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.
Then Hannah prayed, saying, “I rejoice in [what] you, [, have done]. I am strong [MET] because I belong to you. I (laugh at/ridicule) my enemies, because you, Yahweh have rescued me [from being taunted by them].
2 Non est sanctus, ut est Dominus: neque enim est alius extra te, et non est fortis sicut Deus noster.
There is no one who is holy like you, Yahweh. There is no other god like you. There is no one like you, our God, who can protect us [as though you were putting us beneath] a huge rock [where we can hide from danger].
3 Nolite multiplicare loqui sublimia, gloriantes: recedant vetera de ore vestro: quia Deus scientiarum, Dominus est, et ipsi praeparantur cogitationes.
[You people who oppose God], stop boasting! Yahweh is a God who knows [everything], and he will evaluate/judge everyone’s actions. So don’t speak so arrogantly!
4 Arcus fortium superatus est, et infirmi accincti sunt robore.
Yahweh, you break the bows/weapons of mighty soldiers, and you give strength to those who stumble [because of being weak].
5 Repleti prius, pro panibus se locaverunt: et famelici saturati sunt, donec sterilis peperit plurimos: et quae multos habebat filios, infirmata est.
Many people who previously had plenty to eat, now have to work for other people [to earn money] to buy food, but many who were always hungry are not hungry any more. The woman who did not have any children before, now has given birth to many/seven children, and the woman who had many children before, now is very lonely [because they have all died].
Yahweh, you cause some people to die, and you restore some people who are almost dead. For some people, [it seems that they will soon] go to where the dead people are, but you cause them to become healthy again. (Sheol h7585)
7 Dominus pauperem facit et ditat, humiliat et sublevat.
Yahweh, you cause some people to be poor and you cause some people to be rich, you humble some people and you honor some people.
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.
[Sometimes] you lift poor people up so that they are no longer [despondent, sitting in the dust, ] or sitting on heaps of ashes; you cause them to sit next to princes; you cause them to sit on chairs/thrones where people who are highly honored sit. Yahweh, you are the one who laid the foundations of the earth, and you have set the whole world on those foundations.
9 Pedes sanctorum suorum servabit, et impii in tenebris conticescent: quia non in fortitudine sua roborabitur vir.
You will protect your loyal/faithful people [SYN], but you will cause the wicked to die [EUP] and descend to the dark [place where dead people are]. We do not defeat [our enemies] by our 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.
Yahweh, you will break into pieces those who oppose you. You will cause thunder in the sky to show that you (oppose/are angry with) them. Yahweh, you will judge [people everywhere, even those who live in] the most remote places on the earth. You will give strength to the king whom you will appoint, and give him great power [over his enemies].”
11 Et abiit Elcana in Ramatha, in domum suam: puer autem erat minister in conspectu Domini ante faciem Heli sacerdotis.
Then Elkanah [and his family] returned to Ramah, but Samuel, the little boy, stayed to help Eli the priest serve Yahweh.
12 Porro filii Heli, filii Belial, nescientes Dominum,
Eli’s two [, who were also priests, ] were very wicked. They did not revere (OR, respect/obey) Yahweh.
13 neque officium sacerdotum ad populum: sed quicumque immolasset victimam, veniebat puer sacerdotis, dum coquerentur carnes, et habebat fuscinulam tridentem in manu sua,
While the people were boiling the meat from their sacrifices [in the huge pot at the temple], one of Eli’s sons, [would send his servant to come with a large three-pronged fork in his hand].
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.
[He] would stick the fork into [the meat in] the pot, and whatever meat fastened onto the fork, he would take [and give it] to the priest who sent him. Eli’s sons did this to all the Israeli people who came to Shiloh [to offer sacrifices].
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.
Furthermore, before the fat [on the meat] was [cut off and] and burned [as a sacrifice to Yahweh], the servant of the priest would [sometimes] come to the man who was making the sacrifice and say to him, “Give me some meat [now to take] to the priest for him to roast! He wants raw meat; he does not want boiled meat.”
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.
If the man said to the servant, “Let the priests [cut off and] burn the fat first; then you can take what you want,” the servant would reply, “No, give it to me now; if you do not give it to me, I will take it forcefully!”
17 Erat ergo peccatum puerorum grande nimis coram Domino: quia retrahebant homines a sacrificio Domini.
Yahweh considered that the young [sons of Eli] were committing a very great sin, because they were treating very disrespectfully the offerings that were being given to Yahweh.
