I Samuelis 2
1 Exultavit cor meum in Domino, et exaltatum est cornu meum in Deo meo: dilatatum est os meum super inimicos meos: quia laetata sum in salutari tuo.
Hannah prayed, “I'm so happy in the Lord! He has empowered me! Now I have plenty to say in answer to those who hate me. I celebrate your salvation!
2 Non est sanctus, ut est Dominus: neque enim est alius extra te, et non est fortis sicut Deus noster.
There's no one holy like the Lord—no one apart from you, no Rock like our God!
3 Nolite multiplicare loqui sublimia, gloriantes: recedant vetera de ore vestro: quia Deus scientiarum, Dominus est, et ipsi praeparantur cogitationes.
Don't speak so conceitedly! Don't talk so arrogantly! For the Lord is a God who knows everything—doesn't he judge what you do?
4 Arcus fortium superatus est, et infirmi accincti sunt robore.
The weapons of the powerful are shattered, while those who stumble along are made strong.
5 Repleti prius, pro panibus se locaverunt: et famelici saturati sunt, donec sterilis peperit plurimos: et quae multos habebat filios, infirmata est.
Those who used to have plenty of food now have to work to earn a crust, while those who used to be hungry now have become fat. The woman who was childless now has seven children, while the woman with many children fades away.
The Lord kills and he revives; he sends some down to the grave, but he raises others up. (Sheol h7585)
7 Dominus pauperem facit et ditat, humiliat et sublevat.
The Lord makes some poor, but others rich; he brings some down, but he lifts others up.
8 Suscitat de pulvere egenum, et de stercore elevat pauperem: ut sedeat cum principibus, et solium gloriae teneat. Domini enim sunt cardines terrae, et posuit super eos orbem.
He helps the poor up from the dust; he raises the lowborn from the trash pile and seats them with the upper class in places of honor. For the foundations of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the world on them.
9 Pedes sanctorum suorum servabit, et impii in tenebris conticescent: quia non in fortitudine sua roborabitur vir.
He will take care of those who trust him, but the wicked vanish into the darkness, for people don't succeed through their own strength.
10 Dominum formidabunt adversarii eius: et super ipsos in caelis tonabit: Dominus iudicabit fines Terrae, et dabit imperium regi suo, et sublimabit cornu Christi sui.
The Lord crushes his enemies, he thunders against them from heaven. He rules the whole earth; he strengthens his king, and gives power to the one he has anointed.”
11 Et abiit Elcana in Ramatha, in domum suam: puer autem erat minister in conspectu Domini ante faciem Heli sacerdotis.
Then Elkanah went home to Ramah while the boy stayed with Eli the priest serving the Lord.
12 Porro filii Heli, filii Belial, nescientes Dominum,
Eli's sons were worthless men who didn't have any time for the Lord
13 neque officium sacerdotum ad populum: sed quicumque immolasset victimam, veniebat puer sacerdotis, dum coquerentur carnes, et habebat fuscinulam tridentem in manu sua,
or their role as priests to the people. They would send one of their servants over with a fork when anyone came to offer a sacrifice.
14 et mittebat eam in lebetem, vel in caldariam, aut in ollam, sive in cacabum: et omne, quod levabat fuscinula, tollebat sacerdos sibi. sic faciebant universo Israeli venientium in Silo.
The servant would stick the fork into the pot while the meat from the sacrifice was being boiled, and would take whatever meat came up on the fork to Eli's sons. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.
15 Etiam antequam adolerent adipem, veniebat puer sacerdotis, et dicebat immolanti: Da mihi carnem, ut coquam sacerdoti: non enim accipiam a te carnem coctam, sed crudam.
In fact even before the fat of the sacrifice was burned up the servant would come and would demand from the man sacrificing, “Give me meat to roast for the priest. He doesn't want boiled meat from you—he wants it raw.”
16 Dicebatque illi immolans: Incendatur primum iuxta morem hodie adeps, et tolle tibi quantumcumque desiderat anima tua. Qui respondens aiebat ei: Nequaquam: nunc enim dabis, alioquin tollam vi.
The man might answer, “Let me first burn up all the fat, and then you can have as much as you want.” But the priest's servant would reply, “No, you must give it to me now. If you don't, I'll take it by force.”
17 Erat ergo peccatum puerorum grande nimis coram Domino: quia retrahebant homines a sacrificio Domini.
The sins of these young men were extremely serious from the Lord's perspective because they were treating with contempt the Lord's offerings.
18 Samuel autem ministrabat ante faciem Domini, puer accinctus ephod lineo.
But Samuel served before the Lord—a boy dressed as a priest, wearing a linen ephod.
19 Et tunicam parvam faciebat ei mater sua, quam afferebat statutis diebus, ascendens cum viro suo, ut immolaret hostiam sollemnem.
Every year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.
