< 1 Samuel 1 >

1 O nwere otu nwoke onye Zuf, si na Ramataim, nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem. Aha ya bụ Elkena nwa Jeroham, nwa Elihu, nwa Tohu, nwa Zuf, onye Ifrem.
There was a certain man of Ramathaim of the Zuphites, of the hill country of Ephraim; his name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2 Elkena lụrụ ndị inyom abụọ, aha nke mbụ bụ Hana, ebe aha nke abụọ bụ Penina. Penina nwere ụmụ, ma Hana enweghị nwa.
He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 Kwa afọ, nwoke a na-esi nʼobodo ya gaa Shaịlo ife ofufe na ịchụrụ Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile aja. Ọ bụ nʼebe ahụ ka ụmụ ndị ikom abụọ Elayị a na-akpọ Hofni na Finehaz, bụ ndị nchụaja Onyenwe anyị nọ.
This man went from his city year after year to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests to Yahweh, were there.
4 Nʼụbọchị ọbụla Elkena na-achụ aja ya, ọ na-ekenye Penina na ụmụ ya ndị ikom na ndị inyom ọtụtụ oke site nʼanụ o ji chụọ aja.
When the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice each year, he always gave portions of the meat to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters.
5 Ma ọ na-enye Hana oke mmadụ abụọ, nʼihi na ọ hụrụ ya nʼanya, ọ bụ ezie na Onyenwe anyị mechiri akpanwa ya.
But to Hannah he always gave a double portion, for he loved Hannah, although Yahweh had closed her womb.
6 Ma Penina na-eme ka obi jọọ Hana njọ karịa, site nʼikpasu ya iwe, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị mechiri akpanwa ya.
Her rival provoked her severely in order to irritate her, because Yahweh had closed her womb.
7 Ihe ndị a na-eme kwa afọ. Penina na-akwa Hana emo, na-achị ya ọchị oge niile ha gara nʼụlọ Onyenwe anyị, si otu a na-eme ka ọ na-akwa akwa, gharakwa iri nri.
So year after year, when she went up to the house of Yahweh with her family, her rival always provoked her. Therefore she used to weep and eat nothing.
8 Mgbe Hana bidoro ịkwa akwa otu a, Elkena na-ajụ ya sị, “Hana, ọ bụ gịnị mere i ji na-akwa akwa? Gịnị mere ị naghị eri nri? Gịnị mere obi ji ajọ gị njọ? Ọ bụ na mụ adịghị gị mma karịa ụmụ ndị ikom iri nye gị?”
Elkanah her husband always said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9 Otu ụbọchị mgbe ha risiri nri, ṅụọkwa ihe ọṅụṅụ na Shaịlo, Hana biliri ọtọ. Nʼoge a, Elayị onye nchụaja nọdụrụ ala nʼoche ya nʼakụkụ ọnụ ụzọ ụlọ Onyenwe anyị.
On one of these occasions, Hannah rose up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the doorway to the temple of Yahweh.
10 Nʼọnọdụ obi mwute Hana kwara akwa, kpee ekpere, kpọkuo Onyenwe anyị.
She was deeply distressed; she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly.
11 O kwere nkwa sị, “O! Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, ọ bụrụ na ị ga-elekwasị anya na nhụju anya nke ohu gị nwanyị ma cheta m, ghara ichefu ohu gị nwanyị, ma nye ya nwa nwoke, mgbe ahụ, aga m enyeghachi ya Onyenwe anyị ogologo ụbọchị niile nke ndụ ya. Agụba agakwaghị aga nʼisi ya mgbe ọbụla.”
She made a vow and said, “Yahweh of hosts, if you will look on the affliction of your servant and call me to mind, and do not forget your servant, but give your servant a son, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and no razor will ever touch his head.”
12 Mgbe ọ nọgidere na-ekpe ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị, Elayị nọ na-ele ya anya nʼọnụ.
As she continued praying before Yahweh, Eli watched her mouth.
13 Ka Hana nọ na-ekpe ekpere nʼobi ya, naanị egbugbere ọnụ ya na-emegharị emegharị, ma enweghị onye na-anụ olu ya. Mgbe ahụ, Elayị chere nʼobi ya na ọ bụ nwanyị mmanya na-egbu.
Hannah spoke in her heart. Her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.
14 Elayị sịrị ya, “Ruo ole mgbe ka ị ga-akwụsị ịṅụbiga mmanya oke? Si nʼebe mmanya dị wezuga onwe gị!”
Eli said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Get rid of your wine.”
