< 1 Samuel 2 >
1 Mgbe ahụ Hana kpere ekpere sị: “Obi m na-aṅụrị ọṅụ nʼime Onyenwe anyị; nʼime Onyenwe anyị ka e buliri mpi m elu. Ọnụ m na-anya isi megide ndị iro m, nʼihi na-enwere m mmasị na nzọpụta gị.
Then Hannah prayed, saying, “I rejoice in [what] you, [, have done]. I am strong [MET] because I belong to you. I (laugh at/ridicule) my enemies, because you, Yahweh have rescued me [from being taunted by them].
2 “O nweghị onye dị nsọ dịka Onyenwe anyị; o nweghị onye dị karịa gị, o nweghị nkume ọzọ yiri Chineke anyị.
There is no one who is holy like you, Yahweh. There is no other god like you. There is no one like you, our God, who can protect us [as though you were putting us beneath] a huge rock [where we can hide from danger].
3 “Anọgidela na-ekwu okwu site na mpako, ekwekwala ka ọnụ gị kwupụta okwu nganga. Nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke maara ihe niile, ya bụ onye na-anwale ọrụ niile.
[You people who oppose God], stop boasting! Yahweh is a God who knows [everything], and he will evaluate/judge everyone’s actions. So don’t speak so arrogantly!
4 “Ụta ndị na-ebu agha agbajiela ma ndị ahụ dara mba ka e nyere ike.
Yahweh, you break the bows/weapons of mighty soldiers, and you give strength to those who stumble [because of being weak].
5 Ndị na-eriju afọ e meela onwe ha ndị ọrụ ngo maka nri, ma ndị na-adịghị eriju afọ na mbụ aghọọla ndị agụụ adịghị agụkwa. Nwanyị aga amụtala ụmụ asaa ma nwanyị ahụ mụrụ ọtụtụ ụmụ adịghị amụtakwa.
Many people who previously had plenty to eat, now have to work for other people [to earn money] to buy food, but many who were always hungry are not hungry any more. The woman who did not have any children before, now has given birth to many/seven children, and the woman who had many children before, now is very lonely [because they have all died].
6 “Onyenwe anyị na-eweta ọnwụ, ya na-emekwa ka a dị ndụ, ọ bụ ya na-eme ka mmadụ daa nʼụra ọnwụ, na-emekwa ka ha dị ndụ ọzọ. (Sheol )
Yahweh, you cause some people to die, and you restore some people who are almost dead. For some people, [it seems that they will soon] go to where the dead people are, but you cause them to become healthy again. (Sheol )
7 Onyenwe anyị na-ezite ụbịam na akụnụba; ọ na-eweda nʼala, ma na-ebulikwa elu.
Yahweh, you cause some people to be poor and you cause some people to be rich, you humble some people and you honor some people.
8 Ọ na-esite na ntụ welite onye ogbenye na-ebuli ndị mkpa na-akpa site nʼikpo ntụ. Ọ na-eme ka ha soro ụmụ eze nọdụ, na-emekwa ka ha keta ocheeze nsọpụrụ. “Nʼihi na ntọala ụwa bụ nke Onyenwe anyị nʼelu ya ka ọ dọkwasịrị ụwa.
[Sometimes] you lift poor people up so that they are no longer [despondent, sitting in the dust, ] or sitting on heaps of ashes; you cause them to sit next to princes; you cause them to sit on chairs/thrones where people who are highly honored sit. Yahweh, you are the one who laid the foundations of the earth, and you have set the whole world on those foundations.
9 Ọ ga-echebe ụkwụ ndị nsọ ya ma ndị ajọ omume ka ọ ga-eme ka ha dere duu nʼime ọchịchịrị. “Ọ bụghị site nʼịdị ike ka mmeri si abịa.
You will protect your loyal/faithful people [SYN], but you will cause the wicked to die [EUP] and descend to the dark [place where dead people are]. We do not defeat [our enemies] by our own strength;
10 Ndị ahụ na-ebuli onwe ha imegide Onyenwe anyị ka a ga-etipịa. Onye kachasị ihe niile elu ga-ebigbọ site nʼeluigwe megide ha. Onyenwe anyị ga-ekpe nsọtụ niile nke ụwa ikpe. “Ọ ga-enye eze ya ike bulikwaa ịdị ike nke onye ya e tere mmanụ.”
