Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli 1:1-28
1 Kwakulendoda yaseRamathayimi-zofimi*+ ezintabeni zako-Efrayimi+ okwakuthiwa ngu-Elikhana. U-Elikhana+ wayeyindodana kaJerohamu, indodana ka-Elihu, indodana kaThohu, indodana kaZufi, futhi wayengowako-Efrayimi.
2 Indoda le yayilamakhosikazi amabili, omunye kwakuthiwa nguHana, omunye kuthiwa nguPhenina. UPhenina wayelabantwana kodwa uHana wayengelabo.
3 Minyaka yonke u-Elikhana wayesuka edolobheni lakibo ayekhonza eShilo+ futhi anikele lemihlatshelo kuJehova wamabutho. Amadodana ka-Eli amabili uHofini loFiniyasi+ ayehlala khona njalo ayengabaphristi bakaJehova.+
4 Ngelinye ilanga u-Elikhana wathi enikela umhlatshelo wanika umkakhe uPhenina lawo wonke amadodana lamadodakazi akhe inyama,+
5 kodwa uHana wamnika inyama enhle kakhulu ngoba nguye ayemthanda lanxa uJehova wayengamphanga abantwana.*
6 Unyanewabo wayehlala emchothoza efuna ukumzwisa ubuhlungu ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wayengamnikanga abantwana.
7 Lokhu yikho unyanewabo ayekwenza minyaka yonke. UHana wayesithi angaya endlini kaJehova,+ unyanewabo amchothoze kakhulu, akhale aze ehluleke lokudla.
8 Kodwa umkakhe u-Elikhana wathi kuye: “Hana ukhalelani? Kungani udanile futhi ungadli? Kanti mina angingcono yini kuwe kulamadodana alitshumi?”
9 Bathi sebeqedile ukudla lokunatha eShilo, uHana wasuka lapho ababehlezi khona. Ngalesosikhathi u-Eli umphristi wayehlezi esihlalweni eceleni komnyango wethempeli*+ likaJehova.
10 Inhliziyo kaHana yayibuhlungu kakhulu yikho waqalisa ukuthandaza kuJehova+ ekhala kabuhlungu.
11 Wafunga wathi: “Awu Jehova wamabutho, nxa ungakhangela ukuthi mina incekukazi yakho ngihlupheka njani futhi ungikhumbule unginike indodana,+ ngizayinikela kuwe Jehova okwempilo yayo yonke njalo ayisoze iphuce ikhanda.”+
12 UHana wakhuleka okwesikhathi eside phambi kukaJehova futhi u-Eli wayelokhu ekhangele umlomo wakhe.
13 UHana wayekhulumela enhliziyweni, indebe zakhe zivevezela kodwa ilizwi lingazwakali. Ngakho u-Eli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe
14 wasesithi kuye: “Uzahlala udakiwe kuze kube nini? Yekela ukunatha iwayini.”
15 UHana waphendula wathi: “Hatshi nkosi yami, ngingowesifazana okhathazeke kakhulu.* Anginathanga iwayini loba utshwala kodwa ngithululela uJehova konke okusenhliziyweni yami.+
16 Ungacabangi ukuthi incekukazi yakho ingowesifazana ongelancedo. Ngithandaze kwaze kwaba khathesi ngoba ngizwa ubuhlungu obukhulu njalo ngikhathazekile.”
17 U-Eli wamphendula wathi: “Kwangathi uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli angakunika lokho okucele kuye.+ Uhambe kuhle.”
18 UHana waphendula wathi: “Kwangathi incekukazi yakho ingathola umusa kuwe.” Wasesuka wahamba wayakudla futhi wayengasadananga.
19 Bavuka ekuseni kakhulu bayakhothama phambi kukaJehova, ngemva kwalokho babuyela emzini wabo eRama.+ U-Elikhana walala lomkakhe uHana futhi uJehova wamkhumbula uHana.+
20 UHana wazithwala njalo umnyaka ungakapheli wabeletha indodana, wayinika ibizo elithi+ Samuyeli* ngoba esithi, “Ngamcela kuJehova.”
21 Ngemva kwesikhathi u-Elikhana wahamba lemuli yakhe yonke esiyanikela umnikelo wakhe wesifungo kanye lomhlatshelo waminyaka yonke kuJehova.+
22 Kodwa uHana kazange ahambe+ ngoba wathi kumkakhe: “Ngizahamba lomfana nxa sengimkhiphe ebeleni ayekuma phambi kukaJehova futhi uzahlala khona kokuphela.”+
23 Umkakhe u-Elikhana wasesithi kuye: “Yenza lokho okubona kulungile.* Hlala ngekhaya uze umkhiphe ebeleni. Kwangathi uJehova angenza lokho okukhulumileyo.” Ngakho uHana wahlala ngekhaya wondla indodana yakhe waze wayikhipha ebeleni.
24 Wathi eseyikhiphile ebeleni indodana yakhe wayithatha wahamba layo eShilo, elejongosi elileminyaka emithathu le-efa* eyodwa yefulawa kanye lembiza enkulu yewayini.+ Wafika endlini kaJehova eShilo+ lendodana yakhe eyayisesencane,
25 bahlaba ijongosi basebehambisa umfana ku-Eli.
26 UHana wasesithi: “Uxolo nkosi yami, ngifunga ngempilo yakho nkosi yami, yimi owesifazana owayemi eduze kwakho endaweni le ethandaza kuJehova.+
27 Ngathandaza ngicela umfana lo futhi uJehova wangipha lokho engakucelayo.+
28 Ngakho lami sengimnika* uJehova, uzakuba ngokaJehova okwempilo yakhe yonke.”
U-Elikhana wakhothama khonapho phambi kukaJehova.
Amabala angaphansi
^ Kumbe, “yaseRama eyayingumZufi.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “wayesivalile isibeletho sakhe.”
^ Lapha kutshiwo ithabanikeli.
^ Kumbe, “ngingowesifazana ocindezeleke kakhulu emoyeni.”
^ Ibizo leli litsho ukuthi, “Ibizo likaNkulunkulu.”
^ NgesiHebheru, “Yenza okulungileyo emehlweni akho.”
^ I-efa yayingaba ngamalitha angu-22. Khangela iSengezo ku-B14.
^ NgesiHebheru, “sengimboleka.”
