1 Samuel 9
1 E nwere otu nwoke si Benjamin aha ya bụ Kish nwa Abiel, nwa Zeroa, nwa Bekorat, nwa Afia, onye Benjamin, burukwa oke mmadụ a maa ama.
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 Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2 O nwere nwa nwoke aha ya bụ Sọl, onye bụ okorobịa nọ nʼuju ya. O nweghị nwoke ọzọ e ji atụnyere ya nʼIzrel niile. O toro ogologo karịa onye ọbụla site nʼubu ruo nʼisi.
And he had a son whose name was Saul, a young man and fine looking. And there was not among the sons of Israel a man better looking than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Otu ụbọchị, ụfọdụ nʼime ịnyịnya ibu Kish nna Sọl nwere kpafuru. Nʼihi ya, Kish kpọrọ Sọl gwa ya okwu sị, “Duru otu odibo ka gị na ya soro ga chọgharịa ịnyịnya ibu ndị a.”
And the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the donkeys.
4 Ha chọrọ ịnyịnya ndị ahụ gaa nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem, na nʼakụkụ Shalisha, ma ha ahụghị ha. Ha chọkwara ha gaa nʼakụkụ Shaalim, ma ha ahụghị ha nʼebe ahụ. Emesịa, ha chọrọ ịnyịnya ibu ndị ahụ gaa nʼala niile nke ndị Benjamin, ma ha ahụghị ha ebe ọbụla.
And he passed through the hill-country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. And he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 Nʼikpeazụ, mgbe ha chọọrọ ha rute nʼala Zuf, Sọl gwara onyeozi ahụ ya na ya so, sị, “Ka anyị laghachi, nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na nna m elee anya anyị ma ọ hụghị anyị, ọ ga-amalite iche echiche banyere anyị karịa ịnyịnya ibu ndị a.”
When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, Come, and let us return, lest my father leave off caring for the donkeys, and be anxious for us.
6 Ma odibo ahụ zara ya sị, “Lee, e nwere otu onye nke Chineke bi nʼobodo a; ọ bụkwa onye mmadụ niile na-asọpụrụ nʼihi na ihe ọbụla o kwuru na-emezu. Ka anyị gaa hụ ya, ma eleghị anya ọ ga-agwa anyị ụzọ anyị ga-esi.”
And he said to him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says comes surely to pass. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us concerning our journey on which we go.
7 Sọl sịrị odibo ya, “Ọ bụrụ na anyị agaa, gịnị ka anyị ga-enye nwoke ahụ? Nri dị na-akpa anyị agwụla, ọ dịkwaghị onyinye anyị nwere nke anyị ga-enye onye nke Chineke. Gịnị ka anyị nwere?”
Then Saul said to his servant, But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What have we?
8 Onyeozi ahụ zara ya ọzọ sị, “Lee, enwere m otu mkpụrụ shekel ọlaọcha. Aga m enye ya onye Chineke a ka ọ gwa anyị ụzọ anyị ga-esi.”
And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9 (Na mgbe gara aga nʼIzrel, ọ bụrụ na mmadụ agaa iju Chineke ase, ọ na-asị, “Bịa ka anyị jekwuru onye ọhụ ụzọ,” nʼihi na onye a na-akpọ onye amụma taa, ka a na-akpọ onye ọhụ ụzọ nʼoge ahụ).
(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he said, Come, and let us go to the seer, for he who is now called a Prophet was formerly called a Seer.)
10 Sọl sịrị odibo ya, “Ọ dị mma, Bịa ka anyị gaa.” Ha biliri gawa nʼobodo ebe onye Chineke ahụ nọ.
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 Mgbe ha na-arịgo ugwu ịbanye obodo ahụ, ha zutere ụfọdụ ụmụ agbọghọ ka ha na-apụta iseta mmiri, jụọ ha ajụjụ sị, “Onye ọhụ ụzọ ahụ ọ nọ nʼebe a?”
As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, Is the seer here?
12 Ụmụ agbọghọ ahụ zara ha sị, “E, ọ nọ ya. Lee ya ka ọ na-aga nʼihu unu. Unu jesie ike unu ga-ahụ ya. Ugbu a ka ọ batara obodo anyị, nʼihi na ọ na-aga iso ndị mmadụ gaa ịchụ aja nʼebe dị elu.
And they answered them, and said, He is. Behold, he is before thee. Make haste now, for he has come today into the city, for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
13 Ngwangwa unu banye nʼobodo, unu ga-ahụ ya tupu o gaa nʼebe dị elu iri ihe. Nʼihi na ndị mmadụ agaghị ebido iri ihe tutu ruo mgbe o rutere, nʼihi na ọ ghaghị ịgọzi ihe aja ahụ tupu ndị a kpọrọ oku ebido iri ihe. Gbagoonụ unu ga-ahụ ya nʼoge dịka nke a.”
As soon as ye have come into the city, ye shall straightaway find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice, and afterwards those who are bidden eat. Now therefore get you up, for at this time ye shall find him.
