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 Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.
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 named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head 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.”
One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for 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.
So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still 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 reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about 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.”
“Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to 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?”
“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
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.”
The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will 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, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.)
10 Sọl sịrị odibo ya, “Ọ dị mma, Bịa ka anyị gaa.” Ha biliri gawa nʼobodo ebe onye Chineke ahụ nọ.
“Good,” said Saul to his servant. “Come, let us go.” So they set out for 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?”
And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “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.
“Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on 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 you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will 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.
So Saul and his servant went up toward the city, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way up to the high place.
15 Ma nʼụbọchị bọrọ tupu ụbọchị Sọl na-abịa, Onyenwe anyị kpughere nke a nye Samuel.
Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
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.”
“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him leader over My people Israel; he will save them from 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.”
When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule over My people.”
18 Ma Sọl bịaruru Samuel nso jụọ ya sị, “Biko, zi m ebe ụlọ onye ọhụ ụzọ dị.”
Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me 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.
“I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. And when I send you off in the morning, I will tell you all that is in your 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.”
As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And upon whom is all the desire of Israel, if not upon you and all your 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?”
Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
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.
Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited—about thirty in all.
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 I gave you and told you to set aside.”
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.
So the cook picked up the leg and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Here is what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat, for it has been kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul dined with Samuel that day.
25 Mgbe ha sitere nʼebe ahụ dị elu rịdata nʼobodo. Samuel kpanyere Sọl ụka nʼelu ụlọ ya.
And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
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.
They got up early in the morning, and just before dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way!” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went outside together.
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 to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I will reveal to you the word of God.” So the servant went on.
