1 Samweli 3
1 Kijana Samweli alihudumu mbele za Bwana chini ya Eli. Katika siku zile neno la Mungu lilikuwa adimu, hapakuwepo na maono mengi.
And the lad Samuel was ministering unto the Lord before 'Eli. And the word of the Lord was scarce in those days: prophecy was not extended.
2 Usiku mmoja Eli, ambaye macho yake yalikuwa yamefifia sana kiasi kwamba aliona kwa shida sana, alikuwa amelala mahali pake pa kawaida.
And it came to pass one day, when 'Eli was lying down in his place, and his eyes had begun to grow dim, he could not see;
3 Taa ya Mungu bado ilikuwa haijazimika, na Samweli alikuwa amelala Hekaluni mwa Bwana, ambapo Sanduku la Mungu lilikuwako.
And the lamp of God had not yet gone out, while Samuel was lying down in [the hall of] the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was;
4 Kisha Bwana akamwita Samweli. Samweli akajibu, “Mimi hapa.”
That the Lord called Samuel: and he said, Here am I.
5 Naye akakimbia kwa Eli na kumwambia, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Lakini Eli akasema, “Sikukuita; rudi ukalale.” Hivyo akaenda kulala.
And he ran unto 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he said, I did not call: lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 Bwana akaita tena, “Samweli!” Naye Samweli akaamka, kwenda kwa Eli na kusema, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Eli akasema, “Mwanangu, sikukuita, rudi ukalale.”
And the Lord continued to call again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I did not call, my son: lie down again.
7 Wakati huu Samweli alikuwa bado hajamjua Bwana. Neno la Bwana lilikuwa bado halijafunuliwa kwake.
And Samuel knew not yet the Lord, nor had the word of the Lord been as yet revealed unto him.
8 Bwana akamwita Samweli mara ya tatu, naye Samweli akaamka kwenda kwa Eli na kusema, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Ndipo Eli akatambua kuwa Bwana alikuwa akimwita kijana.
And the Lord continued to call, Samuel, the third time; and he arose and went to 'Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And 'Eli then perceived that the Lord was calling the lad.
9 Hivyo Eli akamwambia Samweli, “Nenda ukalale, na kama akikuita, sema, ‘Nena Bwana, kwa kuwa mtumishi wako anasikiliza.’” Hivyo Samweli akaenda na kulala mahali pake.
And 'Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. And Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 Bwana akaja akasimama hapo, akiita kama mara zile nyingine, “Samweli! Samweli!” Kisha Samweli akasema, “Nena Bwana, kwa kuwa mtumishi wako anasikiliza.”
And the Lord came, and placed himself, and called as at previous times, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
11 Naye Bwana akamwambia Samweli: “Tazama, nipo karibu kufanya kitu katika Israeli ambacho kitafanya masikio ya kila mmoja atakayesikia yawashe.
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 Wakati huo nitatimiza dhidi ya Eli kila kitu nilichonena dhidi ya jamaa yake, kuanzia mwanzo mpaka mwisho.
On that day will I fulfill on 'Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin and finish.
13 Kwa kuwa nilimwambia kwamba ningehukumu jamaa yake milele kwa sababu ya dhambi aliyoijua, wanawe kumkufuru Mungu, naye akashindwa kuwazuia.
And I tell him that I will judge his house for ever; for the iniquity that he knew that his sons were drawing a curse on themselves, and he restrained them not.
14 Kwa hiyo, nikaapa kuhusu nyumba ya Eli, ‘Hatia ya nyumba ya Eli kamwe haitaweza kufidiwa kwa dhabihu au sadaka.’”
And therefore have I sworn unto the house of 'Eli, that the iniquity of 'Eli's house shall not be atoned for with sacrifice or meat-offering for ever.
15 Samweli akalala mpaka asubuhi, kisha akafungua milango ya nyumba ya Bwana. Aliogopa kumwambia Eli yale maono,
And Samuel lay until the morning, when he opened the doors of the house of the Lord; and Samuel feared to tell the vision unto 'Eli.
16 lakini Eli akamwita na kumwambia, “Samweli mwanangu.” Samweli akamjibu, “Mimi hapa.”
But 'Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I.
17 Eli akamuuliza, “Ni nini alichokuambia? Usinifiche. Bwana na ashughulike nawe, tena kwa ukali, kama utanificha chochote alichokuambia.”
And he said, What is the word which he hath spoken unto thee? do not, I pray thee, conceal it from me: may God do to thee thus, and continue to do so, if thou conceal any thing from me of all the word that he hath spoken unto thee.
18 Kwa hiyo Samweli akamwambia kila kitu, bila kumficha chochote. Ndipo Eli akasema, “Yeye ni Bwana; na afanye lile lililo jema machoni pake!”
And Samuel told him all the words, and concealed nothing from him. And he said, He is the Lord: let him do what seemeth good in his eyes.
19 Bwana alikuwa pamoja na Samweli alipokuwa akikua, na hakuacha hata moja ya maneno yake lianguke chini.
And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and he did not let fall any one of all his words to the ground.
20 Nao Israeli wote kuanzia Dani hadi Beer-Sheba wakatambua kuwa Samweli amethibitishwa kuwa nabii wa Bwana.
And thus knew all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba' that Samuel was accredited as a prophet of the Lord.
21 Bwana akaendelea kutokea huko Shilo, na huko kujidhihirisha kwa Samweli kwa njia ya neno lake.
And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh; for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
