Samuel 1 28
1 Le ŋkeke mawo me la, Filistitɔwo ƒo ƒu woƒe aʋakɔwo be woawɔ aʋa kple Israel. Akis gblɔ na David be, “Nyae be wò kple wò ameawo miakplɔm ɖo anɔ nye aʋakɔwo dome.”
Some time later, the people of Philistia gathered their army to attack the Israelis [again]. King Achish told David, “I am expecting that you and your men will join with my men to attack [the Israelis].”
2 David ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Ekema wò ŋutɔ àkpɔe na ɖokuiwò, nu si wò dɔla ate ŋu awɔ.” Akis ɖo eŋu be, “Enyo matsɔ wò awɔ ŋunyedzɔlae hena wò agbemeŋkekewo katã.”
David replied, “[We will go with you, and then] you will see for yourself what we can do!” Achish said, “Okay, I will appoint you to be my bodyguard permanently.”
3 Azɔ la, Samuel ku eye Israel dukɔ blibo la fae, woɖii ɖe wo de le Rama. Fia Saul ɖe ŋɔliyɔlawo kple afakalawo katã ɖa le Israelnyigba la dzi.
[While Samuel was still alive, Saul did many things that pleased Yahweh. One of the good things that] Saul [did was to] expel from Israel all the people who were fortune-tellers or who talked to the spirits of dead people. But Samuel had died, and all the Israeli people had mourned for him. Then they had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. [After that, Saul did not try to please Yahweh any more].
4 Filistitɔwo ƒu asaɖa anyi ɖe Sunem, ke Saul ƒo Israel blibo la nu ƒu eye woƒu asaɖa anyi ɖe Gilead.
The army of Philistia gathered and set up their tents at Shunem [city, in the north of Israel]. Saul gathered the Israeli army and set up their tents at Gilboa [in the eastern part of the same valley].
5 Esi Saul kpɔ Filistitɔwo ƒe aʋakɔ ƒe agbɔsɔsɔ la, dzidzi ƒoe eye wòvɔ̃ ŋutɔ.
When Saul saw the army of Philistia, he became so afraid that his heart pounded/shook.
6 Ebia nu si wòawɔ la Yehowa, ke Yehowa meɖo nya aɖeke ŋu nɛ to drɔ̃ekuku me, alo to Urim dzi loo alo to nyagblɔɖilawo dzi o.
He prayed to Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him. Yahweh did not [tell Saul what he should do by] giving him a dream, or by [having the priest throw] the marked stones [that were in his sacred vest], or by [giving a message about Saul to] any prophet.
7 Ale Saul gblɔ na eƒe subɔlawo be, “Midi nyɔnu aɖe si nye ŋɔliyɔla la nam, ale be mayi egbɔ aɖabia nu.” Dɔlawo gblɔ nɛ be, “Ŋɔliyɔla aɖe le Endor.”
Then Saul said to his servants, “Find for me a woman who talks to the spirits of dead people, in order that I can ask her [what will happen].” His servants replied, “There is a woman in Endor [town] who does that.”
8 Ale Saul trɔ eƒe nɔnɔme hedo awu dzodzro aɖe le eƒe fiawu teƒe. Eyi ɖe ŋɔliyɔla la ƒe aƒe me le zã me kple eƒe subɔla eve. Saul gblɔ na ŋɔliyɔla la be, “Bia gbe gbɔgbɔ aɖe nam eye nàyɔ ame si ŋkɔ mayɔ na wò la nam.”
So Saul [took off the clothes that showed that he was the king, and he] put on ordinary clothes (to disguise himself/so that people would not recognize who he was). Then he and two of his men went during the night to talk to that woman. Saul said to her, “I want you to talk to a spirit [of someone who has died]. Cause to appear the person whose name I will [give to you].”
9 Gake nyɔnu la gblɔ nɛ be, “Le nyateƒe me ènya nu si Saul wɔ. Eɖe afakalawo kple ŋɔliyɔlawo ɖa le anyigba la dzi. Nu ka ŋutie nètre mɔ na nye agbe be yeahe ku vɛ nam?”
But the woman replied, “You surely know what Saul has done. He expelled from this land all the people who talk to spirits of dead people and all fortune-tellers. I think that you are trying to trap me, in order that I will be executed [for doing something that is not permitted].”
10 Saul tsɔ Yehowa ka atam nɛ be, “Meta Yehowa ƒe agbe be womahe to na wò ɖe nu sia ta o.”
Saul replied, solemnly asking Yahweh to listen to what he was saying, “Just as surely as Yahweh lives, you will not be punished for doing this.”
11 Nyɔnu la biae be, “Ame kae nèdi be mayɔ na ye?” Saul do eŋu be, “Yɔ Samuel nam.”
Then the woman said, “Whom do you want me to cause to appear?” Saul replied, “Cause Samuel to appear.”
12 Esi nyɔnu la kpɔ Samuel la, edo ɣli sesĩe eye wògblɔ na Saul be, “Nu ka ŋutie nèblem ɖo? Wòe nye Saul!”
[So] the woman [did that. But] when she saw Samuel, she screamed. She said, “You have tricked me [RHQ]! You are Saul! [You will execute me for doing this]!”
