1 USamuyeli 1
1 Kwakulendoda ethile yaseRamathayimi, umZufi owayevela elizweni lamaqaqa elako-Efrayimi, ibizo layo lalingu-Elikhana indodana kaJerohamu, indodana ka-Elihu, indodana kaThohu, indodana kaZufi, umʼEfrayimi.
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the hill country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2 Wayelabafazi ababili; omunye wayethiwa nguHana omunye enguPhenina. UPhenina wayelabantwana kodwa uHana engelabo.
He had two wives. The name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Ngeminyaka yonke indoda le yayisuka emzini wakibo isiyakhonza, inikela lomhlatshelo kuThixo uSomandla eShilo, lapho uHofini loFinehasi, amadodana amabili ka-Eli, ababengabaphristi bakaThixo khona.
This man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of Armies in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to the LORD, were there.
4 Kwakusithi kungafika isikhathi sokuthi u-Elikhana anikele umhlatshelo, wayenika umkakhe uPhenina lawo wonke amadodana lamadodakazi akhe izabelo zenyama.
When the day came that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters;
5 Kodwa uHana wayemnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili ngoba wayemthanda, kodwa uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe.
but he gave a double portion to Hannah, for he loved Hannah, but the LORD had shut up her womb.
6 Njalo ngenxa yokuthi uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe, unyanewabo wayehlala emgolomba ukuze amcaphule.
Her rival provoked her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
7 Lokhu kwaqhubeka iminyaka yonke. Ngezikhathi zonke lapho uHana eye endlini kaThixo, unyanewabo wayemgolomba aze akhale njalo ehluleke lokudla.
So year by year, when she went up to the LORD’s house, her rival provoked her. Therefore she wept, and didn’t eat.
8 U-Elikhana umkakhe, wayesithi kuye, “Hana, ukhalelani na? Kungani ungadli na? Kungani udanile? Kuwe angiqakathekanga ukwedlula amadodana alitshumi na?”
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why don’t you eat? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Kwake kwathi sebeqede ukudla lokunatha eShilo, uHana wasukuma. Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli umphristi wayehlezi esihlalweni phansi kwensika yomnyango wethempeli likaThixo.
So Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.
10 Ngobuhlungu bomoya uHana wakhala kakhulu njalo wakhuleka kuThixo.
She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, weeping bitterly.
11 Wafunga esithi, “Awu, Thixo Somandla, nxa ungakhangela nje usizi lwencekukazi yakho ungikhumbule, njalo ungayikhohlwa incekukazi yakho kodwa uyiphe indodana, lapho-ke ngizayinika uThixo okwensuku zonke zokuphila kwayo, njalo akulampuco ezasetshenziswe ekhanda layo.”
She vowed a vow, and said, “LORD of Armies, if you will indeed look at the affliction of your servant and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head.”
12 Ekuqhubekeni kwakhe uHana ekhuleka kuThixo, u-Eli wananzelela umlomo wakhe.
As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli saw her mouth.
13 UHana wayekhulekela enhliziyweni yakhe, izindebe zakhe zinyikinyeka kodwa ilizwi lakhe lingezwakali. U-Eli wacabanga ukuthi wayedakiwe,
Now Hannah spoke in her heart. Only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14 ngakho wathi kuye, “Koze kube nini ulokhu udakwa na? Yekela iwayini lakho.”
Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine!”
15 “Akunjalo nkosi yami,” uHana waphendula. “Ngingowesifazane ohlupheke kakhulu. Kangizange nginathe iwayini kumbe utshwala. Kade ngisethula umphefumulo wami kuThixo.
Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have not been drinking wine or strong drink, but I poured out my soul before the LORD.
16 Ungathathi incekukazi yakho njengowesifazane ogangileyo; kade ngikhuleka lapha ngenxa yosizi lwami olukhulu kanye lobuhlungu.”
Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman; for I have been speaking out of the abundance of my complaint and my provocation.”
17 U-Eli waphendula wathi, “Hamba ngokuthula, sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakupha lokho okucele kuye.”
Then Eli answered, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your petition that you have asked of him.”
18 UHana wathi, “Sengathi incekukazi yakho ingathola umusa emehlweni akho.” Lapho-ke wasuka wahamba, wadla, njalo ubuso bakhe babungasadananga.
She said, “Let your servant find favour in your sight.” So the woman went her way and ate; and her facial expression wasn’t sad any more.
19 Ekuseni okwalandelayo bavuka bayakhonza phambi kukaThixo basebebuyela emzini wabo eRama. U-Elikhana walala loHana umkakhe, uThixo wamkhumbula.
They rose up in the morning early and worshipped the LORD, then returned and came to their house to Ramah. Then Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
20 Ngakho ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uHana wathatha isisu wazala indodana. Wayetha ibizo wathi nguSamuyeli, esithi, “Ngoba ngamcela kuThixo.”
When the time had come, Hannah conceived, and bore a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of the LORD.”
21 Kwathi lapho u-Elikhana ehamba labendlu yakhe bonke ukuyanikela umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke kuThixo lokugcwalisa isifungo sakhe,
The man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.
22 uHana kahambanga. Wathi kumkakhe, “Emva kokuba umfana eselunyulwe, ngizamthatha ngiyemethula phambi kukaThixo, njalo uzahlala khona kokuphela.”
But Hannah didn’t go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and stay there forever.”
23 U-Elikhana umkakhe wathi kuye, “Yenza lokho okukhanya kukuhle kuwe. Hlala khonapho uze umkhuphe ebeleni; kuphela nje sengathi uThixo angagcwalisa ilizwi lakhe.” Ngakho owesifazane wahlala ekhaya wondla indodana yakhe waze wayilumula.
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him.
24 Emva kokuba esekhutshiwe ebeleni, wahamba lomfana, emncane enjalo kanye lenkunzi eyayileminyaka emithathu ubudala, lehefa lempuphu yengqoloyi kanye lembodlela yewayini, wamusa endlini kaThixo eShilo.
When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, and one ephah of meal, and a container of wine, and brought him to the LORD’s house in Shiloh. The child was young.
25 Kwathi inkunzi sebeyihlabile, bamhambisa umfana ku-Eli,
They killed the bull, and brought the child to Eli.
26 uHana wasesithi kuye, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ukhona, nkosi yami, mina ngingulowana umfazi owema phansi kwakho ekhuleka kuThixo.
She said, “Oh, my lord, as your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.
27 Ngakhulekela umntwana lo, njalo uThixo usengiphile engakucelayo.
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.
28 Ngakho khathesi sengimnika uThixo. Uzanikwa uThixo impilo yakhe yonke.” Wakhonza uThixo khonapho.
Therefore I have also given him to the LORD. As long as he lives he is given to the LORD.” He worshipped the LORD there.
