撒母耳記上 9
1 本雅明支派有個人名叫克士，他是阿彼耳的兒子，阿彼耳是責洛爾的兒子，責洛爾是貝苛辣特的兒子，貝苛辣特是阿非亞的兒子；這本雅明人是個英勇的戰士。
Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name [was] Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power.
2 他有個兒子名叫撒烏耳，魁梧英俊，在以色列人中沒有比他更俊美的，比所有的人高出一肩。
And he had a son, whose name [was] Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and [there was] not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward [he was] higher than any of the people.
3 撒烏耳的父親克士有幾匹母驢，走迷了路，克士遂對兒子撒烏耳說：「你帶一個僕人，起身去尋找那些驢。」
And the asses of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.
4 他們走過了厄弗辣因山地和沙里地方，卻沒有找著；又過了沙阿林地方，也沒有找到；最後經過耶米尼地方，也不見蹤影。
And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they found [them] not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and [there they were] not: and he passed through the land of the Benjamites, but they found [them] not.
5 當他們來到族弗地方時，撒烏耳對跟隨自己的僕人說：「我們回去罷! 免得我父親不掛念驢，反而掛慮我們。」
[And] when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that [was] with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father leave [caring] for the asses, and take thought for us.
6 僕人回答他說：「請看，這城裏有一位天主的人，很受敬重；凡他說的，必定應驗；現在我們往那裏去，或許他會告訴我們應走的路。」
And he said unto him, Behold now, [there is] in this city a man of God, and [he is] an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.
7 撒烏耳回答僕人說：「好! 我們可以去，但是給那人送什麼呢﹖我們袋裏的乾糧已經用盡，沒有禮物可送給天主的人了。我們還有什麼呢﹖」
Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, [if] we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and [there is] not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?
8 僕人回答撒烏耳說：「看，我手裏還有四分之一「協刻耳」銀子，你可把它送給天主的人，請他把我們當走的路告訴我們。」
And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: [that] will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
9 撒烏耳對他的僕人說：「你說的對，來，我們去罷! 」他們就往天主的人所住的城裏去了。
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)
10 當他們上那城的山坡時，遇見一些少女出來打水，就問她們說：「先見者在這裏嗎﹖」──
Then said Saul to his servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God [was].
11 過去在以色列，如果有人去求問天主，常說：「來，我們到先見者那裏去! 」現今所稱的「先知，」就是從前稱的「先見者。」──
[And] as they went up the hill to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
12 她們回答說：「是。看，先見者就在你們前面，剛剛進了城，因為今天百姓要在高丘上舉行祭獻。
And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, [he is] before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for [there is] a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
13 你們進了城，在他上到高丘進食以前，一定會遇見他，因為人民在他來以前，不先吃什麼，因他要祝福犧牲，然後賓客纔進食。你們現在上去，立刻會遇見他。」
As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; [and] afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.
14 他們於是上到那城，剛進城門，看，撒慕爾就朝著他們出來，要上高丘去。
And they went up into the city: [and] when they were come into the city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.
15 在撒烏耳來的前一日，上主曾啟示給撒慕爾說：「
Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,
16 明日大約這時，我打發一個本雅明地方的人到你這裏來，你要給他傅油，立他當我民以色列的首領，他要從培肋舍特人手中拯救我的百姓，因我已看到我百姓的痛苦，他們的哀號已上達於我。」
To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him [to be] captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
17 撒慕爾一看見撒烏耳，上主就提醒他說：「看，這就是我曾對你提及的那人，他要統治我的百姓。」
And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
18 撒烏耳走到撒慕爾跟前，在城門洞中問他說：「請你告訴我，先見者的家在那裏﹖」
Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house [is].
19 撒慕爾回答撒烏耳說：「我就是先見者；請你在我以前上高丘去；你們今天要同我一起吃飯，明天早晨我打發你去，你心中所懷念的事，我會全告訴你。
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I [am] the seer: go up before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that [is] in thine heart.
20 至於三天以前你所失的母驢，不必擔心，都已找著了。此外，以色列所有的至寶是誰的呢﹖豈不是你和你父親全家的嗎! 」
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind on them; for they are found. And on whom [is] all the desire of Israel? [Is it] not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?
21 撒烏耳回答說：「我豈不是一個本雅明人，屬於以色列最小的一支派嗎﹖我的家族在本雅明家族中，不也是最小的嗎﹖你怎能向我說出這樣的話﹖」
And Saul answered and said, [Am] not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?
22 以後撒慕爾將撒烏耳和他的僕人領到餐廳內，叫他們坐在賓客的首位上，賓客約有三十人。
And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which [were] about thirty persons.
23 撒慕爾對廚師說：「將我交給你的那份，即對你說：暫且留下的那一份，給我拿來。」
And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.
24 廚師遂把後腿和肥尾端上來，放在撒烏耳面前。撒慕爾對他說：「看，擺在你面前的，是預先特意保留的一份，請吃罷! 因為特意為你保留下的，叫你好同賓客一起吃。」撒烏耳那天就同撒慕爾一起吃了飯。
And the cook took up the shoulder, and [that] which [was] upon it, and set [it] before Saul. And [Samuel] said, Behold that which is left! set [it] before thee, [and] eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel that day.
25 他們從高丘下到城裏，有人在露台上給撒烏耳舖好了臥榻，
And when they were come down from the high place into the city, [Samuel] communed with Saul upon the top of the house.
26 撒烏耳就睡在那裏。天一亮，撒慕爾就叫醒在露台上的撒烏耳，對他說：「起來，讓我送你走。」撒烏耳起來，他們二人，即他和撒慕爾，就往城外走；
And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.
27 當他們下到城邊時，撒慕爾對撒烏耳說：「你吩咐僕人，叫他在我們前面先走，你暫且停留一會，我要把天主話告訴你。」
[And] as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on, ) but stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.
