1 USamuyeli 9
1 Kwakulomuntu wakoBhenjamini, indoda elesithunzi, ibizo layo lalinguKhishi indodana ka-Abhiyeli, indodana kaZerori, indodana kaBhekhorathi, indodana ka-Afiya owakoBhenjamini.
Now there was a man of Benjamin named Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a man of wealth.
2 Wayelendodana ethiwa nguSawuli, ijaha elilesithunzi kungekho ongalinganiswa lalo phakathi kwama-Israyeli, edlula abantu bonke ngobude kusukela emahlombe kusiya ekhanda.
He had a son named Saul, a specially good-looking young man; there was no one better-looking among the children of Israel: he was taller by a head than any other of the people.
3 Ngalesisikhathi obabhemi bakaKhishi uyise kaSawuli balahleka, uKhishi wasesithi kuSawuli indodana yakhe, “Thatha enye yezinceku uhambe layo ukuyadinga obabhemi.”
Now the asses of Saul's father Kish had gone wandering away. And Kish said to his son Saul, Take one of the servants with you, and get up and go in search of the asses.
4 Ngakho wadabula elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi lasemangweni ozungeze iShalisha, kodwa kababatholanga. Baqhubeka baya esifundeni saseShalimi, kodwa obabhemi babengekho. Wadabula phakathi kwelizwe lakoBhenjamini, kodwa kabawatholanga.
So they went through the hill-country of Ephraim and through the land of Shalishah, but they saw no sign of them: then they went through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there: and they went through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not come across them.
5 Kwathi sebefikile esifundeni saseZufi, uSawuli wathi encekwini eyayilaye, “Woza, kasibuyele, hlezi ubaba ekele ukucabanga ngabobabhemi aqalise ukukhathazeka ngathi.”
And when they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, Come, let us go back, or my father may give up caring about the asses and be troubled about us.
6 Kodwa inceku yaphendula yathi, “Khangela, kulumuzi kulomuntu kaNkulunkulu; uyahlonitshwa kakhulu, njalo konke akutshoyo kuyenzakala. Kasiye khona khathesi nje. Mhlawumbe angasitshela ukuthi siqonde ngaphi.”
But the servant said to him, See now, in this town there is a man of God, who is highly honoured, and everything he says comes true: let us go there now; it may be that he will give us directions about our journey.
7 USawuli wasesithi encekwini, “Singaya kuye, sizamnikani umuntu lowo na? Ukudla kakusekho emigodleni yethu. Kasilasipho esingahamba laso emuntwini kaNkulunkulu. Kuyini esilakho na?”
Then Saul said to his servant, But if we go, what are we to take the man? all our bread is gone, and we have no offering to take to the man of God: what are we to do?
8 Inceku yaphendula njalo yathi, “Khangela, ngilokwesine kweshekeli elesiliva. Ngizakunika umuntu kaNkulunkulu ukuze asitshele ukuthi siqonde ngaphi.”
But the servant said in answer, I have here a fourth part of a shekel of silver: I will give that to the man of God, and he will give us directions about our way.
9 (Ngaphambilini ko-Israyeli, lapho umuntu esiyabuza uNkulunkulu, wayesithi, “Woza, kasiye kumboni,” ngoba umphrofethi wakhathesi wayethiwa ngumboni.)
(In the past in Israel, when a man went to get directions from God, he said, Come let us go to the Seer, for he who now is named Prophet was in those days given the name of Seer.)
10 USawuli wasesithi encekwini yakhe, “Kuhle. Woza kasihambe.” Ngakho basuka baya emzini okwakuhlala khona umuntu kaNkulunkulu.
Then Saul said to his servant, You have said well; come, let us go. So they went to the town where the man of God was.
11 Besaqansa uqaqa besiya kulowomuzi bahlangana lamantombazana ayephume ukuyakukha amanzi basebewabuza besithi, “Kulomboni lapha na?”
And when they were on the way up to the town, they saw some young girls going out to get water and said to them, Is the seer here?
12 Aphendula athi, “Ukhona. Uphambidlana kwenu. Phangisani khathesi; usanda kufika emzini wethu lamhla, ngoba abantu balomhlatshelo endaweni ephakemeyo.
And they said, He is; in fact he is before you: go quickly now, for he has come into the town today, for the people are making an offering in the high place today:
13 Khonokho nje lingena umuzi, lizamfica engakaqanseli phezulu endaweni ephakemeyo ukuyakudla. Abantu kabayikuqalisa ukudla aze afike, ngoba kumele abusise umhlatshelo; emva kwalokho bazakudla-ke labo abanxusiweyo. Hambani-ke, lizamthola khathesi nje.”
When you come into the town you will see him straight away, before he goes up to the high place for the feast: the people are waiting for his blessing before starting the feast, and after that the guests will take part in it. So go up now and you will see him.
