The First Book of Samuel
16 Last-last, Jehovah tell Samuel say: “Na how long you go de mourn for Saul, when e be say I don reject-am and I no want make e be king for Israel again? So make you full your horn with oil, I go send you go meet Jes′se wey be Beth′le·hem person, because I don choose one of im sons as king for myself.” 2 But Samuel talk say: “How I go take go? Because if Saul hear-am, e go kill me.” Jehovah come answer-am say: “Carry small cow as you de go and talk say, ‘I come do sacrifice to Jehovah.’ 3 Invite Jes′se come the place wey you go do the sacrifice; then I go tell you wetin you go do. You must anoint the person wey I go show you, for me.”
4 Samuel do wetin Jehovah talk. When e reach Beth′le·hem, the elders for the city come de shake when them see-am, and them ask-am say: “This one wey you come, everything dey okay so?” 5 Then e answer them say: “Everything dey okay. I come do sacrifice to Jehovah. Make una make unaself clean, and follow me go where I go do the sacrifice.” Then e make Jes′se and im sons clean. After that one, e tell them make them come where e go do the sacrifice. 6 As them enter the place wey them go do the sacrifice and e see E·li′ab, e talk say: “I dey sure say na the person wey Jehovah don anoint stand for im front so.” 7 But Jehovah tell Samuel say: “Make you no look how im body be and how e tall reach, because I don reject-am. Because the way man de see things no be so God de see them, and that na because man de see only wetin im eye fit see, but Jehovah de see wetin dey inside the heart.” 8 Then Jes′se call A·bin′a·dab make e stand for Samuel front, but Samuel talk say: “Jehovah no choose this one too.” 9 Then Jes′se call Sham′mah come, but Samuel talk say: “Jehovah no choose this one too.” 10 Na so Jes′se bring seven of im sons come Samuel front, but Samuel talk say: “Jehovah no choose any of them.”
11 At last, Samuel come ask Jes′se say: “Na all the boys wey you get be this?” So e talk say: “Na the last one no dey here since. E de take care of the sheep.” Then Samuel tell Jes′se say: “Send person make e go call-am, because we no go sitdown chop until e come here.” 12 So e send person make them go call-am, and e bring-am come meet Samuel. The boy fine, im skin fresh, and e get fine eyes. Then Jehovah talk say: “Na im be this, stand up make you anoint-am!” 13 So Samuel take the horn wey oil dey inside and anoint-am for front of im brothers, and the spirit of Jehovah start to give David power from that day go. After, Samuel comot from there go Ra′mah.
14 That time, Jehovah spirit don leave Saul, and one bad spirit from Jehovah de worry-am. 15 Saul servants come tell-am say: “You don see say bad spirit from God de worry you. 16 So our lord, abeg, make you tell us your servants wey dey with you here say make we find person wey sabi play harp* well, so that anytime wey bad spirit from God enter you, the person go play the harp* and your body go come down.” 17 So Saul tell im servants say: “Abeg, make una find person wey sabi play harp* well, and bring-am come for me.”
18 One of the servants come talk say: “I don see how one of the sons of Jes′se wey be Beth′le·hem person de play harp* well. E no de fear, na strong soldier e be, e sabi how to talk, e fine, and Jehovah dey with-am.” 19 Saul come send people make them go meet Jes′se and tell-am say: “Make you send your son David, wey de take care of the sheep, make e come meet me.” 20 So Jes′se carry bread and animal skin bottle wey wine dey inside, e put them ontop donkey, with small goat, and send them with David im son go give Saul. 21 Na so David come meet Saul and start to work for-am. Saul come start to love David and e love-am well-well. David come be person wey de carry im weapons. 22 Then Saul send message to Jes′se say: “Abeg, allow David make e continue to work for me, because I don really like-am.” 23 Anytime wey bad spirit from God start to worry Saul, David go play the harp* for-am. Saul body go come down, and im condition go better, then the bad spirit go leave-am.