1 Samuele 1

1 V’era un uomo di Ramathaim-Tsofim, della contrada montuosa di Efraim, che si chiamava Elkana, figliuolo di Jeroham, figliuolo d’Elihu, figliuolo di Tohu, figliuolo di Tsuf, Efraimita.

There was a man of Armathaim Sipha, of mount Ephraim, and his name [was] Helkana, a son of Jeremeel the son of Elias the son of Thoke, in Nasib Ephraim.

2 Aveva due mogli: una per nome Anna, e l’altra per nome Peninna. Peninna avea de’ figliuoli, ma Anna non ne aveva.

And he [had] two wives; the name of the one [was] Anna, and the name of the second Phennana. And Phennana had children, but Anna had no child.

3 E quest’uomo, ogni anno, saliva dalla sua città per andare ad adorar l’Eterno degli eserciti e ad offrirgli dei sacrifizi a Sciloh; e quivi erano i due figliuoli di Eli, Hofni e Fineas, sacerdoti dell’Eterno.

And the man went up from year to year from his city, from Armathaim, to worship and sacrifice to the Lord God of Sabaoth at Selom: and [there were] Heli and his two sons Ophni and Phinees, the priests of the Lord.

4 Quando venne il giorno, Elkana offerse il sacrifizio, e diede a Peninna, sua moglie e a tutti i figliuoli e a tutte le figliuole di lei le loro parti;

And the day came, and Helkana sacrificed, and gave portions to his wife Phennana and her children.

5 ma ad Anna diede una parte doppia, perché amava Anna, benché l’Eterno l’avesse fatta sterile.

And to Anna he gave a prime portion, because she had no child, only Helkana loved Anna more than the other; but the Lord [had] closed her womb.

6 E la rivale mortificava continuamente Anna affin d’inasprirla perché l’Eterno l’avea fatta sterile.

For the Lord gave her no child in her affliction, and according to the despondency of her affliction; and she was dispirited on this account, that the Lord shut up her womb so as not to give her a child.

7 Così avveniva ogni anno; ogni volta che Anna saliva alla casa dell’Eterno, Peninna la mortificava a quel modo; ond’ella piangeva e non mangiava più.

So she did year by year, in going up to the house of the Lord; and she was dispirited, and wept, and did not eat.

8 Elkana, suo marito, le diceva: “Anna, perché piangi? Perché non mangi? Perché è triste il cuor tuo? Non ti valgo io più di dieci figliuoli?”

And Helkana her husband said to her, Anna: and she said to him, Here [am] I, my lord: and he said to her, What ails thee that thou weepest? and why dost thou not eat? and why does thy heart smite thee? [am] I not better to thee than ten children?

9 E, dopo ch’ebbero mangiato e bevuto a Sciloh, Anna si levò (il sacerdote Eli stava in quell’ora seduto sulla sua sedia all’entrata del tempio dell’Eterno);

And Anna rose up after they had eaten in Selom, and stood before the Lord: and Heli the priest [was] on a seat by the threshold of the temple of the Lord.

10 ella avea l’anima piena di amarezza, e pregò l’Eterno piangendo dirottamente.

And she [was] very much grieved in spirit, and prayed to the Lord, and wept abundantly.

11 E fece un voto, dicendo: “O Eterno degli eserciti! se hai riguardo all’afflizione della tua serva, e ti ricordi di me, e non dimentichi la tua serva, e dài alla tua serva un figliuolo maschio, io lo consacrerò all’Eterno per tutti i giorni della sua vita, e il rasoio non passerà sulla sua testa”.

And she vowed a vow to the Lord, saying, O Lord God of Sabaoth, if thou welt indeed look upon the humiliation of thine handmaid, and remember me, and give to thine handmaid a man-child, then will I indeed dedicate him to thee till the day of his death; and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and no razor shall come upon his head.

12 E, com’ella prolungava la sua preghiera dinanzi all’Eterno, Eli stava osservando la bocca di lei.

And it came to pass, while she was long praying before the Lord, that Heli the priest marked her mouth.

13 Anna parlava in cuor suo; e si movevano soltanto le sue labbra ma non si sentiva la sua voce; onde Eli credette ch’ella fosse ubriaca;

And she was speaking in her heart, and her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: and Heli accounted her a drunken woman.

14 e le disse: “Quanto durerà cotesta tua ebbrezza? Va’ a smaltire il tuo vino!”

And the servant of Heli said to her, How long wilt thou be drunken? take away thy wine from thee, and go out from the presence of the Lord.

