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, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
2 Wayelendodana ethiwa nguSawuli, ijaha elilesithunzi kungekho ongalinganiswa lalo phakathi kwama-Israyeli, edlula abantu bonke ngobude kusukela emahlombe kusiya ekhanda.
And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people.
3 Ngalesisikhathi obabhemi bakaKhishi uyise kaSawuli balahleka, uKhishi wasesithi kuSawuli indodana yakhe, “Thatha enye yezinceku uhambe layo ukuyadinga obabhemi.”
And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek 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.
And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.
5 Kwathi sebefikile esifundeni saseZufi, uSawuli wathi encekwini eyayilaye, “Woza, kasibuyele, hlezi ubaba ekele ukucabanga ngabobabhemi aqalise ukukhathazeka ngathi.”
And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses, and take thought for 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.”
And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7 USawuli wasesithi encekwini, “Singaya kuye, sizamnikani umuntu lowo na? Ukudla kakusekho emigodleni yethu. Kasilasipho esingahamba laso emuntwini kaNkulunkulu. Kuyini esilakho na?”
Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
8 Inceku yaphendula njalo yathi, “Khangela, ngilokwesine kweshekeli elesiliva. Ngizakunika umuntu kaNkulunkulu ukuze asitshele ukuthi siqonde ngaphi.”
And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9 (Ngaphambilini ko-Israyeli, lapho umuntu esiyabuza uNkulunkulu, wayesithi, “Woza, kasiye kumboni,” ngoba umphrofethi wakhathesi wayethiwa ngumboni.)
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10 USawuli wasesithi encekwini yakhe, “Kuhle. Woza kasihambe.” Ngakho basuka baya emzini okwakuhlala khona umuntu kaNkulunkulu.
Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God was.
11 Besaqansa uqaqa besiya kulowomuzi bahlangana lamantombazana ayephume ukuyakukha amanzi basebewabuza besithi, “Kulomboni lapha na?”
And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto 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 answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
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.”
As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14 Baya kulowomuzi, kwathi lapho bengena kuwo, babona uSamuyeli esiza kubo eqansela endaweni ephakemeyo.
And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
15 Ngosuku uSawuli engakafiki, uThixo wayeveze lokhu kuSamuyeli wathi,
Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, 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.”
To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto 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 unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
18 USawuli wasondela kuSamuyeli wabuza wathi, “Ake ungitshele ukuthi indlu yomboni ingaphi.”
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.
19 USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Umboni yimi. Hamba phambi kwami uye endaweni ephakemeyo, ngoba lamhla uzakudla lami, ekuseni ngizakuyekela uhambe njalo ngizakutshela konke okusenhliziyweni yakho.
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.
20 Obabhemi abalahlekileyo ensukwini ezintathu ezedluleyo, ungakhathazeki ngabo; sebebonakele. Njalo kungubani izifiso zonke zika-Israyeli ezikhangele kuye nxa kungasuwe lendlu yonke kayihlo na?”
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?
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 answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22 USamuyeli wasengenisa uSawuli lenceku yakhe endlini enkulu wabahlalisa phambi kwalabo ababenxusiwe babengaba ngamatshumi amathathu ubunengi babo.
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
23 USamuyeli wasesithi kumpheki wakhe, “Letha iqatha lenyama engikuphe lona, leliyana engithe uligcine.”
And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
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 shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25 Sebehlile endaweni ephakemeyo ukuya emzini, uSamuyeli wakhuluma loSawuli bephezu kophahla lwendlu yakhe.
And when they were come down from the high place into the city, Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
26 Bavuka ngezikhathi zemadabukakusa, uSamuyeli wabiza uSawuli phezu kophahla wathi, “Lunga ngikuqhube ohanjweni lwakho.” USawuli eselungile, yena loSamuyeli baphuma bonke.
And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
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 as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on, ) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
