1 Samuel 28
1 Nʼoge ahụ, ndị Filistia chịkọtara ndị agha ha jikere ịlụso ndị Izrel agha. Akish eze Gat gwara Devid okwu, “Ghọtakwa na gị na ndị agha gị ga-eso mụ na ndị agha m gaa ibu agha.”
Some time later, the people of Philistia gathered their army to attack the Israelis [again]. King Achish told David, “I am expecting that you and your men will join with my men to attack [the Israelis].”
2 Devid zara ya sị, “Ị ga-eji anya gị hụrụ ihe ohu gị ga-eme.” Akish zara sị, “Ọ dị mma aga m eme gị onye nche m ụbọchị ndụ gị niile.”
David replied, “[We will go with you, and then] you will see for yourself what we can do!” Achish said, “Okay, I will appoint you to be my bodyguard permanently.”
3 Nʼoge a Samuel anwụọla, ndị Izrel niile rukwara ụjụ nʼihi ya, lie ya nʼobodo ya bụ Rema. Sọl achụpụsịakwala ndị niile na-ajụ mmụọ ndị nwụrụ anwụ ase na ndị dibịa afa site nʼala ahụ.
[While Samuel was still alive, Saul did many things that pleased Yahweh. One of the good things that] Saul [did was to] expel from Israel all the people who were fortune-tellers or who talked to the spirits of dead people. But Samuel had died, and all the Israeli people had mourned for him. Then they had buried him in Ramah, his hometown. [After that, Saul did not try to please Yahweh any more].
4 Ndị Filistia zukọtara, bịa maa ụlọ ikwu ha na Shunem, ebe Sọl na ndị Izrel niile zukọtakwara maa ụlọ ikwu ha na Gilboa.
The army of Philistia gathered and set up their tents at Shunem [city, in the north of Israel]. Saul gathered the Israeli army and set up their tents at Gilboa [in the eastern part of the same valley].
5 Mgbe Sọl hụrụ igwe ndị agha ndị Filistia, oke ụjọ jidere ya.
When Saul saw the army of Philistia, he became so afraid that his heart pounded/shook.
6 Ọ jụrụ Onyenwe anyị ase, ma Onyenwe anyị azaghị ya. Ọ zaghị na nrọ, maọbụ site nʼUrim, maọbụ site nʼọnụ ndị amụma.
He prayed to Yahweh, but Yahweh did not answer him. Yahweh did not [tell Saul what he should do by] giving him a dream, or by [having the priest throw] the marked stones [that were in his sacred vest], or by [giving a message about Saul to] any prophet.
7 Mgbe ahụ, Sọl sịrị ndị na-ejere ya ozi, “Chọtara m nwanyị onye na-ajụ mmụọ ndị nwụrụ anwụ ase, ka m gakwuru ya jụta ya ase.” Ha sịrị, “E nwere otu nwanyị dị otu a nʼEndoa.”
Then Saul said to his servants, “Find for me a woman who talks to the spirits of dead people, in order that I can ask her [what will happen].” His servants replied, “There is a woman in Endor [town] who does that.”
8 Ya mere, Sọl nwogharịrị onwe ya, yiri uwe ọzọ, o ruo nʼabalị, ya na ndị ikom abụọ gakwuru nwanyị ahụ. Ọ sịrị, “Jụtara m mmụọ ase, kpọlitekwara m onye m ga-akpọ aha ya.”
So Saul [took off the clothes that showed that he was the king, and he] put on ordinary clothes (to disguise himself/so that people would not recognize who he was). Then he and two of his men went during the night to talk to that woman. Saul said to her, “I want you to talk to a spirit [of someone who has died]. Cause to appear the person whose name I will [give to you].”
9 Ma nwanyị ahụ sịrị ya, “Nʼezie gị onwe gị maara ihe Sọl mere. Ọ kwụsịla ndị niile na-ajụ mmụọ ndị nwụrụ anwụ ase, na ndị dibịa afa site nʼala a. Nʼihi gịnị ka iji a gbara ndụ m ọnya, ime ka m nwụọ?”
But the woman replied, “You surely know what Saul has done. He expelled from this land all the people who talk to spirits of dead people and all fortune-tellers. I think that you are trying to trap me, in order that I will be executed [for doing something that is not permitted].”
10 Ma Sọl jiri Onyenwe anyị ṅụọra ya iyi, “Dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, agaghị ata gị ahụhụ nʼihi ihe a.”
Saul replied, solemnly asking Yahweh to listen to what he was saying, “Just as surely as Yahweh lives, you will not be punished for doing this.”
11 Mgbe ahụ, nwanyị ahụ jụrụ, “Onye ka ị chọrọ ka m mee ka ọ rịgokwute gị?” Sọl sịrị, “Mee ka Samuel rịgokwute m.”
Then the woman said, “Whom do you want me to cause to appear?” Saul replied, “Cause Samuel to appear.”
12 Mgbe nwanyị ahụ hụrụ Samuel, o tiri mkpu sị, “Gịnị mere iji ghọgbuo m? Gị onwe gị bụ Sọl!”
[So] the woman [did that. But] when she saw Samuel, she screamed. She said, “You have tricked me [RHQ]! You are Saul! [You will execute me for doing this]!”
