1 Samuel 3
1 Nwata ahụ bụ Samuel nọkwa na-ejere Onyenwe anyị ozi nʼihu Elayị. Nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ okwu Onyenwe anyị dị ụkọ, adịghịkwa ahụ ọtụtụ ọhụ.
The boy Samuel served before the Lord under Eli's supervision. At that time messages from the Lord were rare—visions were not common.
2 O ruru nʼotu abalị, ka Elayị dinara ala nʼọnọdụ ya ịrahụ ụra, ebe ọ bụ na anya ya akala nka nke bụ na ọ dịghị ahụzikwa ụzọ nke ọma.
One evening, Eli had gone to bed in his room. His eyes were now so weak that he couldn't see.
3 Mgbe ahụ, oriọna Chineke anyụbeghị, Samuel dinara nʼụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị, nʼebe ahụkwa ka igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke dị.
The lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Lord's Temple where the Ark of God was.
4 Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ Samuel oku, Samuel zara sị, “Lee m nʼebe a.”
Then the Lord called, “Samuel!” He answered, “I'm here.”
5 O biliri jekwuru Elayị, sị ya, “Lee m abịala m.” Ma Elayị sịrị ya, “Mba, akpọghị m gị, laghachi gaa dinaa ala.” Samuel gara dina ala.
He ran to Eli, and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So Samuel went back to bed.
6 Ọzọkwa, Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ ya sị, “Samuel!” Samuel gbaara ọsọ jekwuru Elayị sị ya, “Lee m, gịnị ka m ga-eme?” Ma Elayị zara sị ya. “Mba akpọghị m gị oku, nwa m. Laghachi gaa dinaa ala.”
Then the Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up, went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” “I didn't call you, my son,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.”
7 Ma Samuel amatabeghị onye Onyenwe anyị bụ, ekpughebeghị okwu Onyenwe anyị nye ya.
(Samuel hadn't yet come to know the Lord and had not received any message from him.)
8 Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ ya oku nke ugbo atọ; ọzọkwa Samuel biliri jekwuru Elayị sị ya, “Lee m, gịnị ka ị chọrọ ka m mee?” Mgbe ahụ, Elayị ghọtara na ọ bụ Onyenwe anyị na-akpọ nwantakịrị ahụ,
The Lord called again for the third time, “Samuel!” He got up went to Eli and said, “I'm here—you called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the Lord calling the boy.
9 nʼihi ya ọ gwara Samuel okwu sị, “Laghachi, dinaa ala. Ọ bụrụ na ọ kpọọ gị ọzọ, sị ya, ‘Lee m, kwuo, Onyenwe anyị, nʼihi na ohu gị na-ege ntị.’” Ya mere Samuel laghachiri gaa dinaa ala.
Eli told Samuel, “Go back to bed, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, because your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to his bed.
10 Onyenwe anyị bịara guzo onwe ya nʼebe ahụ, kpọọ ya ọzọ dịka o si kpọọ ya na mbụ sị, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel zara sị, “Lee m, kwuo, nʼihi na ohu gị na-anụ.”
The Lord came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, because your servant is listening.”
11 Onyenwe anyị gwara Samuel sị, “Lee, ana m aga ime ihe nʼIzrel nke ga-eme ka ntị nụrụ ya zụọ wuruwuru.
The Lord told Samuel: “Pay attention, because I'm going to do something in Israel that will surprise everyone who hears it.
12 Nʼoge ahụ aga m emezu ihe niile m kwuru megide Elayị na ezinaụlọ ya, site na mmalite ruo ọgwụgwụ.
That's when I will carry out against Eli and his family everything I have said, from beginning to end.
13 Nʼihi na agwara m ya na m ga-ekpe ezinaụlọ ya ikpe, ruo mgbe ebighị ebi, nʼihi mmehie ahụ ọ maara ihe banyere ya. Nʼihi na ụmụ ya mere onwe ha ndị a na-elelị anya, ma o meghị ihe ọbụla ịkwụsị ha.
I told him that I will judge his family forever because of the sins he knows about, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not try and stop them.
14 Ya mere, aṅụọla m iyi nye ụlọ Elayị sị, ‘Ikpe ọmụma dịkwasịrị ụlọ Elayị bụ nke a na-agaghị eji onyinye maọbụ ịchụ aja kpuchie.’”
That's why I swore to Eli and his family, ‘The guilt of Eli and his descendants will never be removed by sacrifice or offering.’”
15 Samuel dinara ala tutu ruo ụtụtụ. Mgbe chi bọrọ, o meghere ọnụ ụzọ ụlọ nzute Onyenwe anyị dịka ọ na-eme. Ma egwu tụrụ ya ịgwa Elayị ọhụ ahụ.
Samuel remained in bed until the morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Lord's Temple as usual. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.
16 Ma Elayị kpọrọ ya sị, “Samuel, nwa m.” Samuel zara sị, “Lee m nʼebe a.”
But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” “I'm here,” Samuel answered.
17 Elayị jụrụ ya sị, “Gịnị ka ọ gwara gị? Ezola ihe ọbụla nʼebe m nọ. Ka Chineke mesoo gị mmeso, otu ọbụla mmeso ahụ si dị njọ, ma ọ bụrụ na i zoo ihe ọbụla ọ gwara gị nʼebe m nọ.”
“What did he tell you?” Eli asked. “Don't hide it from me. May God punish you very severely if you hide anything he told you from me!”
18 Ya mere, Samuel gwara ya ihe niile, o zokwaghị ihe ọbụla. Mgbe ahụ Elayị kwuru okwu sị, “Ya onwe ya bụ Onyenwe anyị, ya meekwa dịka o si dị ya mma nʼanya.”
So Samuel told him everything and didn't hide anything from him. “It's the Lord,” Eli replied. “May he do what he thinks is good.”
19 Onyenwe anyị nọnyeere Samuel mgbe ọ na-eto, meekwa ka amụma niile Samuel buru mezuo.
Samuel continued to grow up. The Lord was with him and made sure all he said was trustworthy.
20 Ndị Izrel niile, site na Dan ruo Bịasheba, matara na Samuel bụ onye amụma Onyenwe anyị kwesiri ntụkwasị obi.
Everyone in the whole of Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.
21 Onyenwe anyị gakwara nʼihu na-egosi onwe ya na Shaịlo. Nʼebe ahụ o gosiri onwe ya nye Samuel site nʼokwu ya.
The Lord went on appearing at Shiloh, because there he revealed himself to Samuel and delivered his messages,
