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.
There was a man of Ramathaimsophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliu, the son of Thohu, the son of Suph, an Ephraimite:
2 Wayelabafazi ababili; omunye wayethiwa nguHana omunye enguPhenina. UPhenina wayelabantwana kodwa uHana engelabo.
And he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna 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 upon the appointed days, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord.
4 Kwakusithi kungafika isikhathi sokuthi u-Elikhana anikele umhlatshelo, wayenika umkakhe uPhenina lawo wonke amadodana lamadodakazi akhe izabelo zenyama.
Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions:
5 Kodwa uHana wayemnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili ngoba wayemthanda, kodwa uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe.
But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb.
6 Njalo ngenxa yokuthi uThixo wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe, unyanewabo wayehlala emgolomba ukuze amcaphule.
Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that 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.
And thus she did every year, when the time returned that they went up to the temple of the Lord: and thus she provoked her: but Anna 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?”
Then Elcana her husband said to her: Anna, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? And why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?
9 Kwake kwathi sebeqede ukudla lokunatha eShilo, uHana wasukuma. Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli umphristi wayehlezi esihlalweni phansi kwensika yomnyango wethempeli likaThixo.
So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool, before the door of the temple of the Lord:
10 Ngobuhlungu bomoya uHana wakhala kakhulu njalo wakhuleka kuThixo.
As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears,
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 made a vow, saying: O Lord, of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.
12 Ekuqhubekeni kwakhe uHana ekhuleka kuThixo, u-Eli wananzelela umlomo wakhe.
And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth.
13 UHana wayekhulekela enhliziyweni yakhe, izindebe zakhe zinyikinyeka kodwa ilizwi lakhe lingezwakali. U-Eli wacabanga ukuthi wayedakiwe,
Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk,
14 ngakho wathi kuye, “Koze kube nini ulokhu udakwa na? Yekela iwayini lakho.”
And said to her: How long wilt thou, be drunk? digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much.
15 “Akunjalo nkosi yami,” uHana waphendula. “Ngingowesifazane ohlupheke kakhulu. Kangizange nginathe iwayini kumbe utshwala. Kade ngisethula umphefumulo wami kuThixo.
Anna answering, said: Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 Ungathathi incekukazi yakho njengowesifazane ogangileyo; kade ngikhuleka lapha ngenxa yosizi lwami olukhulu kanye lobuhlungu.”
Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till now.
17 U-Eli waphendula wathi, “Hamba ngokuthula, sengathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakupha lokho okucele kuye.”
Then Heli said to her: 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: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes. So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more changed.
19 Ekuseni okwalandelayo bavuka bayakhonza phambi kukaThixo basebebuyela emzini wabo eRama. U-Elikhana walala loHana umkakhe, uThixo wamkhumbula.
And they rose in the morning, and worshipped before the Lord: and they returned, and came into their house at Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: and the Lord 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, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.
21 Kwathi lapho u-Elikhana ehamba labendlu yakhe bonke ukuyanikela umhlatshelo weminyaka yonke kuThixo lokugcwalisa isifungo sakhe,
And Elcana her husband went up, and all his house, to offer to the Lord the solemn sacrifice, and his vow.
22 uHana kahambanga. Wathi kumkakhe, “Emva kokuba umfana eselunyulwe, ngizamthatha ngiyemethula phambi kukaThixo, njalo uzahlala khona kokuphela.”
But Anna went not up: for she said to her husband: I will not go till the child be weaned, and till I may carry him, that he may appear before the Lord, and may abide always there.
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 Elcana her husband said to her: Do what seemeth good to thee, and stay till thou wean him: and I pray that the Lord may fulfill his word. So the woman stayed at home, and gave her son suck, till 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 after she had weaned him, she carried him with her, with three calves, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young:
25 Kwathi inkunzi sebeyihlabile, bamhambisa umfana ku-Eli,
And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli.
26 uHana wasesithi kuye, “Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ukhona, nkosi yami, mina ngingulowana umfazi owema phansi kwakho ekhuleka kuThixo.
And Anna said: I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord.
27 Ngakhulekela umntwana lo, njalo uThixo usengiphile engakucelayo.
For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him.
28 Ngakho khathesi sengimnika uThixo. Uzanikwa uThixo impilo yakhe yonke.” Wakhonza uThixo khonapho.
Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. And Anna prayed, and said:
