1 Samweli 1
1 Kulikuwepo na mtu mmoja kutoka Rama, Msufi kutoka nchi ya vilima vya Efraimu, ambaye jina lake aliitwa Elikana mwana wa Yerohamu, mwana wa Elihu mwana wa Tohu, mwana wa Sufu, Mwefraimu.
Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite of the hill-country of Ephraim, named Elkanah; he was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite:
2 Alikuwa na wake wawili, mmoja aliitwa Hana na mwingine Penina. Penina alikuwa na watoto, lakini Hana hakuwa na mtoto.
And he had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah: and Peninnah was the mother of children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Kila mwaka mtu huyu alikwea kutoka mji wake ili kuabudu na kutoa dhabihu kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote huko Shilo, ambapo Hofni na Finehasi, wana wawili wa Eli, walikuwa makuhani wa Bwana.
Now this man went up from his town every year to give worship and to make offerings to the Lord of armies in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.
4 Kila mara ilipofika siku ya Elikana kutoa dhabihu, aliwapa mafungu Penina mkewe na wanawe wote pamoja na binti zake.
And when the day came for Elkanah to make his offering, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, their part of the feast:
5 Lakini alimpa Hana fungu maradufu kwa sababu alimpenda, ingawa Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo.
But to Hannah he gave one part, though Hannah was very dear to him, but the Lord had not let her have children.
6 Kwa sababu Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo, mke mwenzake alikuwa anamchokoza ili kumuudhi.
And the other wife did everything possible to make her unhappy, because the Lord had not let her have children;
7 Hili liliendelea mwaka baada ya mwaka. Kila mara Hana alipokwenda katika nyumba ya Bwana, mke mwenzake alikuwa akimkasirisha mpaka analia na kushindwa kula.
And year by year, whenever she went up to the house of the Lord, she kept on attacking her, so that Hannah gave herself up to weeping and would take no food.
8 Elikana mumewe akawa anamwambia, “Hana, kwa nini unalia? Kwa nini huli? Kwa nini kuvunjika moyo? Je, mimi si bora zaidi kwako kuliko watoto kumi?”
Then her husband Elkanah said to her, Hannah, why are you weeping? and why are you taking no food? why is your heart troubled? am I not more to you than ten sons?
9 Siku moja walipokuwa wamemaliza kula na kunywa huko Shilo, Hana alisimama. Wakati huo kuhani Eli alikuwa ameketi kwenye kiti pembeni mwa mwimo wa mlango wa Hekalu la Bwana.
So after they had taken food and wine in the guest room, Hannah got up. Now Eli the priest was seated by the pillars of the doorway of the Temple of the Lord.
10 Kwa uchungu wa rohoni Hana alilia sana na akamwomba Bwana.
And with grief in her soul, weeping bitterly, she made her prayer to the Lord.
11 Naye akaweka nadhiri, akisema, “Ee Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, laiti ungeangalia huzuni kuu ya mtumishi wako na kunikumbuka mimi, wala usimsahau mtumishi wako nawe ukampa mwana, basi huyo mwana nitamtoa kwa Bwana kwa siku zote za maisha yake, wala wembe hautapita kichwani mwake.”
And she made an oath, and said, O Lord of armies, if you will truly take note of the sorrow of your servant, not turning away from me but keeping me in mind, and will give me a man-child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and his hair will never be cut.
12 Alipokuwa anaendelea kumwomba Bwana, Eli alichunguza kinywa chake.
Now while she was a long time in prayer before the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth.
13 Hana alikuwa akiomba moyoni mwake, midomo yake ikiwa inachezacheza lakini sauti haikusikika. Eli akafikiri alikuwa amelewa
For Hannah's prayer came from her heart, and though her lips were moving she made no sound: so it seemed to Eli that she was overcome with wine.
14 naye akamwambia, “Utaendelea kulewa mpaka lini? Achilia mbali mvinyo wako.”
And Eli said to her, How long are you going to be the worse for drink? Put away the effects of your wine from you.
15 Hana akajibu, “Si hivyo bwana wangu, mimi ni mwanamke mwenye huzuni kubwa. Mimi sijanywa mvinyo wala kileo, nilikuwa ninaumimina moyo wangu kwa Bwana.
