< 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.
[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 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.
By that time Eli’s eyes were very weak; he was almost blind. [One night] he was sleeping in his room,
3 Mgbe ahụ, oriọna Chineke anyụbeghị, Samuel dinara nʼụlọnsọ Onyenwe anyị, nʼebe ahụkwa ka igbe ọgbụgba ndụ Chineke dị.
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 Onyenwe anyị kpọrọ Samuel oku, Samuel zara sị, “Lee m nʼebe a.”
Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “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.
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 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 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 Ma Samuel amatabeghị onye Onyenwe anyị bụ, ekpughebeghị okwu Onyenwe anyị nye ya.
At that time Samuel did not yet know [that] Yahweh [could speak to him], because Yahweh had not previously revealed anything to 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,
[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 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.
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 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.”
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 Onyenwe anyị gwara Samuel sị, “Lee, ana m aga ime ihe nʼIzrel nke ga-eme ka ntị nụrụ ya zụọ wuruwuru.
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 Nʼoge ahụ aga m emezu ihe niile m kwuru megide Elayị na ezinaụlọ ya, site na mmalite ruo ọgwụgwụ.
When that happens, I will punish Eli and his family. I will do to them everything that I said that I would do.
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.
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 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.’”
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 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 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 Ma Elayị kpọrọ ya sị, “Samuel, nwa m.” Samuel zara sị, “Lee m nʼebe a.”
But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son!” Samuel answered, “I am here!”
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.”
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 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. 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 Onyenwe anyị nọnyeere Samuel mgbe ọ na-eto, meekwa ka amụma niile Samuel buru mezuo.
As Samuel grew up, Yahweh helped him, and caused everything to (come true/happen) that Samuel predicted.
20 Ndị Izrel niile, site na Dan ruo Bịasheba, matara na Samuel bụ onye amụma Onyenwe anyị kwesiri ntụkwasị obi.
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 Onyenwe anyị gakwara nʼihu na-egosi onwe ya na Shaịlo. Nʼebe ahụ o gosiri onwe ya nye Samuel site nʼokwu ya.
Yahweh continued to appear to Samuel in Shiloh and give messages to him.