1 Samwiri 1
1 Waaliwo omusajja Omwefulayimu eyabeeranga e Lamasayimuzofimu, mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu, ng’ayitibwa Erukaana, nga mutabani wa Yerokamu, muzzukulu wa Eriku, muzzukulu wa Toku, muzzukulu wa Zufu.
There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah [town] in the hilly area where [the tribe of] Ephraim lived. His father was Jeroham, his grandfather was Elihu, and his great-grandfather was Tohu. He belonged to the Zuph clan.
2 Yalina abakyala babiri, omu nga ye Kaana; n’omulala nga ye Penina. Penina yalina abaana, naye Kaana nga mugumba.
He had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had several children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Buli mwaka omusajja oyo yayambukanga okuva mu kibuga ky’ewaabwe okugenda okusinza n’okuwaayo ssaddaaka eri Mukama ow’Eggye e Siiro. Eyo Kofuni ne Finekaasi batabani ba Eri gye baawererezanga nga bakabona ba Mukama Katonda.
Once every year Elkanah went up [with his family] from Ramah to Shiloh [city]. He went there to worship Yahweh, [the commander] of the armies [of angels], and to offer sacrifices to him. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, [helped their father to do the work as] priests of Yahweh there.
4 Awo olunaku olw’okuwaayo ssaddaaka bwe lwatuuka, Erukaana, n’awa Penina ne batabani be, ne bawala be emigabo egy’ennyama.
Each time Elkanah offered sacrifices there, he gave some of the meat to Peninnah and some to each of her sons and daughters.
5 Naye Kaana n’amuwa emigabo ebiri kubanga yamwagala nnyo, newaakubadde nga Mukama Katonda yali tamuwadde mwana.
But even though he loved Hannah very much, he gave her only one special amount of meat because Yahweh had not permitted her to give birth to any children.
6 Era kubanga Mukama Katonda yali tamuwadde mwana, muggya we n’amucoccanga.
And his other wife, Peninnah, would ridicule Hannah to make her feel miserable, because Yahweh had not allowed her to bear children.
7 Ebyo byabangawo buli mwaka, era bwe baayambukanga okugenda mu yeekaalu ya Mukama, muggya we n’amujoogerezanga okutuusa lwe yakaabanga, n’okulya n’atalya.
This happened every year. When they went up to the temple of Yahweh [at Shiloh], Peninnah ridiculed Hannah so much that Hannah cried and would not eat.
8 Bba Erukaana n’amubuuza nti, “Kaana, okaabiranga ki? Lwaki tolya? Kiki ekikweraliikiriza? Nze sikusingira abaana ekkumi?”
Then Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, (why are you crying?/please quit crying!) [RHQ] (Why are you not eating?/Please eat something!) [RHQ] Why are you so upset/sad? You have me; is that not more important to you than if you had ten sons? (OR, I [love you] more than your sons [would love you], even if you had ten sons.)”
9 Lwali lumu bwe baali bamaze okulya n’okunywa e Siiro, Eri yali atudde ku ntebe okumpi n’omulyango gwa yeekaalu, Kaana n’asituka n’agenda mu maaso ga Mukama Katonda.
One year, after they had finished eating and drinking at Shiloh, Hannah stood up [to pray]. Eli the priest was nearby, sitting on a chair by the doorway of the sacred tent of Yahweh.
10 Mu kulumwa olw’ennaku ennyingi ennyo, n’akaaba nnyo amaziga ng’asaba Mukama Katonda.
Hannah was very distressed, and she cried very sorrowfully as she prayed to Yahweh.
11 Ne yeeyama ng’agamba nti, “Ayi Mukama Ayinzabyonna, bw’olitunuulira ennaku ey’omuweereza wo, n’onzijukira, n’ompa omwana owoobulenzi, ndimuwaayo eri Mukama Katonda ennaku zonna ez’obulamu bwe nga muwonge, era enviiri ze teziimwebwengako.”
She made a vow saying, “O Almighty Commander of the armies of angels, if you will look at me and see how miserable I am, and think about me and allow me to give birth to a son, then I will dedicate him to you [to serve you] for the rest of his life. And [to show that he is dedicated to you], (no one will ever [be allowed to] cut his hair/his hair will never be cut).”
12 Awo Kaana bwe yeeyongera okusaba ennyo eri Mukama Katonda, Eri ne yeekaliriza akamwa ke.
As she was praying like that to Yahweh, Eli the priest saw Hannah’s lips [moving as she was praying].
13 Kaana yali asaba mu kasirise, ng’emimwa gye ginyeenya, naye nga eddoboozi lye teriwulikika. Eri n’alowooza nti atamidde.
But Hannah was only praying silently; she was not making any sound. So Eli thought that she was drunk.
14 Eri kyeyava amugamba nti, “Olikomya ddi okujjanga wano ng’otamidde? Ggyawo ettamiiro lyo.”
He said to her, “How long will you continue to get drunk [RHQ]? (Throw away your wine/Quit drinking wine)!”
