakai mei he nima ʻoe kau Filisitia: he kuo u vakai ki hoku kakai, koeʻuhi kuo hoko hake ʻenau tangi kiate au.”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule over My people.”
Pea ʻi he mamata ʻa Samuela kia Saula, naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova kiate ia, “Vakai ko e tangata eni ʻaia ne u lea ai kiate koe! Ko ia ia te ne pule ki hoku kakai.”
18 Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
Pea naʻe ʻunuʻunu atu ʻa Saula kia Samuela ʻi he matapā, ʻo ne pehē, “ʻOku ou kole kiate koe ke ke tala mai, ko e fē ʻae fale ʻoe tangata kikite?”
19 “I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. And when I send you off in the morning, I will tell you all that is in your heart.
Pea naʻe tali ʻe Samuela ʻa Saula, ʻo pehē, “Ko au ko e tangata kikite: ke ke ʻalu muʻomuʻa ʻiate au ki he potu māʻolunga, he te tau kai mo au he ʻaho ni, pea te u tuku koe ke ʻalu ʻapongipongi, pea te u tala kiate koe ʻaia kotoa pē ʻoku ʻi ho loto.
20 As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And upon whom is all the desire of Israel, if not upon you and all your father’s house?”
Pea ko e meʻa ʻi he fanga ʻasi ʻaia naʻe hē ʻi he ʻaho ʻe tolu kuo hili, ʻoua naʻa tokanga ho loto ki ai; he kuo ʻilo ʻakinautolu. Pea ʻoku tau kia hai ʻae holi ʻa ʻIsileli kotoa pē? ʻIkai ʻoku ʻiate koe, pea ki he fale kotoa pē ʻo hoʻo tamai?”
21 Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
Pea naʻe tali ʻe Saula ʻo pehēange, “ʻIkai ko e tangata Penisimani au ʻi he faʻahinga ʻoku siʻi hifo ʻi he ngaahi faʻahinga ʻo ʻIsileli? Pea ko hoku fale ko e siʻi taha pe ʻi he ngaahi fale ʻoe faʻahinga ʻo Penisimani? Pea ko e hā ʻoku ke lea pehē ai kiate au?”
22 Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited—about thirty in all.
Pea naʻe ʻave ʻe Samuela ʻa Saula mo ʻene tamaioʻeiki, ʻo ne ʻomi ʻakinaua ki he potu fale kuo teuteu, ʻo ne fakanofo ʻakinaua ʻi he potu lahi taha pe ʻiate kinautolu naʻe tala, ʻaia ko e toko tolungofulu nai.
23 And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.”
Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Samuela ki he ngaohi kai, “ʻOmi ʻae tufakanga naʻaku ʻatu kiate koe, ʻaia naʻaku lea ki ai kiate koe, Tuku pe ia ʻo tauhi.”
24 So the cook picked up the leg and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Here is what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat, for it has been kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul dined with Samuel that day.
Pea naʻe toʻo ʻe he ngaohi kai ʻae alanga muʻa, mo ia naʻe ʻi ai, ʻo tuku ia ʻi he ʻao ʻo Saula. Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Samuela, “Vakai, ko ia ʻoku toe ke tuku ia ʻi ho ʻao, pea ke kai: he naʻe tauhi ia kiate koe ʻo aʻu ki he feituʻulaʻā ni talu ʻeku pehē, kuo u tala ki he kakai.” Pea ko ia naʻe kai ʻe Saula mo Samuela ʻi he ʻaho ko ia.
25 And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
Pea ʻi heʻenau ʻalu hifo mei he potu māʻolunga ki he kolo, naʻe alea ʻa Samuela mo Saula ʻi he tuʻa fale.
26 They got up early in the morning, and just before dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way!” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went outside together.
Pea naʻa nau tuʻu hengihengi hake pea feʻunga mo e maʻa ʻae ʻaho, naʻe ui ʻe Samuela ke ʻalu hake ʻa Saula ki he tuʻa fale, ʻo pehē, “Tuʻu hake koeʻuhi ke u tuku koe ke ke ʻalu.” Pea naʻe tuʻu hake ʻa Saula, pea naʻa na ō kituʻa fakatouʻosi pe, ʻaia mo Samuela ki he mamaʻo.
27 As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I will reveal to you the word of God.” So the servant went on.
Pea ʻi heʻena ʻohifo ki hono ngataʻanga ʻoe kolo, naʻe pehē ʻe Samuela kia Saula, “Fekau ki he tamaioʻeiki ke ʻalu muʻomuʻa ʻiate kitaua, (pea naʻe ʻalu atu ia, ) ka ke tuʻumaʻu pe ʻa koe, koeʻuhi ke u fakahā kiate koe ʻae folofola ʻae ʻOtua.”
