1 Samweli 2
1 Kisha Hana akaomba na kusema: “Moyo wangu wamshangilia Bwana, katika Bwana pembe yangu imeinuliwa juu. Kinywa changu chajisifu juu ya adui zangu, kwa kuwa naufurahia wokovu wako.
At that time Hannah prayed: “My heart rejoices in the LORD in whom my horn is exalted. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, for I rejoice in Your salvation.
2 “Hakuna yeyote aliye mtakatifu kama Bwana, hakuna mwingine zaidi yako; hakuna Mwamba kama Mungu wetu.
There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You! And there is no Rock like our God.
3 “Msiendelee kusema kwa kiburi hivyo wala msiache vinywa vyenu kunena kwa kiburi, kwa kuwa Bwana ndiye Mungu ajuaye, na kwa yeye matendo hupimwa.
Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.
4 “Pinde za mashujaa zimevunjika, lakini wale wanaojikwaa wamevikwa nguvu.
The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble are equipped with strength.
5 Wale waliokuwa na chakula tele wamejikodisha wenyewe ili kupata chakula, lakini wale waliokuwa na njaa hawana njaa tena. Mwanamke yule aliyekuwa tasa amezaa watoto saba, lakini yule ambaye alikuwa na wana wengi amedhoofika.
The well-fed hire themselves out for food, but the starving hunger no more. The barren woman gives birth to seven, but she who has many sons pines away.
The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. (Sheol h7585)
7 Bwana humfanya mtu maskini naye hutajirisha, hushusha na hukweza.
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts.
8 Humwinua maskini kutoka mavumbini na humwinua mhitaji kutoka lundo la majivu; huwaketisha pamoja na wakuu na kuwafanya warithi kiti cha enzi cha heshima. “Kwa kuwa misingi ya dunia ni ya Bwana; juu yake ameuweka ulimwengu.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap. He seats them among princes and bestows on them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s, and upon them He has set the world.
9 Yeye atailinda miguu ya watakatifu wake, lakini waovu watanyamazishwa kwenye giza. “Si kwa nguvu mtu hushinda;
He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness; for by his own strength shall no man prevail.
10 wale wampingao Bwana wataharibiwa kabisa. Atapiga radi dhidi yao kutoka mbinguni; Bwana ataihukumu miisho ya dunia. “Atampa nguvu mfalme wake, na kuitukuza pembe ya mpakwa mafuta wake.”
Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”
11 Kisha Elikana akaenda nyumbani Rama, lakini mtoto akahudumu mbele za Bwana chini ya kuhani Eli.
Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, but the boy began ministering to the LORD before Eli the priest.
12 Wana wa Eli walikuwa watu wabaya kabisa, hawakumheshimu Bwana.
Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
13 Basi ilikuwa desturi ya makuhani pamoja na watu kwamba kila mara yeyote anapotoa dhabihu na huku nyama ikiwa inachemshwa, mtumishi wa kuhani angalikuja na uma wenye meno matatu mkononi mwake.
or for the custom of the priests with the people. When any man offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest would come with a three-pronged meat fork while the meat was boiling
14 Angeutumbukiza huo uma kwenye sufuria au birika au sufuria kubwa au chungu, naye kuhani angalijichukulia mwenyewe chochote ambacho uma ungekileta. Hivi ndivyo walivyowatendea Waisraeli wote waliokuja Shilo.
and plunge it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or cooking pot. And the priest would claim for himself whatever the meat fork brought up. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh.
15 Lakini hata kabla mafuta ya mnyama hayajachomwa, mtumishi wa kuhani angalikuja na kusema kwa mtu ambaye alikuwa akitoa dhabihu, “Mpe kuhani nyama akaoke, kwani hatapokea nyama iliyochemshwa kutoka kwako, ila iliyo mbichi tu.”
Even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
16 Kama mtu akimwambia, “Mafuta ya mnyama na yachomwe kwanza, ndipo uchukue chochote unachotaka,” mtumishi angalijibu, “Hapana, nipe sasa, kama huwezi nitaichukua kwa nguvu.”
And if any man said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you may take whatever you want,” the servant would reply, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you refuse, I will take it by force!”
17 Hii Dhambi ya hawa vijana ilikuwa kubwa sana machoni pa Bwana, kwa kuwa waliitendea dhabihu ya Bwana kwa dharau.
Thus the sin of these young men was severe in the sight of the LORD, for they were treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.
18 Lakini Samweli alikuwa akihudumu mbele za Bwana, kijana akivaa kisibau cha kitani.
Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD—a boy wearing a linen ephod.
19 Kila mwaka mama yake alimshonea joho dogo na kumchukulia wakati alipokwea pamoja na mumewe kutoa dhabihu ya mwaka.
Each year his mother would make him a little robe and bring it to him when she went with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice.
20 Eli alikuwa akiwabariki Elikana na mkewe, akisema, “Bwana na akupe watoto kwa mwanamke huyu ili kuchukua nafasi ya yule aliyekuwa amemwomba na akamtoa kwa Bwana.” Kisha wakawa wanakwenda nyumbani.