Yahweh, you will break into pieces those who oppose you. You will cause thunder in the sky to show that you (oppose/are angry with) them. Yahweh, you will judge [people everywhere, even those who live in] the most remote places on the earth. You will give strength to the king whom you will appoint, and give him great power [over his enemies].”
11 Mgbe ahụ, Elkena na Hana laghachiri Rema, ma ha hapụrụ Samuel nʼebe ahụ. Nwata ahụ ghọrọ onyeozi Onyenwe anyị, nʼihi na ọ nọ na-enyere Elayị onye nchụaja aka.
Then Elkanah [and his family] returned to Ramah, but Samuel, the little boy, stayed to help Eli the priest serve Yahweh.
12 Ụmụ Elayị bụ ndị omume ha jọgburu onwe ya; ha na-elelị Onyenwe anyị anya.
Eli’s two [, who were also priests, ] were very wicked. They did not revere (OR, respect/obey) Yahweh.
13 Dịka mmeso ndị nchụaja nʼebe ndị mmadụ si dị: mgbe onye ọbụla bịara ịchụ aja, onyeozi onye nchụaja na-abịa mgbe a na-esi anụ, jiri ndụdụ nwere eze atọ nʼaka ya.
While the people were boiling the meat from their sacrifices [in the huge pot at the temple], one of Eli’s sons, [would send his servant to come with a large three-pronged fork in his hand].
14 Ọ na-adụnye ya nʼime efere anụ maọbụ ite, maọbụ iko e ji esi anụ. Ihe ọbụla ndụdụ ahụ dụpụtara ka onye nchụaja na-ewere. Otu a ka ha si emeso ndị Izrel niile na-abịa na Shaịlo.
[He] would stick the fork into [the meat in] the pot, and whatever meat fastened onto the fork, he would take [and give it] to the priest who sent him. Eli’s sons did this to all the Israeli people who came to Shiloh [to offer sacrifices].
15 Mgbe ụfọdụ, tupu e suree abụba anụ nʼebe ịchụ aja, ndị ozi onye nchụaja na-abịa gwa onye wetara anụ ịchụ aja sị ya, “Nye onye nchụaja anụ ndụ nke ọ ga-ahụ nʼọkụ, nʼihi na ọ chọghị iri anụ e siri esi, kama anụ ndụ ka ọ chọrọ.”
Furthermore, before the fat [on the meat] was [cut off and] and burned [as a sacrifice to Yahweh], the servant of the priest would [sometimes] come to the man who was making the sacrifice and say to him, “Give me some meat [now to take] to the priest for him to roast! He wants raw meat; he does not want boiled meat.”
16 Ọ bụrụ na onye ji anụ ahụ bịa ịchụ aja agwa onyeozi ahụ okwu sị, “Chere ka anyị buru ụzọ suo abụba ndị a ọkụ tupu i were ihe ị chọrọ,” onyeozi ahụ na-aza sị, “Nye m anụ ahụ ugbu a, ọ bụrụ na i nyeghị m ya aga m eji ike were ya.”
If the man said to the servant, “Let the priests [cut off and] burn the fat first; then you can take what you want,” the servant would reply, “No, give it to me now; if you do not give it to me, I will take it forcefully!”
17 Mmehie ụmụ okorobịa ndị a na-eme dị ukwuu nʼanya Onyenwe anyị, nʼihi na ha na-eleda onyinye a na-ewetara Onyenwe anyị anya.
Yahweh considered that the young [sons of Eli] were committing a very great sin, because they were treating very disrespectfully the offerings that were being given to Yahweh.
18 Nʼoge a, Samuel na-agakwa ozi ya nʼihu Onyenwe anyị. Ọ bụ ezie na ọ bụ naanị nwantakịrị, ọ na-eyi akwa ọcha efọọd dịka ndị nchụaja.
As for Samuel, who was still a very young boy, he continued to do work for Yahweh, wearing a little sacred linen vest [like the Supreme Priest wore].