13 Eze sịrị ya, “Atụla egwu! Gịnị ka ị na-ahụ?” Nwanyị ahụ sịrị, “A hụrụ m chi ka o si nʼala na-arịgopụta.”
Saul said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” The woman said, “I see a god/spirit coming up out of the ground.”
14 Sọl jụrụ, “Gịnị ka onye ahụ yiri nʼọdịdị?” Ọ sịrị, “Ọ bụ agadi nwoke na-arịgota, e ji uwe mwụda kpuchie ahụ ya.” Mgbe ahụ, Sọl matara na ọ bụ Samuel. O kpuru ihu nʼala, kpọọkwa isiala.
Saul said, “What does he look like?” The woman replied, “An old man wearing a robe is appearing.” Then Saul knew that it was Samuel. So he bowed down with his face touching the ground.
15 Samuel sịrị Sọl, “Gịnị mere i ji esogbu m, site na ịkpọlite m?” Sọl zara, “Anọ m nʼoke nsogbu. Ndị Filistia na-ebuso m agha, ma Chineke esitekwala nʼebe m nọ wezuga onwe ya. Ọ naghị azakwa m ọzọ, maọbụ site na ndị amụma, maọbụ site na nrọ. Nʼihi ya ka m ji kpọọ gị, ịjụ gị ihe m ga-eme.”
Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you bothered/disturbed me by causing me to appear?” Saul said, “I am very worried. The army of Philistia is about to attack my army, and God has abandoned me. He does not answer my questions any more. He does not give me dreams [to tell me what to do] or give messages to prophets [to tell me what to do]. That is the reason that I came to see you. So you tell me what I should do!”
16 Samuel sịrị, “Nʼihi gịnị ka i ji na-ajụ m, ebe ọ bụ na Onyenwe anyị ewezugala onwe ya site nʼebe ị nọ, ghọọkwara gị onye iro?
Samuel said, “Yahweh has abandoned you and has become your enemy. So why do you ask me [what you should do]? [RHQ]
17 Onyenwe anyị emeela ihe ọ sị na ọ ga-eme. Ọ napụla gị alaeze gị were ya nye Devid.
He has done what he told me [previously] that he would do to you. He has torn the kingdom away from you, and he is giving it to someone who is another Israeli—David.
18 Ihe ndị a niile na-aga ịdakwasị gị nʼihi na i geghị ntị na ndụmọdụ Onyenwe anyị, mgbe o were iwe dị ọkụ megide ndị Amalek.
You did not obey Yahweh. Yahweh was very angry with the Amalek people-group. You did not [kill all of their animals], with the result that you did not show that he was very angry with them. That is the reason that he has done this to you today.
19 Onyenwe anyị ga-arara gị na ndị Izrel nyefee nʼaka ndị Filistia, echi gị na ụmụ gị ndị ikom ga-abịa nọnyeere m nʼebe a. Onyenwe anyị ga-ararakwa ndị agha Izrel nye nʼaka ndị Filistia.”
Yahweh will enable the Philistia army to defeat you and all the other Israeli soldiers. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me [in the place where spirits of dead people are]. Yahweh will cause the whole Israeli army to be defeated by the Philistia army.” [And after Samuel said that, he disappeared].
20 Ngwangwa, Sọl dara nʼala, gbatịa onwe ya nʼoke egwu, nʼihi okwu ndị a niile Samuel kwuru. Ike adịghịkwa nʼime ya nʼihi agụụ, ebe ọ bụ na o ribeghị nri ọbụla ụbọchị ahụ niile.
Saul immediately fell flat on the ground. He was so afraid because of what Samuel had said that he became paralyzed. He was also very weak because he had not eaten anything all that day and night.
21 Mgbe nwanyị a hụrụ ọnọdụ Sọl, ọ gwara ya okwu sị ya, “Onyenwe m, lee, ohu gị rubere isi mee ihe ị sị m mee. Ọ bụkwa ndụ m ka m ji chụọ aja imezu ihe ị rịọrọ m.
The woman saw that he was extremely worried/terrified. She said to him, “Listen to me! I have done what you requested me to do. I could be executed for doing that.
22 Ugbu a, biko, gee ntị nʼihe ohu gị na-aga ịgwa gị. Kwere ka m nye gị nri ka i rie, ka i nweta ike ị ga-eji laghachi.”
So now please pay attention to what I say. Allow me to give you some food, in order that you will [eat it and] get enough strength to go back [to your army].”
23 Ma Sọl jụrụ iri nri ọbụla. Ma ndị ikom ya na ha so malitere ịrịọ ya tutu ruo mgbe o kwenyere bilie, nọdụ ala nʼelu ihe ndina.
But Saul refused. He said, “No, I will not eat anything.” Then Saul’s servants also urged him [to eat something], and finally he heeded what they said. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.
24 Nwanyị ahụ mere ngwangwa gbuo nwa ehi gbara abụba o nwere nʼụlọ ya. O jikwa ụtụ ọka mee achịcha nke etinyeghị ihe na-eko achịcha nʼime ya,
The woman had a fat calf close to her house. She quickly slaughtered it [and cooked it]. She took some flour and mixed it [with olive oil], and baked it without putting in any yeast.
25 O doziri nri nʼihu Sọl na ndị ikom ya. Ha rikwara ya. Ha biliri laa nʼabalị ahụ.
She placed the food in front of Saul and his servants, and they ate some of it. Then that night they got up and left.
