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.

And there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.

2 Wayelabafazi ababili; omunye wayethiwa nguHana omunye enguPhenina. UPhenina wayelabantwana kodwa uHana engelabo.

And he had two wives: the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah; and 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.

And this man went up out of his city from year to year to worship and to sacrifice to Jehovah of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of Jehovah, were there.

4 Kwakusithi kungafika isikhathi sokuthi u-Elikhana anikele umhlatshelo, wayenika umkakhe uPhenina lawo wonke amadodana lamadodakazi akhe izabelo zenyama.

And it came to pass on the day that Elkanah sacrificed, he gave to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and her daughters portions;

5 Kodwa uHana wayemnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili ngoba wayemthanda, kodwa uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe.

but to Hannah he used to give a double portion, for he loved Hannah; but Jehovah had shut up her womb.

6 Njalo ngenxa yokuthi uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe, unyanewabo wayehlala emgolomba ukuze amcaphule.

And her adversary provoked her much also, to make her fret, because Jehovah had shut up her womb.

7 Lokhu kwaqhubeka iminyaka yonke. Ngezikhathi zonke lapho uHana eye endlini kaThixo, unyanewabo wayemgolomba aze akhale njalo ehluleke lokudla.

And [as] he did so year by year, as often as she went up to the house of Jehovah, she provoked her thus; and she wept and did not eat.

8 U-Elikhana umkakhe, wayesithi kuye, “Hana, ukhalelani na? Kungani ungadli na? Kungani udanile? Kuwe angiqakathekanga ukwedlula amadodana alitshumi na?”

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? Am not I better to thee than ten sons?

9 Kwake kwathi sebeqede ukudla lokunatha eShilo, uHana wasukuma. Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli umphristi wayehlezi esihlalweni phansi kwensika yomnyango wethempeli likaThixo.

And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk; (now Eli the priest sat upon the seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah; )

10 Ngobuhlungu bomoya uHana wakhala kakhulu njalo wakhuleka kuThixo.

and she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Jehovah, and wept much.

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.”

And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man child, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.

12 Ekuqhubekeni kwakhe uHana ekhuleka kuThixo, u-Eli wananzelela umlomo wakhe.

And it came to pass as she continued praying before Jehovah, that Eli marked 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; and Eli thought she was drunken.

14 ngakho wathi kuye, “Koze kube nini ulokhu udakwa na? Yekela iwayini lakho.”

And Eli said to her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.

15 “Akunjalo nkosi yami,” uHana waphendula. “Ngingowesifazane ohlupheke kakhulu. Kangizange nginathe iwayini kumbe utshwala. Kade ngisethula umphefumulo wami kuThixo.

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before Jehovah.

16 Ungathathi incekukazi yakho njengowesifazane ogangileyo; kade ngikhuleka lapha ngenxa yosizi lwami olukhulu kanye lobuhlungu.”

Take not thy handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my grief and provocation have I spoken hitherto.

17 U-Eli waphendula wathi, “Hamba ngokuthula, sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakupha lokho okucele kuye.”

And Eli answered and said, Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition which thou hast asked of him.

18 UHana wathi, “Sengathi incekukazi yakho ingathola umusa emehlweni akho.” Lapho-ke wasuka wahamba, wadla, njalo ubuso bakhe babungasadananga.

And she said, Let thy bondwoman find grace in thy sight. And the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more [as before].

19 Ekuseni okwalandelayo bavuka bayakhonza phambi kukaThixo basebebuyela emzini wabo eRama. U-Elikhana walala loHana umkakhe, uThixo wamkhumbula.

And they rose up early in the morning and worshipped before Jehovah, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and Jehovah remembered her.

20 Ngakho ngokuhamba kwesikhathi uHana wathatha isisu wazala indodana. Wayetha ibizo wathi nguSamuyeli, esithi, “Ngoba ngamcela kuThixo.”

And it came to pass when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bore a son, and called his name Samuel, [saying, ] Because I have asked him of Jehovah.

21 Kwathi lapho u-Elikhana ehamba labendlu yakhe bonke ukuyanikela umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke kuThixo lokugcwalisa isifungo sakhe,

And Elkanah her husband, and all his house, went up to sacrifice to Jehovah 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 did not go up, for she said to her husband, [I will wait] until the child is weaned; then will I bring him, that he may appear before Jehovah, and there abide for ever.

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.

And Elkanah her husband said to her, Do what is good in thy sight: abide until thou hast weaned him; only, may Jehovah fulfil his word. And the woman abode, and gave her son suck 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.

And she took him up with her when she had weaned him, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a flask of wine, and brought him to the house of Jehovah to Shiloh; and the boy was young.

25 Kwathi inkunzi sebeyihlabile, bamhambisa umfana ku-Eli,

And they slaughtered the bullock, and brought the boy to Eli.

26 uHana wasesithi kuye, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ukhona, nkosi yami, mina ngingulowana umfazi owema phansi kwakho ekhuleka kuThixo.

And she said, Oh my lord, [as] thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here to pray to Jehovah.

27 Ngakhulekela umntwana lo, njalo uThixo usengiphile engakucelayo.

For this boy I prayed; and Jehovah has granted me my petition which I asked of him.

28 Ngakho khathesi sengimnika uThixo. Uzanikwa uThixo impilo yakhe yonke.” Wakhonza uThixo khonapho.

And also I have lent him to Jehovah: all the days that he lives, he is lent to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.