1 Samuel 9
1 There was a wealthy and influential man from the tribe of Benjamin, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bekorath, son of Aphiah, a descendant of Benjamin.
Waaliwo omusajja Omubenyamini eyali omututumufu erinnya lye Kiisi, mutabani wa Abiyeeri, mutabani wa Zeroli, mutabani wa Bekolaasi, mutabani wa Afiya, Omubenyamini.
2 Kish had a son called Saul, the most handsome young man in all of Israel. He was head and shoulders taller than anyone else.
Yalina mutabani we erinnya lye Sawulo, nga mulenzi alabika bulungi, era nga tewali amwenkana obulungi mu bantu ba Isirayiri, nga muwanvu okusinga abantu bonna.
3 One time the donkeys of Saul's father Kish went astray. Kish told to his son Saul, “Please go and look for the donkeys. You can take one of the servants with you.”
Endogoyi za Kiisi, kitaawe wa Sawulo zaali zibuze. Kiisi n’agamba mutabani we Sawulo nti, “Twala omu ku baweereza, mugende munoonye endogoyi.”
4 Saul searched the hill country of Ephraim and then the land of Shalishah, but didn't find the donkeys. He and the servant searched the region of Shaalim, but they weren't there. Then they searched the land of Benjamin, and they still couldn't find them.
Ne bayitira mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu ne mu nsi ya Salisa, naye ne bataziraba. Ne bayita ne mu nsi ya Saalimu naye ne bataziraba. Ne bayita ne mu nsi ye Benyamini, naye ne zibabula.
5 When they got to the land of Zuph, Saul told his servant, “Come on, let's go back, otherwise my father won't be worrying about the donkeys, but about us.”
Awo bwe baatuuka mu nsi ya Zufu, Sawulo n’agamba omuweereza eyali naye nti, “Jjangu tuddeyo, sikuba nga kitange ava ku b’endogoyi, n’atandika okweraliikirira ffe.”
6 But the servant replied, “Hold on! There's a man of God here in this town. He's very well thought of, and everything he says comes true. Let's go and see him. Maybe he can tell us which way we should take.”
Naye omuweereza n’amuddamu nti, “Laba, mu kibuga muno mulimu omusajja wa Katonda, era assibwamu nnyo ekitiibwa, na buli ky’ayogera kituukirira. Tugendeyo, oboolyawo anaayinza okututegeeza ekkubo lye tuba tukwata.”
7 “But if we do go, what can we give him?” Saul replied. “All the bread in our bags is gone. We don't have anything to take to the man of God. What do we have with us?”
Sawulo n’agamba omuweereza we nti, “Naye bwe tugendayo, omusajja tunaamutwalira ki? Emmere eweddemu mu nsawo zaffe, ate tewali na kirabo kya kutwalira musajja wa Katonda. Tulinawo ki?”
8 “Look, I've got a quarter shekel of silver with me. I'll give it to the man of God so he can tell us the way we should take,” the servant told Saul.
Omuweereza n’addamu Sawulo nti, “Laba, wano nninawo gulaamu ssatu eza ffeeza, era ze nzija okuwa omusajja wa Katonda atutegeeze ekkubo lye tuba tukwata.”
9 (In the old days in Israel, someone who went to inquire of God would say, “Come on, let's go to the seer,” because prophets used to be known as seers.)
(Edda mu Isirayiri, omuntu bwe yagendanga okwebuuza ku Katonda, yayogeranga nti, “Jjangu tugende ew’omulabi;” kubanga ayitibwa nnabbi mu nnaku zino, edda ye yayitibwanga omulabi).
10 “That's good,” Saul told his servant. “So let's go.” They went to the town where the man of God was.
Sawulo n’amuddamu nti, “Oteesezza bulungi, jjangu tugende.” Ne basitula okugenda mu kibuga omusajja wa Katonda gye yali.
11 As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked them, “Is the seer here?”
Awo bwe baali nga balinnyalinnya akasozi okugenda mu kibuga ne basisinkana abawala abaali bagenda okusena amazzi, ne bababuuza nti, “Omulabi gy’ali?”
12 “He is,” they replied, “up ahead of you. But you'll have to hurry. He's come to town today because the people are having a sacrifice at the high place.
Ne babaddamu nti, “Gy’ali. Ali mu maaso awo. Mwanguweeko, yaakatuuka kati mu kibuga, kubanga leero abantu balina ssaddaaka ey’okuweerayo mu kifo ekigulumivu.
13 When you enter the town you can find him before he goes up to eat at the high place. The people won't eat before he comes, because he has to bless the sacrifice. After that, those who've been invited will eat. If you leave now you'll catch him.”
Bwe munaaba nga mwakayingira mu kibuga, mujja kumusisinkana nga tannayambuka kuliira mu kifo ekigulumivu. Abantu tebajja kulya nga tannatuuka, kubanga alina okusabira ssaddaaka omukisa n’oluvannyuma abayitiddwa balyoke balye. Kaakano mwanguwe mugende, mujja kumusisinkana.”
