< 1 Samuel 1 >

1 O nwere otu nwoke onye Zuf, si na Ramataim, nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem. Aha ya bụ Elkena nwa Jeroham, nwa Elihu, nwa Tohu, nwa Zuf, onye Ifrem.
There was a certain man from Ramah of Zophim, on Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2 Elkena lụrụ ndị inyom abụọ, aha nke mbụ bụ Hana, ebe aha nke abụọ bụ Penina. Penina nwere ụmụ, ma Hana enweghị nwa.
And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. And Peninnah had sons. But Hannah did not have children.
3 Kwa afọ, nwoke a na-esi nʼobodo ya gaa Shaịlo ife ofufe na ịchụrụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile aja. Ọ bụ nʼebe ahụ ka ụmụ ndị ikom abụọ Elayị a na-akpọ Hofni na Finehaz, bụ ndị nchụaja Onyenwe anyị nọ.
And this man went up from his city, on the established days, so that he might adore and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord, were in that place.
4 Nʼụbọchị ọbụla Elkena na-achụ aja ya, ọ na-ekenye Penina na ụmụ ya ndị ikom na ndị inyom ọtụtụ oke site nʼanụ o ji chụọ aja.
Then the day arrived, and Elkanah immolated. And he gave portions to his wife Peninnah, and to all her sons and daughters.
5 Ma ọ na-enye Hana oke mmadụ abụọ, nʼihi na ọ hụrụ ya nʼanya, ọ bụ ezie na Onyenwe anyị mechiri akpanwa ya.
But to Hannah he gave one portion with sorrow. For he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb.
6 Ma Penina na-eme ka obi jọọ Hana njọ karịa, site nʼikpasu ya iwe, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị mechiri akpanwa ya.
And her rival afflicted her and vehemently distressed her, to a great extent, for she rebuked her that the Lord had closed her womb.
7 Ihe ndị a na-eme kwa afọ. Penina na-akwa Hana emo, na-achị ya ọchị oge niile ha gara nʼụlọ Onyenwe anyị, si otu a na-eme ka ọ na-akwa akwa, gharakwa iri nri.
And she did so every year, when the time returned for them to ascend to the temple of the Lord. And she provoked her in this way. And so, she wept and did not take food.
8 Mgbe Hana bidoro ịkwa akwa otu a, Elkena na-ajụ ya sị, “Hana, ọ bụ gịnị mere i ji na-akwa akwa? Gịnị mere ị naghị eri nri? Gịnị mere obi ji ajọ gị njọ? Ọ bụ na mụ adịghị gị mma karịa ụmụ ndị ikom iri nye gị?”
Therefore, her husband Elkanah said to her: “Hannah, why are you weeping? And why do you not eat? And for what reason do you afflict your heart? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Otu ụbọchị mgbe ha risiri nri, ṅụọkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ na Shaịlo, Hana biliri ọtọ. Nʼoge a, Elayị onye nchụaja nọdụrụ ala nʼoche ya nʼakụkụ ọnụ ụzọ ụlọ Onyenwe anyị.
And so, after she ate and drank at Shiloh, Hannah rose up. And Eli, the priest, was sitting on the seat before the door of the temple of the Lord.
10 Nʼọnọdụ obi mwute Hana kwara akwa, kpee ekpere, kpọkuo Onyenwe anyị.
And since Hannah was bitter in soul, she prayed to the Lord, weeping greatly.
11 O kwere nkwa sị, “O! Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, ọ bụrụ na ị ga-elekwasị anya na nhụju anya nke ohu gị nwanyị ma cheta m, ghara ichefu ohu gị nwanyị, ma nye ya nwa nwoke, mgbe ahụ, aga m enyeghachi ya Onyenwe anyị ogologo ụbọchị niile nke ndụ ya. Agụba agakwaghị aga nʼisi ya mgbe ọbụla.”
And she made a vow, saying, “O Lord of hosts, if, in looking with favor, you will see the affliction of your servant and will remember me, and will not forget your handmaid, and if you will give to your servant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall pass over his head.”
12 Mgbe ọ nọgidere na-ekpe ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị, Elayị nọ na-ele ya anya nʼọnụ.
Then it happened that, while she multiplied prayers before the Lord, Eli observed her mouth.
13 Ka Hana nọ na-ekpe ekpere nʼobi ya, naanị egbugbere ọnụ ya na-emegharị emegharị, ma enweghị onye na-anụ olu ya. Mgbe ahụ, Elayị chere nʼobi ya na ọ bụ nwanyị mmanya na-egbu.
For Hannah was speaking in her heart, and only her lips moved, and her voice was barely heard. Therefore, Eli considered her to be drunk,
14 Elayị sịrị ya, “Ruo ole mgbe ka ị ga-akwụsị ịṅụbiga mmanya oke? Si nʼebe mmanya dị wezuga onwe gị!”
and so he said to her: “How long will you be inebriated? You should take only a little wine, but instead you are drenched.”
