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 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 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.
And he had a son named Saul, choice and handsome, without equal among the Israelites—a head 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.”
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 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.
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 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 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 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.”
“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 Saulo buaa no sɛ, “Yɛnni hwee a yɛbɛtumi de akyɛ saa ɔbarima no, yɛn nnuane mpo asa, yɛnni biribiara a yɛde bɛma no.”
“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 Ɔsomfoɔ no buaa no bio sɛ, “Hwɛ! Mewɔ dwetɛ gram mmiɛnsa. Yɛbɛtumi de ama no, na yɛahwɛ deɛ ɛbɛsie.”
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 (Saa ɛberɛ no, sɛ nnipa rekɔbisa Onyankopɔn hɔ adeɛ a, wɔka sɛ, “Momma yɛnkɔbisa ademuhununi” ɛfiri sɛ, saa ɛberɛ no na wɔfrɛ adiyifoɔ ademuhunufoɔ.)
(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 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.
“Good,” said Saul to his servant. “Come, let us go.” So they set out for 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?”
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 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.
“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 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 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 Enti, wɔkɔɔ kuro no mu. Na wɔrewura apono no mu no, na Samuel ani kyerɛ wɔn so a ɔrekɔforo bepɔ no.
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 Na Awurade aka akyerɛ Samuel, ɛda a atwam no sɛ,
Now on the day before Saul’s arrival, the LORD had revealed to Samuel,
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.”
“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 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 told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke; he shall rule 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?”
Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and asked, “Would you 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.
“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 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 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 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 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 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.
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 Samuel ka kyerɛɛ osoodoni no sɛ, “Fa ɛnam sini a mede maa wo no bra, deɛ wɔde asie ama deɛ wɔrehyɛ no animuonyam no.”
And Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion I gave you and told you to set 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.
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 Apontoɔ no akyi a wɔsane baa kuro no mu no, Samuel de Saulo kɔɔ atifi dan mu kɔsiesie daberɛ maa no.
And after they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the roof of his house.
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 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 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 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.
