1 USamuyeli 3

1 Umfana uSamuweli wayesebenzela iNkosi phambi kukaEli. Lelizwi leNkosi laliligugu ngalezonsuku; kwakungekho lombono osabaleleyo.

And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no frequent vision.

2 Kwasekusithi ngalolosuku uEli elele endaweni yakhe, lamehlo akhe eseqala ukufiphala engelakubona,

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place — now his eyes had begun to wax dim, that he could not see—

3 lesibane sikaNkulunkulu sasingakacitshwa, njalo uSamuweli wayelele ethempelini leNkosi, lapho okwakukhona umtshokotsho kaNkulunkulu,

and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was,

4 iNkosi yambiza uSamuweli, owathi: Khangela ngilapha.

that the LORD called Samuel; and he said: 'Here am I.'

5 Wasegijimela kuEli, wathi: Khangela ngilapha, ngoba ungibizile. Wasesithi: Kangibizanga, buyela ulale. Wasesiyalala.

And he ran unto Eli, and said: 'Here am I; for thou didst call me.' And he said: 'I called not; lie down again.' And he went and lay down.

6 INkosi yasibuya imbiza uSamuweli futhi. USamuweli wasevuka waya kuEli, wathi: Khangela ngilapha, ngoba ungibizile. Kodwa wathi: Kangibizanga, ndodana yami; buyela ulale.

And the LORD called yet again Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said: 'Here am I; for thou didst call me.' And he answered: 'I called not, my son; lie down again.'

7 Kodwa uSamuweli wayengakayazi iNkosi, lelizwi leNkosi lalingakembulwa kuye.

Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

8 INkosi yasimbiza futhi uSamuweli ngokwesithathu. Wasevuka waya kuEli wathi: Khangela ngilapha, ngoba ungibizile. UEli waseqedisisa ukuthi iNkosi imbizile umfana.

And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said: 'Here am I; for thou didst call me.' And Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the child.

9 Ngakho uEli wathi kuSamuweli: Hamba uyelala; kuzakuthi-ke nxa ikubiza uzakuthi: Khuluma Nkosi, ngoba inceku yakho iyezwa. Wasehamba uSamuweli, walala endaweni yakhe.

Therefore Eli said unto Samuel: 'Go, lie down; and it shall be, if thou be called, that thou shalt say: Speak, LORD; for Thy servant heareth.' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 INkosi yasisiza, yema, yabiza njengakwezinye izikhathi: Samuweli, Samuweli! Wasesithi uSamuweli: Khuluma, ngoba inceku yakho iyezwa.

And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times: 'Samuel, Samuel.' Then Samuel said: 'Speak; for Thy servant heareth.'

11 INkosi yasisithi kuSamuweli: Khangela, ngizakwenza into koIsrayeli ezakhenceza indlebe zombili zalowo wonke oyizwayo.

And the LORD said to Samuel: 'Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

12 Ngalolosuku ngizakwenza ngimelene loEli konke engakukhuluma ngendlu yakhe; ngiqalise ngiqede.

In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end.

13 Ngoba ngimtshelile ukuthi ngizagweba indlu yakhe kuze kube nininini ngesiphambeko asaziyo, ngoba amadodana akhe azenza aqalekiswa, kodwa kawakhuzanga.

For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity, in that he knew that his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he rebuked them not.

14 Ngakho-ke ngifungile kuyo indlu kaEli ukuthi ububi bendlu kaEli kabuyikuhlangulwa ngomhlatshelo langomnikelo kuze kube phakade.

And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever.'

15 USamuweli waselala kwaze kwasa; wavula iminyango yendlu yeNkosi, kodwa uSamuweli wesaba ukumtshela uEli umbono.

And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to tell Eli the vision.

16 UEli wasembiza uSamuweli, wathi: Samuweli, ndodana yami. Wasesithi: Khangela ngilapha.

Then Eli called Samuel, and said: 'Samuel, my son.' And he said: 'Here am I.'

17 Wasesithi: Yinto bani eyikhulume kuwe? Ake ungangifihleli; kenze njalo uNkulunkulu kuwe, ngokunjalo engezelele, uba ungifihlela ulutho lwazo zonke izinto akutshele zona.

And he said: 'What is the thing that He hath spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me, God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that He spoke unto thee.'

18 Ngakho uSamuweli wasemtshela zonke izinto, kamfihlelanga lutho. Wasesithi: YiNkosi, kayenze lokho okulungileyo emehlweni ayo.

And Samuel told him all the words, and hid nothing from him. And he said: 'It is the LORD; let Him do what seemeth Him good.'

19 Wakhula-ke uSamuweli, leNkosi yayilaye, kayiyekelanga lelilodwa lamazwi ayo liwele emhlabathini.

And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 UIsrayeli wonke-ke kusukela koDani kuze kube seBherishebha wazi ukuthi uSamuweli uqinisiwe ukuthi abe ngumprofethi weNkosi.

And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.

21 INkosi yaphinda yabonakala eShilo, ngoba iNkosi yazibonakalisa kuSamuweli eShilo ngelizwi leNkosi.

And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh; for the LORD revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.