Samuel 1 16
1 Yehowa gblɔ na Samuel be “Va se ɖe ɣekaɣia nàfa konyi ɖe Saul ta esi megbee be magaɖu fia ɖe Israel dzi o? Azɔ la, de ami wò lãdzo la me eye nàdze mɔ. Mele dɔwòm ɖe Yese gbɔ le Betlehem; metia via ŋutsuwo dometɔ ɖeka be wòaɖu fia.”
And Yahweh said unto Samuel—How long, art thou going to pine for Saul, seeing that, I, have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come! let me send thee unto Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me, among his sons, a king.
2 Samuel gblɔ be, “Aleke mayie? Saul ase nya sia eye wòawum.” Yehowa ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Kplɔ nyivi ɖeka ɖe asi eye nàgblɔ be, ‘Meva vɔ sa ge na Yehowa.’
And Samuel said, How can I go? As soon as Saul heareth, he will slay me. Then said Yahweh, A heifer, take thou with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come.
3 Ekema kpe Yese va vɔ la saƒe eye mafia nu si nàwɔ la wò. Àsi ami na ame si dzi matɔ asi la na wò.”
Then shall thou bid Jesse to the sacrifice, —when, I, will let thee know what thou must do, so shalt thou anoint for me him whom I shall name unto thee.
4 Samuel wɔ ɖe Yehowa ƒe ɖoɖo sia dzi. Esi wòɖo Betlehem la, dua ƒe ametsitsiwo va kpee kple dzodzo nyanyanya hebiae be, “Ŋutifafa dzie nèva ɖoa?”
And Samuel did that which Yahweh had spoken, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and one said—Peaceably, comest thou?
5 Samuel ɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, ŋutifafa dzie meva ɖo; meva vɔ sa ge na Yehowa. Mikɔ mia ɖokui ŋuti eye miava vɔsaƒea kplim.” Tete wòkɔ Yese kple via ŋutsuwo ŋu eye wòkpe wo va vɔsaƒe lae.
And he said—Peaceably: to sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and bade them to the sacrifice.
6 Esi wova ɖo teƒea la, Samuel kpɔ Eliab eye wòsusu be, “Vavãe, Yehowa ƒe amesiamina lae nye esi le tsitre ɖe Yehowa ŋkume.”
And it came to pass, when they entered, that he looked upon Eliab, —and said to himself, Surely, before Yahweh, is his Anointed.
7 Ke Yehowa gblɔ na Samuel be, “Mègakpɔ eƒe dzedzeme alo eƒe atsudzɔdzɔ o elabena megbee. Yehowa mekpɔa nu si amewo kpɔna la o. Amegbetɔ kpɔa nuwo ƒe gota ƒe dzedzeme, ke Yehowa ya kpɔa ame ƒe dzime.”
But Yahweh said unto Samuel—Do not regard his countenance, or the height of his stature, for I have rejected him, —for it is not what man looketh to but what God looketh to. For, man, looketh to the outward appearance, but, Yahweh, looketh to the heart.
8 Yese gblɔ na via Abinadab be wòado ɖe ŋgɔ eye wòazɔ le Samuel ŋkume. Ke Samuel gablɔ be “Yehowa metia ame sia hã o.”
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel, —and he said, Neither of this one, hath Yahweh made choice.
9 Emegbe Yese yɔ Sama, ke Samuel gblɔ be, “Esia hã Yehowa metiae o.”
Then Jesse made Shammah pass by, —and he said—Nor of this one, hath Yahweh made choice.
10 Yese na Via ŋutsuvi adreawo to Samuel ŋkume yi gake Samuel gblɔ be; “Yehowa metia wo dometɔ aɖeke o.”
So Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, —and Samuel said unto Jesse, Yahweh hath not made choice of these.
11 Ale wòbia Yese be, “Viŋutsuvi siawo koe le asiwòa?” Yese ɖo eŋu be, “Ɖevitɔ li gake ele alẽwo kplɔm le gbedzi.” Samuel gblɔ be, “Dɔ ame ɖo ɖee elabena míanɔ anyi o, va se ɖe esime wòava.”
Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Are these all the young men? And he said—There yet remaineth, the youngest, but lo! he is tending the sheep. Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Do, send, and summon him, for we cannot sit round, until he cometh in hither.
