Ukuzalwa kukaSamuweli

1 Kwakukhona-ke indoda ethile yeRamathayimi-Zofimu entabeni yakoEfrayimia; lebizo layo lalinguElkana indodana kaJerohamu, indodana kaElihu, indodana kaTohu, indodana kaZufib umEfrayimic. 2 Njalo yayilabafazi ababili; ibizo lomunye lalinguHana, lebizo lomunye lalinguPenina. Njalo uPenina wayelabantwana, kodwa uHana wayengelabantwanad. 3 Leyondoda yenyuka-ke isuka emzini wayo iminyaka ngeminyakae ukuyakhonza lokuhlabela iNkosi yamabandlaf eShilog, njalo kwakukhona lapho amadodana amabili kaEli, uHofini loPhinehasi, abapristi beNkosi.

4 Kwakusithi mhla uElkana ehlaba, wanika uPenina umkakhe lawo wonke amadodana akhe lamadodakazi akhe izabelo; 5 kodwa uHana wamnika isabelo esiphindwe kabili, ngoba wayemthanda uHana; kodwa iNkosi yayisivalile isizalo sakheh. 6 Lesitha sakhe laso samcaphula ngentukuthelo ukuze simkhathaze, ngoba iNkosi yayisivalile isizalo sakhei. 7 Wayesenza njalo-ke iminyaka ngeminyaka; kusukela lapho esenyukela endlini yeNkosi, ngokunjalo samcaphula. Ngakho walila, kadlanga. 8 UElkana umkakhe wasesithi kuye: Hana, ulilelani? Njalo kawudli ngani? Kungani-ke inhliziyo yakho idabukile? Mina kangingcono kuwe kulamadodana alitshumi yinij?

9 Ngakho uHana wasukuma emva kokudla eShilok langemva kokunatha. UEli umpristi wayehlezi-ke esihlalweni phansi kwensika yethempeli leNkosil. 10 Njalo wayelobuhlungu emphefumulweni, wasekhuleka eNkosini ekhala lokukhala inyembezim. 11 Wasefunga isifungon wathi: Nkosi yamabandla, uba ungabona lokubona ukuhlupheka kwencekukazi yakhoo, ungikhumbule, ungakhohlwa incekukazi yakho, kodwa unike incekukazi yakho inzalo yesilisa, ngizamnika iNkosi insuku zonke zempilo yakhep, lempuco kayiyikwedlula ekhanda lakheq. 12 Kwasekusithi esaqhubeka ukukhuleka phambi kweNkosi, uEli waqaphelisa umlomo wakhe. 13 UHana wayekhulumela-ke enhliziyweni yakhe, kwanyikinyeka indebe zakhe kuphela, kodwa ilizwi lakhe lalingezwakali; ngakho uEli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe. 14 UEli wasesithi kuye: Koze kube nini udakwa? Susa iwayini lakho kuwe. 15 UHana wasephendula wathi: Hatshi, nkosi yami, ngingowesifazana odabukileyo emoyeni; kanginathanga wayini loba okunathwayo okulamandla, kodwa bengithulula umphefumulo wami phambi kweNkosir. 16 Ungayithathi incekukazi yakho njengendodakazi kaBheliyalis, ngoba ebunengini bosizi lwami lenkathazo yami sengikhulume kwaze kwaba khathesi. 17 UEli wasephendula wathi: Hamba ngokuthulat; uNkulunkulu wakoIsrayeli akunike isicelo sakho osicele kuyeu. 18 Wasesithi: Incekukazi yakho kayithole umusa emehlweni akhov. Ngakho owesifazana wahamba ngendlela yakhe, wadla; lobuso bakhe abaze busanyukumala ngakhow.

19 Basebevuka ekuseni kakhulu, bakhonza phambi kweNkosi, basebebuyela bafika emzini wabo eRamax. UElkana wasemazi uHana umkakhe, leNkosi yamkhumbulay. 20 Kwasekusithi ekuqhubekeni kwesikhathi uHana wakhulelwa, wabeletha indodana, wayitha ibizo layo uSamuweli; ngoba wathi: Ngimcelile eNkosiniz. 21 Lendoda uElkana lendlu yakhe yonke benyukela ukuyahlabela iNkosi umhlatshelo weminyaka ngeminyaka, lesifungo sakhea. 22 Kodwa uHana kenyukanga, ngoba wathi kumkakhe: Kangiyikuhamba aze alunyulwe umfana; khona ngizamletha ukuze abonakale phambi kweNkosi, abesehlala khona kuze kube ninininib. 23 UElkana umkakhe wasesithi kuye: Yenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho; hlala uze umlumulec; kuphela, iNkosi kayiqinise ilizwi lakhod. Ngokunjalo owesifazana wahlala, wayimunyisa indodana yakhe waze wayilumula.

24 Wasesenyuka layo eseyilumule, elamajongosi amathathu, le-efa* elilodwa lempuphu, lembodlela yewayinie, wayiletha endlini yeNkosi eShilof; lomfana wayemncinyane. 25 Balihlaba ijongosi, bamletha umntwana kuEli. 26 Wasesithi: Hawu nkosi yami, kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi yami, yimi owesifazana owayemi lawe lapha, ekhuleka eNkosinig. 27 Ngakhulekela lo umfana, njalo iNkosi inginikile isicelo sami engasicela kuyoh. 28 Ngakho lami ngimnikele eNkosini, zonke izinsuku ekhona; wacelwa eNkosinii. Wasekhonza iNkosi laphoj.