And Hannah, answering him, said, No, my lord, I am a woman whose spirit is broken with sorrow: I have not taken wine or strong drink, but I have been opening my heart before the Lord.
16 Usimdhanie mtumishi wako kuwa mwanamke mwovu; nimekuwa nikiomba hapa katika wingi wa uchungu mkuu na huzuni.”
Do not take your servant to be a good-for-nothing woman: for my words have come from my stored-up sorrow and pain.
17 Eli akamjibu, “Nenda kwa amani, naye Mungu wa Israeli na akujalie kile ulichomwomba.”
Then Eli said to her, Go in peace: and may the God of Israel give you an answer to the prayer you have made to him.
18 Hana akasema, “Mtumishi wako na apate kibali machoni pako.” Kisha akaondoka zake na kula chakula, wala uso wake haukuwa na huzuni tena.
And she said, May your servant have grace in your eyes. So the woman went away, and took part in the feast, and her face was no longer sad.
19 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema waliamka wakaabudu mbele za Bwana na kisha wakarudi nyumbani kwao huko Rama. Elikana akakutana kimwili na mkewe Hana, naye Bwana akamkumbuka.
And early in the morning they got up, and after worshipping before the Lord they went back to Ramah, to their house: and Elkanah had connection with his wife; and the Lord kept her in mind.
20 Hivyo wakati ulipotimia, Hana akapata mimba na akamzaa mwana. Hana akamwita jina lake Samweli, akasema, “Kwa kuwa nilimwomba kwa Bwana.”
Now the time came when Hannah, being with child, gave birth to a son; and she gave him the name Samuel, Because, she said, I made a prayer to the Lord for him.
21 Wakati huyo mtu Elikana alipanda pamoja na jamaa yake yote kutoa dhabihu ya mwaka kwa Bwana na kutimiza nadhiri yake,
And the man Elkanah with all his family went up to make the year's offering to the Lord, and to give effect to his oath.
22 Hana hakwenda. Alimwambia mume wake, “Baada ya mtoto kuachishwa kunyonya, nitamchukua na kumpeleka mbele za Bwana, naye ataishi huko wakati wote.”
But Hannah did not go, for she said to her husband, I will not go till the child has been taken from the breast, and then I will take him with me and put him before the Lord, where he may be for ever.
23 Elikana mumewe akamwambia, “Fanya lile unaloona ni bora zaidi kwako. Ukae hapa mpaka utakapomwachisha kunyonya, Bwana na akujalie kutimiza nadhiri yako.” Hivyo huyo mwanamke akakaa nyumbani na kumnyonyesha mwanawe mpaka alipomwachisha kunyonya.
And her husband Elkanah said to her, Do whatever seems right to you, but not till you have taken him from the breast; only may the Lord do as he has said. So the woman, waiting there, gave her son milk till he was old enough to be taken from the breast.
24 Baada ya mtoto kuachishwa kunyonya, Hana akamchukua huyo mtoto, akiwa mdogo hivyo hivyo, pamoja na fahali wa miaka mitatu, efa ya unga na kiriba cha divai, naye akamleta mtoto kwenye nyumba ya Bwana huko Shilo.
Then when she had done so, she took him with her, with a three-year old ox and an ephah of meal and a skin full of wine, and took him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh: now the child was still very young.
25 Walipokwisha kumchinja yule fahali, wakamleta mtoto kwa Eli,
And when they had made an offering of the ox, they took the child to Eli.
26 naye Hana akamwambia Eli, “Hakika kama uishivyo, bwana wangu, mimi ndiye yule mama ambaye alisimama hapa karibu nawe akiomba kwa Bwana.
And she said, O my lord, as your soul is living, my lord, I am that woman who was making a prayer to the Lord here by your side:
27 Niliomba mtoto huyu, naye Bwana amenijalia kile nilichomwomba.
My prayer was for this child; and the Lord has given him to me in answer to my request:
28 Hivyo sasa ninamtoa kwa Bwana. Kwa maana maisha yake yote atakuwa ametolewa kwa Bwana.” Naye akamwabudu Bwana huko.
So I have given him to the Lord; for all his life he is the Lord's. Then he gave the Lord worship there.