12 Ale Yese dɔ woɖakplɔe vɛ. Enye ɖekakpui, le kpokploe eye wòdze ɖeka. Tete Yehowa gblɔ na Samuel be, “Tsi tre, nàsi ami nɛ elabena eyae nye amea.”
So he sent, and brought him in. Now, he, was ruddy, a stripling with handsome eyes, and noble mien. Then said Yahweh—Rise—anoint him, for, this, is, he.
13 Ale Samuel tsɔ lãdzo si me ami la le, hesi ami nɛ le nɔviawo ŋkume eye tso gbe ma gbe dzi la Yehowa ƒe Gbɔgbɔ dze David dzi kple ŋusẽ. Ale Samuel gbugbɔ yi Rama.
And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David, from that day forward. Then arose Samuel, and went his way unto Ramah.
14 Ke Yehowa ƒe Gbɔgbɔ dzo le Saul dzi. Yehowa na be gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ aɖe dzea Saul dzi heɖea fu nɛ.
But, the spirit of Yahweh, departed from Saul, —and there terrified him a sad spirit, from Yahweh.
15 Saul ƒe subɔlawo gblɔ nɛ be, “Kpɔ ɖa, gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ aɖe tso Mawu gbɔ le fu ɖem na wò.
Then said the servants of Saul unto him, —Lo! we pray thee, a sad superhuman spirit, doth terrify thee:
16 Míaƒe aƒetɔ neɖe gbe na eƒe dɔlawo woayi aɖadi ame aɖe si nya kasaŋkuƒoƒo nyuie la vɛ, ame si aƒo kasaŋku ne gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ tso Mawu gbɔ va dziwò eye awɔe be nàkpɔ gbɔdzɔe.”
Pray let our lord bid thy servants before thee, seek out a man, skilled in playing on the lyre, —so shall it be, when a sad superhuman spirit cometh on thee, then shall he play with his hand, and thou shalt be joyful.
17 Saul lɔ̃ ɖe edzi be, “Enyo, midi kasaŋkuƒola nyui aɖe miakplɔ vɛ nam.”
And Saul said unto his servants, —I pray you, look out for me a man that excelleth in playing, and bring him in unto me.
18 Subɔlawo dometɔ ɖeka gblɔ be yenya ɖekakpui aɖe tso Betlehem, enye ŋutsu aɖe si woyɔna be Yese la ƒe vi. Ɖekakpui sia menye kasaŋkuƒola nyui ɖeɖe ko o, ke boŋ enye ɖekakpui dzeɖekɛ, kalẽtɔ sesẽ kple ame ɖɔʋu aɖe hã. Gawu la, Yehowa li kplii.
Then responded one of the young men and said—Lo! I have seen—a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, skilled in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and of intelligent speech, and a handsome man, and, Yahweh, is with him.
19 Saul ɖo dɔlawo ɖe Yese hebiae be wòaɖo via David, ame si nye alẽkplɔla la ɖe ye.
So Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, —and said, Send, unto me—David thy son, who is with the sheep.
20 Yese meɖo David ɖa asi ƒuƒlu o, ke boŋ eɖo gbɔ̃vi ɖeka hã ɖa kpe ɖe tedzi aɖe si tsɔ nuɖuɖu kple wain hã ŋu.
Then took Jesse an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid, —and sent by the hand of David his son, unto Saul.
21 Tso esi Saul kpɔ David ko la, David ƒe nu nyo eŋu, elɔ̃e eye wòna wòzu eƒe adekplɔvi.
And David came in unto Saul, —and stood before him, —and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer.
22 Saul ɖo ame ɖe Yese be, “Meɖe kuku, na David nazu ŋunyemewo dometɔ ɖeka elabena eƒe nu nyo ŋunye ŋutɔ.”
And Saul sent unto Jesse, saying, —I pray thee, let David stand before me, for he hath found favour in mine eyes.
23 Eye ne Mawu ƒe gbɔgbɔ la dze Saul dzi la, David tsɔa eƒe asi ƒoa kasaŋku eye edzi kana ɖena na Saul eye gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ la dzona le edzi.
And so it used to be, when a superhuman spirit came unto Saul, then would David take the lyre, and play with his hand, —and Saul would be refreshed, and be joyful, and, the sad spirit, would depart from him.
