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.

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 Usiku mmoja Eli, ambaye macho yake yalikuwa yamefifia sana kiasi kwamba aliona kwa shida sana, alikuwa amelala mahali pake pa kawaida.

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 Taa ya Mungu bado ilikuwa haijazimika, na Samweli alikuwa amelala Hekaluni mwa Bwana, ambapo Sanduku la Mungu lilikuwako.

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 Kisha Bwana akamwita Samweli. Samweli akajibu, “Mimi hapa.”

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

5 Naye akakimbia kwa Eli na kumwambia, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Lakini Eli akasema, “Sikukuita; rudi ukalale.” Hivyo akaenda kulala.

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 Bwana akaita tena, “Samweli!” Naye Samweli akaamka, kwenda kwa Eli na kusema, “Mimi hapa, kwa kuwa umeniita.” Eli akasema, “Mwanangu, sikukuita, rudi ukalale.”

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 Wakati huu Samweli alikuwa bado hajamjua Bwana. Neno la Bwana lilikuwa bado halijafunuliwa kwake.

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

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 Hivyo Eli akamwambia Samweli, “Nenda ukalale, na kama akikuita, sema, ‘Nena Bwana, kwa kuwa mtumishi wako anasikiliza.’” Hivyo Samweli akaenda na kulala mahali pake.

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 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 stood, and called as at other times. Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."

11 Naye Bwana akamwambia Samweli: “Tazama, nipo karibu kufanya kitu katika Israeli ambacho kitafanya masikio ya kila mmoja atakayesikia yawashe.

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 Wakati huo nitatimiza dhidi ya Eli kila kitu nilichonena dhidi ya jamaa yake, kuanzia mwanzo mpaka mwisho.

In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.

13 Kwa kuwa nilimwambia kwamba ningehukumu jamaa yake milele kwa sababu ya dhambi aliyoijua, wanawe kumkufuru Mungu, naye akashindwa kuwazuia.

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 Kwa hiyo, nikaapa kuhusu nyumba ya Eli, ‘Hatia ya nyumba ya Eli kamwe haitaweza kufidiwa kwa dhabihu au sadaka.’”

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 Samweli akalala mpaka asubuhi, kisha akafungua milango ya nyumba ya Bwana. Aliogopa kumwambia Eli yale maono,

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 lakini Eli akamwita na kumwambia, “Samweli mwanangu.” Samweli akamjibu, “Mimi hapa.”

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

17 Eli akamuuliza, “Ni nini alichokuambia? Usinifiche. Bwana na ashughulike nawe, tena kwa ukali, kama utanificha chochote alichokuambia.”

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

19 Bwana alikuwa pamoja na Samweli alipokuwa akikua, na hakuacha hata moja ya maneno yake lianguke chini.

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

20 Nao Israeli wote kuanzia Dani hadi Beer-Sheba wakatambua kuwa Samweli amethibitishwa kuwa nabii wa Bwana.

Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established 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 appeared again in Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel.