1 Samuel - Chapter 1

Verse 1: Kwakukhona umuntu waseRamatayimi Sofimu lasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi ogama lakhe lalingu-Elkana indodana kaJerohamu ka-Elihu kaTholu kaSufi wakwa-Efrayimi;

Verse 2: wayenabafazi ababili, igama lomunye lalinguHana, igama lomunye lalinguPhenina; uPhenina wayenabantwana, kepha uHana wayengenabantwana.

Verse 3: Lowo muntu wenyuka emzini wakhe iminyaka ngeminyaka ukukhonza nokuhlabela uJehova Sebawoti eShilo. Kwakukhona lapho amadodana amabili ka-Eli, oHofini noFinehasi, bengabapristi bakaJehova.

Verse 4: Kwathi ngosuku u-Elkana ahlaba ngalo, wanika uPhenina umkakhe nawo onke amadodana akhe namadodakazi akhe izabelo;

Verse 5: kepha wanika uHana isabelo siphindwa kabili, ngokuba wayemthanda uHana, kepha uJehova wayesivalile isizalo sakhe.

Verse 6: Isitha sakhe samncokoloza kakhulu ukuba amthukuthelise, ngokuba uJehova wayesivalile isizalo sakhe.

Verse 7: Kwathi ukuba u-Elkana enze njalo iminyaka ngeminyaka, lapho enyukela endlini kaJehova, wamncokoloza kanjalo; ngalokho wakhala, akadlanga lutho.

Verse 8: Wayesethi u-Elkana umyeni wakhe kuye: “Hana, ukhalelani na? Awudli ngani? Inhliziyo yakho idabukeleni na? Angidluli yini amadodana ayishumi kuwe na?”

Verse 9: UHana wasukuma, nxa sebedlile eShilo, bephuzile. U-Eli umpristi wayehlezi esihlalweni sakhe ngasensikeni yomnyango wethempeli likaJehova.

Verse 10: Umphefumulo wakhe wawunomunyu, wakhuleka kuJehova, wakhala kakhulu.

Verse 11: Wenza isithembiso, wathi: “Jehova Sebawoti, ubheke nokubheka ukuhlupheka kwencekukazi yakho, ungikhumbule, ungakhohlwa incekukazi yakho, unike incekukazi yakho umntwana wesilisa, bese ngimnika uJehova zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe, kungathinti mpuco ekhanda lakhe.”

Verse 12: Kwathi esaqhubeka ukukhuleka phambi kukaJehova, u-Eli waqaphela umlomo wakhe.

Verse 13: UHana wayekhuluma enhliziyweni yakhe, kwabikizela izindebe zakhe zomlomo kuphela, kepha izwi lakhe lalingezwakali; ngalokho u-Eli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe.

Verse 14: U-Eli wathi kuye: “Uyakudakwa kuze kube nini na? Susa iwayini lakho kuwe.”

Verse 15: UHana waphendula wathi: “Hhayi, nkosi, ngingowesifazane ohluphekileyo; angiphuzanga iwayini naphuzo olunamandla, kepha bengithulula umphefumulo wami phambi kukaJehova.

Verse 16: Ungasho ukuthi incekukazi yakho ingowesifazane omubi, ngokuba kungobuningi bosizi lwami nangokuncokolozwa kwami ngikhulumile kuze kube manje.”

Verse 17: Wayesephendula u-Eli ethi: “Hamba ngokuthula; uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli makakunike okucelileyo kuye.”

Verse 18: Wathi: “Incekukazi yakho mayifumane umusa emehlweni akho.” Owesifazane wayesehamba, wadla, ubuso bakhe ababe busanyukumala.

Verse 19: Bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, bakhuleka phambi kukaJehova, babuya, bafika endlini yabo eRama; u-Elkana wamazi uHana umkakhe, uJehova wamkhumbula.

Verse 20: Kwathi sesiphelele isikhathi, uHana wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSamuweli, ethi: “Ngimcelile kuJehova.”

Verse 21: Lowo muntu u-Elkana wenyuka kanye nendlu yakhe ukuyonikela kuJehova umhlatshelo weminyaka nesithembiso sakhe.

Verse 22: Kepha uHana akenyukanga, ngokuba wathi kumyeni wakhe: “Hhayi aze alunyulwe umntwana; khona ngiyakumyisa ukuba abonakale phambi kukaJehova, ahlale khona njalo.”

Verse 23: Wayesethi u-Elkana umyeni wakhe kuye: “Yenza okuhle emehlweni akho; hlala uze umlumule; uJehova makaqinise izwi lakhe kuphela.” Owesifazane wayesehlala, wancelisa indodana yakhe waze wayilumula.

Verse 24: Eseyilumulile wenyuka nayo enezinkunzi ezintathu, ne-efa lempuphu, nemvaba yewayini, wakuyisa endlini kaJehova eShilo; umntwana wayesemncane.

Verse 25: Bahlaba inkunzi, bamyisa umntwana ku-Eli.

Verse 26: Wathi: “E nkosi, kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi yami, ngingowesifazane owayemi kuwe lapha, ekhuleka kuJehova.

Verse 27: Ngamkhulekela lo mntwana; uJehova unginikile lokho engakucela kuye;

Verse 28: ngalokho nami ngimnikele kuJehova; zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe unikelwe kuJehova.” Bakhuleka kuJehova khona.