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.
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.
2 Elkena lụrụ ndị inyom abụọ, aha nke mbụ bụ Hana, ebe aha nke abụọ bụ Penina. Penina nwere ụmụ, ma Hana enweghị nwa.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to Peninnah his wife 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.
He would give an extra portion to Hannah, to show his love for her even though the Lord hadn't given her any children.
6 Ma Penina na-eme ka obi jọọ Hana njọ karịa, site nʼikpasu ya iwe, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị mechiri akpanwa ya.
Her rival—the other wife—would taunt her badly to upset her because the Lord hadn't given her any children.
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.
This went on for years. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord's Temple, Peninnah would taunt her until she cried and couldn't eat.
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?”
“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?”
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.
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.
10 Nʼọnọdụ obi mwute Hana kwara akwa, kpee ekpere, kpọkuo Onyenwe anyị.
She was terribly upset, and prayed to the Lord as she cried and cried.
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.”
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.”
12 Mgbe ọ nọgidere na-ekpe ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị, Elayị nọ na-ele ya anya nʼọnụ.
As Hannah went on praying before the Lord, Eli watched 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.
Hannah was praying in her head, and though her lips were moving, her voice made no sound. Eli thought she must be drunk.
14 Elayị sịrị ya, “Ruo ole mgbe ka ị ga-akwụsị ịṅụbiga mmanya oke? Si nʼebe mmanya dị wezuga onwe gị!”
“Do you have to come here drunk?” he asked. “Get rid of your wine!”
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.
“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.
16 Biko agụla ohu gị nwanyị dịka onye ajọ omume. Esi m nʼobi mwute na-akwasara Onyenwe anyị ụwa m.”
Please don't think I'm a bad woman! I have been praying because of all my troubles and grief.”
17 Elayị zara sị ya, “Laa nʼudo, ka Chineke Izrel mezuoro gị dịka arịrịọ gị niile si dị.”
“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for,” Eli replied.
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.”
In due course she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
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,
Elkanah and all his family went to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill 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. She told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned I will take him to be presented to the Lord and to remain there forever.”
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.
“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.
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.
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.
25 Mgbe ha ji oke ehi ahụ chụsịa aja, ha kpọtaara Elayị nwantakịrị ahụ.
After they had slaughtered the bull, 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.
“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.
27 Nʼihi nwa a ka m kpere ekpere, Onyenwe anyị emelara m ihe m rịọrọ nʼaka ya.
I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord has given me what I asked him for,
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.
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.
