< 1 Samuel 1 >

1 And there was a certain man, of Ramathaim-zuphi, of the hill country of Ephraim, —whose name, was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite;
Kulikuwepo na mtu mmoja kutoka Rama, Msufi kutoka nchi ya vilima vya Efraimu, ambaye jina lake aliitwa Elikana mwana wa Yerohamu, mwana wa Elihu mwana wa Tohu, mwana wa Sufu, Mwefraimu.
2 and, he, had two wives, the name of the one, Hannah, and, the name of the other, Peninnah, —and Peninnah had children, but, Hannah, had no children.
Alikuwa na wake wawili, mmoja aliitwa Hana na mwingine Penina. Penina alikuwa na watoto, lakini Hana hakuwa na mtoto.
3 So then that man went up, out of his city, from time to time, to worship and to sacrifice unto Yahweh of hosts, in Shiloh, —and, there, were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests unto Yahweh.
Kila mwaka mtu huyu alikwea kutoka mji wake ili kuabudu na kutoa dhabihu kwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote huko Shilo, ambapo Hofni na Finehasi, wana wawili wa Eli, walikuwa makuhani wa Bwana.
4 And, when the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give, to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions;
Kila mara ilipofika siku ya Elikana kutoa dhabihu, aliwapa mafungu Penina mkewe na wanawe wote pamoja na binti zake.
5 and, unto Hannah, used he to give one portion, —howbeit, Hannah, he loved, although, Yahweh, had restrained her from having children.
Lakini alimpa Hana fungu maradufu kwa sababu alimpenda, ingawa Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo.
6 And her rival used even to cause her great vexation, for the sake of provoking her, —because Yahweh had restrained her from having children.
Kwa sababu Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo, mke mwenzake alikuwa anamchokoza ili kumuudhi.
7 And, thus, used she to do, year by year, whenever she went up to the house of Yahweh, thus, used she to vex her, —and she wept, and would not eat.
Hili liliendelea mwaka baada ya mwaka. Kila mara Hana alipokwenda katika nyumba ya Bwana, mke mwenzake alikuwa akimkasirisha mpaka analia na kushindwa kula.
8 So Elkanah her husband said to her—Hannah! wherefore shouldst thou weep? and wherefore wilt thou not eat? and wherefore should thy heart be sad? Am, I, not better to thee, than ten sons?
Elikana mumewe akawa anamwambia, “Hana, kwa nini unalia? Kwa nini huli? Kwa nini kuvunjika moyo? Je, mimi si bora zaidi kwako kuliko watoto kumi?”
9 And Hannah rose up, after she had eaten in Shiloh, and after she had drunk, —and, Eli the priest, was sitting upon his chair, by the door-post of the temple of Yahweh;
Siku moja walipokuwa wamemaliza kula na kunywa huko Shilo, Hana alisimama. Wakati huo kuhani Eli alikuwa ameketi kwenye kiti pembeni mwa mwimo wa mlango wa Hekalu la Bwana.
10 and, she being in bitterness of soul, prayed unto Yahweh, and, wept sore.
Kwa uchungu wa rohoni Hana alilia sana na akamwomba Bwana.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said—Yahweh of hosts! If thou wilt, look, upon the humiliation of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then will I give him unto Yahweh, all the days of his life, and no, razor, shall come upon his head.
Naye akaweka nadhiri, akisema, “Ee Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, laiti ungeangalia huzuni kuu ya mtumishi wako na kunikumbuka mimi, wala usimsahau mtumishi wako nawe ukampa mwana, basi huyo mwana nitamtoa kwa Bwana kwa siku zote za maisha yake, wala wembe hautapita kichwani mwake.”
12 And so it was, as she continued praying before Yahweh, that Eli was watching her mouth.
Alipokuwa anaendelea kumwomba Bwana, Eli alichunguza kinywa chake.
13 But as for, Hannah, she, was speaking in her heart, only her lips, were moving, but, her voice, could not be heard, —so Eli thought she had been drunken.
Hana alikuwa akiomba moyoni mwake, midomo yake ikiwa inachezacheza lakini sauti haikusikika. Eli akafikiri alikuwa amelewa
14 And Eli said unto her, How long, wilt thou be, drunken? Put away thy wine from thee.
naye akamwambia, “Utaendelea kulewa mpaka lini? Achilia mbali mvinyo wako.”
15 And Hannah responded and said—Nay! my lord; A woman depressed in spirit, am I: neither wine nor strong drink, have I drunk, —but I poured out my soul, before Yahweh.