15 Naye Kaana n’amuddamu nti, “Si bwe kiri mukama wange; nze ndi mukazi ajjudde ennaku. Sinnanywa ku wayini newaakubadde ekitamiiza ekirala; mbadde nkaabira Mukama Katonda mu mmeeme yange.
Hannah replied, “Sir, I am not drunk! I have not been drinking wine or any other alcoholic drink. I feel very distressed and I have been telling Yahweh about how I feel.
16 Omuweereza wo tomulowooza okuba omukazi ow’ekyejjo, kubanga mbadde nsindira Mukama ennaku n’obuyinike bwange.”
Do not think that I am a worthless/wicked woman! I have been praying like this because I am very distressed [DOU].”
17 Awo Eri n’amuddamu nti, “Genda mirembe. Katonda wa Isirayiri akuwe ekyo ky’omusabye.”
Eli replied, “I wish/desire that things will go well for you. I desire that God, the one we Israeli people [worship], will give you what you requested from him.”
18 N’ayogera nti, “Omuweereza wo alabe ekisa mu maaso go.” Oluvannyuma ne yeetambulira, n’alya ku mmere, n’atandika okutunula n’essanyu.
She replied, “I want you to think highly/well about me.” Then she returned [to her family] and after she ate something, her face no longer looked sad.
19 Awo Erukaana n’ab’ewuwe ne bagolokoka enkeera mu makya ne basinza Mukama, n’oluvannyuma ne baddayo ewaabwe e Laama. Ne yeetaba ne mukazi we Kaana, Mukama Katonda n’amujjukira.
Early the next morning, Elkanah and his family got up and worshiped Yahweh [again], and then they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah (slept with/had sex with) Hannah. Then Yahweh answered her prayer,
20 Kaana n’aba olubuto n’azaala omwana wabulenzi. N’amutuuma erinnya Samwiri, amakulu gaalyo, “Kubanga namusaba Mukama Katonda.”
and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, [which sounds like the words in the Hebrew language that mean ‘heard by God’], because she said “Yahweh [heard me when] I requested from him [a son].”
21 Awo Erukaana n’ayambuka n’ab’ennyumba ye okugenda okuwaayo ssaddaaka eri Mukama Katonda n’okutuukiriza obweyamo bwe.
The following year, Elkanah again went up [to Shiloh] with his family to make the kind of sacrifice he made each year, and also to give a special offering to God that he had promised [to give him previously].
22 Naye Kaana teyagenda nabo. N’agamba bba nti, “Omwana bw’aliva ku mabeere, ndimutwala ne mulagayo eri Mukama Katonda, era alibeera eyo ennaku ze zonna.”
But Hannah did not go [with them]. She said to her husband, “After I have weaned the baby, I will take him [to Shiloh and present him] to Yahweh, and he will stay there for the rest of his life.”
23 Erukaana n’amuddamu nti, “Kola nga bw’osiima. Linda okutuusa lw’olimala okumuggya ku mabeere; Mukama Katonda atuukirize ekigambo kye.” Awo omukyala n’asigala eka, n’alabirira omwana okutuusa lwe yava ku mabeere.
Elkanah said, “Do what seems the best to you. Stay here until you have weaned him. What I desire is that Yahweh will [enable you to] do what you have promised.” So Hannah stayed at home and nursed her son until she weaned him.
24 Bwe yava ku mabeere, n’amutwala mu yeekaalu ya Mukama Katonda e Siiro ng’akyali muto; ne batwala ente ssatu ennume, n’endebe ey’obutta, n’eccupa y’envinnyo.
After she weaned him, even though Samuel was very young, she took him to the temple/house of Yahweh at Shiloh. [To offer as a sacrifice], she took along a three-year-old bull, [a sack containing] (20 pounds/9 kg.) of flour, and a container of wine.
25 Bwe baamala okusala emu ku nte, ne batwala omwana eri Eri.
After the priest had slaughtered the bull [and offered it to Yahweh on the altar], Hannah and Elkanah brought the boy to Eli.
26 Kaana n’ayogera nti, “Nga bw’oli omulamu mukama wange, nze mukyala oli eyayimirira okumpi naawe, ne nsaba Mukama Katonda.
Then Hannah said to him, “Sir, (Do you remember me?/I solemnly affirm), I am the woman who prayed as I stood here beside you [several years ago].
27 Namusaba omwana ono, era Mukama Katonda ampadde kye namusaba.
I prayed that Yahweh would enable me to give birth to a child, and this is the child whom I requested Yahweh to give me.
28 Kaakano mmuwaayo eri Mukama, era obulamu bwe bwonna aweereddwayo eri Mukama Katonda.” Omwana n’asinzizanga Mukama Katonda eyo.
So now I am presenting him to Yahweh. He will belong to Yahweh as long as he lives.” Then Elkanah [and his family] worshiped Yahweh there.