14 Baya kulowomuzi, kwathi lapho bengena kuwo, babona uSamuyeli esiza kubo eqansela endaweni ephakemeyo.
So they went up to the town, and when they came inside the town, Samuel came face to face with them on his way to the high place.
15 Ngosuku uSawuli engakafiki, uThixo wayeveze lokhu kuSamuyeli wathi,
Now the day before Saul came, the word of God had come to Samuel, saying,
16 “Ngesikhathi esingaba yisonalesi kusasa ngizaletha kuwe umuntu ovela elizweni lakoBhenjamini. Mgcobe ukuba ngumkhokheli wabantu bami u-Israyeli; uzakhulula abantu bami esandleni samaFilistiya. Ngibakhangele abantu bami, ngoba ukukhala kwabo sekufikile kimi.”
Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and on him you are to put the holy oil, making him ruler over my people Israel, and he will make my people safe from the hands of the Philistines: for I have seen the sorrow of my people, whose cry has come up to me.
17 Kwathi uSamuyeli ebona uSawuli, uThixo wathi kuye, “Lo nguye umuntu engikhulume kuwe ngaye; uzabusa abantu bami.”
And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said to him, This is the man of whom I gave you word! he it is who is to have authority over my people.
18 USawuli wasondela kuSamuyeli wabuza wathi, “Ake ungitshele ukuthi indlu yomboni ingaphi.”
Then Saul came up to Samuel in the doorway of the town and said, Give me directions, if you will be so good, to the house of the seer.
19 USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Umboni yimi. Hamba phambi kwami uye endaweni ephakemeyo, ngoba lamhla uzakudla lami, ekuseni ngizakuyekela uhambe njalo ngizakutshela konke okusenhliziyweni yakho.
Then Samuel said to Saul, I am the seer; go up before me to the high place and take food with me today: and in the morning I will let you go, after opening to you all the secrets of your heart.
20 Obabhemi abalahlekileyo ensukwini ezintathu ezedluleyo, ungakhathazeki ngabo; sebebonakele. Njalo kungubani izifiso zonke zika-Israyeli ezikhangele kuye nxa kungasuwe lendlu yonke kayihlo na?”
As for your asses which have been wandering for three days, give no thought to them, for they have come back. And for whom are all the desired things in Israel? are they not for you and your father's family?
21 USawuli waphendula wathi, “Kodwa mina kangisuye yini wakoBhenjamini, isizwana esincinyane kulazo zonke ko-Israyeli, njalo lendlu yakwethu kayincinyane kulazo zonke izindlu zesizwe sakoBhenjamini na?”
And Saul said, Am I not a man of Benjamin, the smallest of all the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of the families of Benjamin? why then do you say these words to me?
22 USamuyeli wasengenisa uSawuli lenceku yakhe endlini enkulu wabahlalisa phambi kwalabo ababenxusiwe babengaba ngamatshumi amathathu ubunengi babo.
Then Samuel took Saul and his servant into the guest room, and made them take the chief place among all the guests who were there, about thirty persons.
23 USamuyeli wasesithi kumpheki wakhe, “Letha iqatha lenyama engikuphe lona, leliyana engithe uligcine.”
And Samuel said to the cook, Give me that part which I gave you orders to keep by you.
24 Ngakho umpheki wathatha umlenze lalokho okwakuphezu kwawo, wakubeka phambi kukaSawuli. USamuyeli wasesithi, “Nanku okube kugcinelwe wena. Dlana, ngoba kade kubekelwe wena kulelithuba, kusukela ngesikhathi ngisithi, ‘Ngilabemzini abanxusiweyo.’” USawuli wadla loSamuyeli ngalolosuku.
And the cook took up the leg with the fat tail on it, and put it before Saul. And Samuel said, This is the part which has been kept for you: take it as your part of the feast; because it has been kept for you till the right time came and till the guests were present. So that day Saul took food with Samuel.
25 Sebehlile endaweni ephakemeyo ukuya emzini, uSamuyeli wakhuluma loSawuli bephezu kophahla lwendlu yakhe.
And when they had come down from the high place into the town, where a bed was made ready for Saul, he went to rest.
26 Bavuka ngezikhathi zemadabukakusa, uSamuyeli wabiza uSawuli phezu kophahla wathi, “Lunga ngikuqhube ohanjweni lwakho.” USawuli eselungile, yena loSamuyeli baphuma bonke.
And about dawn Samuel said to Saul on the roof, Get up so that I may send you away. So Saul got up, and he and Samuel went out together.
27 Ekuhambeni kwabo besehlela emaphethelweni omuzi, uSamuyeli wathi kuSawuli, “Tshela inceku yakho iqhubeke phambi kwethu” lakanye inceku yenza njalo “kodwa wena sala lapha okwesikhatshana ukuze ngikutshele ilizwi elivela kuNkulunkulu.”
And on their way down to the end of the town, Samuel said to Saul, Give your servant orders to go on in front of us, (so he went on, ) but you keep here, so that I may give you the word of God.
