1 Samũeli 9
1 Na rĩrĩ, nĩ kwarĩ Mũbenjamini ũmwe, mũndũ warĩ igweta wetagwo Kishu mũrũ wa Abieli, mũrũ wa Zeroru, mũrũ wa Bekorathu, mũrũ wa Afia wa Benjamini.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin, strong and robust.
2 Mũndũ ũcio aarĩ na mũriũ wetagwo Saũlũ, mwanake kĩĩrorerwa na gũtirĩ ũngĩ mangĩaigananirio nake harĩ andũ a Isiraeli, nake aarĩ mũraihu gũkĩra andũ arĩa angĩ othe, kuuma ciande ciake gũthiĩ na igũrũ aakĩrĩte andũ arĩa angĩ othe.
And he had a son called Saul, an elect and good man. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he was. For he stood head and shoulders above all the people.
3 Na rĩrĩ, ndigiri cia Kishu, ithe wa Saũlũ, ikĩũra, nake Kishu akĩĩra mũriũ Saũlũ atĩrĩ, “Oya ndungata ĩmwe mũthiĩ nayo mũgacarie ndigiri.”
Now the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, had become lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Take with you one of the servants, and rising up, go out and seek the donkeys.” And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,
4 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩhĩtũkĩra bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ irĩma wa Efiraimu na bũrũri wa Shalisha, no matiacionire. Magĩthiĩ o na mbere magĩkinya rũgongo rwa Shaalimu no ndigiri icio itiarĩ kũu. Agĩcooka akĩgera rũgongo rwa Benjamini, no matiacionire.
and through the land of Shalishah, and had not found them, they crossed also through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, and through the land of Benjamin, and they found nothing.
5 Rĩrĩa maakinyire rũgongo rwa Zufu, Saũlũ akĩĩra ndungata ĩrĩa aarĩ nayo atĩrĩ, “Ũka, reke tũhũndũke; baba ahota gũtiga gwĩciiria ũhoro wa ndigiri ambĩrĩrie gũtũmakĩra.”
And when they had arrived in the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, otherwise perhaps my father may forget the donkeys, and become anxious over us.”
6 No ndungata ĩgĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Atĩrĩrĩ, itũũra-inĩ rĩĩrĩ nĩ kũrĩ mũndũ wa Ngai; na nĩ mũtĩĩe mũno, na ũrĩa wothe oigaga nĩũhingaga. Nĩtũthiĩ kuo o rĩu. Hihi no atwĩrĩre kũrĩa tũngĩciona.”
And he said to him: “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, a noble man. All that he says, happens without fail. Now therefore, let us go there. For perhaps he may tell us about our way, because of which we have arrived.”
7 Saũlũ akĩĩra ndungata yake atĩrĩ, “Tũngĩthiĩ-rĩ, nĩ kĩĩ tũngĩhe mũndũ ũcio? Irio nĩ thiru makũnia-inĩ maitũ. Tũtirĩ na kĩheo gĩa gũtwarĩra mũndũ wa Ngai. Nĩ kĩĩ tũrĩ nakĩo?”
And Saul said to his servant: “Behold, let us go. But what will we bring to the man of God? The bread in our sacks has run out. And we have no small gift that we might give to the man of God, nor anything at all.”
8 Ndungata ĩyo ĩkĩmũcookeria o rĩngĩ, ĩkiuga atĩrĩ, “Atĩrĩrĩ, ndĩ na gĩcunjĩ gĩa kana gĩa cekeri ya betha. Nĩngũmĩhe mũndũ wa Ngai nĩgeetha atwĩrĩre kũrĩa tũngĩciona.”
The servant again responded to Saul, and he said: “Behold, there is found in my hand a coin of the fourth part of a stater. Let us give it to the man of God, so that he may reveal to us our way.”
9 (Tene thĩinĩ wa Isiraeli, mũndũ angĩathiire kũhooya kĩrĩra kuuma kũrĩ Ngai, oigaga atĩrĩ, “Ũka, tũthiĩ kũrĩ muoni-maũndũ,” nĩ ũndũ ũrĩa wĩtagwo mũnabii matukũ maya hĩndĩ ĩyo eetagwo muoni-maũndũ.)
