1 Samweli 1
1 Palikuwa na mtu mmoja wa Rama Msufi, wa nchi ya milima milima ya Efraimu; jina lake aliitwa Elikana mwana Yerohamu mwana 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 Mtu huyo alioa wanawake wawili, jina la mke wa kwanza aliitwa Hana, na yule wa pili aliitwa Penina, Penina alizaa watoto, lakini Hana hakuzaa.
He had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had several children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Kila mwaka, mtu huyu aliondoka mjini kwake kwenda kuabudu na kutoa dhabihu kwa BWANA wa majeshi huko Shilo. Wana wawili wa Eli, Hofni na Finehasi, makuhani wa BWANA, walikuwepo huko Shilo.
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 mwaka zamu ya Elikana ya kutoa dhabihu ilipofika, alikuwa daima akimpa sehemu ya nyama Penina mkewe, watoto wake wote wa kiume na wakike
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 kwa mgawo wa Hana daima alimpa mara mbili zaidi, kwa sababu alimpenda Hana, ingawa BWANA alikuwa amelifunga tumbo lake.
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 Hasimu wake alimchokoza sana ili kumkasilisha, kwa sababu BWANA alikuwa amelifunga tumbo lake. 8
And his other wife, Peninnah, would ridicule Hannah to make her feel miserable, because Yahweh had not allowed her to bear children.
7 Hivyo kila mwaka, alipokuwa akienda katika nyumba ya BWANA pamoja na familia yake, hasimu wake alizidi kumchokoza, Hatimaye alikuwa mtu wa kulia kila wakati na hakula kitu chochote.
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 mmewe kila wakati alimuuliza, “Hana, kwa nini unalia? Kwa nini huli chakula? Kwa nini una huzuni moyoni mwako? Mimi sibora kwako kuliko wana 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 Wakati fulani, walipokuwa wamemaliza kula na kunywa huko Shilo, Hana alinyanyuka. Wakati huo Eli, kuhani alikuwa amekaa juu ya kiti chake mlangoni kuelekea nyumba ya 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 Hana alijawa na uchungu sana; akamwomba BWANA na akalia mno.
Hannah was very distressed, and she cried very sorrowfully as she prayed to Yahweh.
11 Aliweka nadhili na kusema, “BWANA wa majeshi, kama utalitazama teso la mjakazi wako na kunikumbuka, na usipomsahau mjakazi wako, na kumpatia mjakazi wako mtoto wa kiume, ndipo nitamtoa huyo mtoto kwa BWANA siku zote za maisha yake, na wembe hautapita juu ya kichwa chake kamwe”.
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 Hana kiendelea kuomba mbele za BWANA, Eli alikitazama kinywa chake.
As she was praying like that to Yahweh, Eli the priest saw Hannah’s lips [moving as she was praying].
13 Hana aliongea moyoni mwake. Midomo yake ilitikisika, lakini sauti yake haikusikika. Hivyo Eli alimdhania kuwa amelewa.
But Hannah was only praying silently; she was not making any sound. So Eli thought that she was drunk.
14 Eli akamwambia, “Utakuwa mlevi mpaka lini? Weka mbali divai yako.”
He said to her, “How long will you continue to get drunk [RHQ]? (Throw away your wine/Quit drinking wine)!”
15 Hana akajibu, “Sivyo bwana wangu, mimi ni mwanamke mwenye roho ya huzuni. Sijanywa divai wala kinywaji chochote cha kulevya, bali nimekuwa nikiimimina nafsi yangu mbele za 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 Usimchukulie mjakazi wako kama mwanamke duni; nimekuwa nikiongea kutokana na maumivu na masikitiko yangu.” 18
Do not think that I am a worthless/wicked woman! I have been praying like this because I am very distressed [DOU].”
17 Kisha Eli alimjibu na kusema, “Nenda kwa amani; na Mungu wa Israeli akupatie kile ulichomuomba.”
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, “Na mjakazi wako apate kibali machoni pako.” Ndipo huyo mwanamke alienda zake na kula chakula na hakuhuzunika 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 Waliamka asubuhi na mapema wakaenda wakamtukuza BWANA, na baadaye walirudi nyumbani kwao Rama. Elikana alilala na mke wake Hana, na 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 Baada ya muda fulani, Hana alibeba mimba na akazaa mtoto wa kiume. Akamwita jina lake Samweli, akasema, “Kwa sababu huyu nilimuomba kutoka 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 Mara nyingine, Elikana na nyumba yake, walipanda kwenda kumtolea BWANA dhabihu ya Mwaka na kuondoa 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 Lakini Hana hakwenda huko; alikuwa amekwisha mwambia mmewe, “Sitaenda huko hadi mtoto aache kunyonya; ndipo nitamleta, ili ahudhurie mbele za BWANA na akae huko daima.”
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 Mme wake Hana, Elikana, akamwambia, “Fanya yale yakupendezayo. Ngojea hadi utakapokuwa umemwachisha kunyonya; BWANA aweze peke yake kuthibitisha neno lake.” Hivyo yule mwanamke alibaki akimnyonyesha mtoto wake mpaka pale alipomwachisha ziwa.
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 Alipokuwa amemwachisha kunyonya, alimbeba, akimchukua pamoja ng'ombe dume wa miaka mitatu, unga kama kilo thelathini na chupa ya mvinyo, akampeleka katika nyumba ya BWANA huko Shilo. Na mtoto huyo alikuwa bado mdogo.
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 Walimchinja yule ng'ombe, na wakamkabidhi 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 Akasema, “Ee bwana wangu! Kama uishivyo, bwana wangu, Mimi ndiye yule mwanamke niliyesimama hapa karibu nawe nikimwomba 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 kwa ajili ya mtoto huyu na BWANA akawa amenijibu ombi la dua yangu nililomwomba.
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 Nami nimemtoa kwa BWANA; kwa maisha yake yote, nimempa BWANA.” Ndipo Elikana na familia yake wakamtukuza BWANA huko Shilo.
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.
