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.

Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was 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.

He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And 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.

Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.

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.

And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give 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 would give a double portion, for he loved her even though 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.

Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her and taunt her viciously.

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 this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not 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, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? 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.

So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.

10 Nʼọnọdụ obi mwute Hana kwara akwa, kpee ekpere, kpọkuo Onyenwe anyị.

In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.

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, pleading, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever come over his head.”

12 Mgbe ọ nọgidere na-ekpe ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị, Elayị nọ na-ele ya anya nʼọnụ.

As Hannah kept 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 heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk

14 Elayị sịrị ya, “Ruo ole mgbe ka ị ga-akwụsị ịṅụbiga mmanya oke? Si nʼebe mmanya dị wezuga onwe gị!”

and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away 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.

“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman oppressed in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.

16 Biko agụla ohu gị nwanyị dịka onye ajọ omume. Esi m nʼobi mwute na-akwasara Onyenwe anyị ụwa m.”

Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”

17 Elayị zara sị ya, “Laa nʼudo, ka Chineke Izrel mezuoro gị dịka arịrịọ gị niile si dị.”

“Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked 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.

“May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began eating again, and her face was no longer downcast.

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.

The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with 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.”

So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for 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,

Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual 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. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”

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 what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed 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.

Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.

25 Mgbe ha ji oke ehi ahụ chụsịa aja, ha kpọtaara Elayị nwantakịrị ahụ.

And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought 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 beside 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 granted me what 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.

I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.