Hana akajibu, “Si hivyo bwana wangu, mimi ni mwanamke mwenye huzuni kubwa. Mimi sijanywa mvinyo wala kileo, nilikuwa ninaumimina moyo wangu kwa Bwana.
16 Do not count thy handmaid for an abandoned woman, —for, out of the abundance of my grief and my vexation, have I spoken, hitherto.
Usimdhanie mtumishi wako kuwa mwanamke mwovu; nimekuwa nikiomba hapa katika wingi wa uchungu mkuu na huzuni.”
17 Then responded Eli, and said—Go and prosper! And the, God of Israel, grant thy petition which thou hast asked of him!
Eli akamjibu, “Nenda kwa amani, naye Mungu wa Israeli na akujalie kile ulichomwomba.”
18 And she said: Let thy serving-woman find favour, in thine eyes. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and, her countenance, was sad no longer.
Hana akasema, “Mtumishi wako na apate kibali machoni pako.” Kisha akaondoka zake na kula chakula, wala uso wake haukuwa na huzuni tena.
19 And they rose up early in the morning, and worshipped before Yahweh, and returned, and entered their own house, in Ramah, —and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and Yahweh remembered her.
Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema waliamka wakaabudu mbele za Bwana na kisha wakarudi nyumbani kwao huko Rama. Elikana akakutana kimwili na mkewe Hana, naye Bwana akamkumbuka.
20 And so it was, when the days had come round during which Hannah was with child, that she bare a son, —and called his name Samuel ["Heard of God"], Because, of Yahweh, I asked him.
Hivyo wakati ulipotimia, Hana akapata mimba na akamzaa mwana. Hana akamwita jina lake Samweli, akasema, “Kwa kuwa nilimwomba kwa Bwana.”
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up, to offer unto Yahweh the yearly sacrifice, and [each] his own vow.
Wakati huyo mtu Elikana alipanda pamoja na jamaa yake yote kutoa dhabihu ya mwaka kwa Bwana na kutimiza nadhiri yake,
22 But, Hannah, went not up, —for she said to her husband—[Not] till the boy is weaned, then will I take him, and he shall appear before Yahweh, and abide there evermore.
Hana hakwenda. Alimwambia mume wake, “Baada ya mtoto kuachishwa kunyonya, nitamchukua na kumpeleka mbele za Bwana, naye ataishi huko wakati wote.”
23 And Elkanah her husband said to her—Do what is good in thine own eyes, tarry until thou have weaned him, only may Yahweh establish his word! So the woman tarried, and nursed her son, until she weaned him.
Elikana mumewe akamwambia, “Fanya lile unaloona ni bora zaidi kwako. Ukae hapa mpaka utakapomwachisha kunyonya, Bwana na akujalie kutimiza nadhiri yako.” Hivyo huyo mwanamke akakaa nyumbani na kumnyonyesha mwanawe mpaka alipomwachisha kunyonya.
24 Then took she him up with her, when she had weaned him, with a bullock of three years old, and one ephah of meal, and a skin of wine, and took him to the house of Yahweh, at Shiloh, —the boy yet being young.
Baada ya mtoto kuachishwa kunyonya, Hana akamchukua huyo mtoto, akiwa mdogo hivyo hivyo, pamoja na fahali wa miaka mitatu, efa ya unga na kiriba cha divai, naye akamleta mtoto kwenye nyumba ya Bwana huko Shilo.
25 So they slew the bullock, —and took the boy in, unto Eli.
Walipokwisha kumchinja yule fahali, wakamleta mtoto kwa Eli,
26 And she said—Pardon, my lord! By the life of thy soul, my lord, —I, am the woman who was standing near thee here, praying unto Yahweh:
naye Hana akamwambia Eli, “Hakika kama uishivyo, bwana wangu, mimi ndiye yule mama ambaye alisimama hapa karibu nawe akiomba kwa Bwana.
27 For this boy, I prayed, —And Yahweh hath given me my petition which I asked of him.
Niliomba mtoto huyu, naye Bwana amenijalia kile nilichomwomba.
28 Hence, I also, have loaned him unto Yahweh, all the days that he liveth. He, is lent unto Yahweh. And he bowed down there, unto Yahweh.
Hivyo sasa ninamtoa kwa Bwana. Kwa maana maisha yake yote atakuwa ametolewa kwa Bwana.” Naye akamwabudu Bwana huko.

< 1 Samuel 1 >