1 Samuel 1
1 Once there was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, from the tribe of Ephraim.
Kwakulendoda ethile yaseRamathayimi, umZufi owayevela elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi, ibizo layo lalingu-Elikhana indodana kaJerohamu, indodana ka-Elihu, indodana kaThohu, indodana kaZufi, umʼEfrayimi.
2 He had two wives. The name of the first wife was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
Wayelabafazi ababili; omunye wayethiwa nguHana omunye enguPhenina. UPhenina wayelabantwana kodwa uHana engelabo.
3 Every year Elkanah would leave his town and go to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord's priests.
Ngeminyaka yonke indoda le yayisuka emzini wakibo isiyakhonza, inikela lomhlatshelo kuThixo uSomandla eShilo, lapho uHofini loFinehasi, amadodana amabili ka-Eli, ababengabaphristi bakaThixo khona.
4 Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
Kwakusithi kungafika isikhathi sokuthi u-Elikhana anikele umhlatshelo, wayenika umkakhe uPhenina lawo wonke amadodana lamadodakazi akhe izabelo zenyama.
5 He would give an extra portion to Hannah, to show his love for her even though the Lord hadn't given her any children.
Kodwa uHana wayemnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili ngoba wayemthanda, kodwa uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe.
6 Her rival—the other wife—would taunt her badly to upset her because the Lord hadn't given her any children.
Njalo ngenxa yokuthi uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe, unyanewabo wayehlala emgolomba ukuze amcaphule.
7 This went on for years. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord's Temple, Peninnah would taunt her until she cried and couldn't eat.
Lokhu kwaqhubeka iminyaka yonke. Ngezikhathi zonke lapho uHana eye endlini kaThixo, unyanewabo wayemgolomba aze akhale njalo ehluleke lokudla.
8 “Hannah, what are you crying for?” her husband Elkanah would ask. “Why don't you eat? Why are you so upset? Aren't I better to you than ten sons?”
U-Elikhana umkakhe, wayesithi kuye, “Hana, ukhalelani na? Kungani ungadli na? Kungani udanile? Kuwe angiqakathekanga ukwedlula amadodana alitshumi na?”
9 One time when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to the Temple. Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the entrance to the Lord's Temple.
Kwake kwathi sebeqede ukudla lokunatha eShilo, uHana wasukuma. Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli umphristi wayehlezi esihlalweni phansi kwensika yomnyango wethempeli likaThixo.
10 She was terribly upset, and prayed to the Lord as she cried and cried.
Ngobuhlungu bomoya uHana wakhala kakhulu njalo wakhuleka kuThixo.
11 She made a vow, asking, “Lord Almighty, if only you would pay attention to the suffering of your servant and remember me, and not forget me but give me a son, then I will dedicate him to the Lord for his whole life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
Wafunga esithi, “Awu, Thixo Somandla, nxa ungakhangela nje usizi lwencekukazi yakho ungikhumbule, njalo ungayikhohlwa incekukazi yakho kodwa uyiphe indodana, lapho-ke ngizayinika uThixo okwensuku zonke zokuphila kwayo, njalo akulampuco ezasetshenziswe ekhanda layo.”
12 As Hannah went on praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.
Ekuqhubekeni kwakhe uHana ekhuleka kuThixo, u-Eli wananzelela umlomo wakhe.
13 Hannah was praying in her head, and though her lips were moving, her voice made no sound. Eli thought she must be drunk.
UHana wayekhulekela enhliziyweni yakhe, izindebe zakhe zinyikinyeka kodwa ilizwi lakhe lingezwakali. U-Eli wacabanga ukuthi wayedakiwe,
14 “Do you have to come here drunk?” he asked. “Get rid of your wine!”
ngakho wathi kuye, “Koze kube nini ulokhu udakwa na? Yekela iwayini lakho.”
15 “It's not that, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I'm a very miserable woman. I haven't been drinking wine or beer; I'm just pouring my heart out to the Lord.
“Akunjalo nkosi yami,” uHana waphendula. “Ngingowesifazane ohlupheke kakhulu. Kangizange nginathe iwayini kumbe utshwala. Kade ngisethula umphefumulo wami kuThixo.
16 Please don't think I'm a bad woman! I have been praying because of all my troubles and grief.”
Ungathathi incekukazi yakho njengowesifazane ogangileyo; kade ngikhuleka lapha ngenxa yosizi lwami olukhulu kanye lobuhlungu.”
17 “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for,” Eli replied.
U-Eli waphendula wathi, “Hamba ngokuthula, sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakupha lokho okucele kuye.”
18 “Thank you for your kindness to your servant,” she said. Then she went on her way, had something to eat, and she didn't look sad any more.
UHana wathi, “Sengathi incekukazi yakho ingathola umusa emehlweni akho.” Lapho-ke wasuka wahamba, wadla, njalo ubuso bakhe babungasadananga.
19 Elkanah and Hannah got up early the next morning to worship the Lord and then they went home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord honored her request.
Ekuseni okwalandelayo bavuka bayakhonza phambi kukaThixo basebebuyela emzini wabo eRama. U-Elikhana walala loHana umkakhe, uThixo wamkhumbula.
20 In due course she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
Ngakho ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uHana wathatha isisu wazala indodana. Wayetha ibizo wathi nguSamuyeli, esithi, “Ngoba ngamcela kuThixo.”
21 Elkanah and all his family went to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow.
Kwathi lapho u-Elikhana ehamba labendlu yakhe bonke ukuyanikela umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke kuThixo lokugcwalisa isifungo sakhe,
22 But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned I will take him to be presented to the Lord and to remain there forever.”
uHana kahambanga. Wathi kumkakhe, “Emva kokuba umfana eselunyulwe, ngizamthatha ngiyemethula phambi kukaThixo, njalo uzahlala khona kokuphela.”
23 “Do as you see fit,” her husband Elkanah replied. “Stay here until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill what he has said.” So Hannah stayed behind and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
U-Elikhana umkakhe wathi kuye, “Yenza lokho okukhanya kukuhle kuwe. Hlala khonapho uze umkhuphe ebeleni; kuphela nje sengathi uThixo angagcwalisa ilizwi lakhe.” Ngakho owesifazane wahlala ekhaya wondla indodana yakhe waze wayilumula.
24 When she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a wineskin containing wine. Even though the boy was young, she brought him to the Lord's Temple at Shiloh.
Emva kokuba esekhutshiwe ebeleni, wahamba lomfana, emncane enjalo kanye lenkunzi eyayileminyaka emithathu ubudala, lehefa lempuphu yengqoloyi kanye lembodlela yewayini, wamusa endlini kaThixo eShilo.
25 After they had slaughtered the bull, they presented the boy to Eli.
Kwathi inkunzi sebeyihlabile, bamhambisa umfana ku-Eli,
26 “Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here with you praying to the Lord.
uHana wasesithi kuye, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ukhona, nkosi yami, mina ngingulowana umfazi owema phansi kwakho ekhuleka kuThixo.
27 I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord has given me what I asked him for,
Ngakhulekela umntwana lo, njalo uThixo usengiphile engakucelayo.
28 now I'm giving him to the Lord. As long as he lives he will be dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
Ngakho khathesi sengimnika uThixo. Uzanikwa uThixo impilo yakhe yonke.” Wakhonza uThixo khonapho.