15 Ma Hana zara sị ya, “Mba, onyenwe m, aṅụghị m mmanya ọbụla! Kama abụ m nwanyị obi ya dị ilu nke ukwuu. Anọ m na-ekwupụtara Onyenwe anyị ihe dị m nʼobi.
Hannah answered, “No, my master, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before Yahweh.
16 Biko agụla ohu gị nwanyị dịka onye ajọ omume. Esi m nʼobi mwute na-akwasara Onyenwe anyị ụwa m.”
Do not consider your servant to be a shameless woman; I have been speaking out of the abundance of my great concern and provocation.”
17 Elayị zara sị ya, “Laa nʼudo, ka Chineke Izrel mezuoro gị dịka arịrịọ gị niile si dị.”
Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked him for.”
18 Hana zara sị, “Ka m bụrụ onye si nʼaka gị nata ihuọma.” O jiri obi ụtọ laghachi, malitekwa iri nri ya. Ihu ya agbarụkwaghị ọzọ.
She said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate; her face was no longer sad.
19 Nʼisi ụtụtụ echi ya, ha biliri kpọọ isiala nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, mgbe ahụ, ha laghachiri nʼụlọ ha dị na Rema. Mgbe ha laruru, Elkena bakwuru nwunye ya Hana, Onyenwe anyị chetakwara ya.
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh, and then they returned again to their house in Ramah. Elkanah slept with Hannah his wife, and Yahweh called her to mind.
20 Mgbe oge ruru, o mere ka Hana tụrụ ime, mụọ nwa nwoke. Ọ gụrụ ya Samuel, nʼihi na ọ sịrị, “Arịrịọ m Onyenwe anyị maka ya.”
When the time came, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from Yahweh.”
21 Mgbe di ya, bụ Elkena na ndị ezinaụlọ ya gara Shaịlo ịchụrụ Onyenwe anyị aja nke afọ ahụ, na ịchụkwa aja metụtara nkwa dị iche nke o kwere Onyenwe anyị,
Once again, Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to Yahweh the yearly sacrifice and pay his vow.
22 Hana esoghị ha, ọ gwara di ya, “Mgbe nwantakịrị a kwụsịrị ịṅụ ara, ka m duru ya ga chee ya nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, ọ ga-ebikwa nʼebe ahụ ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.”
But Hannah did not go; she had said to her husband, “I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before Yahweh and live there forever.”
23 Elkena bụ di ya sịrị ya, “Mee ihe ọbụla i chere kwesiri ekwesi. Nọdụ ruo mgbe ọ hapụrụ ịṅụ ara, ma ka Onyenwe anyị mezuo okwu ya.” Hana nọgidere nʼụlọ tutu ruo mgbe ọ zụlitere nwantakịrị ahụ, kwụsị ya ịṅụ ara.
Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems good to you. Wait until you have weaned him; only, may Yahweh confirm his word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him.
24 Mgbe ọ kwụsịrị nwantakịrị ahụ ịṅụ ara, nwantakịrị ahụ ka dị ntakịrị. Ma o duuru ya, jiri oke ehi gbara afọ atọ, na iri lita ụtụ ọka abụọ na abụọ, na otu karama mmanya, gaa nʼụlọ Onyenwe anyị dị na Shaịlo.
When she had weaned him, she took him with her, along with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of meal, and a bottle of wine, and brought him to the house of Yahweh in Shiloh. Now the child was still young.
25 Mgbe ha ji oke ehi ahụ chụsịa aja, ha kpọtaara Elayị nwantakịrị ahụ.
They killed the bull, and they brought the child to Eli.
26 Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị, “Onyenwe m, dịka ị si na-adị ndụ, ọ bụ m bụ nwanyị ahụ guzoro onwe ya nso nʼebe ị nọ kpee ekpere nye Onyenwe anyị.
She said, “Oh, my master! As you live, my master, I am the woman who stood here next to you praying to Yahweh.
27 Nʼihi nwa a ka m kpere ekpere, Onyenwe anyị emelara m ihe m rịọrọ nʼaka ya.
For this child I prayed and Yahweh has given me my petition which I asked of him.
28 Ma ugbu a, ana m enyeghachi ya Onyenwe anyị ka ọ bụrụ nke ya ndụ ya niile.” O fere Onyenwe anyị ofufe nʼebe ahụ.
I have given him to Yahweh, as long as he lives he is lent to Yahweh.” Then he worshiped Yahweh there.

< 1 Samuel 1 >