I Samuelis 9
1 Et erat vir de Beniamin nomine Cis, filius Abiel, filii Seor, filii Bechorath, filii Aphia, filii viri Iemini, fortis robore.
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 Et erat ei filius vocabulo Saul, electus et bonus: et non erat vir de filiis Israel melior illo. ab humero et sursum eminebat super omnem populum.
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 Perierant autem asinae Cis patris Saul: et dixit Cis ad Saul filium suum: Tolle tecum unum de pueris, et consurgens vade, et quaere asinas. Qui cum transissent per montem Ephraim,
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 et per terram Salisa, et non invenissent, transierunt etiam per Terram Salim, et non erant: sed et per Terram Iemini, et minime repererunt.
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 Cum autem venissent in Terram Suph, dixit Saul ad puerum, qui erat cum eo: Veni et revertamur, ne forte dimiserit pater meus asinas, et solicitus sit pro nobis.
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 Qui ait ei: Ecce vir Dei est in civitate hac, vir nobilis: omne, quod loquitur, sine ambiguitate venit. nunc ergo eamus illuc, si forte indicet nobis de via nostra, propter quam venimus.
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 Dixitque Saul ad puerum suum: Ecce ibimus: quid feremus ad virum Dei? panis defecit in sitachiis nostris: et sportulam non habemus, ut demus homini Dei, nec quidquam aliud.
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 Rursum puer respondit Sauli, et ait: Ecce inventa est in manu mea, quarta pars stateris argenti, demus homini Dei, ut indicet nobis viam nostram.
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 (Olim in Israel sic loquebatur unusquisque vadens consulere Deum: Venite, et eamus ad Videntem. Qui enim Propheta dicitur hodie, vocabatur olim Videns.)
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 Et dixit Saul ad puerum suum: Optimus sermo tuus, Veni, eamus. Et ierunt in civitatem, in qua erat vir Dei.
11 Cumque ascenderent clivum civitatis, invenerunt puellas egredientes ad hauriendam aquam, et dixerunt eis: Num hic est Videns?
12 Quae respondentes, dixerunt illis: Hic est: ecce ante te, festina nunc: hodie enim venit in civitatem, quia sacrificium est hodie populi in excelso.
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 Ingredientes urbem, statim invenietis eum antequam ascendat excelsum ad vescendum. neque enim comesurus est populus donec ille veniat: quia ipse benedicit hostiae, et deinceps comedunt qui vocati sunt. Nunc ergo conscendite, quia hodie reperietis eum.
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 Et ascenderunt in civitatem. Cumque illi ambularent in medio urbis, apparuit Samuel egrediens obviam eis, ut ascenderet in excelsum.
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 Dominus autem revelaverat auriculam Samuelis ante unam diem quam veniret Saul, dicens:
On the previous day, Yahweh had told Samuel,
16 Hac ipsa hora, quae nunc est, cras mittam virum ad te de Terra Beniamin, et unges eum ducem super populum meum Israel: et salvabit populum meum de manu Philisthinorum: quia respexi populum meum, venit enim clamor eorum ad me.
“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 Cumque aspexisset Samuel Saulem, Dominus dixit ei: Ecce, vir, quem dixeram tibi, iste dominabitur populo meo.
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 Accessit autem Saul ad Samuelem in medio portae, et ait: Indica, oro, mihi, ubi est domus Videntis.
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 Et respondit Samuel Sauli dicens: Ego sum Videns. ascende ante me in excelsum, ut comedatis mecum hodie, et dimittam te mane: et omnia, quae sunt in corde tuo, indicabo tibi.
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 Et de asinis, quas nudiustertius perdidisti, ne solicitus sis, quia inventae sunt. Et cuius erunt optima quaeque Israel? nonne tibi et omni domui patris tui?
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 Respondens autem Saul, ait: Numquid non filius Iemini ego sum de minima tribu Israel, et cognatio mea novissima inter omnes familias de tribu Beniamin? quare ergo locutus es mihi sermonem istum?
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 Assumens itaque Samuel Saulem, et puerum eius, introduxit eos in triclinium, et dedit eis locum in capite eorum, qui fuerant invitati. erant enim quasi triginta viri.
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 Dixitque Samuel coco: Da partem, quam dedi tibi, et praecepi ut reponeres seorsum apud te.
Then Samuel told the cook, “Bring to me the special piece [of meat] that I told you to set aside.”
24 Levavit autem cocus armum, et posuit ante Saul. Dixitque Samuel: Ecce quod remansit, pone ante te, et comede: quia de industria servatum est tibi, quando populum vocavi. Et comedit Saul cum Samuele in die illa.
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 Et descenderunt de excelso in oppidum, et locutus est cum Saule in solario: stravitque Saul in solario, et dormivit.
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 Cumque mane surrexissent, et iam elucesceret, vocavit Samuel Saulem in solario, dicens: Surge, ut dimittam te. Et surrexit Saul: egressique sunt ambo, ipse videlicet, et Samuel.
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 Cumque descenderent in extrema parte civitatis, Samuel dixit ad Saul: Dic puero ut antecedat nos, et transeat: tu autem subsiste paulisper, ut indicem tibi verbum Domini.
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.”
