1 USamuyeli 9
1 Kwakukhona-ke indoda yakoBhenjamini obizo layo linguKishi, indodana kaAbiyeli, indodana kaZerori, indodana kaBekorathi, indodana kaAfiya, umBhenjamini, iqhawe elilamandla.
Now there was a Benjamite, a powerful man, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.
2 Njalo yayilendodana, obizo layo lalinguSawuli, ijaha elihle; kwakungelamuntu omuhle kulalo phakathi kwabantwana bakoIsrayeli; kusukela emahlombe alo kusiya phezulu lalilide kulabo bonke abantu.
And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head taller than any of the people.
3 Obabhemikazi bakaKishi, uyise kaSawuli, balahleka-ke. Ngakho uKishi wathi kuSawuli indodana yakhe: Ake uthathe enye yezinceku lawe, usukume uhambe uyedinga obabhemikazi.
One day the donkeys of Saul’s father Kish wandered off, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants and go look for the donkeys.”
4 Wasedabula intaba zakoEfrayimi, wadabula ilizwe leShalisha, kodwa kababatholanga. Basebedabula ilizwe leShalima, kodwa babengekho. Basebedabula ilizwe lakoBhenjamini, kodwa kababatholanga.
So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and then through the land of Shalishah, but did not find the donkeys. He and the servant went through the region of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then they went through the land of Benjamin, and still they did not find them.
5 Bona sebefikile elizweni leZufi, uSawuli wathi encekwini yakhe eyayilaye: Woza sibuyele, hlezi ubaba ayekele obabhemikazi abesenqinekela thina.
When they reached the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant, “Come, let us go back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
6 Yasisithi kuye: Khangela-ke, kulomuntu kaNkulunkulu kulumuzi, ungumuntu ohloniphekayo; konke akutshoyo kuyenzeka sibili. Khathesi asiye khona; mhlawumbe angasitshela indlela esizahamba ngayo.
“Look,” said the servant, “in this city there is a man of God who is highly respected; everything he says surely comes to pass. Let us go there now. Perhaps he will tell us which way to go.”
7 USawuli wasesithi encekwini yakhe: Kodwa khangela, uba sisiya, sizamphathelani lowomuntu? Ngoba isinkwa kasisekho ezitsheni zethu; futhi kakulasipho sokusa emuntwini kaNkulunkulu. Silani?
“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 Inceku yasibuya yamphendula uSawuli yathi: Khangela, kutholakala esandleni sami ingxenye yesine yeshekeli lesiliva; ngizamnika yona lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu ukuze asitshele indlela yethu.
The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”
9 (Endulo koIsrayeli lapho umuntu esiyabuza kuNkulunkulu, wayesitsho kanje: Woza siye kumboni; ngoba lo ongumprofethi lamuhla kuqala wayebizwa ngokuthi ngumboni.)
(Formerly in Israel, a man on his way to inquire of God would say, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For the prophet of today was formerly called the seer.)
10 USawuli wasesithi encekwini yakhe: Lihle ilizwi lakho; woza sihambe. Basebesiya emzini lapho okwakukhona lowomuntu kaNkulunkulu.
“Good,” said Saul to his servant. “Come, let us go.” So they set out for the city where the man of God was.
11 Besenyuka ngomqanso womuzi, bona bafica amantombazana ephuma ukuyakukha amanzi, bathi kuwo: Umboni ulapha yini?
And as they were climbing the hill to the city, they met some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here?”
12 Asebaphendula athi: Ukhona; khangelani, uphambi kwenu. Phangisani khathesi; ngoba ufike lamuhla emzini, ngoba abantu balomhlatshelo lamuhla endaweni ephakemeyo.
“Yes, he is ahead of you,” they answered. “Hurry now, for today he has come to the city because the people have a sacrifice on the high place.
13 Ekungeneni kwenu emzini, lizahle limthole engakenyukeli endaweni ephakemeyo ukuyakudla; ngoba abantu kabayikudla aze afike, ngoba nguye obusisa umhlatshelo, emva kwalokho abanxusiweyo badle. Ngakho-ke yenyukani, ngoba yena, phose ngalesisikhathi, lizamthola.
