1 Samuel 9
1 Ɔbarima ɔdefo bi a odi mu tenaa ase a na ne din de Kis na ofi Benyamin abusua mu. Na ɔyɛ Abiel babarima, na ne nena ne Seror a ofi Bekorat fi 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 valour.
2 Na ne babarima Saulo ho yɛ fɛ yiye sen obiara wɔ Israel. Na ɔware sen obiara fi ne mmati kosi ne ti so wɔ asase no so.
He had a son whose name was Saul, an impressive young man; and there was not amongst the children of Israel a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders and upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 Da bi Kis mfurum yerae, na ɔka kyerɛɛ Saulo se, “Fa asomfo no mu baako, na wo ne no nkɔhwehwɛ mfurum 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 asomfo no mu baako. Wɔkɔfaa Efraim bepɔw asase, Salisa asase, Saalim fam ne Benyamin asase nyinaa so, nanso wɔanhu mfurum no baabiara.
He passed through the hill country of Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they didn’t find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, and they weren’t there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they didn’t find them.
5 Na woduu Suf mansin mu no, Saulo ka kyerɛɛ ɔsomfo a ɔka ne ho no se, “Bra, ma yɛnsan nkɔ faako a yefi bae, na ebia, mʼagya agyae mfurum no ho dwene, ɔredwen 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 ɔsomfo no buae se, “Manya adwene bi, Onyame nipa bi te kurow yi mu a wobu no yiye. Na asɛm biara a ɔbɛka nso ba mu. Ma yɛnkɔ ne hɔ mprempren ara, ebia obetumi akyerɛ yɛn faako 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 honour. All that he says surely happens. Now let’s go there. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.”
7 Saulo buaa no se, “Yenni hwee a yebetumi de akyɛ saa ɔbarima no, yɛn nnuan mpo asa, yenni 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 Ɔsomfo no buaa no bio se, “Hwɛ! Mewɔ dwetɛ gram abiɛsa. Yebetumi de ama no, na yɛahwɛ nea ebesi.”
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 bere no, sɛ nnipa rekobisa Onyankopɔn hɔ ade a, wɔka se, “Momma yenkobisa adehuni” efisɛ saa bere no na wɔfrɛ adiyifo adehuni.)
(In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to enquire 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 somfo no se, “Eye, ma yɛnsɔ nhwɛ!” Enti wosii mu kɔɔ kurow a Onyame nipa 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 bepɔw bi akɔ kurow no mu no, wohyiaa mmabaa bi a wɔrekɔsaw nsu, na Saulo ne ne somfo no bisaa wɔn se, “Adehuni no wɔ ha nnɛ?”
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 Wobuae se, “Ɔwɔ mo anim. Monka mo ho, nnɛ ara a waba yɛn kurow yi mu efisɛ ɔmanfo rebɛbɔ afɔre wɔ bepɔw 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 bepɔw no so akodidi. Nnipa no mfi ase nnidi kosi sɛ obehyira aduan 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 kurow no mu. Na wɔrewura apon no mu no, na Samuel ani kyerɛ wɔn so a ɔrekɔforo bepɔw no.
They went up to the city. As they came within the city, behold, Samuel came out towards them to go up to the high place.
15 Na Awurade aka akyerɛ Samuel da a atwa mu no se,
Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
16 “Ɔkyena sesɛɛ, mɛsoma obi afi Benyamin asase so. Sra no ngo, na ɔmmɛyɛ me nkurɔfo Israelfo kannifo. Obegye wɔn afi Filistifo nsam. Mede ahummɔbɔ ahwɛ me nkurɔfo, 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 Bere a Samuel huu Saulo ara pɛ, Awurade kae se, “Oyi ne ɔbarima a mekaa ne ho asɛm kyerɛɛ wo no. Ɔno na obedi me nkurɔfo 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 Saulo kɔɔ Samuel nkyɛn wɔ abɔntenpon no ano kobisaa no se, “Wubetumi akyerɛ me baabi a ɔdehufo no fi wɔ ana?”
Then Saul approached Samuel in the gateway, and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
19 Samuel buae se, “Mene ɔdehufo no. Di mʼanim kan wɔ bepɔw no so, kɔ faako a wɔbɔ afɔre hɔ, na yɛn nyinaa bedidi wɔ hɔ. Anɔpa, mɛkyerɛ wo nea wopɛ sɛ wuhu, na magya wo kwan.
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 mfurum a wɔyeraa nnɛnnansa no, mma wɔn ho asɛm nhaw wo koraa, efisɛ wɔahu wɔn. Na mepɛ sɛ meka kyerɛ wo se, Israel anidaso nyinaa yɛ wo ne wo fifo.”
As for your donkeys who were lost three days ago, don’t 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 buae se, “So mimfi Benyamin a ɛyɛ abusua ketewa koraa wɔ mmusuakuw no mu. Na me fi nso nyɛ ketewa koraa wɔ Benyamin afi no nyinaa mu. Na adɛn nti na woka eyi 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 somfo no baa asa so hɔ. Ɔma wɔtenaa wɔn a wɔato nsa afrɛ wɔn no pon ti, de hyɛɛ wɔn anuonyam wɔ nnipa dodow 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 amongst those who were invited, who were about thirty persons.
23 Samuel ka kyerɛɛ osoodoni no se, “Fa nam sin a mede maa wo no bra, nea wɔde asie ama nea wɔrehyɛ no anuonyam 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 kae se, “Di nea wɔde asi wʼanim no. Mede sie maa wo ansa na mereto nsa afrɛ afoforo yi.” Enti Saulo ne Samuel didii.
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 Aponto no akyi a wɔsan baa kurow no mu no, Samuel de Saulo kɔɔ atifi dan mu kosiesie nnabea maa no.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop.
26 Ade kyee anɔpa no, Samuel kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn kɔfrɛɛ no se, “Sɔre! Anka ɛsɛ sɛ saa bere yi wonam kwan so.” Enti Saulo siesiee ne ho na ɔne Samuel nyinaa bɔɔ mu fii fie 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 Woduu kurotia no, Samuel ka kyerɛɛ Saulo sɛ ɔnsoma ne somfo no nni wɔn kan. Ɔsomfo no kɔe no, Samuel kae se, “Tena ha, efisɛ 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.”
