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.
Ɔbarima ɔdefoɔ bi a ɔdi mu tenaa ase a na ne din de Kis na ɔfiri Benyamin abusuakuo mu. Na ɔyɛ Abiel babarima, na ne nana ne Seror a ɔfiri Bekorat fie ne Afia abusua mu.
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.
Na ne babarima Saulo ho yɛ fɛ yie sene obiara wɔ Israel. Na ɔware sene obiara firi nʼabati kɔsi ne tiri so wɔ asase no so.
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!”
Ɛda bi Kis mfunumu yeraeɛ, na ɔka kyerɛɛ Saulo sɛ, “Fa asomfoɔ no mu baako, na wone no nkɔhwehwɛ mfunumu no.”
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.
Enti, Saulo faa asomfoɔ no mu baako. Wɔkɔfaa Efraim bepɔ asase, Salisa asase, Saalim fam ne Benyamin asase nyinaa so, nanso wɔanhunu mfunumu no baabiara.
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.”
Na wɔduruu Suf mansini mu no, Saulo ka kyerɛɛ ɔsomfoɔ a ɔka ne ho no sɛ, “Bra, ma yɛnsane nkɔ baabi a yɛfiri baeɛ, na ebia, mʼagya agyae mfunumu no ho dwene, ɛredwene yɛn ho mmom.”
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].”
Nanso, ɔsomfoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Manya adwene bi, Onyame onipa bi te kuro yi mu a wɔbu no yie. Na asɛm biara a ɔbɛka nso ba mu. Ma yɛnkɔ ne hɔ seesei ara, ebia ɔbɛtumi akyerɛ yɛn baabi a ɛsɛ sɛ yɛfa.”
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?”
Saulo buaa no sɛ, “Yɛnni hwee a yɛbɛtumi de akyɛ saa ɔbarima no, yɛn nnuane mpo asa, yɛnni biribiara a yɛde bɛma no.”
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].”
Ɔsomfoɔ no buaa no bio sɛ, “Hwɛ! Mewɔ dwetɛ gram mmiɛnsa. Yɛbɛtumi de ama no, na yɛahwɛ deɛ ɛbɛsie.”
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)].’
(Saa ɛberɛ no, sɛ nnipa rekɔbisa Onyankopɔn hɔ adeɛ a, wɔka sɛ, “Momma yɛnkɔbisa ademuhununi” ɛfiri sɛ, saa ɛberɛ no na wɔfrɛ adiyifoɔ ademuhunufoɔ.)
Saulo penee so ka kyerɛɛ ne ɔsomfoɔ no sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, ma yɛnsɔ nhwɛ!” Enti, wɔsii mu kɔɔ kuro a Onyame onipa wɔ mu no so.
Wɔreforo bepɔ bi akɔ kuro no mu no, wɔhyiaa mmabaawa bi a wɔrekɔsa nsuo. Enti, Saulo ne ne ɔsomfoɔ no bisaa wɔn sɛ “Ademuhununi no wɔ ha ɛnnɛ?”
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].
Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Aane. Momfa ɛkwan yi so tee, na mobɛhunu sɛ ɔte kuro no apono ano hɔ. Ɔrebɛduru ha ara nie, na ɔno nso rebɛbɔ ɔmanfoɔ afɔdeɛ no bi wɔ bepɔ no so hɔ.
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.”
Monka mo ho nkɔto no, ansa na waforo akɔ bepɔ no so akɔdidi. Nnipa no mfiri aseɛ nnidi kɔsi sɛ ɔbɛhyira aduane no so.”
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.
Enti, wɔkɔɔ kuro no mu. Na wɔrewura apono no mu no, na Samuel ani kyerɛ wɔn so a ɔrekɔforo bepɔ no.
15 On the previous day, Yahweh had told Samuel,
Na Awurade aka akyerɛ Samuel, ɛda a atwam no sɛ,
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.”
“Ɔkyena sɛsɛɛ, mɛsoma obi afiri Benyamin asase so. Sra no ngo, na ɔmmɛyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ kannifoɔ. Ɔbɛgye wɔn afiri Filistifoɔ nsam. Mede ahummɔborɔ ahwɛ me nkurɔfoɔ, na mate wɔn sufrɛ.”
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!”
Ɛberɛ a Samuel hunuu Saulo ara pɛ, Awurade kaa sɛ, “Yei ne ɔbarima a mekaa ne ho asɛm kyerɛɛ wo no. Ɔno na ɔbɛdi me nkurɔfoɔ so no.”
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)]?”
Ɛhɔ ara, Saulo kɔɔ Samuel nkyɛn wɔ abɔntenpono no ano kɔbisaa no sɛ, “Wobɛtumi akyerɛ me baabi a ademuhununi no fie wɔ anaa?”
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.
Samuel buaa sɛ, “Mene adehunumuni no. Di mʼanim ɛkan wɔ bepɔ no so, kɔ baabi a wɔbɔ afɔdeɛ hɔ, na yɛn nyinaa bɛdidi wɔ hɔ. Anɔpa, mɛkyerɛ wo deɛ wopɛ sɛ wohunu, na magya wo ɛkwan.
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]
Na mfunumu a wɔyeraeɛ nnansa ne ɛnnɛ no, mma wɔn ho asɛm nha wo koraa, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔahunu wɔn. Na mepɛ sɛ meka kyerɛ wo sɛ, Israel anidasoɔ nyinaa yɛ wo ne wo fiefoɔ.”
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]?”
Saulo buaa sɛ, “Mefiri Benyamin a ɛyɛ abusua ketewa koraa wɔ mmusuakuo no mu. Na me fie nso yɛ ketewa koraa wɔ Benyamin mmusua no nyinaa mu. Na adɛn enti na woka yei kyerɛ me?”
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.
Enti, Samuel de Saulo ne ne ɔsomfoɔ no baa asa so hɔ. Ɔmaa wɔtenaa wɔn a wɔato nsa afrɛ wɔn no ɛpono ti, de hyɛɛ wɔn animuonyam wɔ nnipa dodoɔ bɛyɛ sɛ aduasa no anim.
23 Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring to me the special piece [of meat] that I told you to set aside.”
Samuel ka kyerɛɛ osoodoni no sɛ, “Fa ɛnam sini a mede maa wo no bra, deɛ wɔde asie ama deɛ wɔrehyɛ no animuonyam no.”
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.
Enti, osoodoni no de ba bɛtoo Saulo anim. Samuel kaa sɛ, “Di deɛ wɔde asi wʼanim no. Mede sie maa wo ansa na mereto nsa afrɛ afoforɔ yi.” Enti Saulo ne Samuel didiiɛ.
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.
Apontoɔ no akyi a wɔsane baa kuro no mu no, Samuel de Saulo kɔɔ atifi dan mu kɔsiesie daberɛ maa no.
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.
Adeɛ kyee anɔpa no, Samuel kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn kɔfrɛɛ no sɛ, “Sɔre! Anka ɛsɛ sɛ saa ɛberɛ yi wonam ɛkwan so.” Enti, Saulo siesiee ne ho na ɔne Samuel nyinaa bɔɔ mu firii efie hɔ.
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.”
Wɔduruu kurotia no, Samuel ka kyerɛɛ Saulo sɛ ɔnsoma ne ɔsomfoɔ no nni wɔn ɛkan. Ɔsomfoɔ no kɔeɛ no, Samuel kaa sɛ, “Tena ha, ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn de nkra sononko bi ama me a, ɛsɛ sɛ meka kyerɛ wo.”