14 So they carried on their way up to the town. As they arrived there was Samuel going in the opposite direction. They met him on his way up to the high place.
Awo ne bayambuka okugenda mu kibuga. Bwe baali bakiyingira ne balaba Samwiri ng’ajja gye bali, ng’ayolekedde ekifo ekigulumivu.
15 The day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel,
Kyokka bwe waali wakyabulayo olunaku lumu Sawulo ajje, Mukama yali abikkulidde Samwiri ekigambo ng’agamba nti,
16 “Around this time tomorrow I'm going to send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him as ruler over my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines. I have seen what's happening to my people and I have heard their cry for help.”
“Enkya ku ssaawa nga zino nzija kukusindikira omusajja okuva mu nsi ya Benyamini. Mufukeeko amafuta okuba omukulembeze w’abantu bange, Isirayiri; oyo y’alirokola abantu bange okuva mu mukono gw’Abafirisuuti. Ntunuulidde abantu bange; okukaaba kwabwe kutuuse gye ndi.”
17 When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I told you about. He is the one who is going to rule my people.”
Awo Samwiri olwalengera Sawulo, Mukama n’amugamba nti, “Omusajja gwe nakutegeezezzaako wuuyo. Oyo y’ajja okufuga abantu bange.”
18 Saul went up to Samuel in the gateway and asked him, “Could you please tell me where the house of the seer is?”
Sawulo n’asemberera Samwiri mu mulyango, n’amubuuza nti, “Ssebo oyinza okundagirira ennyumba y’omulabi w’eri?”
19 “I am the seer,” Samuel told Saul. “Go up ahead of me and we will eat together. Then in the morning I will answer all your questions and then send you on your way.
Samwiri n’amuddamu nti, “Nze mulabi, nkulemberaamu nga twambuka mu kifo ekigulumivu, kubanga leero onooliira wamu nange, enkya ku makya nzija kukuleka ogende era nzija kukubuulira ebyo byonna ebiri ku mutima gwo.
20 About the donkeys you lost three days ago—don't worry about them because they've been found. But now—doesn't the hope of all of Israel rest on you and your family line?”
Naye ebifa ku ndogoyi zo ezimaze ennaku essatu nga zibuze, tobyeraliikirira, kubanga zaazuuliddwa. Okwegomba kwa Isirayiri yonna kunaaba kw’ani, bwe kutaabe ku ggwe n’ennyumba ya kitaawo yonna?”
21 “But I'm from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least significant of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin!” Saul replied. “Why are you telling me this?”
Sawulo n’addamu nti, “Nze ndi Mubenyamini, era nva mu kika ekisingirayo ddala obutono, ate nga n’ennyumba yaffe y’esingira ddala okuba eya wansi mu nnyumba zonna ez’ekika kya Benyamini. Lwaki oyogera nange ebigambo ebifaanana ng’ebyo?”
22 Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall, and sat them at the head of the thirty people who'd been invited.
Awo Samwiri n’atwala Sawulo n’omuweereza we mu kisenge ekinene, n’abatuuza mu bifo eby’oku mwanjo mu maaso g’abo bonna abaayitibwa abaali bawera ng’amakumi asatu.
23 Samuel told the cook, “Bring the special piece of meat I gave you and told you to keep to one side.”
Samwiri n’agamba omufumbi nti, “Leeta ekifi ky’ennyama, kye nakuteresezza, kye nakugambye oteeke wabbali.”
24 So the cook took the upper thigh of meat and what was with it and placed it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See, this is what was kept to one side. It was reserved for you. Eat it, for it was kept for you for this particular time, right from when I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
Awo omufumbi n’addira ekisambi, n’ebyakiriko n’akiteeka mu maaso ga Sawulo. Samwiri n’ayogera nti, “Laba kino kye kyakuterekeddwa. Kirye kubanga kyakuterekeddwa okutuusa ekiseera kino olw’omukolo guno, okuva ku kiseera kiri, bwe nagamba nti, ‘Nnina abagenyi abayite.’” Awo Sawulo n’aliira wamu ne Samwiri ku lunaku olwo.
25 Once they had returned from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
Bwe baava mu kifo ekigulumivu ne baserengeta mu kibuga, Samwiri n’atwala Sawulo waggulu ku nnyumba ye ne banyumyamu.
26 At dawn the next day Samuel called out to Saul on the roof, “Get up! I need to send you on your way!” So Saul got up, and he went outside with Samuel.
Awo enkeera Samwiri n’agolokoka mu makya n’akoowoola Sawulo nti, “Golokoka nkusibule odde ku lugendo lwo.” Sawulo ne yeteekateeka, ye ne Samwiri ne baserengeta okugenda mu kibuga.
27 As they approached the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell your servant to go on ahead of us. Once he's gone stay here for a while, because I have a message from God to give you.” So the servant went on ahead.
Bwe baali baserengeta nga banaatera okutuuka ekibuga we kikoma, Samwiri n’agamba Sawulo nti, “Gamba omuweereza wo ayitewo, atukulemberemu, gwe osigaleko wano, nkutegeeze obubaka obuva eri Katonda.”
