1 Samoela 9
1 Ary nisy lehilahy avy amin’ ny Benjamina, atao hoe Kisy, zanak’ i Abiela, zanak’ i Zerora, zanak’ i Bekorata, zanak’ i Afia, Benjamita izy sy mpanjatobe.
There was a wealthy and influential man from the tribe of Benjamin, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Bekorath, son of Aphiah, a descendant of Benjamin.
2 Ary nanan-janakalahy atao hoe Saoly izy, izay mbola tanora sady tsara tarehy, ka tsy nisy tsara tarehy noho izy teo amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, ary nanan-tombo noho ny olona rehetra hatramin’ ny sorony no ho miakatra ny halavany.
Kish had a son called Saul, the most handsome young man in all of Israel. He was head and shoulders taller than anyone else.
3 Ary very ny borikivavin’ i Kisy, rain’ i Saoly. Dia hoy Kisy tamin’ i Saoly zanany: Mitondrà zatovo anankiray hanaraka anao, dia miaingà, ka mandehana hitady ny boriky.
One time the donkeys of Saul's father Kish went astray. Kish told to his son Saul, “Please go and look for the donkeys. You can take one of the servants with you.”
4 Dia nandeha namaky ny tany havoan’ i Efraima izy ka namaky ny tany Salisa, fa tsy nahita azy; dia nandeha namaky ny tany Salima indray izy, nefa tsy tany ireny; dia nandeha namaky ny tanin’ ny Benjamina izy, fa mbola tsy nahita azy ihany indray.
Saul searched the hill country of Ephraim and then the land of Shalishah, but didn't find the donkeys. He and the servant searched the region of Shaalim, but they weren't there. Then they searched the land of Benjamin, and they still couldn't find them.
5 Ary nony tonga teo amin’ ny tany Zofa izy, dia hoy Saoly tamin’ ny zatovony nanaraka azy: Andeha isika hiverina, fandrao isika indray no ahin’ ikaky, fa tsy ny boriky intsony.
When they got to the land of Zuph, Saul told his servant, “Come on, let's go back, otherwise my father won't be worrying about the donkeys, but about us.”
6 Fa hoy ny mpanompony taminy: Indro, misy lehilahin’ Andriamanitra amin’ iroa tanàna iroa, ary lehilahy malaza izy, fa izay rehetra lazainy dia tanteraka tokoa; koa andeha isika hankany, fa angamba hatorony antsika izay lalana tokony halehantsika.
But the servant replied, “Hold on! There's a man of God here in this town. He's very well thought of, and everything he says comes true. Let's go and see him. Maybe he can tell us which way we should take.”
7 Dia hoy Saoly tamin’ ny zatovony: indro, raha mankany isika, inona moa no haterintsika ho an-dralehilahy? fa efa lany ny mofo rehetra tao amin’ ny fitondrantsika, ary tsy misy zavatra haterintsika ho an’ ny lehilahin’ Andriamanitra; ka inona moa no atỳ amintsika?
“But if we do go, what can we give him?” Saul replied. “All the bread in our bags is gone. We don't have anything to take to the man of God. What do we have with us?”
8 Dia namaly an’ i Saoly indray ilay zatovo ka nanao hoe: Indro, atỳ an-tanako misy vola ampahefatry ny sekely; koa homeko ny lehilahin’ Andriamanitra izany, mba hanoroany antsika izay lalana tokony halehantsika.
“Look, I've got a quarter shekel of silver with me. I'll give it to the man of God so he can tell us the way we should take,” the servant told Saul.
9 (Fahiny teo amin’ ny Isiraely, raha nisy olona nandeha hanontany amin’ Andriamanitra, dia izao no fanaony: Andeha, aoka hankany amin’ ny mpahita isika; fa izay atao hoe mpaminany ankehitriny no natao hoe mpahita tany aloha.)
(In the old days in Israel, someone who went to inquire of God would say, “Come on, let's go to the seer,” because prophets used to be known as seers.)
10 Dia hoy Saoly tamin’ ny mpanompony: Tsara izany, fa andeha isika hankany. Dia lasa izy roa lahy nankany amin’ ny tanàna nitoeran’ ilay lehilahin’ Andriamanitra.
“That's good,” Saul told his servant. “So let's go.” They went to the town where the man of God was.
11 Ary raha mbola niakatra teo amin’ ny fiakarana ho any an-tanàna izy roa lahy, dia nahita zazavavy mivoaka hantsaka, ka hoy izy taminy: Ao ihany va ny mpahita?
As they were going up the hill to the town, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked them, “Is the seer here?”
12 Dia namaly azy ireo ka nanao hoe: Ao ihany izy; indro ao alohanao ao izy; mandehana faingana, fa efa tonga ao an-tanàna izy izao, satria misy fanatitra hataon’ ny vahoaka ao amin’ ny fitoerana avo anio;
“He is,” they replied, “up ahead of you. But you'll have to hurry. He's come to town today because the people are having a sacrifice at the high place.
13 ary raha vao miditra ao an-tanàna ianareo, dia ho hitanareo izy, raha tsy mbola miakatra hihinana ao amin’ ny fitoerana avo, fa tsy hihinana ny vahoaka mandra-pahatongany, fa izy no manao fisaorana amin’ ny fanatitra, ary rehefa afaka izany, dia vao mihinana izay nasaina; koa miakara ianareo ankehitriny, fa amin’ izao no hahitanareo azy.