14 Ya mere, ha mere ngwangwa, baa nʼime obodo ahụ. Dịka ha na-abata nʼime obodo, lee Samuel ka ọ na-abịakwute ha; ọ na-aga nʼebe ahụ dị elu.
And they went up to the city. And as they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them, to go up to the high place.
15 Ma nʼụbọchị bọrọ tupu ụbọchị Sọl na-abịa, Onyenwe anyị kpughere nke a nye Samuel.
Now Jehovah had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
16 “Dịka mgbe a echi, aga m ezitere gị otu nwoke sị nʼala Benjamin. Ị ga-ete ya mmanụ nke ga-eme ya ka ọ bụrụ onyendu Izrel ndị m. Ọ ga-azọpụta ha site nʼaka ndị Filistia, nʼihi na ahụla m ahụhụ nke ha nọ nʼime ya; anụkwala m ịkwa akwa ha.”
Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. And he shall save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.
17 Mgbe Samuel hụrụ Sọl, Onyenwe anyị gwara ya sị, “Lee nwoke ahụ m gwara gị ihe banyere ya! Ọ bụ ya ga-achị ndị m.”
And when Samuel saw Saul, Jehovah said to him, Behold, the man of whom I spoke to thee! This man shall have authority over my people.
18 Ma Sọl bịaruru Samuel nso jụọ ya sị, “Biko, zi m ebe ụlọ onye ọhụ ụzọ dị.”
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer's house is.
19 Samuel zara sị ya, “Mụ onwe m bụ ọhụ ụzọ ahụ. Gaanụ nʼihu m rigoruo nʼebe dị elu, nʼihi na mụ na unu ga-eso rikọọ nri taa. Nʼụtụtụ echi aga m agwa gị ihe dị gị nʼobi. Aga m ezilagakwa gị.
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for ye shall eat with me today. And in the morning I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thy heart.
20 Enyela obi gị nsogbu maka ịnyịnya ibu ndị ahụ furu efu nʼabalị atọ gara aga, nʼihi na a chọtala ha. Ma, onye ka mmadụ ahụ bụ, onye ndị Izrel niile na-achọsi ike? Ọ bụghị gị na ezinaụlọ nna gị.”
And as for thy donkeys that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them, for they are found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for thee, and for all thy father's house?
21 Ma Sọl zara sị, “Ọ bụghị onye Benjamin ka m bụ, onye sitere nʼebo kachasị nta nʼIzrel; ọ bụghị agbụrụ m dịkarịsịrị nta nʼetiti agbụrụ niile ọzọ dị nʼebo Benjamin? Gịnị mere i ji agwa m ụdị okwu dị otu a?”
And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then speak thou to me according to this manner?
22 Mgbe ahụ, Samuel duuru Sọl na onyeozi ya kpọbata ha nʼime ụlọ ukwu, nye ha ọnọdụ nʼisi oche nʼetiti iri mmadụ atọ ọ kpọrọ oriri.
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the guest-chamber, and made them sit in the chief place among those who were bidden, who were about thirty men.
23 Samuel gwara onyeisi ndị na-esi nri okwu sị, “Weta anụ ahụ m nyere gị, nke ahụ m sị gị ka ị debe iche.”
And Samuel said to the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said to thee, Set it by thee.
24 Onye na-esi nri weere ụkwụ anụ ahụ na ihe ndị so ya debe ya nʼihu Sọl. Samuel sịrị, “Lee, ihe ndị e wepụrụ ka e debere gị. Rie, nʼihi na e debere gị ya maka oge akara aka, site nʼoge ahụ m kwuru si, ‘Akpọrọ m ndị mmadụ oku nri.’” Sọl sooro Samuel rie nri nʼụbọchị ahụ.
And the cook took up the thigh, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before thee and eat, because it has been kept for thee to the appointed time, for I said, I have invited the people. So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 Mgbe ha sitere nʼebe ahụ dị elu rịdata nʼobodo. Samuel kpanyere Sọl ụka nʼelu ụlọ ya.
And when they came down from the high place into the city, he conversed with Saul upon the housetop.
26 Nʼisi ụtụtụ mgbe ha biliri, Samuel kpọrọ Sọl nʼụlọ elu sị, “Jikere, ka m zilaga gị.” Mgbe Sọl kwadoro, ya na Samuel sooro pụọ nʼezi.
And they arose early. And it came to pass about the dawning of the day, that Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 Ka ha na-arịda na-abịaru nsọtụ obodo ahụ, Samuel sịrị Sọl, “Gwa onyeozi ahụ ka ọ gafee nʼihu anyị.” Onyeozi ahụ mekwara otu a, ma, “Gị onwe gị chere ntakịrị oge nʼebe a ka m mee ka ị nụrụ ozi sitere nʼaka Chineke.”
As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us (and he passed on), but stand thou still first, that I may cause thee to hear the word of God.
