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.
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 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.
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 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, 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 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 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 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.”
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 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.”
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 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?”
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 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 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 (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).
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 Sọl sịrị odibo ya, “Ọ dị mma, Bịa ka anyị gaa.” Ha biliri gawa nʼobodo ebe onye Chineke ahụ nọ.
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?”
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.
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 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.”
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 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 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 Ma nʼụbọchị bọrọ tupu ụbọchị Sọl na-abịa, Onyenwe anyị kpughere nke a nye Samuel.
On the previous day, Yahweh had told 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 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 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, Yahweh said to him, “This is the man I told you about yesterday! He is the one who will rule my people!”
18 Ma Sọl bịaruru Samuel nso jụọ ya sị, “Biko, zi m ebe ụlọ onye ọhụ ụzọ dị.”
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 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.
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 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.”
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 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, “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 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 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 Samuel gwara onyeisi ndị na-esi nri okwu sị, “Weta anụ ahụ m nyere gị, nke ahụ m sị gị ka ị debe iche.”
Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring to me the special piece [of meat] that I 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 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 Mgbe ha sitere nʼebe ahụ dị elu rịdata nʼobodo. Samuel kpanyere Sọl ụka nʼelu ụlọ ya.
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 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.
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 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.”
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.”
