1 Samuel 3

1 Le jeune Samuel servait donc le Seigneur sous les yeux d’Héli. A cette époque, la parole de l’Eternel était rare, la vision prophétique peu répandue.

[While he was still a] boy, Samuel was working for Yahweh while Eli supervised him. At that time there were very few messages [that anyone received] from Yahweh, and very few people saw visions [that Yahweh gave them].

2 Or, en ce temps-là, Héli, dont les yeux commençaient à s’obscurcir et qui y voyait à peine, était couché à sa place habituelle;

By that time Eli’s eyes were very weak; he was almost blind. [One night] he was sleeping in his room,

3 Samuel aussi dormait, et la lampe sacrée brûlait encore dans le temple de l’Eternel, où était l’arche divine,

and Samuel was sleeping in the sacred tent, where the chest that contained the Ten Commandments was kept. While the sacred lamp was still burning,

4 lorsque l’Eternel appela Samuel, qui répondit: "Me voici!"

Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “I’m here!”

5 Et il accourut près d’Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici." Héli répondit: "Je n’ai point appelé; va te recoucher." Ce que fit Samuel.

Then he [got up and] ran to Eli. He said to him, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli replied, “No, I did not call you. Go back to your bed.” So Samuel went and lay down again.

6 L’Eternel appela de nouveau: "Samuel!" Celui-ci se leva, alla trouver Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici", et Héli répondit: "Je n’ai point appelé, mon enfant; recouche-toi."

Then Yahweh called again, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up again and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli said, “No, my son, I did not call you. Go back and lie down.”

7 Samuel ne connaissait pas encore l’Eternel, la parole divine ne s’étant pas encore révélée à lui.

At that time Samuel did not yet know [that] Yahweh [could speak to him], because Yahweh had not previously revealed anything to him.

8 Une troisième fois, Dieu appela: "Samuel!" Il se leva et s’en fut auprès d’Héli en disant: "Tu m’as appelé, me voici." Alors Héli comprit que c’était Dieu qui appelait le jeune homme,

[After Samuel lay down again], Yahweh called him a third time. So again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” Then Eli realized that it was Yahweh who was calling the boy.

9 et il dit à Samuel: "Va te recoucher, et si l’on t’appelle, tu diras: Parle, Seigneur, ton serviteur écoute." Samuel le quitta et regagna sa couche.

So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again. If someone calls you again, say ‘Speak to me, Yahweh, because I am listening!’” So Samuel went and lay down again.

10 Le Seigneur vint, s’arrêta là et appela comme il avait fait chaque fois: "Samuel!…. Samuel!…" Et Samuel dit: "Parle, ton serviteur écoute."

Then Yahweh came and stood there and called as he had done the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak to me, because I am listening!”

11 Alors le Seigneur dit à Samuel: "Je vais accomplir une chose en Israël, à faire tinter les oreilles de quiconque l’entendra.

Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen carefully. I am about to do something here in Israel that will shock/horrify [IDM] everyone who hears about it.

12 Ce jour-là, j’exécuterai à l’égard d’Héli toutes mes menaces concernant sa famille; j’en poursuivrai l’exécution jusqu’au bout.

When that happens, I will punish Eli and his family. I will do to them everything that I said that I would do.

13 Je lui ai annoncé que je condamne à jamais sa famille, parce qu’il a eu le tort, connaissant la conduite indigne de ses fils, de ne pas la réprimer.

His sons have shown great disrespect for me by the disgraceful things they have done, and Eli did not restrain them. So I told him that I would punish his family forever.

14 Je le déclare donc avec serment à la maison d’Héli: rien ne saurait désormais expier son crime, ni sacrifice, ni oblation!"

I solemnly promised to Eli’s family, ‘You will never be able to avoid the consequences for your sin, even if you give me sacrifices or offerings.’”

15 Samuel resta couché jusqu’au matin, et ouvrit alors les portes de la maison de Dieu; mais il n’osait rapporter cette vision à Héli.

Samuel lay down again until morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Sacred Tent [as usual]. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision [that Yahweh had given him].

16 Celui-ci appela Samuel en disant: "Samuel, mon fils!" Et il répondit: "Me voici!"

But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son!” Samuel answered, “I am here!”

17 Héli reprit: "Quelle parole t’a-t-il adressée? De grâce, ne me cache rien. Que Dieu t’en fasse autant et plus, si tu me caches quoi que ce soit de ce qu’il t’a dit!"

Eli asked him, “What was it that Yahweh told you? Do not conceal it! I want God to punish you severely if you do not tell me everything that he said to you.”

18 Alors Samuel lui redit toutes les paroles, sans lui rien dissimuler; et Héli répondit: "Il est l’Eternel; qu’il fasse selon sa volonté!"

So Samuel told him everything. He did not refuse to tell him anything. Then Eli said, “He is Yahweh. I am willing for him to do what he thinks is best.”

19 Ainsi grandissait Samuel, et l’Eternel était avec lui, et il ne laissait tomber à terre aucune de ses prophéties.

As Samuel grew up, Yahweh helped him, and caused everything to (come true/happen) that Samuel predicted.

20 Et tout Israël, depuis Dan jusqu’à Bersabée, reconnut l’autorité de Samuel, comme prophète du Seigneur.

So all the people of Israel, from the northern end of the country to the southern end, realized that Samuel was truly a prophet of Yahweh.

21 Et l’Eternel se manifesta souvent encore à Silo, car c’est à Silo qu’il se manifestait à Samuel par la parole divine.

Yahweh continued to appear to Samuel in Shiloh and give messages to him.