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.
[While he was still a] boy, Samuel was working for Yahweh while Eli supervised him. At that time there were very few messages [that anyone received] from Yahweh, and very few people saw visions [that Yahweh gave them].
2 Wakati huo, nguvu ya macho ya Eli ilikuwa imefifia kiasi cha kutoweza kuona vizuri, na alikuwa amelala kitandani mwake.
By that time Eli’s eyes were very weak; he was almost blind. [One night] he was sleeping in his room,
3 Ile taa ya BWANA bado ilikuwa bado inawaka, na Samweli alikuwa amelala katika nyumba ya BWANA, palipokuwa na sanduku la Mungu.
and Samuel was sleeping in the sacred tent, where the chest that contained the Ten Commandments was kept. While the sacred lamp was still burning,
4 BWANA akamwita Samweli, naye akaitika, “Niko hapa”
Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “I’m here!”
5 Samweli alimwedea Eli na kusema, “Niko hapa, sababu uliniita.” Eli akasema, “Sikukuita; kalale tena.” Hivyo Samweli akarudi na kulala.
Then he [got up and] ran to Eli. He said to him, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli replied, “No, I did not call you. Go back to your bed.” So Samuel went and lay down again.
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
Then Yahweh called again, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up again and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” But Eli said, “No, my son, I did not call you. Go back and lie down.”
7 Basi Samweli bado hakuwa na uzoefu kuhusu Bwana, wala hakuwahi kupata ujumbe wowote kutoka kwa BWANA ukifunuliwa kwake.
At that time Samuel did not yet know [that] Yahweh [could speak to him], because Yahweh had not previously revealed anything 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.
[After Samuel lay down again], Yahweh called him a third time. So again Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “I am here, because you called me!” Then Eli realized that it was Yahweh who 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.
So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again. If someone calls you again, say ‘Speak to me, Yahweh, because I am listening!’” So Samuel went and lay down again.
10 BWANA alikuja na kusimama; akaita vilevile kama vile mwanzoni, “Samweli, Samweli.” Ndipo Samweli akasema, “Nena, kwa sababu mtumwa wako anasikiliza.”
Then Yahweh came and stood there and called as he had done the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak to me, because I am listening!”
11 BWANA akasema na Samweli, “Tazama, Niko tayari kufanya jambo katika Israeli ambalo masikio ya kila mmoja akisikia atashtuka. -14
Then Yahweh said to Samuel, “Listen carefully. I am about to do something here in Israel that will shock/horrify [IDM] everyone who hears about it.
12 Siku hiyo nitatimiza kila kitu nilichokisema dhidi ya Eli kuhusu nyumba yake, kutoka mwanzo hadi mwisho.
When that happens, I will punish Eli and his family. I will do to them everything that I said that I would do.
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.
His sons have shown great disrespect for me by the disgraceful things they have done, and Eli did not restrain them. So I told him that I would punish his family forever.
14 Hii ndiyo sababu nimeapa kwa nyumba ya Eli, kwamba dhambi za nyumba yake hazitasahehewa kwa dhabihu au kwa sadaka kamwe.” 16
I solemnly promised to Eli’s family, ‘You will never be able to avoid the consequences for your sin, even if you give me sacrifices or offerings.’”
15 Samweli akalala hadi asubuhi; baadaye alifungua milango ya nyumba ya BWANA. Lakini Samweli aliogopa kumwambia Eli kuhusu maono hayo.
Samuel lay down again until morning. Then he got up and opened the doors of the Sacred Tent [as usual]. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision [that Yahweh had given him].
16 Kisha Eli akamwita Samweli na kusema, “Samweli, mwanangu.” Samweli akasema, “Niko hapa.” 18
But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son!” Samuel answered, “I am here!”
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.”
Eli asked him, “What was it that Yahweh told you? Do not conceal it! I want God to punish you severely if you do not tell me everything that he said to you.”
18 Samweli akamweleza kila kitu; hakumficha jambo lolote. Eli akasema, “Ni BWANA. Na afanye linaloonekana jema kwake.”
So Samuel told him everything. He did not refuse to tell him anything. Then Eli said, “He is Yahweh. I am willing for him to do what he thinks is best.”
19 Samweli akakua, na BWANA alikuwa pamoja naye na hakuacha kutimiza maneno yake ya unabii.
As Samuel grew up, Yahweh helped him, and caused everything to (come true/happen) that Samuel predicted.
20 Israeli yote tokea Dani hadi Beersheba walijua kwamba Samweli aliteuliwa kuwa nabii wa BWANA.
So all the people of Israel, from the northern end of the country to the southern end, realized that Samuel was truly a prophet of Yahweh.
21 Naye BWANA alionekana tena huko Shilo, maana alijifunua mwenyewe kwa Samweli huko Shilo kwa neno lake.
Yahweh continued to appear to Samuel in Shiloh and give messages to him.
