1 Samuel 9
1 E nwere otu nwoke si Benjamin aha ya bụ Kish nwa Abiel, nwa Zeroa, nwa Bekorat, nwa Afia, onye Benjamin, burukwa oke mmadụ a maa ama.
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 O nwere nwa nwoke aha ya bụ Sọl, onye bụ okorobịa nọ nʼuju ya. O nweghị nwoke ọzọ e ji atụnyere ya nʼIzrel niile. O toro ogologo karịa onye ọbụla site nʼubu ruo nʼisi.
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 Otu ụbọchị, ụfọdụ nʼime ịnyịnya ibu Kish nna Sọl nwere kpafuru. Nʼihi ya, Kish kpọrọ Sọl gwa ya okwu sị, “Duru otu odibo ka gị na ya soro ga chọgharịa ịnyịnya ibu ndị a.”
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 Ha chọrọ ịnyịnya ndị ahụ gaa nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem, na nʼakụkụ Shalisha, ma ha ahụghị ha. Ha chọkwara ha gaa nʼakụkụ Shaalim, ma ha ahụghị ha nʼebe ahụ. Emesịa, ha chọrọ ịnyịnya ibu ndị ahụ gaa nʼala niile nke ndị Benjamin, ma ha ahụghị ha ebe ọbụla.
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 Nʼikpeazụ, mgbe ha chọọrọ ha rute nʼala Zuf, Sọl gwara onyeozi ahụ ya na ya so, sị, “Ka anyị laghachi, nʼihi na ọ bụrụ na nna m elee anya anyị ma ọ hụghị anyị, ọ ga-amalite iche echiche banyere anyị karịa ịnyịnya ibu ndị a.”
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 Ma odibo ahụ zara ya sị, “Lee, e nwere otu onye nke Chineke bi nʼobodo a; ọ bụkwa onye mmadụ niile na-asọpụrụ nʼihi na ihe ọbụla o kwuru na-emezu. Ka anyị gaa hụ ya, ma eleghị anya ọ ga-agwa anyị ụzọ anyị ga-esi.”
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 Sọl sịrị odibo ya, “Ọ bụrụ na anyị agaa, gịnị ka anyị ga-enye nwoke ahụ? Nri dị na-akpa anyị agwụla, ọ dịkwaghị onyinye anyị nwere nke anyị ga-enye onye nke Chineke. Gịnị ka anyị nwere?”
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 Onyeozi ahụ zara ya ọzọ sị, “Lee, enwere m otu mkpụrụ shekel ọlaọcha. Aga m enye ya onye Chineke a ka ọ gwa anyị ụzọ anyị ga-esi.”
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 (Na mgbe gara aga nʼIzrel, ọ bụrụ na mmadụ agaa iju Chineke ase, ọ na-asị, “Bịa ka anyị jekwuru onye ọhụ ụzọ,” nʼihi na onye a na-akpọ onye amụma taa, ka a na-akpọ onye ọhụ ụzọ nʼoge ahụ).
(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 Sọl sịrị odibo ya, “Ọ dị mma, Bịa ka anyị gaa.” Ha biliri gawa nʼobodo ebe onye Chineke ahụ nọ.
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 Mgbe ha na-arịgo ugwu ịbanye obodo ahụ, ha zutere ụfọdụ ụmụ agbọghọ ka ha na-apụta iseta mmiri, jụọ ha ajụjụ sị, “Onye ọhụ ụzọ ahụ ọ nọ nʼebe a?”
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 Ụmụ agbọghọ ahụ zara ha sị, “E, ọ nọ ya. Lee ya ka ọ na-aga nʼihu unu. Unu jesie ike unu ga-ahụ ya. Ugbu a ka ọ batara obodo anyị, nʼihi na ọ na-aga iso ndị mmadụ gaa ịchụ aja nʼebe dị elu.
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 Ngwangwa unu banye nʼobodo, unu ga-ahụ ya tupu o gaa nʼebe dị elu iri ihe. Nʼihi na ndị mmadụ agaghị ebido iri ihe tutu ruo mgbe o rutere, nʼihi na ọ ghaghị ịgọzi ihe aja ahụ tupu ndị a kpọrọ oku ebido iri ihe. Gbagoonụ unu ga-ahụ ya nʼoge dịka nke a.”