20 Et benedixit Heli Elcanae et uxori eius: dixitque ei: Reddat tibi Dominus semen de muliere hac, pro foenore quod commodasti Domino. Et abierunt in locum suum.
Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to replace the one she prayed for and dedicated to the Lord.” Then they would return home.
21 Visitavit ergo Dominus Annam, et concepit, et peperit tres filios, et duas filias: et magnificatus est puer Samuel apud Dominum.
The Lord blessed Hannah with three sons and two daughters. The boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
22 Heli autem erat senex valde, et audivit omnia quae faciebant filii sui universo Israeli: et quomodo dormiebant cum mulieribus quae observabant ad ostium tabernaculi:
Eli was very old, however he had heard about all the things his sons were doing to the people of Israel, and how they were seducing the women who were serving at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
23 et dixit eis: Quare facitis res huiuscemodi, quas ego audio, res pessimas, ab omni populo?
He asked them, “Why are you doing all this? I keep on hearing from everyone about your evil actions.
24 Nolite filii mei: non enim est bona fama, quam ego audio, ut transgredi faciatis populum Domini.
No, my sons, the report I hear about you from the Lord's people isn't good.
25 Si peccaverit vir in virum, placari ei potest Deus: si autem in Dominum peccaverit vir, quis orabit pro eo? Et non audierunt vocem patris sui: quia voluit Dominus occidere eos.
If a man sins against someone, God can intercede for him; but if a man sin against the Lord, who is going to intercede for him?” But they didn't pay attention to what their father said, for the Lord was planning to put them to death.
26 Puer autem Samuel proficiebat, atque crescebat, et placebat tam Deo quam hominibus.
The boy Samuel grew physically, and also grew in the approval of both the Lord and the people.
27 Venit autem vir Dei ad Heli, et ait ad eum: Haec dicit Dominus: Numquid non aperte revelatus sum domui patris tui, cum essent in Aegypto in domo Pharaonis?
A man of God came to Eli and told him, “This is what the Lord says: Didn't I very clearly reveal myself to your forefather's family when they were ruled by Pharaoh in Egypt?
28 Et elegi eum ex omnibus tribubus Israel mihi in sacerdotem, ut ascenderet ad altare meum, et adoleret mihi incensum, et portaret ephod coram me: et dedi domui patris tui omnia de sacrificiis filiorum Israel.
I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel as my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave to your forefather's family all the Israelites' offerings made with fire.
29 Quare calce abiecistis victimam meam, et munera mea quae praecepi ut offerrentur in templo: et magis honorasti filios tuos quam me, ut comederetis primitias omnis sacrificii Israel populi mei?
So why have you treated with contempt my sacrifices and offerings that I have ordered for my place of worship? You honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves with the best parts of all the offerings from my people Israel.
30 Propterea ait Dominus Deus Israel: Loquens locutus sum, ut domus tua, et domus patris tui ministraret in conspectu meo, usque in sempiternum. Nunc autem dicit Dominus: Absit hoc a me: sed quicumque honorificaverit me, glorificabo eum: qui autem contemnunt me, erunt ignobiles.
Consequently, this is the declaration of the Lord: I made a definite promise that your family and your father's family would always serve me as priests. But now the Lord declares: Not anymore! Instead I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me I will treat with contempt.
31 Ecce dies veniunt: et praecidam brachium tuum, et brachium domus patris tui, ut non sit senex in domo tua.
The time is coming when I will bring your family and your father's family to an end. No one will live to an old age.
32 Et videbis aemulum tuum in templo, in universis prosperis Israel: et non erit senex in domo tua omnibus diebus.
You will see tragedy in the place of worship. While Israel will prosper, no one in your family will ever again reach old age.
33 Verumtamen non auferam penitus virum ex te ab altari meo: sed ut deficiant oculi tui, et tabescat anima tua: et pars magna domus tuae morietur cum ad virilem aetatem venerit.
Anyone of your family not cut off from serving at my altar will make your eyes weep and cause you grief. All your descendants will die when full of life.
34 Hoc autem erit tibi signum, quod venturum est duobus filiis tuis, Ophni et Phinees: In die uno morientur ambo.
Here is a sign for you that this will happen regarding your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: both will die on the same day.
35 Et suscitabo mihi sacerdotem fidelem, qui iuxta cor meum, et animam meam faciet: et aedificabo ei domum fidelem, et ambulabit coram Christo meo cunctis diebus.
I will choose for myself a trustworthy priest who will do what I really want, what I have in mind. I will make sure he and his descendants are trustworthy and they will always serve my anointed one.
36 Futurum est autem, ut quicumque remanserit in domo tua, veniat ut oretur pro eo, et offerat nummum argenteum, et tortam panis, dicatque: Dimitte me obsecro ad unam partem sacerdotalem, ut comedam buccellam panis.
Every one of your descendants who is left will come and bow down to him, asking for money and food, saying, ‘Please give me work as a priest so that I can have food to eat.’”
