Samuel 1 9
1 Kis nye kesinɔtɔ kple bubume aɖe tso Benyamin ƒe to la me. Fofoae nye Abiel, ame si nye Zeror vi, ame si nye Bekorat vi, ame si hã nye Afia vi.
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.
2 Saul nye Kis ƒe viŋutsu eye wònye ɖekakpui dzeɖekɛtɔ le Israel. Ekɔ wu ame sia ame le anyigba la dzi ale be ame kɔkɔtɔ siwo kplɔe ɖo la se abɔta ko nɛ.
Kish had a son called Saul, the most handsome young man in all of Israel. He was head and shoulders taller than anyone else.
3 Gbe ɖeka Kis ƒe tedziwo bu eya ta wòɖo Saul kple subɔla aɖe ɖa be woayi aɖadi wo vɛ.
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.”
4 Wotsa le afi sia afi le Efraim ƒe tonyigba la dzi kple Salisa nyigba kple Salim nuto me kple Benyamin ƒe anyigba blibo la dzi gake womete ŋu kpɔ wo o.
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.
5 Esi wogadi wo le Zuf nyigba la hã dzi la, Saul gblɔ na subɔla la be, “Na míayi aƒe me elabena fifia la, fofonye atsi dzi ɖe míawo ŋu wu tedziawo ŋu!”
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.”
6 Ke subɔla la gblɔ nɛ be, “Meɖo ŋku nane dzi! Nyagblɔɖila aɖe le du sia me, ame sia ame bunɛ eye woxɔa edzi sena elabena nya sia nya si wògblɔna la vaa eme. Na míayi aɖadii, ɖewohĩ afia afi si tedziawo le la mí.”
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.”
7 Saul ɖo eŋu be, “Naneke mele mía si míatsɔ axe fe nɛ o, nuɖuɖu gɔ̃ hã vɔ le mía si eye naneke kura meli míatsɔ nɛ o.”
“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?”
8 Subɔla la gblɔ be, “Klosaloga si ƒe kpekpeme nye gram etɔ̃ la le asinye. Míatsɔe na Mawu ƒe ame la, ale be wòagblɔ mɔ si míato la na mí.”
“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.
9 Tsã ne woyina nu bia ge Mawu le Israel la, wogblɔna be, “Mina míayi nukpɔla gbɔ,” elabena ame si woyɔna fifia be nyagblɔɖila, eyae woyɔna tsã be nukpɔla.
(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.)
10 Esi wonɔ togbɛ aɖe liam ɖo ta dua me la, wodo go ɖetugbi aɖewo woyina tsi du ge. Wobia ɖetugbiawo be wonya ne nyagblɔɖila la le dua me hã.
“That's good,” Saul told his servant. “So let's go.” They went to the town where the man of God was.
11 Le ŋkeke mawo me la, woyɔa nyagblɔɖilawo be nukpɔlawo eya ta amewo gblɔna, be “Mina míayi aɖabia nukpɔla la” eye menye “Mina míayi aɖabia nyagblɔɖila la” abe ale si míegblɔna egbe ene o.
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?”
12 Woɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, ele afi sia. Edze mia ŋgɔ. Afɔ netsɔ na mi. Eva míaƒe dua me egbea elabena dukɔ la le vɔ sa ge le to dzi egbea.
“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.
13 Ne mieɖo dua me teti ko la, miakpɔe hafi wòava ayi nuɖuƒe le toa dzi; elabena ameawo alala wòava ayra vɔsanuawo hafi ame siwo wokpe la naɖui. Eya ta miyi fifia, miakpɔe godoo le ɣeyiɣi sia me.”
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.”
14 Ale woyi dua me eye esi woɖo agboa nu tututu ko la, wokpɔ Samuel, wòyina ɖe toa dzi.
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.
15 Do ŋgɔ la, Yehowa gblɔ na Samuel be,
The day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel,
16 “Le etsɔ si gbɔna ƒe ɣe aleawo ɣi la, maɖo ame aɖe ɖe wò tso Benyamin ƒe anyigba dzi. Si ami nɛ ne wòazu Israelviwo ƒe kplɔla. Eyae aɖe wo tso Filistitɔwo si me elabena mekpɔ nublanui na wo eye mese woƒe ɣlidodo.”
“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.”
17 Esi Samuel kpɔ Saul ko la, Yehowa gblɔ nɛ be, “Ame siae nye ame si ƒe nya megblɔ na wò, eyae aɖu fia ɖe Israelviwo dzi.”
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.”
18 Saul te ɖe Samuel ŋu eye wòbiae be, “Meɖe kuku, nukpɔla ƒe aƒe me ɖe?”
Saul went up to Samuel in the gateway and asked him, “Could you please tell me where the house of the seer is?”
19 Enumake Samuel ɖo eŋu be, “Nyee nye nukpɔla la! Dze ŋgɔ nàyi toa dzi eye míaɖu nu ɖekae le afi ma. Etsɔ ŋdi la, magblɔ nu si nèdi be yeanya la na wò eye mado mɔ wò.
“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.
20 Mègatsi dzi le tedzi siwo bu ŋkeke etɔ̃e nye esi la ŋu kura o elabena wokpɔ wo xoxo. Ke Israel ƒe kesinɔnuwo katã zu tɔwò azɔ!”
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?”
21 Saul ɖo eŋu be, “Amegã, nya ka gblɔm nèle? Benyamin ƒe to si nye to suetɔ kekeake le Israel la mee metso eye nye ƒome hãe nye ƒome gblɔetɔ kekeake le to la me! Ame bubue nàgblɔ nya siawo na hafi!”
“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?”
22 Samuel kple Saul kple subɔla la yi xɔ gã la me eye wòna nɔƒe wo ɖe kplɔ̃ ta. Wode bubu wo ŋu wu ame blaetɔ̃ bubu siwo wokpe.
Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall, and sat them at the head of the thirty people who'd been invited.
23 Samuel gblɔ na nuɖuɖudzikpɔla la be, “Tsɔ lãkɔ damitɔ si mede asi na wò be nadzra ɖo nam la vɛ nam.”
Samuel told the cook, “Bring the special piece of meat I gave you and told you to keep to one side.”
24 Ale nuɖuɖudzikpɔla la tsɔe va da ɖe Saul ƒe akɔme. Samuel gblɔ na Saul be, “Ɖu nu nam elabena wò tututue medzra nuɖuɖu sia ɖo na hafi mekpe ame bubuawo gɔ̃ hã!” Ale Saul ɖu nu kple Samuel.
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.
25 Esi wotrɔ va dua me le nuɖuɖua megbe la, Samuel kplɔ Saul yi eƒe xɔta ƒe gbadzaƒe eye woɖo dze le afi ma.
Once they had returned from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
26 Le ŋufɔke ƒe ŋdi kanya la, Samuel yɔ Saul le xɔta eye wògblɔ nɛ be, “Dzra ɖo na mɔzɔzɔ.” Esi Saul dzra ɖo vɔ la, eya kple Samuel dze mɔ.
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.
27 Esi woɖo dua ƒe gbɔto la, Samuel gblɔ na Saul be, “Gblɔ na subɔla la be wòado ŋgɔ” eye subɔla la wɔ nenema. “Gake wò la, lala ne magblɔ gbedeasi si tso Mawu gbɔ la na wò.”
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.