19 Afọ ọbụla, nne ya na-akwara ya uwe mwụda, nke ọ na-ewetara ya mgbe ya na di ya bịara ịchụ aja.
Each year his mother made a [new] little robe for him and took it to him when she went up [to Shiloh] with her husband to offer a sacrifice.
20 Tupu ha alaa, Elayị na-agọzi Elkena na Hana sị, “Ka Onyenwe anyị nye gị ụmụ ọzọ, ndị ga-anọchi anya onye a ị rịọrọ maka ya, nke i nyeghachiri Onyenwe anyị.”
Then Eli would [ask God to] bless Elkanah and his wife, and he would say to Elkanah, “I hope/desire that Yahweh will enable your wife to give birth to other children, to take the place of the one whom she dedicated to Yahweh.” Then Elkanah and his family would return home.
21 Onyenwe anyị gosiri Hana amara. Ọ tụrụ ime mụta ụmụ ndị ikom atọ, na ụmụ ndị inyom abụọ. Ma Samuel tokwara nʼije ozi ya nʼihu Onyenwe anyị.
And Yahweh was very kind to Hannah, and enabled her to give birth to three [other] sons and two daughters. Their son Samuel grew up while he was doing work for Yahweh [in the Sacred Tent].
22 Nʼoge a, Elayị abụrụla nnọọ agadi. Ọ nọkwa na-anụ ihe ọjọọ niile ụmụ ya ndị ikom na-eme ndị Izrel niile, ya na otu ha si edinakwuru ụmụ nwanyị na-eje ozi nʼọnụ ụzọ ebe ịchụ aja ụlọ nzute.
Eli became very old. He often heard about all the [evil] things that his sons were doing to the Israeli people. He heard that they [sometimes] (slept with/had sex with) the women who worked at the entrance to the tent where [God] spoke to [his people].
23 Ya mere, Elayị gwara ụmụ ya sị, “Anụla m site nʼọnụ ndị Onyenwe anyị, banyere ihe ọjọọ niile dị iche iche unu na-eme. Gịnị mere unu ji na-eme ihe ọjọọ dị otu a?
He said to them, “(It is terrible that you do such things!/Why do you do such things?) [RHQ] Many people keep telling me about the evil things that you do.
24 Ọ bụghị akụkọ ọma ka m na-anụ site nʼọnụ ndị Onyenwe anyị banyere unu.
My sons, stop it! The reports [about you] that the people who belong to Yahweh tell others are terrible [EUP]!
25 Ọ bụrụ na mmadụ emehie megide mmadụ, Chineke nwere ike gbooro ya ọgụ. Ma ọ bụrụ na mmadụ emehie megide Onyenwe anyị, onye ga-egboro ya ọgụ?” Ma ụmụ ya ndị ikom egeghị nna ha ntị, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị na-akwado ịla ha nʼiyi.
If one person sins against another person, God can (intercede/act as a referee) between them. But if someone sins against Yahweh, no one can [RHQ] (intercede/act as a referee) between them!” But Eli’s sons would not listen to what their father said. This was because Yahweh had decided [that someone should] them.
26 Nwata ahụ bụ Samuel na-eto, na-agba dimkpa, bụrụkwa onye ihe ya dị Onyenwe anyị na mmadụ mma.
The boy Samuel continued to grow up, and the things that he did pleased Yahweh and the people.
27 Otu onye nke Chineke bịara gwa Elayị okwu sị ya, “Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru: Ọ bụ na m ezipụtaghị ike m nʼụzọ pụtara ihe mgbe nna nna gị ha bụ ohu nʼala Ijipt nʼokpuru Fero?
One day, a prophet came to Eli and told him, “This is what Yahweh has told me: ‘When your ancestors were slaves of the king of Egypt, I appeared to Aaron.
28 Ahọpụtara m nna nna unu ochie site nʼetiti ebo niile nke Izrel mee ya ka ọ bụrụ onye nchụaja m, ka ọ chụọ aja nʼebe ịchụ aja m, isure ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ, na iyi uwe efọọd ndị nchụaja nʼihu m. Enyere m ezinaụlọ nna nna gị onyinye niile Izrel ji chụọ aja nsure ọkụ.
