1 Saamuʼeel 16
1 Waaqayyos Saamuʼeeliin akkana jedhe; “Saaʼol isa ani akka inni Israaʼel irratti mootii hin taaneef tuffadhe sanaaf hamma yoomiitti boossa? Gaanfa keetti zayitii guuttadhuutii deemi; ani gara Isseeyi nama Beetlihemitti sin erga. Ani ilmaan isaa keessaa isa tokko akka mootii taʼuuf filadheeraatii.”
Finally, Yahweh said to Samuel, “I have decided that I will not allow Saul to continue to be the king. So you should not [RHQ] keep feeling sad [about what he has done]. Put some olive oil in a small container and go to Bethlehem [to anoint someone with the oil, and appoint him to be king]. I am sending you there to a man named Jesse, because I have chosen one of his sons to be the king [of Israel].”
2 Saamuʼeel garuu, “Ani akkamittin deemuu dandaʼa? Saaʼol yoo waan kana dhagaʼe na ajjeesa” jedhe. Waaqayyo immoo akkana jedhe; “Goromsa tokko fudhadhuu dhaqiitii, ‘Ani Waaqayyoof aarsaa dhiʼeessuufin dhufe’ jedhi.
But Samuel said, “I am afraid [RHQ] to do that! If Saul hears about it, he will kill me!” Yahweh said, “Take a (heifer/young female cow) with you, and say to people that you have come to [kill it and] offer it as a sacrifice to me.
3 Isseeyinis gara aarsaatti waami; ani waan ati gootu sitti argisiisa. Atis nama ani sitti argisiisu sana naa dibda.”
“Invite Jesse to come to the sacrifice. [When he comes, ] I will show you what you should do. And I will show you which of his sons [I have chosen to be the king]. Then you should anoint that one [with the olive oil to be the king].”
4 Saamuʼeelis waan Waaqayyo isa ajaje godhe. Yommuu inni Beetlihem gaʼetti maanguddoonni magaalaa sanaa hollachaa isa simachuu dhufanii, “Ati naguma dhuftee?” jedhanii isa gaafatan.
Samuel did what Yahweh told him to do. He went to Bethlehem. When the town leaders came to him, they trembled, [because they were worried that Samuel had come to rebuke them about something]. One of them asked him, “Have you come [to speak] peacefully [to us]?”
5 Saamuʼeelis deebisee, “Eeyyee naguma; ani Waaqayyoof aarsaa dhiʼeessuun dhufe. Isinis of qulqulleessaatii na wajjin gara aarsaa kottaa” jedhe. Ergasiis inni Isseeyii fi ilmaan isaa qulqulleessee gara aarsaatti isaan waame.
Samuel replied, “Yes. I have come peacefully, to make a sacrifice to Yahweh. [Perform the rituals to] make yourselves acceptable to Yahweh, and then come with me to where they will offer the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the ritual to make Jesse and his sons acceptable to God, and he also invited them to the sacrifice.
6 Yeroo isaan achi gaʼanittis Saamuʼeel Eliiyaabin argee, “Dhugumaan namni Waaqayyo dibe as fuula Waaqayyoo dura dhaabateera” jedhee garaatti yaade.
When they arrived there, Samuel looked at [Jesse’s oldest son] Eliab, and thought, “Surely this is the one whom Yahweh has appointed [to be king]!”
7 Waaqayyo garuu Saamuʼeeliin, “Ani isa tuffadheeraatii bifa isaa yookaan hojjaa isaa hin ilaalin. Waaqayyo waan namni ilaalu hin ilaalu. Namni bifa ilaala; Waaqayyo garuu waan garaa keessa jiru ilaala” jedhe.
But Yahweh said to Samuel, “No, he is not the one whom I have chosen. Don’t pay attention to his being handsome and very tall, because I have not chosen him. I do not evaluate people as people do. You people evaluate people by their appearance, but I evaluate people by what is in their inner beings.”
8 Isseeyis ergasii Abiinaadaabin waamee akka inni fuula Saamuʼeel dura darbu godhe. Saamuʼeel garuu, “Waaqayyo isa kana hin filanne” jedhe.
Then Jesse told [his next oldest son] Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel. [But when he did that], Samuel said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
9 Isseey akka Shamaan darbu godhe; Saamuʼeel garuu, “Waaqayyo isa kanas hin filanne” jedhe.
Then Jesse told [his next oldest son] Shammah to step forward. He stepped forward, but Samuel said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
10 Isseey akka ilmaan isaa torbanuu fuula Saamuʼeel dura darban godhe; Saamuʼeel garuu, “Waaqayyo isaan kanneen hin filanne” jedhe.
Similarly, Jesse told his other four sons to walk in front of Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of these sons of yours.”
11 Innis, “Ilmaan kee hundi kanneenumaa?” jedhee Isseeyin gaafate. Isseeyis, “Quxxisuun hunda isaanii tokko jira; inni garuu hoolota tiksaa jira” jedhe. Saamuʼeelis, “Nama itti ergiitii isa fichisiisi; nu hamma inni dhufutti hin teenyuutii” jedhe.
Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Do you have any other sons?” Jesse replied, “My youngest son [is not here]; he is out [in the fields] taking care of the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send someone to bring him here! We will not sit down [to eat] until he gets here.”
12 Kanaaf Isseeyi nama itti ergee isa fichisiise. Innis diimaa, nama iji isaa miidhaguu fi nama dhaaba tolu ture. Waaqayyos, “Kaʼii isa dibi; inni ani filadhe isa kanaatii” jedhe.
So Jesse sent [someone] to bring [David there. And when David arrived, Samuel saw that] he was handsome and healthy, and had bright eyes. Then Yahweh said, “This is the one [whom I have chosen]; anoint him [to be king].”
13 Kanaafuu Saamuʼeel gaanfa zayitii fuudhee fuula obboloota isaa duratti isa dibe; guyyaa sanaa jalqabee Hafuurri Waaqayyoo humnaan Daawit irra buʼe. Saamuʼeelis gara Raamaa deeme.
So as David [stood there] in front of his older brothers, Samuel took the container of oil that he had brought and poured some of it on David’s head [to set him apart to serve God. After they all ate, Samuel left] and returned to Ramah. But Yahweh’s Spirit came on David powerfully, and stayed with David for the rest of his life.
14 Hafuurri Waaqayyoos Saaʼol irraa fagaate; hafuurri hamaan Waaqayyo biraa ergame immoo Saaʼolin dhiphise.
But Yahweh’s Spirit left Saul. Instead [of his Spirit staying with Saul], Yahweh sent an evil spirit to Saul to terrify him [repeatedly].
15 Tajaajiltoonni Saaʼol akkana isaan jedhan; “Kunoo hafuurri hamaan Waaqa biraa ergamee si dhiphisaa jira.
One of his servants said to him, “It is evident that an evil spirit sent by God is terrifying you.
16 Egaa gooftaan keenya akka isaan nama baganaa taphachuu dandaʼu barbaadaniif tajaajiltoota isaa warra fuula isaa dura jiran haa ajaju. Innis yommuu hafuurri hamaan sun Waaqa biraa sitti dhufu baganaa siif taphata; sittis ni wayyaaʼa.”
So [we suggest that you] allow us, your servants here, to search for a man who plays the harp well. He can play the harp whenever the evil spirit bothers you. Then [you will calm down and] you will be okay again.”
17 Kanaafuu Saaʼol tajaajiltoota isaatiin, “Nama akka gaariitti baganaa taphachuu dandaʼu tokko barbaadaatii naa fidaa” jedhe.
Saul replied, “[Fine/Okay], find for me a man who can play [the harp] well, and bring him to me.”
18 Tajaajiltoota sana keessaa tokko, “Kunoo ilma Isseey nama Beetlihem kan baganaa taphachuu beeku tokko ani argeera. Innis jagnaa fi loltuu dha. Nama dubbii beekuu fi miidhagaa dha. Waaqayyos isa wajjin jira” jedhee deebise.
One of his servants said to him, “A man named Jesse, in Bethlehem [town], has a son who plays the harp very well. Furthermore, he is a brave man, and is a capable soldier. He is handsome and he always speaks wisely. And Yahweh always protects him.”
19 Saaʼolis Isseeyitti ergamoota ergee, “Ilma kee Daawit isa hoolota bira jiru sana naa ergi” jedhe.
So Saul sent this message to Jesse: “Send your son David to me, the one who takes care of sheep.”
20 Isseeyis harree tokko fidee buddeenaa fi daadhii wayinii qalqalloo tokko itti feʼee, ilmoo reʼee tokko wajjin ilma isaa Daawitin Saaʼoliif erge.
[So after they went to] Jesse [and told him that, he agreed. He] got a young goat, a container of wine, a donkey on which he put some loaves of bread, and gave them to David to take to Saul [as a present].
21 Daawit gara Saaʼol dhufee tajaajila isaa jalqabe. Saaʼol akka malee isa jaallate; Daawitis nama miʼa lolaa isaaf baatu taʼe.
Then David went to Saul and started to work for him. Saul liked David very much, and he became the man who carried Saul’s weapons [when Saul went to fight in battles].
22 Saaʼolis, “Akka inni na wajjin turee na tajaajiluuf Daawitiif eeyyami; ani isatti gammadeeraatii” jedhee Isseeyitti dhaame.
Then Saul sent [a messenger] to Jesse to tell him, “I am pleased with David. Please let him stay here and work for me.”
23 Yommuu hafuurri hamaan Waaqa biraa Saaʼolitti dhufu hunda, Daawit baganaa isaa fudhatee taphata ture; Saaʼolis boqonnaa argata; itti wayyaaʼas ture. Hafuurri hamaan sunis isa dhiisee deema ture.
[Jesse agreed, and after that], whenever the evil spirit whom God sent tormented Saul, David played the harp. Then Saul would become calm, and the evil spirit would leave him.
