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.
There was a rich and influential man whose name was Kish. He belonged to the tribe descended from Benjamin. Kish was the son of Abiel and the grandson of Zeror. He was from the family of Becorath and from the clan of Aphiah.
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.
Kish had a son whose name was Saul. He was more handsome than any of the other Israeli men, and he was a head/foot taller than any of the other Israeli men.
3 Na rĩrĩ, ndigiri cia Kishu, ithe wa Saũlũ, ikĩũra, nake Kishu akĩĩra mũriũ Saũlũ atĩrĩ, “Oya ndungata ĩmwe mũthiĩ nayo mũgacarie ndigiri.”
One day, some of Kish’s female donkeys wandered off. So Kish told Saul, “Take one of my servants with you, and go and search for the donkeys!”
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.
So Saul did that. He took a servant, and they walked through the hilly area where the descendants of Ephraim lived, and then they went through the areas named Shalishah and Shaalim, and then they went through all the area where the descendants of Benjamin lived, but they could not find the donkeys.
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.”
Finally, they came to the area of Zuph. Then Saul said to the servant, “Let’s go back home. If we do not do that, my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about 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.”
But the servant said, “I have another idea [IDM]. There is one of God’s prophets who lives in this town. People respect him very much, because everything he predicts comes true. Let’s go [talk] to him. Perhaps he can tell us where we can go [to find the donkeys].”
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?”
Saul replied to the servant, “If we go talk with him, [we should give a gift to him, but] what can we give to him? We have no more food in our sacks. Do we have anything else to give to him?”
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 replied, “Look [at this]! I have a small silver coin. I can give this to him, and then he will tell us where to go [to find the donkeys].”
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.)
Saul said, “Okay, let’s go [talk to him.”] So they went to the town where the prophet lived. As they were going up the hill into the town, they met some young women who were coming out of the town to get some water [from a well]. One of them asked the women, “Is the seer in the town [today]?” [They said that because] previously, if people [in Israel] wanted a message from God, they would say, “Let’s go to the seer,” and people who now are called prophets were at that time called ‘those who see [(visions from God/all that God sees)].’
10 Saũlũ akĩĩra ndungata yake atĩrĩ, “Nĩ wega, nĩ tũgĩthiĩ.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio magĩthiĩ merekeire itũũra rĩrĩa mũndũ ũcio wa Ngai aarĩ.
11 Na rĩrĩa maambataga kĩrĩma marorete itũũra-inĩ, magĩcemania na airĩtu amwe magĩthiĩ gũtaha maaĩ, makĩmooria atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ ũrĩa muoni-maũndũ arĩ gũkũ?”
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.
The women replied, “Yes, he is in the town. In fact, he is [walking on the road] ahead of you. He has just arrived in the town, because the people are going to offer a sacrifice on the altar where the people gather [to worship God].
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.”
If you go quickly, you will [have time to talk to him] before he goes there. The people who have been invited will not start eating until he arrives there and (blesses/asks God to bless) the sacrifice.”
14 Nao makĩambata itũũra-inĩ, na rĩrĩa maatoonyaga kuo-rĩ, makĩona Samũeli agĩũka na kũrĩ o akĩambata athiĩ handũ harĩa hatũũgĩru.
So Saul and the servant entered the town. As they went through the gates, they saw Samuel as he was coming toward them, on the way to where people were going to offer sacrifices.
15 Na mũthenya ũmwe mbere ya Saũlũ gũũka-rĩ, Jehova nĩaguũrĩirie Samũeli ũndũ ũyũ akamwĩra atĩrĩ,
On the previous day, Yahweh had told Samuel,
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.”
“At this time tomorrow, I will send to you a man from the land where the descendants of Benjamin live. Pour olive oil on his [head] to [indicate that he will] be the leader of my Israeli people. I have seen that my people are suffering [because the Philistine people are oppressing them], and I have heard my people as they have called out to me [for help]. The man on whose [head] you pour olive oil will rescue my people from the [MTY] Philistine people.”
17 Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa Samũeli onire Saũlũ, Jehova akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ũyũ nĩwe mũndũ ũrĩa ndĩrakwĩrire ũhoro wake; nĩwe ũgaatha andũ akwa.”
When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh said to him, “This is the man I told you about yesterday! He is the one who will rule my people!”
18 Saũlũ agĩkuhĩrĩria Samũeli hau itoonyero-inĩ rĩa itũũra, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ndagũthaitha no ũnjĩĩrĩre harĩa nyũmba ya muoni-maũndũ ĩrĩ?”
Saul saw Samuel as he was sitting at the town gateway [but he did not know that it was Samuel]. He went over to him and asked him, “Can you tell me, where is the house of the man who sees [(visions from God/all that God sees)]?”
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.
Samuel replied, “I am that man. Go ahead of me with your servant to the place where the people make sacrifices. Both of you will eat with me today. Tomorrow morning I will tell you what you are wanting to know, and then I will send you home.
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?”
Also, do not worry any more about those donkeys that wandered away three days ago. (Someone has found them/They have been found). But [what you need to know is that] it is you and your family that all the Israeli people are wanting!” [RHQ]
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?”
Saul replied, “I am from the tribe of Benjamin [RHQ]. That is the smallest tribe in Israel [RHQ]! And my family is the least important family in our tribe! So why are you talking to me like this, [about the Israeli people wanting me and my family]?”
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.
Then Samuel brought Saul and the servant into the big dining room, and told them to sit at the head [of the table, indicating that he was] honoring them more than he was honoring the 30 people who had been invited.
23 Samũeli akĩĩra ũrĩa warugaga atĩrĩ, “Rehe gĩcunjĩ kĩa nyama kĩrĩa ngũnengerire, kĩrĩa ngwĩrire ũige handũ mwanya.”
Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring to me the special piece [of meat] that I told you to set aside.”
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.
So the cook brought the leg and the meat that was on it, and set it in front of Saul, [even though those portions were for only the priest to eat]. Samuel said to Saul, “Start eating it. I told the cook to save this for you, so that you could eat it at this time, when all these people whom I invited are here.” So Saul and Samuel ate together.
25 Maikũrũka kuuma handũ hau hatũũgĩru na maakinya itũũra-inĩ-rĩ, Samũeli akĩaranĩria na Saũlũ marĩ nyũmba igũrũ.
After they finished eating, they returned to the town. Then Samuel took Saul up to the [flat] roof [of his house], and fixed a bed for him.
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.
As the sun was rising the next morning, Samuel called up to Saul, “Get up! It is time for me to send you on the road back home.” So Saul got up, and [later] Samuel and Saul left the house together.
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.
When they got to the edge of the town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant ahead. After the servant left, Samuel said to Saul, “Stay here for a few minutes, in order that I can give you a message I received from God.”