15 Ma Anna, rispondendo, disse: “No, signor mio, io sono una donna tribolata nello spirito, e non ho bevuto né vino né bevanda alcoolica, ma stavo spandendo l’anima mia dinanzi all’Eterno.

And Anna answered and said, Nay, my lord, [I live] in a hard day, and I have not drunk wine or strong drink, and I pour out my soul before the Lord.

16 Non prender la tua serva per una donna da nulla; perché l’eccesso del mio dolore e della tristezza mia m’ha fatto parlare fino adesso”.

Count not thy handmaid for a pestilent woman, for by reason of the abundance of my importunity I have continued [my prayer] until now.

17 Ed Eli replicò: “Va’ in pace, e l’Iddio d’Israele esaudisca la preghiera che gli hai rivolta!”

And Heli answered and said to her, Go in peace: the God of Israel give thee all thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.

18 Ella rispose: “Possa la tua serva trovar grazia agli occhi tuoi!” Così la donna se ne andò per la sua via, mangiò, e il suo sembiante non fu più quello di prima.

And she said, Thine handmaid has found favour in thine eyes: and the woman went her way, and entered into her lodging, and ate and drank with her husband, and her countenance was no more sad.

19 L’indomani, ella e suo marito, alzatisi di buon’ora, si prostrarono dinanzi all’Eterno; poi partirono e ritornarono a casa loro a Rama. Elkana conobbe Anna, sua moglie, e l’Eterno si ricordò di lei.

And they rise early in the morning, and worship the Lord, and they go their way: and Helkana went into his house at Armathaim, and knew his wife Anna; and the Lord remembered her, and she conceived.

20 Nel corso dell’anno, Anna concepì e partorì un figliuolo, al quale pose nome Samuele, “perché”, disse, “l’ho chiesto all’Eterno”.

And it came to pass when the time was come, that she brought forth a son, and called his name Samuel, and said, Because I asked him of the Lord God of Sabaoth.

21 E quell’uomo, Elkana, salì con tutta la sua famiglia per andare a offrire all’Eterno il sacrifizio annuo e a sciogliere il suo voto.

And the man Helkana and all his house went up to offer in Selom the yearly sacrifice, and his vows, and all the tithes of his land.

22 Ma Anna non salì, e disse a suo marito: “Io non salirò finché il bambino non sia divezzato; allora lo condurrò, perché sia presentato dinanzi all’Eterno e quivi rimanga per sempre”.

But Anna did not go up with him, for she said to her husband, [I will not go up] until the child goes up, when I have weaned him, and he shall be presented before the Lord, and he shall abide there continually.

23 Elkana, suo marito, le rispose: “Fa’ come ti par bene; rimani finché tu l’abbia divezzato, purché l’Eterno adempia la sua parola!” Così la donna rimase a casa, e allattò il suo figliuolo fino al momento di divezzarlo.

And Helkana her husband said to her, Do that which is good in thine eyes, abide still until thou shalt have weaned him; but may the Lord establish that which comes out of thy mouth: and the woman tarried, and suckled her son until she had weaned him.

24 E quando l’ebbe divezzato, lo menò seco, e prese tre giovenchi, un efa di farina e un otre di vino; e lo menò nella casa dell’Eterno a Sciloh. Il fanciullo era ancora piccolino.

And she went up with him to Selom with a calf of three years old, and loaves, and an ephah of fine flour, and a bottle of wine: and she entered into the house of the Lord in Selom, and the child with them.

25 Elkana ed Anna immolarono il giovenco, e menarono il fanciullo ad Eli.

And they brought him before the Lord; and his father slew his offering which he offered from year to year to the Lord; and he brought near the child, and slew the calf; and Anna the mother of the child brought him to Heli.

26 E Anna gli disse: “Signor mio! Com’è vero che vive l’anima tua, o mio signore, io son quella donna che stava qui vicina a te, a pregare l’Eterno.

And she said, I pray thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, I [am] the woman that stood in thy presence with thee while praying to the Lord.

27 Pregai per aver questo fanciullo; e l’Eterno mi ha concesso quel che io gli avevo domandato.

For this child I prayed; and the Lord has given me my request that I asked of him.

28 E, dal canto mio, lo dono all’Eterno; e finché gli durerà la vita, egli sarà donato all’Eterno”. E si prostraron quivi dinanzi all’Eterno.

And I lend him to the Lord all his days that he lives, a loan to the Lord: and she said,