As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”
14 Basebesenyukela emzini; besangena phakathi komuzi, khangela, uSamuweli waphuma ukubahlangabeza ukwenyukela endaweni ephakemeyo.
So Saul and his servant went up toward the city, and as they were entering it, there was Samuel coming toward them on his way up to the high place.
15 INkosi yasibonakalisa endlebeni kaSamuweli ngosuku phambi kokufika kukaSawuli, isithi:
Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
16 Kusasa phose ngalesisikhathi ngizathuma kuwe umuntu ovela elizweni lakoBhenjamini; futhi umgcobe abe ngumbusi phezu kwabantu bami uIsrayeli, ukuze asindise abantu bami esandleni samaFilisti, ngoba ngibonile abantu bami, ngoba ukukhala kwabo kufikile kimi.
“At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him leader over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”
17 Kwathi uSamuweli ebona uSawuli, iNkosi yamphendula: Khangela, umuntu ebengikhuluma ngaye kuwe. Lo uzabusa phezu kwabantu bami.
When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule over My people.”
18 USawuli wasesondela kuSamuweli phakathi kwesango wathi: Akungitshele, ingaphi lapha indlu yomboni?
Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you please tell me where the seer’s house is?”
19 USamuweli wasemphendula uSawuli wathi: Yimi umboni; yenyuka phambi kwami uye endaweni ephakemeyo, ngoba lamuhla uzakudla lami; lekuseni ngizakuyekela uhambe, ngikutshele konke okusenhliziyweni yakho.
“I am the seer,” Samuel replied. “Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today. And when I send you off in the morning, I will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 Lamayelana labobabhemikazi bakho asebelensuku ezintathu belahlekile, ungafaki inhliziyo yakho kubo, ngoba sebetholiwe. Kodwa zikubani iziloyiso zonke zikaIsrayeli? Kazikho kuwe yini lendlini yonke kayihlo?
As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. And upon whom is all the desire of Israel, if not upon you and all your father’s house?”
21 USawuli wasephendula wathi: Kangisuye umBhenjamini yini, owesincinyane sezizwe zakoIsrayeli, losendo lwethu luncinyane kulazo zonke insendo zesizwe sakoBhenjamini? Pho-ke, ukhulumelani kimi ngalindlela?
Saul replied, “Am I not a Benjamite from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of Benjamin? So why would you say such a thing to me?”
22 USamuweli wasethatha uSawuli lenceku yakhe, wabangenisa ekamelweni lokudlela, wabahlalisa endaweni engaphezulu yabanxusiweyo, ababengaphose babe ngamatshumi amathathu.
Then Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them in the place of honor among those who were invited—about thirty in all.
23 USamuweli wasesithi kumpheki: Letha isabelo engikunike sona, engithe kuwe ngaso: Sibeke ngakuwe.
And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set aside.”
24 Umpheki wasephakamisa umlenze lokwakuphezu kwawo, wakubeka phambi kukaSawuli. USamuweli wasesithi: Khangela, okuseleyo; kubeke phambi kwakho, dlana; ngoba bekubekelwe wena kuze kufike lesisikhathi esimisiweyo, njengoba ngitshilo: Nginxuse abantu. USawuli wasesidla loSamuweli ngalolosuku.
So the cook picked up the leg and what was attached to it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “Here is what was kept back. It was set apart for you. Eat, for it has been kept for you for this occasion, from the time I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul dined with Samuel that day.
25 Sebehlile endaweni ephakemeyo baya emzini, wakhuluma loSawuli ephahleni.
And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
26 Basebevuka ngovivi; kwasekusithi phose emadabukakusa, uSamuweli wambiza uSawuli ephahleni esithi: Sukuma ukuze ngikuyekele uhambe. Wasesukuma uSawuli, baphuma bobabili, yena loSamuweli, baya phandle.
They got up early in the morning, and just before dawn Samuel called to Saul on the roof, “Get ready, and I will send you on your way!” So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went outside together.
27 Sebesehlela ekucineni komuzi, uSamuweli wathi kuSawuli: Tshela inceku ukuthi yedlule phambi kwethu (yasisedlula), kodwa wena mana okwakhathesi, ukuthi ngikuzwise ilizwi likaNkulunkulu.
As they were going down to the edge of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us, but you stay for a while, and I will reveal to you the word of God.” So the servant went on.
