Ukuzalwa kukaSamuweli
1Kwakukhona umuntu waseRamatayimi Sofimu lasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi ogama lakhe lalingu-Elkana indodana kaJerohamu ka-Elihu kaTholu kaSufi wakwa-Efrayimi; 2wayenabafazi ababili, igama lomunye lalinguHana, igama lomunye lalinguPhenina; uPhenina wayenabantwana, kepha uHana wayengenabantwana.
3Lowo muntu wenyuka emzini wakhe iminyaka ngeminyaka ukukhonza nokuhlabela uJehova Sebawoti eShilo. Kwakukhona lapho amadodana amabili ka-Eli, oHofini noFinehasi, bengabapristi bakaJehova. 4Kwathi ngosuku u-Elkana ahlaba ngalo, wanika uPhenina umkakhe nawo onke amadodana akhe namadodakazi akhe izabelo; 5kepha wanika uHana isabelo siphindwa kabili, ngokuba wayemthanda uHana, kepha uJehova wayesivalile isizalo sakhe. 6Isitha sakhe samncokoloza kakhulu ukuba amthukuthelise, ngokuba uJehova wayesivalile isizalo sakhe. 7Kwathi ukuba u-Elkana enze njalo iminyaka ngeminyaka, lapho enyukela endlini kaJehova, wamncokoloza kanjalo; ngalokho wakhala, akadlanga lutho. 8Wayesethi u-Elkana umyeni wakhe kuye: “Hana, ukhalelani na? Awudli ngani? Inhliziyo yakho idabukeleni na? Angidluli yini amadodana ayishumi kuwe na?”
9UHana wasukuma, nxa sebedlile eShilo, bephuzile. U-Eli umpristi wayehlezi esihlalweni sakhe ngasensikeni yomnyango wethempeli likaJehova. 10Umphefumulo wakhe wawunomunyu, wakhuleka kuJehova, wakhala kakhulu. 11Wenza 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.”
12Kwathi esaqhubeka ukukhuleka phambi kukaJehova, u-Eli waqaphela umlomo wakhe. 13UHana wayekhuluma enhliziyweni yakhe, kwabikizela izindebe zakhe zomlomo kuphela, kepha izwi lakhe lalingezwakali; ngalokho u-Eli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe. 14U-Eli wathi kuye: “Uyakudakwa kuze kube nini na? Susa iwayini lakho kuwe.”
15UHana waphendula wathi: “Hhayi, nkosi, ngingowesifazane ohluphekileyo; angiphuzanga iwayini naphuzo olunamandla, kepha bengithulula umphefumulo wami phambi kukaJehova. 16Ungasho ukuthi incekukazi yakho ingowesifazane omubi, ngokuba kungobuningi bosizi lwami nangokuncokolozwa kwami ngikhulumile kuze kube manje.”
17Wayesephendula u-Eli ethi: “Hamba ngokuthula; uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli makakunike okucelileyo kuye.”
18Wathi: “Incekukazi yakho mayifumane umusa emehlweni akho.” Owesifazane wayesehamba, wadla, ubuso bakhe ababe busanyukumala.
19Bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, bakhuleka phambi kukaJehova, babuya, bafika endlini yabo eRama; u-Elkana wamazi uHana umkakhe, uJehova wamkhumbula. 20Kwathi sesiphelele isikhathi, uHana wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSamuweli, ethi: “Ngimcelile kuJehova.”
21Lowo muntu u-Elkana wenyuka kanye nendlu yakhe ukuyonikela kuJehova umhlatshelo weminyaka nesithembiso sakhe. 22Kepha uHana akenyukanga, ngokuba wathi kumyeni wakhe: “Hhayi aze alunyulwe umntwana; khona ngiyakumyisa ukuba abonakale phambi kukaJehova, ahlale khona njalo.”
23Wayesethi u-Elkana umyeni wakhe kuye: “Yenza okuhle emehlweni akho; hlala uze umlumule; uJehova makaqinise izwi lakhe kuphela.” Owesifazane wayesehlala, wancelisa indodana yakhe waze wayilumula.
24Eseyilumulile wenyuka nayo enezinkunzi ezintathu, ne-efa* lempuphu, nemvaba yewayini, wakuyisa endlini kaJehova eShilo; umntwana wayesemncane. 25Bahlaba inkunzi, bamyisa umntwana ku-Eli. 26Wathi: “E nkosi, kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi yami, ngingowesifazane owayemi kuwe lapha, ekhuleka kuJehova. 27Ngamkhulekela lo mntwana; uJehova unginikile lokho engakucela kuye; 28ngalokho nami ngimnikele kuJehova; zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe unikelwe kuJehova.” Bakhuleka kuJehova khona.
