Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 1:1-28
1 Kwakukhona umuntu othile waseRamatayimi-zofimu *+ ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi, + igama lakhe kungu-Elkana, + indodana kaJerohamu, indodana ka-Elihu, indodana kaThohu, indodana kaZufi, umEfrayimi.
2 Wayenamakhosikazi amabili; igama lomunye kunguHana, elomunye kunguPhenina. UPhenina wayenabantwana, kodwa uHana wayengenabantwana.
3 Unyaka nonyaka lo muntu wayekhuphuka esuka edolobheni lakubo ukuze ayokhuleka,* anikele nomhlatshelo kuJehova wamabutho eShilo. + Yilapho amadodana amabili ka-Eli, uHofini noFinehasi, + ayekhonza khona engabapristi kuJehova. +
4 Ngolunye usuku lapho u-Elkana enikela umhlatshelo, wasikela umkakhe uPhenina nawo wonke amadodana akhe namadodakazi akhe inyama yomhlatshelo, +
5 kodwa uHana wamnika inyama yekhethelo, ngoba nguHana ayemthanda kakhulu; kepha uJehova wayengamnikanga abantwana.*
6 Ngaphezu kwalokho, umfazi oyimbangi yakhe wayehlale emgcona ukuze amzwise ubuhlungu ngoba uJehova wayengamnikanga abantwana.
7 Wayenza kanjalo unyaka nonyaka; njalo lapho uHana ekhuphukela endlini kaJehova, + imbangi yakhe yayimgcona kangangokuba wayekhala angadli.
8 Kodwa umyeni wakhe u-Elkana wathi kuye: “Hana, ukhalelani, kungani ungadli, kungani udabuke kangaka?* Angingcono yini kuwe kunamadodana ayishumi?”
9 Khona-ke ngemva kokuba sebeqedile ukudla nokuphuza eShilo, uHana waphuma. Ngaleso sikhathi, u-Eli umpristi wayehlezi esihlalweni ngasensikeni yomnyango wethempeli *+ likaJehova.
10 UHana wayedabuke kakhulu,* waqala ukuthandaza kuJehova + wakhala kalusizi.
11 Wenza lesi sithembiso wathi: “O Jehova wamabutho, uma ungakubheka ukuhlupheka kwencekukazi yakho ungikhumbule, uma ungeke uyikhohlwe incekukazi yakho kodwa uyiphe umntwana womfana, + ngiyokunika yena Jehova, ukuze akukhonze zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe, ikhanda lakhe alisoze laphucwa.” +
12 Njengoba ayethandaza isikhathi eside phambi kukaJehova, u-Eli wayebheke umlomo wakhe.
13 UHana wayekhuluma ngenhliziyo, kuvevezela izindebe kuphela, izwi lakhe lingezwakali. Ngakho u-Eli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe.
14 U-Eli wathi kuye: “Uyodakwa kuze kube nini? Hlukana newayini.”
15 UHana waphendula wathi: “Akunjalo nkosi yami! Umoya wami ukhathazeke kakhulu;* angiphuzanga wayini, angiphuzanga tshwala, ngithulula isifuba sami kuJehova. +
16 Ungayithathisi okowesifazane ongelusizo lwalutho incekukazi yakho, ngoba ngikhulume kwaze kwaba manje ngenxa yosizi nokukhathazeka kwami.”
17 U-Eli waphendula wathi: “Hamba ngokuthula, kwangathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakunika lokho okucele kuye.” +
18 UHana wathi: “Kwangathi ungaqhubeka uyibonisa umusa incekukazi yakho.” Owesifazane wahamba wayodla, akabange esakhathazeka.
19 Ngakusasa bavuka ekuseni kakhulu bakhothama phambi kukaJehova, okwathi ngemva kwalokho babuyela ekhaya eRama. + U-Elkana walala noHana umkakhe, uJehova wamkhumbula. +
20 Phakathi nalowo nyaka* uHana wakhulelwa wazala indodana wayiqamba + ngokuthi uSamuweli,* ngoba wayethi, “ngimcele kuJehova.”
21 Ngemva kwesikhathi, u-Elkana, wakhuphuka nawo wonke umndeni wakhe eyonikela kuJehova ngomhlatshelo waminyaka yonke + nomnikelo wakhe wesifungo.
22 Kodwa uHana akakhuphukanga + ngoba wathi kumyeni wakhe: “Ngemva nje kokuba umfana sengimyekisile ibele, ngizomhambisa ayovela phambi kukaJehova bese ehlala khona kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke.” +
23 U-Elkana umyeni wakhe wathi kuye: “Yenza lokho okubona kulungile.* Hlala ekhaya aze ayeke ibele. Kwangathi uJehova angakufeza lokho okushilo.” Ngakho owesifazane wahlala ekhaya, wancelisa indodana yakhe kwaze kwaba yilapho eseyiyekisile ibele.
24 Ngemva nje kokuba esemyekisile ibele, wakhuphuka naye waya eShilo, wathatha inkunzi eneminyaka emithathu ubudala, i-efa* elilodwa likafulawa nesitsha esikhulu sewayini, + wangena endlini kaJehova eShilo + ekanye nomfana.
25 Bahlaba inkunzi base beletha umfana ku-Eli.
26 UHana wathi: “Uxolo, nkosi yami! Ngiyilona wesifazane owayemi nawe kule ndawo ngizothandaza kuJehova. +
27 Ngangithandaza ngicela lo mfana, uJehova wangipha engangikucele kuye. +
28 Manje sengimboleka uJehova. Zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe, ubolekwe uJehova.”
U-Elkana wakhothama lapho kuJehova.
Imibhalo yaphansi
^ Noma, “waseRama, umZufi.”
^ Noma, “ayokhothama.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe.”
^ Noma, “kungani inhliziyo yakho ibuhlungu?”
^ Okuwukuthi, itabernakele.
^ Noma, “wayemunyu emphefumulweni.”
^ Noma, “Ngingowesifazane ocindezelekile emoyeni.”
^ Noma kungaba, “Ngesikhathi esifanele.”
^ Incazelo: “Igama LikaNkulunkulu.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “lokho okuhle emehlweni akho.”
^ Kungaba ngu-22 L. Bheka iSithasiselo B14.