From all the tribes of the Israeli people, I chose him [and his male descendants] to be priests for me. I appointed them to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear a sacred apron [as they worked] for me. And I declared that they could take [and eat some of the meat] that the Israeli people burned [on the altar].
29 Gịnị mere unu ji na-elelị aja a na-achụrụ m, na onyinye a na-ewetara m nʼusoro dịka m si nye ya nʼiwu anya? Gịnị mere i ji na-asọpụrụ ụmụ gị karịa m, ime onwe unu ka unu gbaa abụba site nʼidebere onwe unu akụkụ kachasị mma nke onyinye niile ụmụ Izrel, ndị m, na-ewetara m.
So why do you show disrespect for the sacrifices and offerings that I commanded [the people to bring] to me [RHQ]? You are honoring your sons more than you are honoring me, by allowing them to get fat from eating the best parts of all the sacrifices that the Israeli people bring to me!’
30 “Nʼihi ya, otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel, kwupụtara, sị, ‘Ekwere m nkwa na ndị ezinaụlọ gị na nke nna gị ga-eje ozi nʼihu m ruo mgbe ebighị ebi,’ ma ugbu a, otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya, ‘Ọ gaghị adịkwa otu a nʼebe m nọ! Nʼihi na ndị na-asọpụrụ m ka m ga-asọpụrụ, ma ndị niile na-eleda m anya, ka a ga-akpọ ihe efu.
“Therefore, this is what Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], declares: ‘I definitely promised that Aaron and his descendants would continue to serve [IDM] me forever.’ But now I declare this: ‘It will not continue like that! I will honor those who honor me, but I will despise those who despise me.
31 Oge na-abịa mgbe m ga-ebipụ ike gị na ike ezinaụlọ nna gị, wezuga ha ka nwoke ọbụla nʼezinaụlọ gị hapụ ito ghọọ agadi.
Listen carefully! There will soon be a time when I will cause all the strong [young men] in your family to die. The result will be that no men in your family will [live long enough to] become old men.
32 Ị ga-ahụ mkpagbu nʼebe obibi m; a ga-emere Izrel ihe ọma nke ga-eme ka i nwee anya ụfụ, ma ọ dịghị onye ga-eme agadi nʼezinaụlọ gị.
You will be distressed and envious as you see the blessings that I will give to [the other people in] Israel. And [I repeat that] no men in your family will ever live long enough to become old men.
33 Onye ọbụla nʼime unu nke m na-ebipụghị site nʼebe ịchụ aja m ga-adị ndụ naanị nʼọnọdụ anya mmiri akwa nke ga-ekpuchi ya anya, na iru ụjụ nke obi. Ụmụ ụmụ gị niile ga-anwụ tupu ha eruo agadi.
There is one of your descendants whom I will spare, and not prevent him from serving me as a priest. But he will become blind, and then he will always be sad and grieving. But all your other descendants will die violently.
34 “‘Ihe ga-adakwasị ụmụ gị ndị ikom, bụ Hofni na Finehaz, ga-abụrụ gị ihe ama. Ha abụọ ga-anwụ nʼotu ụbọchị.
And your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the same day. And that will prove to you [that all that I have said will come true/happen].
35 Aga m akpọlite nye onwe m, onye nchụaja kwesiri ntụkwasị obi, onye ga-eme ihe dị m nʼuche na nʼobi. Aga m eme ka ezinaụlọ ya guzosie ike. O ga-eje ozi nʼihu Onye m e tere mmanụ oge niile.
‘have chosen another man to be my priest. He is one who will serve me faithfully: He will do everything I want [DOU] him to do. And I will enable him to have many descendants [IDM] who will be priests and will always serve me by helping the king whom I will choose.
36 Mgbe ahụ, ndị niile fọdụrụ nʼezinaụlọ gị ga-abịa kpọọ isiala nye ya, rịọọ ya ego na ihe oriri. Ha ga-asị, “Biko, nyetụ m ọrụ m ga-arụ nʼetiti ndị nchụaja, ka m hụ ihe m ga-eri.”’”
All of your descendants who remain alive will have to go to that priest and ask him to give them money and food, and they will each have to say, “Please allow me to help the other priests, in order that I may [earn some money to] buy some food.”’”