15 Ma Hana zara sị ya, “Mba, onyenwe m, aṅụghị m mmanya ọbụla! Kama abụ m nwanyị obi ya dị ilu nke ukwuu. Anọ m na-ekwupụtara Onyenwe anyị ihe dị m nʼobi.
Responding, Hannah said: “By no means, my lord. For I am an exceedingly unhappy woman, and I drank neither wine, nor anything that can inebriate. Instead, I have poured out my soul in the sight of the Lord.
16 Biko agụla ohu gị nwanyị dịka onye ajọ omume. Esi m nʼobi mwute na-akwasara Onyenwe anyị ụwa m.”
You should not repute your handmaid as one of the daughters of Belial. For I have been speaking from the abundance of my sorrow and grief, even until now.”
17 Elayị zara sị ya, “Laa nʼudo, ka Chineke Izrel mezuoro gị dịka arịrịọ gị niile si dị.”
Then Eli said to her: “Go in peace. And may the God of Israel grant to you your petition, which you have begged of him.”
18 Hana zara sị, “Ka m bụrụ onye si nʼaka gị nata ihuọma.” O jiri obi ụtọ laghachi, malitekwa iri nri ya. Ihu ya agbarụkwaghị ọzọ.
And she said, “I wish that your handmaid may find grace in your eyes.” And the woman went on her way, and she ate, and her countenance was no longer changed for the worse.
19 Nʼisi ụtụtụ echi ya, ha biliri kpọọ isiala nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, mgbe ahụ, ha laghachiri nʼụlọ ha dị na Rema. Mgbe ha laruru, Elkena bakwuru nwunye ya Hana, Onyenwe anyị chetakwara ya.
And they rose up in the morning, and they worshipped before the Lord. And they returned and arrived at their own house at Ramah. Then Elkanah knew his wife Hannah. And the Lord remembered her.
20 Mgbe oge ruru, o mere ka Hana tụrụ ime, mụọ nwa nwoke. Ọ gụrụ ya Samuel, nʼihi na ọ sịrị, “Arịrịọ m Onyenwe anyị maka ya.”
And it happened that, in the course of days, Hannah conceived and bore a son. And she called his name Samuel, because she had requested him from the Lord.
21 Mgbe di ya, bụ Elkena na ndị ezinaụlọ ya gara Shaịlo ịchụrụ Onyenwe anyị aja nke afọ ahụ, na ịchụkwa aja metụtara nkwa dị iche nke o kwere Onyenwe anyị,
Now her husband Elkanah ascended with his entire house, so that he might immolate to the Lord a solemn sacrifice, with his vow.
22 Hana esoghị ha, ọ gwara di ya, “Mgbe nwantakịrị a kwụsịrị ịṅụ ara, ka m duru ya ga chee ya nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, ọ ga-ebikwa nʼebe ahụ ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.”
But Hannah did not go up. For she said to her husband, “I will not go, until the infant has been weaned, and until I may lead him, so that he may appear before the sight of the Lord, and may remain always there.”
23 Elkena bụ di ya sịrị ya, “Mee ihe ọbụla i chere kwesiri ekwesi. Nọdụ ruo mgbe ọ hapụrụ ịṅụ ara, ma ka Onyenwe anyị mezuo okwu ya.” Hana nọgidere nʼụlọ tutu ruo mgbe ọ zụlitere nwantakịrị ahụ, kwụsị ya ịṅụ ara.
And her husband Elkanah said to her: “Do what seems good to you, and stay until you wean him. And I pray that the Lord may fulfill his word.” Therefore, the woman remained at home, and she breastfed her son, until she withdrew him from milk.
24 Mgbe ọ kwụsịrị nwantakịrị ahụ ịṅụ ara, nwantakịrị ahụ ka dị ntakịrị. Ma o duuru ya, jiri oke ehi gbara afọ atọ, na iri lita ụtụ ọka abụọ na abụọ, na otu karama mmanya, gaa nʼụlọ Onyenwe anyị dị na Shaịlo.
And after she had weaned him, she brought him with her, along with three calves, and three measures of flour, and a small bottle of wine, and she led him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. But the boy was still a young child.
25 Mgbe ha ji oke ehi ahụ chụsịa aja, ha kpọtaara Elayị nwantakịrị ahụ.
And they immolated a calf, and they presented the boy to Eli.
26 Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị, “Onyenwe m, dịka ị si na-adị ndụ, ọ bụ m bụ nwanyị ahụ guzoro onwe ya nso nʼebe ị nọ kpee ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị.
And Hannah said: “I beg you, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord: I am that woman, who stood before you here, praying to the Lord.
27 Nʼihi nwa a ka m kpere ekpere, Onyenwe anyị emelara m ihe m rịọrọ nʼaka ya.
I prayed for this child, and the Lord granted to me my petition, which I asked of him.
28 Ma ugbu a, ana m enyeghachi ya Onyenwe anyị ka ọ bụrụ nke ya ndụ ya niile.” O fere Onyenwe anyị ofufe nʼebe ahụ.
Because of this, I have also lent him to the Lord, for all the days when he shall be lent to the Lord.” And they adored the Lord in that place. And Hannah prayed, and she said:

< 1 Samuel 1 >