1 USamuyeli 1
1 Kwakukhona-ke indoda ethile yeRamathayimi-Zofimu entabeni yakoEfrayimi; lebizo layo lalinguElkana indodana kaJerohamu, indodana kaElihu, indodana kaTohu, indodana kaZufi umEfrayimi.
Once there was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, from the tribe of Ephraim.
2 Njalo yayilabafazi ababili; ibizo lomunye lalinguHana, lebizo lomunye lalinguPenina. Njalo uPenina wayelabantwana, kodwa uHana wayengelabantwana.
He had two wives. The name of the first wife was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 Leyondoda yenyuka-ke isuka emzini wayo iminyaka ngeminyaka ukuyakhonza lokuhlabela iNkosi yamabandla eShilo, njalo kwakukhona lapho amadodana amabili kaEli, uHofini loPhinehasi, abapristi beNkosi.
Every year Elkanah would leave his town and go to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord's priests.
4 Kwakusithi mhla uElkana ehlaba, wanika uPenina umkakhe lawo wonke amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe izabelo;
Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
5 kodwa uHana wamnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili, ngoba wayemthanda uHana; kodwa iNkosi yayisivalile isizalo sakhe.
He would give an extra portion to Hannah, to show his love for her even though the Lord hadn't given her any children.
6 Lesitha sakhe laso samcaphula ngentukuthelo ukuze simkhathaze, ngoba iNkosi yayisivalile isizalo sakhe.
Her rival—the other wife—would taunt her badly to upset her because the Lord hadn't given her any children.
7 Wayesenza njalo-ke iminyaka ngeminyaka; kusukela lapho esenyukela endlini yeNkosi, ngokunjalo samcaphula. Ngakho walila, kadlanga.
This went on for years. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord's Temple, Peninnah would taunt her until she cried and couldn't eat.
8 UElkana umkakhe wasesithi kuye: Hana, ulilelani? Njalo kawudli ngani? Kungani-ke inhliziyo yakho idabukile? Mina kangingcono kuwe kulamadodana alitshumi yini?
“Hannah, what are you crying for?” her husband Elkanah would ask. “Why don't you eat? Why are you so upset? Aren't I better to you than ten sons?”
9 Ngakho uHana wasukuma emva kokudla eShilo langemva kokunatha. UEli umpristi wayehlezi-ke esihlalweni phansi kwensika yethempeli leNkosi.
One time when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to the Temple. Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the entrance to the Lord's Temple.
10 Njalo wayelobuhlungu emphefumulweni, wasekhuleka eNkosini ekhala lokukhala inyembezi.
She was terribly upset, and prayed to the Lord as she cried and cried.
11 Wasefunga isifungo wathi: Nkosi yamabandla, uba ungabona lokubona ukuhlupheka kwencekukazi yakho, ungikhumbule, ungakhohlwa incekukazi yakho, kodwa unike incekukazi yakho inzalo yesilisa, ngizamnika iNkosi insuku zonke zempilo yakhe, lempuco kayiyikwedlula ekhanda lakhe.
She made a vow, asking, “Lord Almighty, if only you would pay attention to the suffering of your servant and remember me, and not forget me but give me a son, then I will dedicate him to the Lord for his whole life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
12 Kwasekusithi esaqhubeka ukukhuleka phambi kweNkosi, uEli waqaphelisa umlomo wakhe.
As Hannah went on praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.
13 UHana wayekhulumela-ke enhliziyweni yakhe, kwanyikinyeka indebe zakhe kuphela, kodwa ilizwi lakhe lalingezwakali; ngakho uEli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe.
Hannah was praying in her head, and though her lips were moving, her voice made no sound. Eli thought she must be drunk.
14 UEli wasesithi kuye: Koze kube nini udakwa? Susa iwayini lakho kuwe.
“Do you have to come here drunk?” he asked. “Get rid of your wine!”
15 UHana wasephendula wathi: Hatshi, nkosi yami, ngingowesifazana odabukileyo emoyeni; kanginathanga wayini loba okunathwayo okulamandla, kodwa bengithulula umphefumulo wami phambi kweNkosi.
“It's not that, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I'm a very miserable woman. I haven't been drinking wine or beer; I'm just pouring my heart out to the Lord.
16 Ungayithathi incekukazi yakho njengendodakazi kaBheliyali, ngoba ebunengini bosizi lwami lenkathazo yami sengikhulume kwaze kwaba khathesi.
Please don't think I'm a bad woman! I have been praying because of all my troubles and grief.”
17 UEli wasephendula wathi: Hamba ngokuthula; uNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli akunike isicelo sakho osicele kuye.
“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for,” Eli replied.
18 Wasesithi: Incekukazi yakho kayithole umusa emehlweni akho. Ngakho owesifazana wahamba ngendlela yakhe, wadla; lobuso bakhe abaze busanyukumala ngakho.
“Thank you for your kindness to your servant,” she said. Then she went on her way, had something to eat, and she didn't look sad any more.
19 Basebevuka ekuseni kakhulu, bakhonza phambi kweNkosi, basebebuyela bafika emzini wabo eRama. UElkana wasemazi uHana umkakhe, leNkosi yamkhumbula.
Elkanah and Hannah got up early the next morning to worship the Lord and then they went home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord honored her request.
20 Kwasekusithi ekuqhubekeni kwesikhathi uHana wakhulelwa, wabeletha indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uSamuweli; ngoba wathi: Ngimcelile eNkosini.
In due course she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
21 Lendoda uElkana lendlu yakhe yonke benyukela ukuyahlabela iNkosi umhlatshelo weminyaka ngeminyaka, lesifungo sakhe.
Elkanah and all his family went to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow.
22 Kodwa uHana kenyukanga, ngoba wathi kumkakhe: Kangiyikuhamba aze alunyulwe umfana; khona ngizamletha ukuze abonakale phambi kweNkosi, abesehlala khona kuze kube nininini.
But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned I will take him to be presented to the Lord and to remain there forever.”
23 UElkana umkakhe wasesithi kuye: Yenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho; hlala uze umlumule; kuphela, iNkosi kayiqinise ilizwi lakho. Ngokunjalo owesifazana wahlala, wayimunyisa indodana yakhe waze wayilumula.
“Do as you see fit,” her husband Elkanah replied. “Stay here until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill what he has said.” So Hannah stayed behind and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24 Wasesenyuka layo eseyilumule, elamajongosi amathathu, le-efa elilodwa lempuphu, lembodlela yewayini, wayiletha endlini yeNkosi eShilo; lomfana wayemncinyane.
When she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a wineskin containing wine. Even though the boy was young, she brought him to the Lord's Temple at Shiloh.
25 Balihlaba ijongosi, bamletha umntwana kuEli.
After they had slaughtered the bull, they presented the boy to Eli.
26 Wasesithi: Hawu nkosi yami, kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi yami, yimi owesifazana owayemi lawe lapha, ekhuleka eNkosini.
“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here with you praying to the Lord.
27 Ngakhulekela lo umfana, njalo iNkosi inginikile isicelo sami engasicela kuyo.
I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord has given me what I asked him for,
28 Ngakho lami ngimnikele eNkosini, zonke izinsuku ekhona; wacelwa eNkosini. Wasekhonza iNkosi lapho.
now I'm giving him to the Lord. As long as he lives he will be dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.
