1 Samuel 16
1 Emesịa Onyenwe anyị sịrị Samuel, “Ruo ole mgbe ka ị ga-anọgide na-eru ụjụ nʼihi Sọl, ebe ọ bụ na m ajụla ya dịka eze ndị Izrel? Ugbu a, gbajuo mmanụ na mpi gị, bilie ije. Ana m eziga gị ka ijekwuru Jesi onye Betlehem, ahọrọla m otu onye ga-abụ eze site nʼetiti ụmụ ya ndị ikom.”
And Yahweh said unto Samuel—How long, art thou going to pine for Saul, seeing that, I, have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill thy horn with oil, and come! let me send thee unto Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided me, among his sons, a king.
2 Ma Samuel zara sị, “Oleekwanụ otu m ga-esi gaa nʼebe ahụ? Ọ bụrụ na Sọl anụ ya, ọ ga-egbu m.” Onyenwe anyị sịrị, “Were nwaagbọghọ ehi, jiri ya nʼaka, sị, ‘Abịara m ịchụrụ Onyenwe anyị aja.’
And Samuel said, How can I go? As soon as Saul heareth, he will slay me. Then said Yahweh, A heifer, take thou with thee, and say, To sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come.
3 Ị ga-akpọ Jesi ka ọ bịa soro nʼọchụchụ aja ahụ. Mgbe ahụ, aga m egosi gị ihe ị ga-eme. Ị ga-etekwara m ya mmanụ, bụ onye m nke ga-egosi gị.”
Then shall thou bid Jesse to the sacrifice, —when, I, will let thee know what thou must do, so shalt thou anoint for me him whom I shall name unto thee.
4 Samuel mere ihe Onyenwe anyị kwuru. Mgbe o rutere na Betlehem, ndị okenye obodo ahụ ji ịma jijiji pụta izute ya. Ha jụrụ ya sị “Ọ dịkwa mma? Udo ọ dịkwa?”
And Samuel did that which Yahweh had spoken, and went to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him, and one said—Peaceably, comest thou?
5 Ma Samuel zara ha sị “E, udo dị, Abịara m ịchụrụ Onyenwe anyị aja. Doonụ onwe unu nsọ bịa soro m gaa ịchụ aja ahụ.” O dokwara Jesi na ụmụ ya ndị ikom nsọ, gwakwa ha ka ha soro gaa.
And he said—Peaceably: to sacrifice unto Yahweh, am I come. Hallow yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he hallowed Jesse and his sons, and bade them to the sacrifice.
6 Mgbe ha ruru, Samuel hụrụ Eliab kwuo nʼobi ya sị, “Nʼezie, onye nke Onyenwe anyị tere mmanụ na-eguzo nʼihu Onyenwe anyị.”
And it came to pass, when they entered, that he looked upon Eliab, —and said to himself, Surely, before Yahweh, is his Anointed.
7 Ma Onyenwe anyị zara Samuel sị ya, “Ejila ihu mmadụ maọbụ ito ogologo ya ekpebi, nʼihi na onye a abụghị ya. Onyenwe anyị adịghị ahụ ihe dịka mmadụ si ahụ. Mmadụ na-ele anya nʼelu ahụ, ma Onyenwe anyị na-ele anya nʼobi.”
But Yahweh said unto Samuel—Do not regard his countenance, or the height of his stature, for I have rejected him, —for it is not what man looketh to but what God looketh to. For, man, looketh to the outward appearance, but, Yahweh, looketh to the heart.
8 Jesi kpọrọ Abinadab ka ọ gafee nʼihu Samuel. Ma Samuel sịrị, “Onyenwe anyị ahọrọghị onye a.”
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel, —and he said, Neither of this one, hath Yahweh made choice.
9 Jesi mere ka Shama bịa gafee, ma Samuel sịrị, “Mba Onyenwe anyị ahọrọghị onye a.”
Then Jesse made Shammah pass by, —and he said—Nor of this one, hath Yahweh made choice.
10 Ụmụ ndị ikom Jesi asaa si otu a gafee nʼihu Samuel, ma Samuel sịrị ya, “Onyenwe anyị ahọrọghị ndị a.”
So Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, —and Samuel said unto Jesse, Yahweh hath not made choice of these.
11 Ọ jụrụ Jesi sị, “Ndị a ọ gwụchaala ụmụ ndị ikom ị mụtara?” Jesi zara sị “O fọdụrụ ọdụdụ nwa m, ma ọ nọ nʼọhịa na-azụ atụrụ.” Samuel sịrị, “Ziga ozi kpọlata ya, anyị agaghị anọdụ ala tutu ruo mgbe ọ bịara.”
Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Are these all the young men? And he said—There yet remaineth, the youngest, but lo! he is tending the sheep. Then said Samuel unto Jesse—Do, send, and summon him, for we cannot sit round, until he cometh in hither.
