1 Samuel 9
1 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.
本雅明支派有個人名叫克士，他是阿彼耳的兒子，阿彼耳是責洛爾的兒子，責洛爾是貝苛辣特的兒子，貝苛辣特是阿非亞的兒子；這本雅明人是個英勇的戰士。
2 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.
他有個兒子名叫撒烏耳，魁梧英俊，在以色列人中沒有比他更俊美的，比所有的人高出一肩。
3 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!”
撒烏耳的父親克士有幾匹母驢，走迷了路，克士遂對兒子撒烏耳說：「你帶一個僕人，起身去尋找那些驢。」
4 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.
他們走過了厄弗辣因山地和沙里地方，卻沒有找著；又過了沙阿林地方，也沒有找到；最後經過耶米尼地方，也不見蹤影。
5 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.”
當他們來到族弗地方時，撒烏耳對跟隨自己的僕人說：「我們回去罷! 免得我父親不掛念驢，反而掛慮我們。」
6 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].”
僕人回答他說：「請看，這城裏有一位天主的人，很受敬重；凡他說的，必定應驗；現在我們往那裏去，或許他會告訴我們應走的路。」
7 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?”
撒烏耳回答僕人說：「好! 我們可以去，但是給那人送什麼呢﹖我們袋裏的乾糧已經用盡，沒有禮物可送給天主的人了。我們還有什麼呢﹖」
8 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].”
僕人回答撒烏耳說：「看，我手裏還有四分之一「協刻耳」銀子，你可把它送給天主的人，請他把我們當走的路告訴我們。」
9 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)].’
撒烏耳對他的僕人說：「你說的對，來，我們去罷! 」他們就往天主的人所住的城裏去了。
當他們上那城的山坡時，遇見一些少女出來打水，就問她們說：「先見者在這裏嗎﹖」──
過去在以色列，如果有人去求問天主，常說：「來，我們到先見者那裏去! 」現今所稱的「先知，」就是從前稱的「先見者。」──
12 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].
她們回答說：「是。看，先見者就在你們前面，剛剛進了城，因為今天百姓要在高丘上舉行祭獻。
13 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.”
你們進了城，在他上到高丘進食以前，一定會遇見他，因為人民在他來以前，不先吃什麼，因他要祝福犧牲，然後賓客纔進食。你們現在上去，立刻會遇見他。」
14 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.
他們於是上到那城，剛進城門，看，撒慕爾就朝著他們出來，要上高丘去。
15 On the previous day, Yahweh had told Samuel,
在撒烏耳來的前一日，上主曾啟示給撒慕爾說：「
16 “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.”
明日大約這時，我打發一個本雅明地方的人到你這裏來，你要給他傅油，立他當我民以色列的首領，他要從培肋舍特人手中拯救我的百姓，因我已看到我百姓的痛苦，他們的哀號已上達於我。」
17 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!”
撒慕爾一看見撒烏耳，上主就提醒他說：「看，這就是我曾對你提及的那人，他要統治我的百姓。」
18 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)]?”
撒烏耳走到撒慕爾跟前，在城門洞中問他說：「請你告訴我，先見者的家在那裏﹖」
19 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.
撒慕爾回答撒烏耳說：「我就是先見者；請你在我以前上高丘去；你們今天要同我一起吃飯，明天早晨我打發你去，你心中所懷念的事，我會全告訴你。
20 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]
至於三天以前你所失的母驢，不必擔心，都已找著了。此外，以色列所有的至寶是誰的呢﹖豈不是你和你父親全家的嗎! 」
21 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]?”
撒烏耳回答說：「我豈不是一個本雅明人，屬於以色列最小的一支派嗎﹖我的家族在本雅明家族中，不也是最小的嗎﹖你怎能向我說出這樣的話﹖」
22 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.
以後撒慕爾將撒烏耳和他的僕人領到餐廳內，叫他們坐在賓客的首位上，賓客約有三十人。
23 Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring to me the special piece [of meat] that I told you to set aside.”
撒慕爾對廚師說：「將我交給你的那份，即對你說：暫且留下的那一份，給我拿來。」
24 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.
廚師遂把後腿和肥尾端上來，放在撒烏耳面前。撒慕爾對他說：「看，擺在你面前的，是預先特意保留的一份，請吃罷! 因為特意為你保留下的，叫你好同賓客一起吃。」撒烏耳那天就同撒慕爾一起吃了飯。
25 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.
他們從高丘下到城裏，有人在露台上給撒烏耳舖好了臥榻，
26 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.
撒烏耳就睡在那裏。天一亮，撒慕爾就叫醒在露台上的撒烏耳，對他說：「起來，讓我送你走。」撒烏耳起來，他們二人，即他和撒慕爾，就往城外走；
27 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.”
當他們下到城邊時，撒慕爾對撒烏耳說：「你吩咐僕人，叫他在我們前面先走，你暫且停留一會，我要把天主話告訴你。」
