1 USamuyeli 2
1 UHana wasekhuleka esithi: “Inhliziyo yami iyathokoza kuThixo; kuThixo uphondo lwami luphakeme. Umlomo wami uyaziklolodela izitha zami, ngoba ngiyathokoza ekusindiseni kwakho.
And Hannah prayed, and said: My heart exulteth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2 Kakho ongcwele njengoThixo; kakho omunye ngaphandle kwakho; akulaDwala elinjengo-Nkulunkulu wethu.
There is none holy as the LORD; for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Lingabe lisakhuluma ngokuzigqaja kanje loba uyekele umlomo wakho ukhuluma ukuzikhukhumeza okunje, ngoba uThixo unguNkulunkulu owaziyo, njalo izenzo zilinganiswa nguye.
Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 Amadandili amabutho ephukile, kodwa labo abakhubekayo bahlonyiswe ngamandla.
The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 Labo ababesuthi baziqhatshisa ngokudla, kodwa labo ababelambile kabalambi futhi. Lowo owayeyinyumbakazi usezele abantwana abayisikhombisa, kodwa lowo owayelamadodana amanengi uyacikizeka.
They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry have ceased: yea, the barren hath borne seven; and she that hath many children languisheth.
The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. (Sheol h7585)
7 Uthixo uthumela ubuyanga kanye lenotho; uyathobekisa njalo uyaphakamisa.
The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, he also lifteth up.
8 Uvusa abayanga ethulini aphakamise abaswelayo esilotheni; abahlalise lamakhosana. Enze bathole isihlalo sodumo sibe yilifa labo. Ngoba izisekelo zomhlaba ngezikaThixo; umise umhlaba phezu kwazo.
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, he lifteth up the needy from the dunghill, to make them sit with princes, and inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.
9 Uzalondoloza inyawo zabathembekileyo bakhe, kodwa ababi bazathuliselwa emnyameni. Akusikho ngamandla ukuthi umuntu ehlule;
He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 labo abaphikisa uThixo bazaphahlazwa. OPhezukonke uzaduma amelane labo esezulwini; uThixo uzakwahlulela imikhawulo yomhlaba. Uzayinika amandla inkosi yakhe aphakamise lophondo logcotshiweyo wakhe.”
They that strive with the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them shall he thunder in heaven: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
11 Emva kwalokho u-Elikhana wabuyela ekhaya eRama, kodwa umfana wakhonza phambi kukaThixo ngaphansi kuka-Eli umphristi.
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
12 Amadodana ka-Eli ayengabantu abaxhwalileyo, ayengamnanzi uThixo.
Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
13 Kwakungumkhuba wabaphristi labantu ukuthi kokuphela nxa loba ngubani enikele umhlatshelo, njalo lapho inyama isaphekwa, inceku yomphristi yayisiza iphethe ifologwe elencijo ezintathu.
And the custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
14 Yayihlaba ngayo epaneni loba egedleleni loba ebhodweni kumbe embizeni, umphristi abe esezithathela loba kuyini okuphume lefologwe. Le yiyo indlela abaphatha ngayo bonke abako-Israyeli abafika eShilo.
and he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
15 Kodwa lalapho amahwahwa engakatshi, inceku yomphristi yayisiya emuntwini onikelayo ithi, “Nika umphristi inyama yokosa; kasoze ayamukele kuwe inyama ephekiweyo, kodwa eluhlaza kuphela.”
Yea, before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16 Lapho umuntu ethe kuyo, “Yekela amahwahwa aqale atshe, ube usuthathake lokho okufunayo,” inceku yayiphendula ithi, “Hatshi, ngiqhubela yona khathesi; nxa ungenzi njalo, ngizayihluthuna ngamandla.”
And if the man said unto him, They will surely burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would say, Nay, but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17 Lesisono samajaha sasisikhulu kakhulu emehlweni kaThixo, ngoba babephatha umnikelo kaThixo ngokwedelela.
And the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
18 Kodwa uSamuyeli wayekhonza phambi kukaThixo engumfana egqoka isembatho samahlombe selineni.
But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
19 Minyaka yonke unina wayemenzela ingubo encane ayise kuye lapho esiya khonale lomkakhe ukuyanikela umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke.
Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 U-Eli wayebusisa u-Elikhana lomkakhe, esithi, “Sengathi uThixo angalipha abantwana ngalo owesifazane ukuba bathathe isikhundla salowo amkhulekelayo wasemnika uThixo.” Emva kwalokho babebuyela ekhaya.
