撒母耳记上 9
1 有一个便雅悯人，名叫基士，是便雅悯人亚斐亚的玄孙，比歌拉的曾孙，洗罗的孙子，亚别的儿子，是个大能的勇士。
There was a man from Benjamin, a man of influence. His name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Bekorath son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite.
2 他有一个儿子，名叫扫罗，又健壮、又俊美，在以色列人中没有一个能比他的；身体比众民高过一头。
He had a son named Saul, a handsome young man. There was no man among the people of Israel who was a more handsome person than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
3 扫罗的父亲基士丢了几头驴，他就吩咐儿子扫罗说：“你带一个仆人去寻找驴。”
Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, “Take one of the servants with you; arise and go look for the donkeys.”
4 扫罗就走过以法莲山地，又过沙利沙地，都没有找着；又过沙琳地，驴也不在那里；又过便雅悯地，还没有找着。
So Saul passed through the hill country of Ephraim and went through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. Then they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they did not find them.
5 到了苏弗地，扫罗对跟随他的仆人说：“我们不如回去，恐怕我父亲不为驴挂心，反为我们担忧。”
When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, let us go back, or my father may stop caring for the donkeys and begin to worry about us.”
6 仆人说：“这城里有一位神人，是众人所尊重的，凡他所说的全都应验。我们不如往他那里去，或者他能将我们当走的路指示我们。”
But the servant said to him, “Listen, there is a man of God in this city. He is a man who is held in honor; everything that he says comes true. Let us go there; maybe he can tell us which way we should go on our journey.”
7 扫罗对仆人说：“我们若去，有什么可以送那人呢？我们囊中的食物都吃尽了，也没有礼物可以送那神人，我们还有什么没有？”
Then Saul said to his servant, “But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sack is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?”
8 仆人回答扫罗说：“我手里有银子一舍客勒的四分之一，可以送那神人，请他指示我们当走的路。”（
The servant answered Saul and said, “Here, I have with me one-fourth of a shekel of silver that I will give to the man of God, to tell us which way we should go.”
9 从前以色列中，若有人去问 神，就说：“我们问先见去吧！”现在称为“先知”的，从前称为“先见”。）
(Formerly in Israel, when a man went to seek the knowledge of God's will, he said, “Come, let us go to the seer.” For today's prophet was formerly called a seer.)
10 扫罗对仆人说：“你说的是，我们可以去。”于是他们往神人所住的城里去了。
Then Saul said to his servant, “Well said. Come, let us go.” So they went to the city where the man of God was.
11 他们上坡要进城，就遇见几个少年女子出来打水，问她们说：“先见在这里没有？”
As they went up the hill to the city, they found young women coming out to draw water; Saul and his servant said to them, “Is the seer here?”
12 女子回答说：“在这里，他在你们前面。快去吧！他今日正到城里，因为今日百姓要在邱坛献祭。
They answered, and said, “He is; see, he is just ahead of you. Hurry up, for he is coming to the city today, because the people are sacrificing today at the high place.
13 在他还没有上邱坛吃祭物之先，你们一进城必遇见他；因他未到，百姓不能吃，必等他先祝祭，然后请的客才吃。现在你们上去，这时候必遇见他。”
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 will bless the sacrifice; afterwards those who are invited will eat. Now go up, for you will find him immediately.”
14 二人就上去；将进城的时候，撒母耳正迎着他们来，要上邱坛去。
So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them, to go up to the high place.
15 扫罗未到的前一日，耶和华已经指示撒母耳说：
Now the day before Saul came, Yahweh had revealed to Samuel:
16 “明日这时候，我必使一个人从便雅悯地到你这里来，你要膏他作我民以色列的君。他必救我民脱离非利士人的手；因我民的哀声上达于我，我就眷顾他们。”
“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you will anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He will save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked on my people with pity because their call for help has come to me.”
17 撒母耳看见扫罗的时候，耶和华对他说：“看哪，这人就是我对你所说的，他必治理我的民。”
When Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh told him, “Here is the man I told you about! He is the one who will rule over my people.”
18 扫罗在城门里走到撒母耳跟前，说：“请告诉我，先见的寓所在哪里？”
Then Saul came close to Samuel in the gate and said, “Tell me where is the house of the seer?”
19 撒母耳回答说：“我就是先见。你在我前面上邱坛去，因为你们今日必与我同席；明日早晨我送你去，将你心里的事都告诉你。
Samuel answered Saul and said, “I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you will eat with me. In the morning I will let you go, and I will tell you everything that is on your mind.
20 至于你前三日所丢的那几头驴，你心里不必挂念，已经找着了。以色列众人所仰慕的是谁呢？不是仰慕你和你父的全家吗？”
As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not worry about them, for they have been found. Then on whom are all the desires of Israel set? Is it not on you and all your father's house?”
21 扫罗说：“我不是以色列支派中至小的便雅悯人吗？我家不是便雅悯支派中至小的家吗？你为何对我说这样的话呢？”
Saul answered and said, “Am not I a Benjamite, from the smallest of the tribes of Israel? Is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this manner?”
22 撒母耳领扫罗和他仆人进了客堂，使他们在请来的客中坐首位；客约有三十个人。
So Samuel took Saul and his servant, brought them into the hall, and seated them at the head place of those who had been invited, who were about thirty people.
23 撒母耳对厨役说：“我交给你收存的那一分祭肉现在可以拿来。”
Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave to you, of which I said to you, 'Put it aside.'”
24 厨役就把收存的腿拿来，摆在扫罗面前，撒母耳说：“这是所留下的，放在你面前。吃吧！因我请百姓的时候，特意为你存留这肉到此时。” 当日，扫罗就与撒母耳同席。
So the cook took up the thigh and what was on it and set it before Saul. Then Samuel said, “See what has been kept is set before you. Eat it, because it has been kept for you until the appointed time, from the time when I said, 'I have invited the people.'” So Saul ate with Samuel that day.
25 众人从邱坛下来进城，撒母耳和扫罗在房顶上说话。
When they had come down from the high place into the city, Samuel spoke with Saul on the rooftop.
26 次日清早起来，黎明的时候，扫罗在房顶上。撒母耳呼叫他说：“起来吧，我好送你回去。”扫罗就起来，和撒母耳一同出去。
Then at the break of dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the rooftop and said, “Get up, so I can send you on your way.” So Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.
27 二人下到城角，撒母耳对扫罗说：“要吩咐仆人先走（仆人就先走了）；你且站在这里，等我将 神的话传与你听。”
As they were going to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, “Tell the servant to go ahead of us”—and he went ahead—”but you must stay here awhile, that I may announce the message of God to you.”
