I Samuelis 3

1 Puer autem Samuel ministrabat Domino coram Heli, et sermo Domini erat pretiosus in diebus illis: non erat visio manifesta.

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 Factum est ergo in die quadam, Heli jacebat in loco suo, et oculi ejus caligaverant, nec poterat videre:

One evening, Eli had gone to bed in his room. His eyes were now so weak that he couldn't see.

3 lucerna Dei antequam extingueretur, Samuel dormiebat in templo Domini, ubi erat arca Dei.

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 Et vocavit Dominus Samuel. Qui respondens, ait: Ecce ego.

Then the Lord called, “Samuel!” He answered, “I'm here.”

5 Et cucurrit ad Heli, et dixit: Ecce ego: vocasti enim me. Qui dixit: Non vocavi: revertere, et dormi. Et abiit, et dormivit.

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 Et adjecit Dominus rursum vocare Samuelem. Consurgensque Samuel, abiit ad Heli, et dixit: Ecce ego, quia vocasti me. Qui respondit: Non vocavi te, fili mi: revertere et dormi.

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 Porro Samuel necdum sciebat Dominum, neque revelatus fuerat ei sermo Domini.

(Samuel hadn't yet come to know the Lord and had not received any message from him.)

8 Et adjecit Dominus, et vocavit adhuc Samuelem tertio. Qui consurgens abiit ad Heli,

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 et ait: Ecce ego, quia vocasti me. Intellexit ergo Heli quia Dominus vocaret puerum: et ait ad Samuelem: Vade, et dormi: et si deinceps vocaverit te, dices: Loquere, Domine, quia audit servus tuus. Abiit ergo Samuel, et dormivit in loco suo.

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 Et venit Dominus, et stetit: et vocavit, sicut vocaverat secundo: Samuel, Samuel. Et ait Samuel: Loquere, Domine, quia audit servus tuus.

The Lord came and stood there, calling just as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, because your servant is listening.”

11 Et dixit Dominus ad Samuelem: Ecce ego facio verbum in Israël, quod quicumque audierit, tinnient ambæ aures ejus.

The Lord told Samuel: “Pay attention, because I'm going to do something in Israel that will surprise everyone who hears it.

12 In die illa suscitabo adversum Heli omnia quæ locutus sum super domum ejus: incipiam, et complebo.

That's when I will carry out against Eli and his family everything I have said, from beginning to end.

13 Prædixi enim ei quod judicaturus essem domum ejus in æternum propter iniquitatem, eo quod noverat indigne agere filios suos, et non corripuerit eos.

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 Idcirco juravi domui Heli quod non expietur iniquitas domus ejus victimis et muneribus usque in æternum.

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 Dormivit autem Samuel usque mane, aperuitque ostia domus Domini. Et Samuel timebat indicare visionem Heli.

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 Vocavit ergo Heli Samuelem, et dixit: Samuel fili mi? Qui respondens ait: Præsto sum.

But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” “I'm here,” Samuel answered.

17 Et interrogavit eum: Quis est sermo, quem locutus est Dominus ad te? oro te ne celaveris me: hæc faciat tibi Deus, et hæc addat, si absconderis a me sermonem ex omnibus verbis quæ dicta sunt tibi.

“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 Indicavit itaque ei Samuel universos sermones, et non abscondit ab eo. Et ille respondit: Dominus est: quod bonum est in oculis suis faciat.

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 Crevit autem Samuel, et Dominus erat cum eo, et non cecidit ex omnibus verbis ejus in terram.

Samuel continued to grow up. The Lord was with him and made sure all he said was trustworthy.

20 Et cognovit universus Israël, a Dan usque Bersabee, quod fidelis Samuel propheta esset Domini.

Everyone in the whole of Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.

21 Et addidit Dominus ut appareret in Silo, quoniam revelatus fuerat Dominus Samueli in Silo juxta verbum Domini. Et evenit sermo Samuelis universo Israëli.

The Lord went on appearing at Shiloh, because there he revealed himself to Samuel and delivered his messages,