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.
There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah [town] in the hilly area where [the tribe of] Ephraim lived. His father was Jeroham, his grandfather was Elihu, and his great-grandfather was Tohu. He belonged to the Zuph clan.
2 Alikuwa na wake wawili, mmoja aliitwa Hana na mwingine Penina. Penina alikuwa na watoto, lakini Hana hakuwa na mtoto.
He had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had several 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.
Once every year Elkanah went up [with his family] from Ramah to Shiloh [city]. He went there to worship Yahweh, [the commander] of the armies [of angels], and to offer sacrifices to him. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, [helped their father to do the work as] priests of Yahweh there.
4 Kila mara ilipofika siku ya Elikana kutoa dhabihu, aliwapa mafungu Penina mkewe na wanawe wote pamoja na binti zake.
Each time Elkanah offered sacrifices there, he gave some of the meat to Peninnah and some to each of her sons and daughters.
5 Lakini alimpa Hana fungu maradufu kwa sababu alimpenda, ingawa Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo.
But even though he loved Hannah very much, he gave her only one special amount of meat because Yahweh had not permitted her to give birth to any children.
6 Kwa sababu Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo, mke mwenzake alikuwa anamchokoza ili kumuudhi.
And his other wife, Peninnah, would ridicule Hannah to make her feel miserable, because Yahweh had not allowed her to bear 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.
This happened every year. When they went up to the temple of Yahweh [at Shiloh], Peninnah ridiculed Hannah so much that Hannah cried and would not eat.
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 Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, (why are you crying?/please quit crying!) [RHQ] (Why are you not eating?/Please eat something!) [RHQ] Why are you so upset/sad? You have me; is that not more important to you than if you had ten sons? (OR, I [love you] more than your sons [would love you], even if you had 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.
One year, after they had finished eating and drinking at Shiloh, Hannah stood up [to pray]. Eli the priest was nearby, sitting on a chair by the doorway of the sacred tent of Yahweh.
10 Kwa uchungu wa rohoni Hana alilia sana na akamwomba Bwana.
Hannah was very distressed, and she cried very sorrowfully as she prayed to Yahweh.
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.”
She made a vow saying, “O Almighty Commander of the armies of angels, if you will look at me and see how miserable I am, and think about me and allow me to give birth to a son, then I will dedicate him to you [to serve you] for the rest of his life. And [to show that he is dedicated to you], (no one will ever [be allowed to] cut his hair/his hair will never be cut).”
12 Alipokuwa anaendelea kumwomba Bwana, Eli alichunguza kinywa chake.
As she was praying like that to Yahweh, Eli the priest saw Hannah’s lips [moving as she was praying].
13 Hana alikuwa akiomba moyoni mwake, midomo yake ikiwa inachezacheza lakini sauti haikusikika. Eli akafikiri alikuwa amelewa
But Hannah was only praying silently; she was not making any sound. So Eli thought that she was drunk.
14 naye akamwambia, “Utaendelea kulewa mpaka lini? Achilia mbali mvinyo wako.”
He said to her, “How long will you continue to get drunk [RHQ]? (Throw away your wine/Quit drinking wine)!”
15 Hana akajibu, “Si hivyo bwana wangu, mimi ni mwanamke mwenye huzuni kubwa. Mimi sijanywa mvinyo wala kileo, nilikuwa ninaumimina moyo wangu kwa Bwana.
Hannah replied, “Sir, I am not drunk! I have not been drinking wine or any other alcoholic drink. I feel very distressed and I have been telling Yahweh about how I feel.
16 Usimdhanie mtumishi wako kuwa mwanamke mwovu; nimekuwa nikiomba hapa katika wingi wa uchungu mkuu na huzuni.”
Do not think that I am a worthless/wicked woman! I have been praying like this because I am very distressed [DOU].”
17 Eli akamjibu, “Nenda kwa amani, naye Mungu wa Israeli na akujalie kile ulichomwomba.”
Eli replied, “I wish/desire that things will go well for you. I desire that God, the one we Israeli people [worship], will give you what you requested from him.”
18 Hana akasema, “Mtumishi wako na apate kibali machoni pako.” Kisha akaondoka zake na kula chakula, wala uso wake haukuwa na huzuni tena.
She replied, “I want you to think highly/well about me.” Then she returned [to her family] and after she ate something, her face no longer looked 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.
Early the next morning, Elkanah and his family got up and worshiped Yahweh [again], and then they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah (slept with/had sex with) Hannah. Then Yahweh answered her prayer,
20 Hivyo wakati ulipotimia, Hana akapata mimba na akamzaa mwana. Hana akamwita jina lake Samweli, akasema, “Kwa kuwa nilimwomba kwa Bwana.”
and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, [which sounds like the words in the Hebrew language that mean ‘heard by God’], because she said “Yahweh [heard me when] I requested from him [a son].”
21 Wakati huyo mtu Elikana alipanda pamoja na jamaa yake yote kutoa dhabihu ya mwaka kwa Bwana na kutimiza nadhiri yake,
The following year, Elkanah again went up [to Shiloh] with his family to make the kind of sacrifice he made each year, and also to give a special offering to God that he had promised [to give him previously].
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 [with them]. She said to her husband, “After I have weaned the baby, I will take him [to Shiloh and present him] to Yahweh, and he will stay there for the rest of his life.”
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.
Elkanah said, “Do what seems the best to you. Stay here until you have weaned him. What I desire is that Yahweh will [enable you to] do what you have promised.” So Hannah stayed at home and nursed her son until she weaned him.
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.
After she weaned him, even though Samuel was very young, she took him to the temple/house of Yahweh at Shiloh. [To offer as a sacrifice], she took along a three-year-old bull, [a sack containing] (20 pounds/9 kg.) of flour, and a container of wine.
25 Walipokwisha kumchinja yule fahali, wakamleta mtoto kwa Eli,
After the priest had slaughtered the bull [and offered it to Yahweh on the altar], Hannah and Elkanah brought the boy to Eli.
26 naye Hana akamwambia Eli, “Hakika kama uishivyo, bwana wangu, mimi ndiye yule mama ambaye alisimama hapa karibu nawe akiomba kwa Bwana.
Then Hannah said to him, “Sir, (Do you remember me?/I solemnly affirm), I am the woman who prayed as I stood here beside you [several years ago].
27 Niliomba mtoto huyu, naye Bwana amenijalia kile nilichomwomba.
I prayed that Yahweh would enable me to give birth to a child, and this is the child whom I requested Yahweh to give me.
28 Hivyo sasa ninamtoa kwa Bwana. Kwa maana maisha yake yote atakuwa ametolewa kwa Bwana.” Naye akamwabudu Bwana huko.
So now I am presenting him to Yahweh. He will belong to Yahweh as long as he lives.” Then Elkanah [and his family] worshiped Yahweh there.