12 Ọ zigara ozi ka akpọọ ya, mee ka ọ bịa. O nwere ụcha ahụ pụrụ iche, nwee anya mara mma, dịkwa mma ile anya. Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị gwara Samuel okwu sị ya, “Ọ bụ onye a, bilie tee ya mmanụ.”
So he sent, and brought him in. Now, he, was ruddy, a stripling with handsome eyes, and noble mien. Then said Yahweh—Rise—anoint him, for, this, is, he.
13 Ya mere, Samuel weere mpi ahụ mmanụ dị tee ya nʼihu ụmụnne ya. Site nʼụbọchị ahụ Mmụọ Onyenwe anyị bịakwasịrị Devid nʼebe ọ dị ukwuu. Emesịa, Samuel laghachiri na Rema.
And Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon David, from that day forward. Then arose Samuel, and went his way unto Ramah.
14 Ugbu a, Mmụọ Onyenwe anyị esitela nʼime Sọl pụọ, Onyenwe anyị zitekwara mmụọ ọjọọ nke bịara na-esogbu Sọl.
But, the spirit of Yahweh, departed from Saul, —and there terrified him a sad spirit, from Yahweh.
15 Ndị na-ejere Sọl ozi gwara ya okwu sị, “Lee, mmụọ ọjọọ si nʼebe Chineke nọ bịa na-enye gị nsogbu.
Then said the servants of Saul unto him, —Lo! we pray thee, a sad superhuman spirit, doth terrify thee:
16 Biko, ka onyenwe anyị nye ndị ohu ya nọ nʼebe a ike, ka ha gaa chọta onye maara akpọ ụbọ akwara nke ọma. Ọ ga-akpọ ụbọ akwara mgbe ọbụla mmụọ ọjọọ si nʼebe Chineke nọ bịa bịakwasịrị gị, ime ka ahụ dị gị mma.”
Pray let our lord bid thy servants before thee, seek out a man, skilled in playing on the lyre, —so shall it be, when a sad superhuman spirit cometh on thee, then shall he play with his hand, and thou shalt be joyful.
17 Sọl kwenyere sị ha, “Ọ dị mma, gaanụ chọta ma kpọtara m nwoke na-akpọ ụbọ akwara nke ọma.”
And Saul said unto his servants, —I pray you, look out for me a man that excelleth in playing, and bring him in unto me.
18 Otu onye nʼime ndị na-eje ozi kwuru sị, “Lee, ahụla m otu nʼime ụmụ ndị ikom Jesi, onye Betlehem, onye maara akpọ ụbọ akwara nke ọma. Ọ bụ dike na ọka nʼagha. Ọ bụ onye na-ekwu okwu nke ọma, na nwoke mara mma ile anya. Onyenwe anyị nọnyekwara ya.”
Then responded one of the young men and said—Lo! I have seen—a son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite, skilled in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and of intelligent speech, and a handsome man, and, Yahweh, is with him.
19 Sọl zipụrụ ndị ozi ka ha jekwuru Jesi sị ya, “Zitere m nwa gị nwoke Devid, onye na-azụrụ gị atụrụ.”
So Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, —and said, Send, unto me—David thy son, who is with the sheep.
20 Ya mere Jesi zipụrụ Devid ka o jekwuru Sọl. O mekwara ka Devid duru otu ịnyịnya ibu nke o bukwasịrị achịcha, na otu karama akpụkpọ mmanya, na otu nwa ewu, onyinye a na-enye Sọl.
Then took Jesse an ass laden with bread, and a skin of wine, and one kid, —and sent by the hand of David his son, unto Saul.
21 Devid bịakwutere Sọl, banye nʼọrụ ijere ya ozi. Sọl hụrụ ya nʼanya nke ukwuu, nʼihi ya, Devid ghọrọ otu nʼime ndị na-ebu ihe agha Sọl.
And David came in unto Saul, —and stood before him, —and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer.
22 Mgbe ahụ, Sọl ziri Jesi ozi sị ya, “Biko, kwere ka Devid bụrụ otu nʼime ndị agha m, nʼihi na ihe ya na-atọ m ụtọ.”
And Saul sent unto Jesse, saying, —I pray thee, let David stand before me, for he hath found favour in mine eyes.
23 Mgbe ọbụla mmụọ ọjọọ ahụ si nʼebe Chineke nọ bịa malitere inye Sọl nsogbu, Devid na-akpọ ụbọ akwara ya. Ahụ Sọl na-adajụkwa, mmụọ ọjọọ ahụ na-esitekwa nʼebe ọ nọ wezuga onwe ya.
And so it used to be, when a superhuman spirit came unto Saul, then would David take the lyre, and play with his hand, —and Saul would be refreshed, and be joyful, and, the sad spirit, would depart from him.
