1 USamuyeli 3

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

The child Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.

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

It happened at that time, when Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),

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

and the lamp of God hadn't yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the LORD's temple, where the ark of God was;

4 iNkosi yambiza uSamuweli, owathi: Khangela ngilapha.

that the LORD called, "Samuel. Samuel." And he said, "Here I am."

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

He ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He said, "I did not call; lie down again." 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.

The LORD called yet again, "Samuel. Samuel." And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am; for you called me." He answered, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."

7 Kodwa uSamuweli wayengakayazi iNkosi, lelizwi leNkosi lalingakembulwa kuye.

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

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

Then the LORD called Samuel again the third time, and he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli realized that the LORD had called 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.

So he said, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, reply, 'Speak, for your servant is listening.'" Then 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. Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

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

The LORD said to Samuel, "Look, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of everyone who hears 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 to 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 forever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons were cursing God, and he did not restrain them.

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

Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be removed with sacrifice nor offering forever."

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

And Samuel lay there until the morning, and in the morning he got up and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the vision.

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

Then Eli said to Samuel, "Samuel, my son." And he replied, "Here I am."

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

He said, "What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please do not hide it from me. May God do thus to you if you hide anything from me of all the words that he spoke to you in your ears."

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

And Samuel told him everything, and did not hide anything from him. And he said, "It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him."

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

So Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fail.

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

Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as 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.