< 1 Samuel 1 >

1 And there was a certain man of Rama-thayim-zophim, of the mountain of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah, the son of Yerocham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tochu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.
Kwakulendoda ethile yaseRamathayimi, umZufi owayevela elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi, ibizo layo lalingu-Elikhana indodana kaJerohamu, indodana ka-Elihu, indodana kaThohu, indodana kaZufi, umʼEfrayimi.
2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Wayelabafazi ababili; omunye wayethiwa nguHana omunye enguPhenina. UPhenina wayelabantwana kodwa uHana engelabo.
3 And this man went up out of his city from year to year to prostrate himself and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And at that place were the two sons of 'Eli, Chophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord.
Ngeminyaka yonke indoda le yayisuka emzini wakibo isiyakhonza, inikela lomhlatshelo kuThixo uSomandla eShilo, lapho uHofini loFinehasi, amadodana amabili ka-Eli, ababengabaphristi bakaThixo khona.
4 And when the day was come that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;
Kwakusithi kungafika isikhathi sokuthi u-Elikhana anikele umhlatshelo, wayenika umkakhe uPhenina lawo wonke amadodana lamadodakazi akhe izabelo zenyama.
5 But unto Hannah he gave a double portion; for Hannah he loved [greatly]; but the Lord had shut up her womb.
Kodwa uHana wayemnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili ngoba wayemthanda, kodwa uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe.
6 And her rival also provoked her continually, in order to make her fret; because the Lord had shut up her womb.
Njalo ngenxa yokuthi uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe, unyanewabo wayehlala emgolomba ukuze amcaphule.
7 And he did so year by year, as often as she went up to the house of the Lord, so did she provoke her; wherefore she wept, and did not eat.
Lokhu kwaqhubeka iminyaka yonke. Ngezikhathi zonke lapho uHana eye endlini kaThixo, unyanewabo wayemgolomba aze akhale njalo ehluleke lokudla.
8 Then said to her Elkanah her husband, Hannah, why wilt thou weep? and why wilt thou not eat? and why should thy heart be grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
U-Elikhana umkakhe, wayesithi kuye, “Hana, ukhalelani na? Kungani ungadli na? Kungani udanile? Kuwe angiqakathekanga ukwedlula amadodana alitshumi na?”
9 And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk; and 'Eli the priest was sitting upon a chair by the door-post of the temple of the Lord.
Kwake kwathi sebeqede ukudla lokunatha eShilo, uHana wasukuma. Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli umphristi wayehlezi esihlalweni phansi kwensika yomnyango wethempeli likaThixo.
10 But she had bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept greatly.
Ngobuhlungu bomoya uHana wakhala kakhulu njalo wakhuleka kuThixo.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child: then will I give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon 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 And it came to pass, as she continued praying long before the Lord, that 'Eli watched her mouth.
Ekuqhubekeni kwakhe uHana ekhuleka kuThixo, u-Eli wananzelela umlomo wakhe.
13 Now as for Hannah, she spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard; wherefore 'Eli regarded her as a drunken woman.
UHana wayekhulekela enhliziyweni yakhe, izindebe zakhe zinyikinyeka kodwa ilizwi lakhe lingezwakali. U-Eli wacabanga ukuthi wayedakiwe,
14 And 'Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from off thee.
ngakho wathi kuye, “Koze kube nini ulokhu udakwa na? Yekela iwayini lakho.”
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my Lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit; but neither wine nor strong drink have I drunk, and I have poured out my soul before the Lord.
“Akunjalo nkosi yami,” uHana waphendula. “Ngingowesifazane ohlupheke kakhulu. Kangizange nginathe iwayini kumbe utshwala. Kade ngisethula umphefumulo wami kuThixo.
16 Esteem not thy handmaid as a worthless woman; for out of the abundance of my grief and vexation have I spoken hitherto.
Ungathathi incekukazi yakho njengowesifazane ogangileyo; kade ngikhuleka lapha ngenxa yosizi lwami olukhulu kanye lobuhlungu.”
17 Then 'Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant thy petition which thou hast asked of him.
U-Eli waphendula wathi, “Hamba ngokuthula, sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakupha lokho okucele kuye.”
18 And she said, Let thy handmaid find grace in thy eyes. The woman then went on her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no longer as before.
UHana wathi, “Sengathi incekukazi yakho ingathola umusa emehlweni akho.” Lapho-ke wasuka wahamba, wadla, njalo ubuso bakhe babungasadananga.
19 And they rose up early in the morning, and prostrated themselves before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house at Ramah; and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.
Ekuseni okwalandelayo bavuka bayakhonza phambi kukaThixo basebebuyela emzini wabo eRama. U-Elikhana walala loHana umkakhe, uThixo wamkhumbula.
20 And it came to pass, after the lapse of some time, that Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she called his name Samuel, saying, Because from the Lord have I asked him.
Ngakho ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uHana wathatha isisu wazala indodana. Wayetha ibizo wathi nguSamuyeli, esithi, “Ngoba ngamcela kuThixo.”
21 And the man Elkanah went up, with all his house, to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
Kwathi lapho u-Elikhana ehamba labendlu yakhe bonke ukuyanikela umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke kuThixo lokugcwalisa isifungo sakhe,
22 But Hannah did not go up; for she said unto her husband, So soon as the child shall be weaned, then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and abide there for ever.
uHana kahambanga. Wathi kumkakhe, “Emva kokuba umfana eselunyulwe, ngizamthatha ngiyemethula phambi kukaThixo, njalo uzahlala khona kokuphela.”
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth good in thy eyes; tarry until thou hast weaned him; only may the Lord fulfill his word. So the woman remained behind, and gave her son suck until she 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 And she took him up with her, when she had weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him unto the house of the Lord at Shiloh; although the child was yet young.
Emva kokuba esekhutshiwe ebeleni, wahamba lomfana, emncane enjalo kanye lenkunzi eyayileminyaka emithathu ubudala, lehefa lempuphu yengqoloyi kanye lembodlela yewayini, wamusa endlini kaThixo eShilo.
25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to 'Eli.
Kwathi inkunzi sebeyihlabile, bamhambisa umfana ku-Eli,
26 And she said, Pardon, my Lord, as thy soul liveth, my Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, to pray unto the Lord.
uHana wasesithi kuye, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ukhona, nkosi yami, mina ngingulowana umfazi owema phansi kwakho ekhuleka kuThixo.
27 For this lad did I pray; and the Lord hath granted me my petition which I asked of him;
Ngakhulekela umntwana lo, njalo uThixo usengiphile engakucelayo.
28 Therefore also have I lent him, for my part, to the Lord; all the days that have been assigned to him shall he be lent to the Lord. And he bowed himself there before the Lord.
Ngakho khathesi sengimnika uThixo. Uzanikwa uThixo impilo yakhe yonke.” Wakhonza uThixo khonapho.

< 1 Samuel 1 >