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 Ya mere, ha mere ngwangwa, baa nʼime obodo ahụ. Dịka ha na-abata nʼime obodo, lee Samuel ka ọ na-abịakwute ha; ọ na-aga nʼebe ahụ dị elu.
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 Ma nʼụbọchị bọrọ tupu ụbọchị Sọl na-abịa, Onyenwe anyị kpughere nke a nye Samuel.
Now the LORD had revealed to Samuel a day before Saul came, saying,
16 “Dịka mgbe a echi, aga m ezitere gị otu nwoke sị nʼala Benjamin. Ị ga-ete ya mmanụ nke ga-eme ya ka ọ bụrụ onyendu Izrel ndị m. Ọ ga-azọpụta ha site nʼaka ndị Filistia, nʼihi na ahụla m ahụhụ nke ha nọ nʼime ya; anụkwala m ịkwa akwa ha.”
“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 Mgbe Samuel hụrụ Sọl, Onyenwe anyị gwara ya sị, “Lee nwoke ahụ m gwara gị ihe banyere ya! Ọ bụ ya ga-achị ndị m.”
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 Ma Sọl bịaruru Samuel nso jụọ ya sị, “Biko, zi m ebe ụlọ onye ọhụ ụzọ dị.”
Then Saul approached Samuel in the gateway, and said, “Please tell me where the seer’s house is.”
19 Samuel zara sị ya, “Mụ onwe m bụ ọhụ ụzọ ahụ. Gaanụ nʼihu m rigoruo nʼebe dị elu, nʼihi na mụ na unu ga-eso rikọọ nri taa. Nʼụtụtụ echi aga m agwa gị ihe dị gị nʼobi. Aga m ezilagakwa gị.
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 Enyela obi gị nsogbu maka ịnyịnya ibu ndị ahụ furu efu nʼabalị atọ gara aga, nʼihi na a chọtala ha. Ma, onye ka mmadụ ahụ bụ, onye ndị Izrel niile na-achọsi ike? Ọ bụghị gị na ezinaụlọ nna gị.”
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 Ma Sọl zara sị, “Ọ bụghị onye Benjamin ka m bụ, onye sitere nʼebo kachasị nta nʼIzrel; ọ bụghị agbụrụ m dịkarịsịrị nta nʼetiti agbụrụ niile ọzọ dị nʼebo Benjamin? Gịnị mere i ji agwa m ụdị okwu dị otu a?”
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 Mgbe ahụ, Samuel duuru Sọl na onyeozi ya kpọbata ha nʼime ụlọ ukwu, nye ha ọnọdụ nʼisi oche nʼetiti iri mmadụ atọ ọ kpọrọ oriri.
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 gwara onyeisi ndị na-esi nri okwu sị, “Weta anụ ahụ m nyere gị, nke ahụ m sị gị ka ị debe iche.”
Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the portion which I gave you, of which I said to you, ‘Set it aside.’”
24 Onye na-esi nri weere ụkwụ anụ ahụ na ihe ndị so ya debe ya nʼihu Sọl. Samuel sịrị, “Lee, ihe ndị e wepụrụ ka e debere gị. Rie, nʼihi na e debere gị ya maka oge akara aka, site nʼoge ahụ m kwuru si, ‘Akpọrọ m ndị mmadụ oku nri.’” Sọl sooro Samuel rie nri nʼụbọchị ahụ.
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 Mgbe ha sitere nʼebe ahụ dị elu rịdata nʼobodo. Samuel kpanyere Sọl ụka nʼelu ụlọ ya.
When they had come down from the high place into the city, he talked with Saul on the housetop.
26 Nʼisi ụtụtụ mgbe ha biliri, Samuel kpọrọ Sọl nʼụlọ elu sị, “Jikere, ka m zilaga gị.” Mgbe Sọl kwadoro, ya na Samuel sooro pụọ nʼezi.
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 Ka ha na-arịda na-abịaru nsọtụ obodo ahụ, Samuel sịrị Sọl, “Gwa onyeozi ahụ ka ọ gafee nʼihu anyị.” Onyeozi ahụ mekwara otu a, ma, “Gị onwe gị chere ntakịrị oge nʼebe a ka m mee ka ị nụrụ ozi sitere nʼaka Chineke.”
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.”