(In past times, in Israel, anyone going to consult God would speak in this way, “Come, and let us go to the seer.” For one who is called a prophet today, in past times was called a seer.)
10 Saũlũ akĩĩra ndungata yake atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wega, nĩ tũgĩthiĩ.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩthiĩ merekeire itũũra rĩrĩa mũndũ ũcio wa Ngai aarĩ.
And Saul said to his servant: “Your word is very good. Come, let us go.” And they went into the city, where the man of God was.
11 Na rĩrĩa maambataga kĩrĩma marorete itũũra-inĩ, magĩcemania na airĩtu amwe magĩthiĩ gũtaha maaĩ, makĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ ũrĩa muoni-maũndũ arĩ gũkũ?”
And as they were ascending the slope to the city, they found some young women going out to draw water. And they said to them, “Is the seer here?”
12 Nao magĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ekuo, arĩ hau mbere yanyu. Hiũhai, ooka itũũra-inĩ riitũ o ũmũthĩ, nĩ ũndũ andũ marĩ na igongona rĩkũrutĩrwo handũ harĩa hatũũgĩru.
And responding, they said to them: “He is. Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now. For he came into the city today, since there is a sacrifice for the people today, on the high place.
13 O mwarĩkia gũtoonya itũũra-rĩ, nĩmũkũmuona atanambata handũ hau hatũũgĩru kũrĩa. Andũ matingĩambĩrĩria kũrĩa nginya arĩkinya, tondũ no nginya arathime igongona; thuutha-inĩ arĩa metĩtwo marĩe. Rĩu ambatai; ihinda rĩĩrĩ nĩrĩo mũngĩmuona.”
Upon entering the city, you should find him immediately, before he ascends to the high place for the meal. And the people will not eat until he has arrived. For he blesses the victim, and thereafter those who were called will eat. Now therefore, go up. For you will find him today.”
14 Nao makĩambata itũũra-inĩ, na rĩrĩa maatoonyaga kuo-rĩ, makĩona Samũeli agĩũka na kũrĩ o akĩambata athiĩ handũ harĩa hatũũgĩru.
And they ascended into the city. And as they were walking in the midst of the city, Samuel appeared, advancing to meet them, so that he might ascend to the high place.
15 Na mũthenya ũmwe mbere ya Saũlũ gũũka-rĩ, Jehova nĩaguũrĩirie Samũeli ũndũ ũyũ akamwĩra atĩrĩ,
Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel, one day before Saul had arrived, saying:
16 “Rũciũ ihinda ta rĩrĩ nĩngagũtũmĩra mũndũ kuuma bũrũri wa Benjamini. Mũitĩrĩrie maguta atuĩke mũtongoria wa andũ akwa a Isiraeli; nĩagakũũra andũ akwa kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa Afilisti. Nĩndorete andũ akwa, nĩ ũndũ kĩrĩro kĩao nĩkĩnginyĩire.”
“Tomorrow, at the same hour that it is now, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be the leader over my people Israel. And he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor upon my people, because their outcry has reached me.”
17 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Samũeli onire Saũlũ, Jehova akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũyũ nĩwe mũndũ ũrĩa ndĩrakwĩrire ũhoro wake; nĩwe ũgaatha andũ akwa.”
And when Samuel had caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him: “Behold, the man about whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over my people.”
18 Saũlũ agĩkuhĩrĩria Samũeli hau itoonyero-inĩ rĩa itũũra, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ndagũthaitha no ũnjĩĩrĩre harĩa nyũmba ya muoni-maũndũ ĩrĩ?”
Then Saul drew near to Samuel, at the middle of the gate, and he said, “Tell me, I beg you: where is the house of the seer?”
19 Nake Samũeli agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩ niĩ muoni-maũndũ. Ambata, ũthiĩ mbere yakwa nginya handũ harĩa hatũũgĩru, nĩgũkorwo ũmũthĩ nĩũkũrĩanĩra na niĩ, na rũciinĩ nĩngakũrekereria ũthiĩ, na ngwĩre maũndũ mothe marĩa me ngoro-inĩ yaku.
