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 man of Benjamin, strong and robust.
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 called Saul, an elect and good man. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he was. For he stood head and shoulders above all the people.
3 Ɛda bi Kis mfunumu yeraeɛ, na ɔka kyerɛɛ Saulo sɛ, “Fa asomfoɔ no mu baako, na wone no nkɔhwehwɛ mfunumu no.”
Now the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, had become lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, “Take with you one of the servants, and rising up, go out and seek the donkeys.” And when they had passed through mount Ephraim,
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.
and through the land of Shalishah, and had not found them, they crossed also through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, and through the land of Benjamin, and they found nothing.
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.”
And when they had arrived in the land of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, otherwise perhaps my father may forget the donkeys, and become anxious over 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.”
And he said to him: “Behold, there is a man of God in this city, a noble man. All that he says, happens without fail. Now therefore, let us go there. For perhaps he may tell us about our way, because of which we have arrived.”
7 Saulo buaa no sɛ, “Yɛnni hwee a yɛbɛtumi de akyɛ saa ɔbarima no, yɛn nnuane mpo asa, yɛnni biribiara a yɛde bɛma no.”
And Saul said to his servant: “Behold, let us go. But what will we bring to the man of God? The bread in our sacks has run out. And we have no small gift that we might give to the man of God, nor anything at all.”
8 Ɔsomfoɔ no buaa no bio sɛ, “Hwɛ! Mewɔ dwetɛ gram mmiɛnsa. Yɛbɛtumi de ama no, na yɛahwɛ deɛ ɛbɛsie.”
The servant again responded to Saul, and he said: “Behold, there is found in my hand a coin of the fourth part of a stater. Let us give it to the man of God, so that he may reveal to 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 past times, in Israel, anyone going to consult God would speak in this way, “Come, and let us go to the seer.” For one who is called a prophet today, in past times was 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.
And Saul said to his servant: “Your word is very good. Come, let us go.” And they went into 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 ascending the slope to the city, they found some young women going out to draw water. And they 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.
And responding, they said to them: “He is. Behold, he is ahead of you. Hurry now. For he came into the city today, since there is a sacrifice for the people today, 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.”
Upon entering the city, you should find him immediately, before he ascends to the high place for the meal. And the people will not eat until he has arrived. For he blesses the victim, and thereafter those who were called will eat. Now therefore, go up. For you will find him today.”
14 Enti, wɔkɔɔ kuro no mu. Na wɔrewura apono no mu no, na Samuel ani kyerɛ wɔn so a ɔrekɔforo bepɔ no.
And they ascended into the city. And as they were walking in the midst of the city, Samuel appeared, advancing to meet them, so that he might ascend to the high place.
15 Na Awurade aka akyerɛ Samuel, ɛda a atwam no sɛ,
Now the Lord had revealed to the ear of Samuel, one day before Saul had arrived, 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, at the same hour that it is now, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin. And you shall anoint him to be the leader over my people Israel. And he will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked with favor upon my people, because their outcry has reached 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.”
And when Samuel had caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him: “Behold, the man about whom I spoke to you. This one 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?”
Then Saul drew near to Samuel, at the middle of the gate, and he said, “Tell me, I beg you: where is the house of the seer?”
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.
And Samuel responded to Saul, saying: “I am the seer. Ascend before me to the high place, so that you may eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning. And I shall reveal to you everything 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.”
And concerning the donkeys, which were lost the day before yesterday, you should not be anxious, for they have been found. And all the best things of Israel, for whom should they be? Will they not be for you and for 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?”
And responding, Saul said: “Am I not a son of Benjamin, the least tribe of Israel, and are not my kindred the last among all the families from the tribe of Benjamin? So then, why would you speak this word 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.
And so Samuel, taking Saul and his servant, brought them into the dining room, and he gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited. For there were about thirty men.
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, “Present the portion that I gave to you, and which I instructed you to set apart beside you.”
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.
Then the cook lifted up the shoulder, and he placed it before Saul. And Samuel said: “Behold, what remains, set it before you and eat. For it was preserved for you intentionally, when I called the people.” And Saul ate with Samuel on 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 they descended from the high place into the town, and he spoke with Saul in the upper room. And he set out a bed for Saul in the upper room, and he slept.
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.
And when they had risen in the morning, and it now began to be light, Samuel called to Saul in the upper room, saying, “Rise up, so that I may send you on.” And Saul rose up. And they both departed, that is to say, he and Samuel.
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.”
And as they were descending to the very limit of the city, Samuel said to Saul: “Tell the servant to go ahead of us, and to continue on. But as for you, stay here a little while, so that I may reveal the word of the Lord to you.”
