1 Samuel 9
1 Ɔbarima ɔdefoɔ bi a ɔdi mu tenaa ase a na ne din de Kis na ɔfiri Benyamin abusuakuo mu. Na ɔyɛ Abiel babarima, na ne nana ne Seror a ɔfiri Bekorat fie ne Afia abusua mu.
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor.
2 Na ne babarima Saulo ho yɛ fɛ yie sene obiara wɔ Israel. Na ɔware sene obiara firi nʼabati kɔsi ne tiri so wɔ asase no so.
He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not among the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Ɛda bi Kis mfunumu yeraeɛ, na ɔka kyerɛɛ Saulo sɛ, “Fa asomfoɔ no mu baako, na wone no nkɔhwehwɛ mfunumu no.”
The donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, were lost. Kish said to Saul his son, “Now take one of the servants with you, and arise, go look for the donkeys.”
4 Enti, Saulo faa asomfoɔ no mu baako. Wɔkɔfaa Efraim bepɔ asase, Salisa asase, Saalim fam ne Benyamin asase nyinaa so, nanso wɔanhunu mfunumu no baabiara.
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 Na wɔduruu Suf mansini mu no, Saulo ka kyerɛɛ ɔsomfoɔ a ɔka ne ho no sɛ, “Bra, ma yɛnsane nkɔ baabi a yɛfiri baeɛ, na ebia, mʼagya agyae mfunumu no ho dwene, ɛredwene yɛn ho mmom.”
When they had come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come! Let’s return, lest my father stop caring about the donkeys and be anxious for us.”
6 Nanso, ɔsomfoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Manya adwene bi, Onyame onipa bi te kuro yi mu a wɔbu no yie. Na asɛm biara a ɔbɛka nso ba mu. Ma yɛnkɔ ne hɔ seesei ara, ebia ɔbɛtumi akyerɛ yɛn baabi a ɛsɛ sɛ yɛfa.”
The servant said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says surely happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 Saulo buaa no sɛ, “Yɛnni hwee a yɛbɛtumi de akyɛ saa ɔbarima no, yɛn nnuane mpo asa, yɛnni biribiara a yɛde bɛma no.”
Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what should we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our sacks, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 Ɔsomfoɔ no buaa no bio sɛ, “Hwɛ! Mewɔ dwetɛ gram mmiɛnsa. Yɛbɛtumi de ama no, na yɛahwɛ deɛ ɛbɛsie.”
The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver. I will give that to the man of God, to tell us our way.”
9 (Saa ɛberɛ no, sɛ nnipa rekɔbisa Onyankopɔn hɔ adeɛ a, wɔka sɛ, “Momma yɛnkɔbisa ademuhununi” ɛfiri sɛ, saa ɛberɛ no na wɔfrɛ adiyifoɔ ademuhunufoɔ.)
(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, “Come! Let’s go to the seer;” for he who is now called a prophet was before called a seer.)
10 Saulo penee so ka kyerɛɛ ne ɔsomfoɔ no sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, ma yɛnsɔ nhwɛ!” Enti, wɔsii mu kɔɔ kuro a Onyame onipa wɔ mu no so.
Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come! Let’s go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 Wɔreforo bepɔ bi akɔ kuro no mu no, wɔhyiaa mmabaawa bi a wɔrekɔsa nsuo. Enti, Saulo ne ne ɔsomfoɔ no bisaa wɔn sɛ “Ademuhununi no wɔ ha ɛnnɛ?”
As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said to them, “Is the seer here?”
12 Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Aane. Momfa ɛkwan yi so tee, na mobɛhunu sɛ ɔte kuro no apono ano hɔ. Ɔrebɛduru ha ara nie, na ɔno nso rebɛbɔ ɔmanfoɔ afɔdeɛ no bi wɔ bepɔ no so hɔ.
They answered them and said, “He is. Behold, he is before you. Hurry now, for he has come today into the city; for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place.
13 Monka mo ho nkɔto no, ansa na waforo akɔ bepɔ no so akɔdidi. Nnipa no mfiri aseɛ nnidi kɔsi sɛ ɔbɛhyira aduane no so.”
As soon as you have come into the city, you will immediately find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those who are invited eat. Now therefore go up; for at this time you will find him.”
14 Enti, wɔkɔɔ kuro no mu. Na wɔrewura apono no mu no, na Samuel ani kyerɛ wɔn so a ɔrekɔforo bepɔ no.
They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out toward them to go up to the high place.