And Samuel responded to Saul, saying: “I am the seer. Ascend before me to the high place, so that you may eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning. And I shall reveal to you everything that is in your heart.
20 Ha ũhoro wa ndigiri iria wateire mĩthenya ĩtatũ mĩhĩtũku-rĩ, ndũkamake nĩ ũndũ wacio; nĩirĩkĩtie kuoneka. Na nĩ kũrĩ ũ wendi wothe wa Isiraeli werekeirio, angĩkorwo ti kũrĩ wee na nyũmba ya thoguo yothe?”
And concerning the donkeys, which were lost the day before yesterday, you should not be anxious, for they have been found. And all the best things of Israel, for whom should they be? Will they not be for you and for all your father’s house?”
21 Nake Saũlũ agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Githĩ ndikĩrĩ Mũbenjamini, kuuma mũhĩrĩga ũrĩa mũnini wa Isiraeli? Anga mbarĩ iitũ tiyo nini gũkĩra mbarĩ iria ingĩ cia mũhĩrĩga wa Benjamini? Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma ũnjĩĩre ũndũ ta ũcio?”
And responding, Saul said: “Am I not a son of Benjamin, the least tribe of Israel, and are not my kindred the last among all the families from the tribe of Benjamin? So then, why would you speak this word to me?”
22 Ningĩ Samũeli akĩrehe Saũlũ na ndungata yake, akĩmatoonyia nyũmba ĩrĩa yarĩagĩrwo, na akĩmaikaria thĩ handũ ha andũ arĩa atĩĩku arĩa meetĩtwo; nao othe maarĩ ta andũ mĩrongo ĩtatũ.
And so Samuel, taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the dining room, and he gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. For there were about thirty men.
23 Samũeli akĩĩra ũrĩa warugaga atĩrĩ, “Rehe gĩcunjĩ kĩa nyama kĩrĩa ngũnengerire, kĩrĩa ngwĩrire ũige handũ mwanya.”
And Samuel said to the cook, “Present the portion that I gave to you, and which I instructed you to set apart beside you.”
24 Nake ũcio warugaga akĩoya kũgũrũ kũu na kĩrĩa kĩarĩ kũgũrũ-inĩ, agĩkũiga mbere ya Saũlũ. Samũeli akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Gĩkĩ nĩkĩo ũraigĩirwo. Rĩa, tondũ nĩwe ũkũigĩirwo nĩ ũndũ wa ihinda rĩĩrĩ, kuuma hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndoigire atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩnjĩtĩte ageni.’” Nake Saũlũ akĩrĩĩanĩra na Samũeli mũthenya ũcio.
Then the cook lifted up the shoulder, and he placed it before Saul. And Samuel said: “Behold, what remains, set it before you and eat. For it was preserved for you intentionally, when I called the people.” And Saul ate with Samuel on that day.
25 Maikũrũka kuuma handũ hau hatũũgĩru na maakinya itũũra-inĩ-rĩ, Samũeli akĩaranĩria na Saũlũ marĩ nyũmba igũrũ.
And they descended from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul in the upper room. And he set out a bed for Saul in the upper room, and he slept.
26 Nao makĩrooka gũũkĩra rũciinĩ tene, nake Samũeli agĩĩta Saũlũ kũu nyũmba igũrũ akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũkĩra wĩhaarĩrie na nĩngũkũrekereria ũthiĩ.” Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Saũlũ ehaarĩirie, we hamwe na Samũeli makiuma nja.
And when they had risen in the morning, and it now began to be light, Samuel called to Saul in the upper room, saying, “Rise up, so that I may send you on.” And Saul rose up. And they both departed, that is to say, he and Samuel.
27 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa maikũrũkaga makinye mũthia wa itũũra-rĩ, Samũeli akĩĩra Saũlũ atĩrĩ, “Ĩra ndungata ĩno ĩthiiage mbere iitũ, no wee ũtithie hanini ngũhe ndũmĩrĩri ya Ngai.” Nayo ndungata ĩgĩĩka o ũguo.
And as they were descending to the very limit of the city, Samuel said to Saul: “Tell the servant to go ahead of us, and to continue on. But as for you, stay here a little while, so that I may reveal the word of the Lord to you.”
