< 1 USamuyeli 1 >

1 Kwakukhona-ke indoda ethile yeRamathayimi-Zofimu entabeni yakoEfrayimi; lebizo layo lalinguElkana indodana kaJerohamu, indodana kaElihu, indodana kaTohu, indodana kaZufi umEfrayimi.
There was a certain man of Ramathaim of the Zuphites, of the hill country of Ephraim; his name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
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 was Hannah, and the name of the second was 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.
This man went from his city year after year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.
4 Kwakusithi mhla uElkana ehlaba, wanika uPenina umkakhe lawo wonke amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe izabelo;
When the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice each year, he always gave portions of the meat to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters.
5 kodwa uHana wamnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili, ngoba wayemthanda uHana; kodwa iNkosi yayisivalile isizalo sakhe.
But to Hannah he always gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although Yahweh had closed her womb.
6 Lesitha sakhe laso samcaphula ngentukuthelo ukuze simkhathaze, ngoba iNkosi yayisivalile isizalo sakhe.
Her rival provoked her severely in order to irritate her, because Yahweh had closed her womb.
7 Wayesenza njalo-ke iminyaka ngeminyaka; kusukela lapho esenyukela endlini yeNkosi, ngokunjalo samcaphula. Ngakho walila, kadlanga.
So year after year, when she went up to the house of Yahweh with her family, her rival always provoked her. Therefore she used to weep and eat nothing.
8 UElkana umkakhe wasesithi kuye: Hana, ulilelani? Njalo kawudli ngani? Kungani-ke inhliziyo yakho idabukile? Mina kangingcono kuwe kulamadodana alitshumi yini?
Elkanah her husband always said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Ngakho uHana wasukuma emva kokudla eShilo langemva kokunatha. UEli umpristi wayehlezi-ke esihlalweni phansi kwensika yethempeli leNkosi.
On one of these occasions, Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the doorway to the temple of Yahweh.
10 Njalo wayelobuhlungu emphefumulweni, wasekhuleka eNkosini ekhala lokukhala inyembezi.
She was deeply distressed; she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly.
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 and said, “Yahweh of hosts, if you will look on the affliction of your servant and call me to mind, and do not forget your servant, but give your servant a son, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor will ever touch his head.”
12 Kwasekusithi esaqhubeka ukukhuleka phambi kweNkosi, uEli waqaphelisa umlomo wakhe.
As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli watched her mouth.
13 UHana wayekhulumela-ke enhliziyweni yakhe, kwanyikinyeka indebe zakhe kuphela, kodwa ilizwi lakhe lalingezwakali; ngakho uEli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe.
Hannah spoke in her heart. Her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14 UEli wasesithi kuye: Koze kube nini udakwa? Susa iwayini lakho kuwe.
Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? 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.
Hannah answered, “No, my master, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before Yahweh.
16 Ungayithathi incekukazi yakho njengendodakazi kaBheliyali, ngoba ebunengini bosizi lwami lenkathazo yami sengikhulume kwaze kwaba khathesi.
Do not consider your servant to be a shameless woman; I have been speaking out of the abundance of my great concern and provocation.”
17 UEli wasephendula wathi: Hamba ngokuthula; uNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli akunike isicelo sakho osicele kuye.
Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked him for.”
18 Wasesithi: Incekukazi yakho kayithole umusa emehlweni akho. Ngakho owesifazana wahamba ngendlela yakhe, wadla; lobuso bakhe abaze busanyukumala ngakho.
She said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate; her face was no longer sad.
19 Basebevuka ekuseni kakhulu, bakhonza phambi kweNkosi, basebebuyela bafika emzini wabo eRama. UElkana wasemazi uHana umkakhe, leNkosi yamkhumbula.
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh, and then they returned again to their house in Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and Yahweh called her to mind.
20 Kwasekusithi ekuqhubekeni kwesikhathi uHana wakhulelwa, wabeletha indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uSamuweli; ngoba wathi: Ngimcelile eNkosini.
When the time came, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from Yahweh.”
21 Lendoda uElkana lendlu yakhe yonke benyukela ukuyahlabela iNkosi umhlatshelo weminyaka ngeminyaka, lesifungo sakhe.
Once again, Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay 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 had said to her husband, “I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before Yahweh and live 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.
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only, may Yahweh confirm his word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she 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, she took him with her, along with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh. Now the child was still young.
25 Balihlaba ijongosi, bamletha umntwana kuEli.
They killed the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.
26 Wasesithi: Hawu nkosi yami, kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi yami, yimi owesifazana owayemi lawe lapha, ekhuleka eNkosini.
She said, “Oh, my master! As you live, my master, I am the woman who stood here next to you praying to Yahweh.
27 Ngakhulekela lo umfana, njalo iNkosi inginikile isicelo sami engasicela kuyo.
For this child I prayed and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of him.
28 Ngakho lami ngimnikele eNkosini, zonke izinsuku ekhona; wacelwa eNkosini. Wasekhonza iNkosi lapho.
I have given him to Yahweh, as long as he lives he is lent to Yahweh.” Then he worshiped Yahweh there.

< 1 USamuyeli 1 >