1 Samuel 3

1 The boy Samuel served before the Lord under Eli's supervision. At that time messages from the Lord were rare—visions were not common.

Kijana Samweli alihudumu mbele za Bwana chini ya Eli. Katika siku zile neno la Mungu lilikuwa adimu, hapakuwepo na maono mengi.

2 One evening, Eli had gone to bed in his room. His eyes were now so weak that he couldn't see.

Usiku mmoja Eli, ambaye macho yake yalikuwa yamefifia sana kiasi kwamba aliona kwa shida sana, alikuwa amelala mahali pake pa kawaida.

3 The lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Lord's Temple where the Ark of God was.

Taa ya Mungu bado ilikuwa haijazimika, na Samweli alikuwa amelala Hekaluni mwa Bwana, ambapo Sanduku la Mungu lilikuwako.

4 Then the Lord called, “Samuel!” He answered, “I'm here.”

Kisha Bwana akamwita Samweli. Samweli akajibu, “Mimi hapa.”

5 He ran to Eli, and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.

Naye akakimbia kwa Eli na kumwambia, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Lakini Eli akasema, “Sikukuita; rudi ukalale.” Hivyo akaenda kulala.

6 Then the Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up, went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you, my son,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.”

Bwana akaita tena, “Samweli!” Naye Samweli akaamka, kwenda kwa Eli na kusema, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Eli akasema, “Mwanangu, sikukuita, rudi ukalale.”

7 (Samuel hadn't yet come to know the Lord and had not received any message from him.)

Wakati huu Samweli alikuwa bado hajamjua Bwana. Neno la Bwana lilikuwa bado halijafunuliwa kwake.

8 The Lord called again for the third time, “Samuel!” He got up went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the Lord calling the boy.

Bwana akamwita Samweli mara ya tatu, naye Samweli akaamka kwenda kwa Eli na kusema, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Ndipo Eli akatambua kuwa Bwana alikuwa akimwita kijana.

9 Eli told Samuel, “Go back to bed, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, because your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to his bed.

Hivyo Eli akamwambia Samweli, “Nenda ukalale, na kama akikuita, sema, ‘Nena Bwana, kwa kuwa mtumishi wako anasikiliza.’” Hivyo Samweli akaenda na kulala mahali pake.

10 The Lord came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, because your servant is listening.”

Bwana akaja akasimama hapo, akiita kama mara zile nyingine, “Samweli! Samweli!” Kisha Samweli akasema, “Nena Bwana, kwa kuwa mtumishi wako anasikiliza.”

11 The Lord told Samuel: “Pay attention, because I'm going to do something in Israel that will surprise everyone who hears it.

Naye Bwana akamwambia Samweli: “Tazama, nipo karibu kufanya kitu katika Israeli ambacho kitafanya masikio ya kila mmoja atakayesikia yawashe.

12 That's when I will carry out against Eli and his family everything I have said, from beginning to end.

Wakati huo nitatimiza dhidi ya Eli kila kitu nilichonena dhidi ya jamaa yake, kuanzia mwanzo mpaka mwisho.

13 I told him that I will judge his family forever because of the sins he knows about, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not try and stop them.

Kwa kuwa nilimwambia kwamba ningehukumu jamaa yake milele kwa sababu ya dhambi aliyoijua, wanawe kumkufuru Mungu, naye akashindwa kuwazuia.

14 That's why I swore to Eli and his family, ‘The guilt of Eli and his descendants will never be removed by sacrifice or offering.’”

Kwa hiyo, nikaapa kuhusu nyumba ya Eli, ‘Hatia ya nyumba ya Eli kamwe haitaweza kufidiwa kwa dhabihu au sadaka.’”

15 Samuel remained in bed until the morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Lord's Temple as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

Samweli akalala mpaka asubuhi, kisha akafungua milango ya nyumba ya Bwana. Aliogopa kumwambia Eli yale maono,

16 But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” “I'm here,” Samuel answered.

lakini Eli akamwita na kumwambia, “Samweli mwanangu.” Samweli akamjibu, “Mimi hapa.”

17 “What did he tell you?” Eli asked. “Don't hide it from me. May God punish you very severely if you hide anything he told you from me!”

Eli akamuuliza, “Ni nini alichokuambia? Usinifiche. Bwana na ashughulike nawe, tena kwa ukali, kama utanificha chochote alichokuambia.”

18 So Samuel told him everything and didn't hide anything from him. “It's the Lord,” Eli replied. “May he do what he thinks is good.”

Kwa hiyo Samweli akamwambia kila kitu, bila kumficha chochote. Ndipo Eli akasema, “Yeye ni Bwana; na afanye lile lililo jema machoni pake!”

19 Samuel continued to grow up. The Lord was with him and made sure all he said was trustworthy.

Bwana alikuwa pamoja na Samweli alipokuwa akikua, na hakuacha hata moja ya maneno yake lianguke chini.

20 Everyone in the whole of Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

Nao Israeli wote kuanzia Dani hadi Beer-Sheba wakatambua kuwa Samweli amethibitishwa kuwa nabii wa Bwana.

21 The Lord went on appearing at Shiloh, because there he revealed himself to Samuel and delivered his messages,

Bwana akaendelea kutokea huko Shilo, na huko kujidhihirisha kwa Samweli kwa njia ya neno lake.