And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the LORD give you children by this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD.” Then they would go home.
21 Bwana akawa mwenye neema kwa Hana, naye akapata mimba akazaa wana watatu na binti wawili. Wakati huo, kijana Samweli akaendelea kukua mbele za Bwana.
So the LORD attended to Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.
22 Basi Eli, ambaye alikuwa mzee sana, alisikia kuhusu kila kitu ambacho wanawe walikuwa wakiwafanyia Israeli wote na jinsi walivyokutana kimwili na wanawake waliohudumu kwenye ingilio la Hema la Kukutania.
Now Eli was very old, and he heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
23 Hivyo akawaambia, “Kwa nini mmefanya mambo kama haya? Nimesikia kutoka kwa watu wote juu ya haya matendo yenu maovu.
“Why are you doing these things?” Eli said to his sons. “I hear about your wicked deeds from all these people.
24 Sivyo, wanangu, hii si habari nzuri ambayo ninasikia ikienea miongoni mwa watu wa Bwana.
No, my sons; it is not a good report I hear circulating among the LORD’s people.
25 Kama mtu akifanya dhambi dhidi ya mtu mwenzake, mtu mwingine aweza kumwombea kwa Mungu, lakini kama mtu akimfanyia Mungu dhambi, ni nani atakayemwombea?” Hata hivyo wanawe hawakusikia maonyo ya baba yao, kwa sababu Bwana alitaka kuwaua.
If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the LORD intended to put them to death.
26 Naye kijana Samweli akaendelea kukua katika kimo, akimpendeza Bwana na wanadamu.
And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with man.
27 Basi mtu wa Mungu akaja kwa Eli na kumwambia, “Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: ‘Je, sikujifunua waziwazi kwa nyumba ya baba yako wakati walikuwa huko Misri chini ya Farao?
Then a man of God came to Eli and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh’s house?
28 Nilimchagua baba yako kati ya makabila yote ya Israeli kuwa kuhani wangu, kukwea kwenye madhabahu yangu, kufukiza uvumba na kuvaa kisibau mbele yangu. Pia niliwapa nyumba ya baba yako sadaka zote zilizotolewa kwa moto na Waisraeli.
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the offerings of the Israelites made by fire.
29 Kwa nini unadharau dhabihu zangu na sadaka zile nilizoziamuru kwa ajili ya makao yangu? Kwa nini unawaheshimu wanao kuliko mimi kwa kujinenepesha wenyewe kwa kula sehemu zilizo bora za kila sadaka zinazotolewa na watu wangu wa Israeli?’
Why then do you kick at My sacrifice and offering that I have prescribed for My dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than Me by fattening yourselves with the best of all the offerings of My people Israel.’
30 “Kwa hiyo, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli asema: ‘Niliahidi kuwa nyumba yako na nyumba ya baba yako wangehudumu mbele zangu milele.’ Lakini sasa Bwana anasema: ‘Jambo hili na liwe mbali nami! Wale wanaoniheshimu nitawaheshimu, wale wanaonidharau mimi watadharauliwa.
Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
31 Wakati unakuja nitakapozipunguza nguvu zenu na nguvu ya nyumba ya baba yenu, ili pasiwepo mtu katika mbari yenu atakayeishi kuuona uzee
Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father’s house, so that no older man will be left in your house.
32 nanyi mtaona huzuni katika makao yangu. Ingawa Israeli watafanyiwa mema, katika mbari yenu kamwe hapatakuwepo mtu atakayeishi hadi kuwa mzee.
You will see distress in My dwelling place. Despite all that is good in Israel, no one in your house will ever again reach old age.
33 Kila mmoja wenu ambaye sitamkatilia mbali kutoka madhabahuni pangu atabakizwa tu kupofusha macho yenu kwa machozi na kuihuzunisha mioyo yenu, nao wazao wenu wote watakufa watakapokuwa wamefikia umri wa kustawi.
And every one of you that I do not cut off from My altar, your eyes will fail and your heart will grieve. All your descendants will die by the sword of men.
34 “‘Kile kitakachotokea kwa wanao wawili, Hofni na Finehasi, kitakuwa ishara kwako. Wote wawili watakufa katika siku moja.
And this sign shall come to you concerning your two sons Hophni and Phinehas: They will both die on the same day.
35 Mimi mwenyewe nitajiinulia kuhani mwaminifu, ambaye atafanya sawasawa na kile kilichoko moyoni mwangu na akilini mwangu. Nitaifanya nyumba yake kuwa imara, naye atahudumu mbele ya mpakwa mafuta wangu daima.
Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest. He will do whatever is in My heart and mind. And I will build for him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed one for all time.
36 Kisha kila mmoja aliyeachwa katika mbari yenu atakuja na kusujudu mbele yake kwa ajili ya kipande cha fedha na ganda la mkate akisema, “Niteue katika baadhi ya ofisi ya ukuhani ili niweze kupata chakula.”’”
And everyone left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of silver or a morsel of bread, pleading, “Please appoint me to some priestly office so that I can eat a piece of bread.”’”