15 Na Awurade aka akyerɛ Samuel, ɛda a atwam no sɛ,
Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
16 “Ɔkyena sɛsɛɛ, mɛsoma obi afiri Benyamin asase so. Sra no ngo, na ɔmmɛyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ kannifoɔ. Ɔbɛgye wɔn afiri Filistifoɔ nsam. Mede ahummɔborɔ ahwɛ me nkurɔfoɔ, na mate wɔn sufrɛ.”
“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man out of the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry has come to me.”
17 Ɛberɛ a Samuel hunuu Saulo ara pɛ, Awurade kaa sɛ, “Yei ne ɔbarima a mekaa ne ho asɛm kyerɛɛ wo no. Ɔno na ɔbɛdi me nkurɔfoɔ so no.”
When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said to him, “Behold, the man of whom I spoke to you! He will have authority over my people.”
18 Ɛhɔ ara, Saulo kɔɔ Samuel nkyɛn wɔ abɔntenpono no ano kɔbisaa no sɛ, “Wobɛtumi akyerɛ me baabi a ademuhununi no fie wɔ anaa?”
Then Saul approached Samuel in the gateway, and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
19 Samuel buaa sɛ, “Mene adehunumuni no. Di mʼanim ɛkan wɔ bepɔ no so, kɔ baabi a wɔbɔ afɔdeɛ hɔ, na yɛn nyinaa bɛdidi wɔ hɔ. Anɔpa, mɛkyerɛ wo deɛ wopɛ sɛ wohunu, na magya wo ɛkwan.
Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you are to eat with me today. In the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is in your heart.
20 Na mfunumu a wɔyeraeɛ nnansa ne ɛnnɛ no, mma wɔn ho asɛm nha wo koraa, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔahunu wɔn. Na mepɛ sɛ meka kyerɛ wo sɛ, Israel anidasoɔ nyinaa yɛ wo ne wo fiefoɔ.”
As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. For whom does all Israel desire? Is it not you and all your father’s house?”
21 Saulo buaa sɛ, “Mefiri Benyamin a ɛyɛ abusua ketewa koraa wɔ mmusuakuo no mu. Na me fie nso yɛ ketewa koraa wɔ Benyamin mmusua no nyinaa mu. Na adɛn enti na woka yei kyerɛ me?”
Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?”
22 Enti, Samuel de Saulo ne ne ɔsomfoɔ no baa asa so hɔ. Ɔmaa wɔtenaa wɔn a wɔato nsa afrɛ wɔn no ɛpono ti, de hyɛɛ wɔn animuonyam wɔ nnipa dodoɔ bɛyɛ sɛ aduasa no anim.
Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the guest room, and made them sit in the best place among those who were invited, who were about thirty persons.
23 Samuel ka kyerɛɛ osoodoni no sɛ, “Fa ɛnam sini a mede maa wo no bra, deɛ wɔde asie ama deɛ wɔrehyɛ no animuonyam no.”
Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’”
24 Enti, osoodoni no de ba bɛtoo Saulo anim. Samuel kaa sɛ, “Di deɛ wɔde asi wʼanim no. Mede sie maa wo ansa na mereto nsa afrɛ afoforɔ yi.” Enti Saulo ne Samuel didiiɛ.
The cook took up the thigh, and that which was on it, and set it before Saul. Samuel said, “Behold, that which has been reserved! Set it before yourself and eat; because it has been kept for you for the appointed time, for I said, ‘I have invited the people.’” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 Apontoɔ no akyi a wɔsane baa kuro no mu no, Samuel de Saulo kɔɔ atifi dan mu kɔsiesie daberɛ maa no.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop.
26 Adeɛ kyee anɔpa no, Samuel kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn kɔfrɛɛ no sɛ, “Sɔre! Anka ɛsɛ sɛ saa ɛberɛ yi wonam ɛkwan so.” Enti, Saulo siesiee ne ho na ɔne Samuel nyinaa bɔɔ mu firii efie hɔ.
They arose early; and about daybreak, Samuel called to Saul on the housetop, saying, “Get up, that I may send you away.” Saul arose, and they both went outside, he and Samuel, together.
27 Wɔduruu kurotia no, Samuel ka kyerɛɛ Saulo sɛ ɔnsoma ne ɔsomfoɔ no nni wɔn ɛkan. Ɔsomfoɔ no kɔeɛ no, Samuel kaa sɛ, “Tena ha, ɛfiri sɛ, Onyankopɔn de nkra sononko bi ama me a, ɛsɛ sɛ meka kyerɛ wo.”
As they were going down at the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go on ahead of us.” He went ahead, then Samuel said, “But stand still first, that I may cause you to hear God’s message.”
