1 Samweli 3

1 Yule mtoto Samweli alimtumikia BWANA chini ya uangalizi wa Eli. Neno la BWANA halikupatikana kwa wingi siku hizo; hapakuwa na maono ya mara kwa mara ya kinabii.

And the boy Samuel ministered to Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was rare in those days; a vision was not frequent.

2 Wakati huo, nguvu ya macho ya Eli ilikuwa imefifia kiasi cha kutoweza kuona vizuri, na alikuwa amelala kitandani mwake.

And it came to pass at that time, when Eli lay in his place (now his eyes began to grow dim, he could not see),

3 Ile taa ya BWANA bado ilikuwa bado inawaka, na Samweli alikuwa amelala katika nyumba ya BWANA, palipokuwa na sanduku la Mungu.

and the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel lay in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was,

4 BWANA akamwita Samweli, naye akaitika, “Niko hapa”

that Jehovah called to Samuel. And he said, Here am I.

5 Samweli alimwedea Eli na kusema, “Niko hapa, sababu uliniita.” Eli akasema, “Sikukuita; kalale tena.” Hivyo Samweli akarudi na kulala.

And he ran to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I did not call: lie down again. And he went and lay down.

6 BWANA akamwita tena, “Samweli.” Saamweli aliamka tena na kwenda kwa Eli na kusema, Niko hapa, sababu umeniita.” Eli akajibu, “Sijakuita, mwanangu; kalale tu tena.” 8

And Jehovah called again, Samuel! And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I did not call, my son: lie down again.

7 Basi Samweli bado hakuwa na uzoefu kuhusu Bwana, wala hakuwahi kupata ujumbe wowote kutoka kwa BWANA ukifunuliwa kwake.

Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither had the word of Jehovah yet been revealed to him.

8 BWANA akamwita tena Samweli kwa mara ya tatu. Samweli alinyanyuka tena na kwenda kwa Eli na kusema, “Niko hapa, sababu uliniita,” Ndipo Eli alitambua kwamba BWANA alimwita kijana.

And Jehovah called again the third time, Samuel! And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And Eli perceived that Jehovah was calling the boy.

9 Kisha Eli aka, mwambia Samweli, “Nenda ukalale tena; ikiwa atakuita tena, sharti useme, 'Sema, BWANA, maana mtumwa wako anasikiliza.”' Hivyo Samweli akaenda na kulala mahali pake tena.

And Eli said to Samuel, Go, lie down; and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Jehovah, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

10 BWANA alikuja na kusimama; akaita vilevile kama vile mwanzoni, “Samweli, Samweli.” Ndipo Samweli akasema, “Nena, kwa sababu mtumwa wako anasikiliza.”

And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at the other times, Samuel, Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant heareth.

11 BWANA akasema na Samweli, “Tazama, Niko tayari kufanya jambo katika Israeli ambalo masikio ya kila mmoja akisikia atashtuka. -14

And Jehovah said to Samuel, Behold, I do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

12 Siku hiyo nitatimiza kila kitu nilichokisema dhidi ya Eli kuhusu nyumba yake, kutoka mwanzo hadi mwisho.

In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house; I will begin and make an end.

13 Nimemwambia kwamba niko tayari kuhukumu nyumba yake mara moja kwa ile dhambi aliyoifahamu, kwa sababu watoto wake walijiletea laana juu yao wenyewe na hakuwazuia.

For I have declared to him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he hath known: because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.

14 Hii ndiyo sababu nimeapa kwa nyumba ya Eli, kwamba dhambi za nyumba yake hazitasahehewa kwa dhabihu au kwa sadaka kamwe.” 16

And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be expiated with sacrifice or oblation for ever.

15 Samweli akalala hadi asubuhi; baadaye alifungua milango ya nyumba ya BWANA. Lakini Samweli aliogopa kumwambia Eli kuhusu maono hayo.

And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to declare the vision to Eli.

16 Kisha Eli akamwita Samweli na kusema, “Samweli, mwanangu.” Samweli akasema, “Niko hapa.” 18

And Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he said, Here am I.

17 Akamuuliza, “Ni neno gani alilokusemesha? Tafadhali usinifiche jambo hilo. Mungu akutendee hivyo na kukuzidishia, endapo utanificha kitu chochote kati ya yote ambayo amesema nawe.”

And he said, What is the word that he has spoken to thee? I pray thee, keep it not back from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou keep back anything from me of all the word that he spoke to thee.

18 Samweli akamweleza kila kitu; hakumficha jambo lolote. Eli akasema, “Ni BWANA. Na afanye linaloonekana jema kwake.”

And Samuel told him all the words, and kept nothing back from him. And he said, It is Jehovah: let him do what is good in his sight.

19 Samweli akakua, na BWANA alikuwa pamoja naye na hakuacha kutimiza maneno yake ya unabii.

And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and let none of his words fall to the ground.

20 Israeli yote tokea Dani hadi Beersheba walijua kwamba Samweli aliteuliwa kuwa nabii wa BWANA.

And all Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, knew that Samuel was established a prophet of Jehovah.

21 Naye BWANA alionekana tena huko Shilo, maana alijifunua mwenyewe kwa Samweli huko Shilo kwa neno lake.

And Jehovah appeared again at Shiloh; for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of Jehovah.