When you enter the town you can find him before he goes up to eat at the high place. The people won't eat before he comes, because he has to bless the sacrifice. After that, those who've been invited will eat. If you leave now you'll catch him.”
14 Dia niakatra tao an-tanàna izy roa lahy; ary nony tonga tao izy, dia, indro, Samoela nivoaka niakatra ho any amin’ ny fitoerana avo ka nifanena taminy.
So they carried on their way up to the town. As they arrived there was Samuel going in the opposite direction. They met him on his way up to the high place.
15 Ary Jehovah efa nanambara tamin’ i Samoela omalin’ ny andro nahatongavan’ i Saoly ka nanao hoe:
The day before Saul arrived, the Lord had told Samuel,
16 Rahampitso toy izao dia hampandehaniko ho atỳ aminao ny lehilahy anankiray avy amin’ ny tanin’ ny Benjamina, ary hohosoranao ho mpanapaka ny Isiraely oloko izy ka hamonjy azy amin’ ny tanan’ ny Filistina, fa efa nijery ny oloko Aho, satria efa mby etỳ amiko ny fitarainany.
“Around this time tomorrow I'm going to send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him as ruler over my people Israel, and he will rescue them from the Philistines. I have seen what's happening to my people and I have heard their cry for help.”
17 Ary nony hitan’ i Samoela Saoly, dia hoy Jehovah taminy: Indro ny lehilahy voalazako taminao; io no hanjaka amin’ ny oloko.
When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, “This is the man I told you about. He is the one who is going to rule my people.”
18 Ary Saoly dia nanatona an’ i Samoela teo am-bavahady ka nanao hoe: Masìna ianao, atoroy ahy ny tranon’ ny mpahita.
Saul went up to Samuel in the gateway and asked him, “Could you please tell me where the house of the seer is?”
19 Ary Samoela dia namaly an’ i Saoly hoe: Izaho no mpahita; miakara eo alohako ho any amin’ ny fitoerana avo; fa hiara-mihinana amiko ianareo anio, ary raha maraina dia halefako handeha ianao ka holazaiko aminao izay rehetra ao am-ponao.
“I am the seer,” Samuel told Saul. “Go up ahead of me and we will eat together. Then in the morning I will answer all your questions and then send you on your way.
20 Ary aza malahelo ny amin’ ny borikinao izay efa very hateloana, fa efa hita ireny; ary ho an’ iza ny zavatra irina rehetra eo amin’ ny Isiraely? Tsy ho anao sy ny ankohonan-drainao va?
About the donkeys you lost three days ago—don't worry about them because they've been found. But now—doesn't the hope of all of Israel rest on you and your family line?”
21 Dia namaly Saoly ka nanao hoe: Tsy Benjamita va aho, avy amin’ ilay kely indrindra amin’ ny firenen’ Isiraely? ary tsy kely indrindra va ny mpianakaviko eo amin’ ny mpianakavin’ ny firenen’ i Benjamina rehetra? ka nahoana no miteny amiko toy izany ianao?
“But I'm from the tribe of Benjamin, the smallest tribe in Israel, and my family is the least significant of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin!” Saul replied. “Why are you telling me this?”
22 Ary Samoela dia nitondra an’ i Saoly sy ny zatovony ka nampiditra azy tao amin’ ny efi-trano, dia nanome azy toerana aloha teo amin’ izay nasaina; ary tokony ho olona telo-polo ireo.
Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall, and sat them at the head of the thirty people who'd been invited.
23 Ary hoy Samoela tamin’ ny mpanao nahandro: Ento ilay anjara nomeko anao, izay efa nolazaiko taminao hoe. Tehirizo ity.
Samuel told the cook, “Bring the special piece of meat I gave you and told you to keep to one side.”
24 Dia nalain’ ny mpanao nahandro ny soro-kena mbamin’ ny eo aminy ka napetrany teo anoloan’ i Saoly, ary hoy Samoela: Indro, izay efa natokana dia voapetraka eto anoloanao, koa hano; fa ho amin’ izao fotoana izao no nitehirizana izany ho anao hatramin’ izay nanaovako hoe: Efa nanasa ny vahoaka aho. Ary Saoly dia niara-nihinana tamin’ i Samoela androtrizay.
So the cook took the upper thigh of meat and what was with it and placed it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See, this is what was kept to one side. It was reserved for you. Eat it, for it was kept for you for this particular time, right from when I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 Ary izy roa lahy nidina avy tao amin’ ny fitoerana avo hankany an-tanàna, ary dia niresaka tamin’ i Saoly teo an-tampon-trano Samoela.
Once they had returned from the high place to the town, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
26 Ary nifoha maraina koa izy ireo; ary nony nazavaratsy ny andro, dia niantso an’ i Saoly teo an-tampon-trano Samoela ka nanao hoe: Mitsangàna ianao mba havoakako. Dia nitsangana Saoly, ka lasa nivoaka ho any ala-trano izy roa lahy, dia izy sy Samoela.
At dawn the next day Samuel called out to Saul on the roof, “Get up! I need to send you on your way!” So Saul got up, and he went outside with Samuel.
27 Ary nony nidina teo amin’ ny faran’ ny tanàna izy, dia hoy Samoela tamin’ i Saoly: Ampandehano eo alohantsika ny zatovo (dia lasa nandeha izy), fa mijanòna kely ianao hilazako ny tenin’ Andriamanitra.
As they approached the edge of town, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell your servant to go on ahead of us. Once he's gone stay here for a while, because I have a message from God to give you.” So the servant went on ahead.