18 Samuel autem ministrabat ante faciem Domini, puer accinctus ephod lineo.
As for Samuel, who was still a very young boy, he continued to do work for Yahweh, wearing a little sacred linen vest [like the Supreme Priest wore].
19 Et tunicam parvam faciebat ei mater sua, quam afferebat statutis diebus, ascendens cum viro suo, ut immolaret hostiam sollemnem.
Each year his mother made a [new] little robe for him and took it to him when she went up [to Shiloh] with her husband to offer a 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.
Then Eli would [ask God to] bless Elkanah and his wife, and he would say to Elkanah, “I hope/desire that Yahweh will enable your wife to give birth to other children, to take the place of the one whom she dedicated to Yahweh.” Then Elkanah and his family would return home.
21 Visitavit ergo Dominus Annam, et concepit, et peperit tres filios, et duas filias: et magnificatus est puer Samuel apud Dominum.
And Yahweh was very kind to Hannah, and enabled her to give birth to three [other] sons and two daughters. Their son Samuel grew up while he was doing work for Yahweh [in the Sacred Tent].
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 became very old. He often heard about all the [evil] things that his sons were doing to the Israeli people. He heard that they [sometimes] (slept with/had sex with) the women who worked at the entrance to the tent where [God] spoke to [his people].
23 et dixit eis: Quare facitis res huiuscemodi, quas ego audio, res pessimas, ab omni populo?
He said to them, “(It is terrible that you do such things!/Why do you do such things?) [RHQ] Many people keep telling me about the evil things that you do.
24 Nolite filii mei: non enim est bona fama, quam ego audio, ut transgredi faciatis populum Domini.
My sons, stop it! The reports [about you] that the people who belong to Yahweh tell others are terrible [EUP]!
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 one person sins against another person, God can (intercede/act as a referee) between them. But if someone sins against Yahweh, no one can [RHQ] (intercede/act as a referee) between them!” But Eli’s sons would not listen to what their father said. This was because Yahweh had decided [that someone should] them.
26 Puer autem Samuel proficiebat, atque crescebat, et placebat tam Deo quam hominibus.
The boy Samuel continued to grow up, and the things that he did pleased Yahweh 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?
One day, a prophet came to Eli and told him, “This is what Yahweh has told me: ‘When your ancestors were slaves of the king of Egypt, I appeared to Aaron.
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.
From all the tribes of the Israeli people, I chose him [and his male descendants] to be priests for me. I appointed them to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear a sacred apron [as they worked] for me. And I declared that they could take [and eat some of the meat] that the Israeli people burned [on the altar].
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 do you show disrespect for the sacrifices and offerings that I commanded [the people to bring] to me [RHQ]? You are honoring your sons more than you are honoring me, by allowing them to get fat from eating the best parts of all the sacrifices that the Israeli people bring to me!’
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.
“Therefore, this is what Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship], declares: ‘I definitely promised that Aaron and his descendants would continue to serve [IDM] me forever.’ But now I declare this: ‘It will not continue like that! I will honor those who honor me, but I will despise those who despise me.
31 Ecce dies veniunt: et praecidam brachium tuum, et brachium domus patris tui, ut non sit senex in domo tua.
Listen carefully! There will soon be a time when I will cause all the strong [young men] in your family to die. The result will be that no men in your family will [live long enough to] become old men.
32 Et videbis aemulum tuum in templo, in universis prosperis Israel: et non erit senex in domo tua omnibus diebus.
You will be distressed and envious as you see the blessings that I will give to [the other people in] Israel. And [I repeat that] no men in your family will ever live long enough to become old men.
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.
There is one of your descendants whom I will spare, and not prevent him from serving me as a priest. But he will become blind, and then he will always be sad and grieving. But all your other descendants will die violently.
34 Hoc autem erit tibi signum, quod venturum est duobus filiis tuis, Ophni et Phinees: In die uno morientur ambo.
And your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will both die on the same day. And that will prove to you [that all that I have said will come true/happen].
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.
‘have chosen another man to be my priest. He is one who will serve me faithfully: He will do everything I want [DOU] him to do. And I will enable him to have many descendants [IDM] who will be priests and will always serve me by helping the king whom I will choose.
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.
All of your descendants who remain alive will have to go to that priest and ask him to give them money and food, and they will each have to say, “Please allow me to help the other priests, in order that I may [earn some money to] buy some food.”’”