And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which was lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
21 Uthixo waba lomusa kuHana; wakhulelwa wazala amadodana amathathu lamadodakazi amabili. Kusenjalo, umfana uSamuyeli wakhula phambi kukaThixo.
And the LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
22 Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli, owayesemdala kakhulu, wezwa ngakho konke okwakusenziwa ngamadodana akhe ku-Israyeli wonke kanye lokuthi ayelala njani labesifazane ababesebenza esangweni lethente lokuhlangana.
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all Israel, and how that they lay with the women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting.
23 Ngakho wathi kuwo, “Kungani lisenza izinto ezinje na? Ngizizwa ngabantu bonke lezizenzo zenu ezimbi.
And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings from all this people.
24 Hatshi, madodana ami; akusimbiko omuhle engiwuzwa usanda phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo.
Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’S people to transgress.
25 Nxa umuntu esona komunye umuntu, uNkulunkulu angaba ngumeli wakhe kodwa nxa umuntu esona kuThixo, ngubani ongamkhulumela na?” Kodwa amadodana akhe kawakulalelanga ukukhuza kukayise, ngoba kwakuyisifiso sikaThixo ukuba awabulale.
If one man sin against another, God shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall entreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
26 Umfana uSamuyeli waqhubeka ekhula ngomzimba langokuthandeka kuThixo lasebantwini.
And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
27 Ngalesosikhathi umuntu kaNkulunkulu wafika ku-Eli wathi kuye, “Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo ukuthi: ‘Kangizibonakalisanga ngokubalulekileyo endlini kayihlo lapho babeseGibhithe ngaphansi kukaFaro na?
And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I reveal myself unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt [in bondage] to Pharaoh’s house?
28 Ngakhetha uyihlo phakathi kwezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli ukuba abe ngumphristi wami, ukuba aye e-alithareni lami, ukuba atshise impepha, lokuba agqoke isembatho samahlombe phambi kwami. Njalo nganika indlu kayihlo yonke iminikelo eyenziwa ngomlilo ngabako-Israyeli.
and did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up unto mine altar to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire?
29 Pho kungani useyisa imihlatshelo yami kanye leminikelo engayiphawulela indlu yami yokuhlala na? Kungani uhlonipha amadodana akho okudlula mina ngokuzikhuluphalisa lina ngokwenu ngezingxenye zekhethelo zeminikelo yonke eyenziwa ngabantu bako-Israyeli na?’
Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in [my] habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30 Ngakho-ke uThixo, uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, uthi, ‘Ngathembisa ukuthi indlu yakho lendlu kayihlo zizakhonza phambi kwami nini lanini.’ Kodwa khathesi uThixo uthi, ‘Akusenjalo kimi!’ Labo abangihloniphayo ngizabahlonipha, kodwa labo abangeyisayo bazakweyiswa.
Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
31 Isikhathi siyeza lapho engizaphungula khona amandla akho lamandla endlu kayihlo, ukuze kungabi lomuntu omdala kusendo lwakwenu
Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32 njalo uzabona usizi lapho engihlala khona. Lanxa okuhle kuzakwenziwa ku-Israyeli, kwabosendo lwakho akuyikuba lomuntu omdala.
And thou shalt behold the affliction of [my] habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33 Lowo lalowo wakini engingayikumsusa e-alithareni lami uzayekelwa nje ukuba amehlo akhe afiphale lokuba azwise inhliziyo yakho ubuhlungu, njalo yonke inzalo yakho izakufa kuyikhona isephakathi kwempilo.
And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar, [shall be] to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
34 ‘Njalo okwenzakala emadodaneni akho amabili, uHofini loFinehasi, kuzakuba yisiboniso kuwe, bobabili bazakufa langa linye.
And this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
35 Ngizakuzimisela umphristi othembekileyo ozakwenza mayelana lokusenhliziyweni yami lengqondweni yami. Ngizamisa indlu yakhe iqine, njalo uzakhonza phambi kogcotshiweyo wami kokuphela.
And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
36 Lapho-ke bonke abosendo lwakho abaseleyo bazakuza bakhothame kuye becela uhlamvu lwesiliva loqweqwe lwesinkwa njalo bakhalaze besithi, “Ake ungibeke kwesinye isikhundla sobuphristi ukuze ngithole ukudla ngidle.”’”
And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.