13 Fia Saul gblɔ nɛ be, “Mègana dzidzi naƒo wò o! Nu ka nèkpɔ?” Ŋɔliyɔla la ɖo eŋu be, “Mekpɔ gbɔgbɔ aɖe wòle dodom tso tome gbɔna.”
Saul said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a god/spirit coming up out of the ground.”
14 Saul bia be, “Aleke eƒe dzedzeme le?” Nyɔnu la ɖo eŋu be, “Ame si gbɔna la nye amegãɖeɖi si do awu ʋlaya.” Tete Saul dze sii be Samuel ye eye wodze klo tsyɔ mo anyi.
Saul said, “What does he look like?” The woman replied, “An old man wearing a robe is appearing.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel. So he bowed down with his face touching the ground.
15 Samuel bia Saul be, “Nu ka ta nèɖe fu nam heyɔm vɛ?” Saul ɖo eŋu be, “Elabena meɖo xaxa gã aɖe me. Filistitɔwo gaho aʋa ɖe mía ŋu, ke Mawu gblẽm ɖi eye meɖo nya aɖeke ŋu to nyagblɔɖilawo dzi loo alo to drɔ̃ekuku me o. Eya ta meva yɔ wò be nàgblɔ nu si mawɔ la nam.”
Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you bothered/disturbed me by causing me to appear?” Saul said, “I am very worried. The army of Philistia is about to attack my army, and God has abandoned me. He does not answer my questions any more. He does not give me dreams [to tell me what to do] or give messages to prophets [to tell me what to do]. That is the reason that I came to see you. So you tell me what I should do!”
16 Samuel ɖo eŋu be, “Nu ka ta nàbiam esi Yehowa gblẽ wò ɖi eye wòzu wò futɔ?
Samuel said, “Yahweh has abandoned you and has become your enemy. So why do you ask me [what you should do]? [RHQ]
17 Yehowa wɔ nya si wògblɔ ɖi to dzinye la dzi. Yehowa vuvu fiaɖuƒe la le asiwò me eye wòtsɔe na hawòviwo dometɔ ɖeka, David.
He has done what he told me [previously] that he would do to you. He has torn the kingdom away from you, and he is giving it to someone who is another Israeli—David.
18 Esiawo katã va dziwò elabena mèwɔ Yehowa ƒe ɖoɖowo dzi esi wòdo dɔmedzoe kaɖikaɖi ɖe Amalekitɔwo ŋu o.
You did not obey Yahweh. Yahweh was very angry with the Amalek people-group. You did not [kill all of their animals], with the result that you did not show that he was very angry with them. That is the reason that he has done this to you today.
19 Yehowa atsɔ wò kple Israel blibo la ade asi na Filistitɔwo eye etsɔ la wò kple viwò ŋutsuwo miava nɔ gbɔnye le afii. Yehowa atsɔ Israel ƒe aʋakɔ la hã ade asi na Filistitɔwo.”
Yahweh will enable the Philistia army to defeat you and all the other Israeli soldiers. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me [in the place where spirits of dead people are]. Yahweh will cause the whole Israeli army to be defeated by the Philistia army.” [And after Samuel said that, he disappeared].
20 Saul mlɔ anyigba hedra ɖe anyigba azɔ, ʋaʋã meganɔ eŋu o, le Samuel ƒe nyawo ta. Dɔwuame hã na ŋusẽ vɔ le eŋu elabena meɖu naneke ŋkeke blibo la o.
Saul immediately fell flat on the ground. He was so afraid because of what Samuel had said that he became paralyzed. He was also very weak because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.
21 Esi ŋɔliyɔla la kpɔ ale si vɔvɔ̃ ɖoe la egblɔ be, “Amegã, metsɔ nye agbe ke eye mewɔ wò ɖoɖo dzi.
The woman saw that he was extremely worried/terrified. She said to him, “Listen to me! I have done what you requested me to do. I could be executed for doing that.
22 Azɔ la, nu si magblɔe nye be nàna mana nane wò nàɖu, ale be ŋusẽ naɖo ŋuwò hena wò mɔzɔzɔ yi wò nɔƒe.”
So now please pay attention to what I say. Allow me to give you some food, in order that you will [eat it and] get enough strength to go back [to your army].”
23 Ke Saul be, “Nyemaɖu o.” Eŋumewo ɖe kuku nɛ kpe ɖe ŋɔliyɔla la ŋu va se ɖe esime wòlɔ̃. Efɔ azɔ eye wònɔ abati dzi.
But Saul refused. He said, “No, I will not eat anything.” Then Saul’s servants also urged him [to eat something], and finally he heeded what they said. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24 Nyivi dami aɖe nɔ nyɔnu la si, eɖe abla wui, tsɔ amɔ maʋamaʋã wɔ abolo
The woman had a fat calf close to her house. She quickly slaughtered it [and cooked it]. She took some flour and mixed it [with olive oil], and baked it without putting in any yeast.
25 eye wòtsɔ nuɖuɖu la vɛ na fia la kple eŋumewo woɖu eye wodzo le zã la me.
She placed the food in front of Saul and his servants, and they ate some of it. Then that night they got up and left.
