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 man from Benjamin, a man of influence. His name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Bekorath son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite.
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.
He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no man among the people of Israel who was a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Gbe ɖeka Kis ƒe tedziwo bu eya ta wòɖo Saul kple subɔla aɖe ɖa be woayi aɖadi wo vɛ.
Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you; arise and go look for the donkeys.”
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.
So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and went through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not 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 came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, or my father may stop caring for the donkeys and begin to worry 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 said to him, “Listen, there is a man of God in this city. He is a man who is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Let us go there; maybe he can tell us which way we should go on our journey.”
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.”
Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sack is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
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.”
The servant answered Saul and said, “Here, I have with me one-fourth of a shekel of silver that I will give to the man of God, to tell us which way we should go.”
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.
(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to seek the knowledge of God's will, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For today's prophet was formerly called a seer.)
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.
Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city 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 went up the hill to the city, they found young women coming out to draw water; Saul and his servant said to 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.
They answered, and said, “He is; see, he is just ahead of you. Hurry up, for he is coming to the city today, because the people are sacrificing today 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.”
As soon as you enter the city you will find him, before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he will bless the sacrifice; afterwards those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will find him immediately.”
14 Ale woyi dua me eye esi woɖo agboa nu tututu ko la, wokpɔ Samuel, wòyina ɖe toa dzi.
So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them, to go up to the high place.
15 Do ŋgɔ la, Yehowa gblɔ na Samuel be,
Now the day before Saul came, Yahweh had revealed to 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.”
“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you will anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on my people with pity because their call for help has come to me.”
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, Yahweh told him, “Here is the man I told you about! He is the one who will rule over my people.”
18 Saul te ɖe Samuel ŋu eye wòbiae be, “Meɖe kuku, nukpɔla ƒe aƒe me ɖe?”
Then Saul came close to Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”
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.
Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you will eat with me. In the morning I will let you go, and I will tell you everything that is on your mind.
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!”
As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Then on whom are all the desires of Israel set? Is it not on you and all your father's house?”
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!”
Saul answered and said, “Am not I a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? Is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this manner?”
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.
So Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them at the head place of those who had been invited, who were about thirty people.
23 Samuel gblɔ na nuɖuɖudzikpɔla la be, “Tsɔ lãkɔ damitɔ si mede asi na wò be nadzra ɖo nam la vɛ nam.”
Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, 'Put it aside.'”
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 up the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See what has been kept is set before you. Eat it, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, from the time 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.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the rooftop.
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.
Then at the break of dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the rooftop and said, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
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 were going to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go ahead of us”—and he went ahead—”but you must stay here awhile, that I may announce the message of God to you.”
