1 Samuele 3

1 Or il giovinetto Samuele serviva all’Eterno sotto gli occhi di Eli. La parola dell’Eterno era rara, a quei tempi, e le visioni non erano frequenti.

Now the young Samuel was the servant of the Lord before Eli. In those days the Lord kept his word secret from men; there was no open vision.

2 In quel medesimo tempo, Eli, la cui vista cominciava a intorbidarsi in guisa ch’egli non ci poteva vedere, se ne stava un giorno coricato nel suo luogo consueto;

And at that time, when Eli was resting in his place, (now his eyes were becoming clouded so that he was not able to see, )

3 la lampada di Dio non era ancora spenta, e Samuele era coricato nel tempio dell’Eterno dove si trovava l’arca di Dio.

And the light of God was still burning, while Samuel was sleeping in the Temple of the Lord where the ark of God was,

4 E l’Eterno chiamò Samuele, il quale rispose: “Eccomi!”

The voice of the Lord said Samuel's name; and he said, Here am I.

5 e corse da Eli e disse: “Eccomi, poiché tu m’hai chiamato”. Eli rispose: “Io non t’ho chiamato, torna a coricarti”. Ed egli se ne andò a coricarsi.

And running to Eli he said, Here am I, for you said my name. And Eli said, I did not say your name; go to your rest again. So he went back to his bed.

6 L’Eterno chiamò di nuovo Samuele. E Samuele s’alzò, andò da Eli e disse: “Eccomi, poiché tu m’hai chiamato”. E quegli rispose: “Figliuol mio, io non t’ho chiamato; torna a coricarti”.

And again the Lord said, Samuel. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. But he said in answer, I said nothing, my son; go to your rest again.

7 Or Samuele non conosceva ancora l’Eterno, e la parola dell’Eterno non gli era ancora stata rivelata.

Now at that time Samuel had no knowledge of the Lord, and the revelation of the word of the Lord had not come to him.

8 L’Eterno chiamò di bel nuovo Samuele, per la terza volta. Ed egli s’alzò, andò da Eli e disse: “Eccomi, poiché tu m’hai chiamato”. Allora Eli comprese che l’Eterno chiamava il giovinetto.

And for the third time the Lord said Samuel's name. And he got up and went to Eli and said, Here am I; for you certainly said my name. Then it was clear to Eli that the voice which had said the child's name was the Lord's.

9 Ed Eli disse a Samuele: “Va’ a coricarti; e, se sarai chiamato ancora, dirai: Parla, o Eterno, poiché il tuo servo ascolta”. Samuele andò dunque a coricarsi al suo posto.

So Eli said to Samuel, Go back: and if the voice comes again, let your answer be, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open. So Samuel went back to his bed.

10 E l’Eterno venne, si tenne lì presso, e chiamò come le altre volte: “Samuele, Samuele!” Samuele rispose: “Parla, poiché il tuo servo ascolta”.

Then the Lord came and said as before, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel made answer, Say on, Lord; for the ears of your servant are open.

11 Allora l’Eterno disse a Samuele: “Ecco, io sto per fare in Israele una cosa tale che chi l’udrà ne avrà intronati ambedue gli orecchi.

And the Lord said to Samuel, See, I will do a thing in Israel at which the ears of everyone hearing of it will be burning.

12 In quel giorno io metterò ad effetto contro ad Eli, dal principio fino alla fine, tutto ciò che ho detto circa la sua casa.

In that day I will do to Eli everything which I have said about his family, from first to last.

13 Gli ho predetto che avrei esercitato i miei giudizi sulla casa di lui in perpetuo, a cagione della iniquità ch’egli ben conosce, poiché i suoi figli hanno attratto su di sé la maledizione, ed egli non li ha repressi.

And you are to say to him that I will send punishment on his family for ever, for the sin which he had knowledge of; because his sons have been cursing God and he had no control over them.

14 Perciò io giuro alla casa d’Eli che l’iniquità della casa d’Eli non sarà mai espiata né con sacrifizi né con oblazioni”.

So I have made an oath to the family of Eli that no offering of meat or of meal which they may make will ever take away the sin of his family.

15 Samuele rimase coricato sino alla mattina, poi aprì le porte della casa dell’Eterno. Egli temeva di raccontare ad Eli la visione.

And Samuel kept where he was, not moving till the time came for opening the doors of the house of God in the morning. And fear kept him from giving Eli an account of his vision.

16 Ma Eli chiamò Samuele e disse: “Samuele, figliuol mio!” Egli rispose: “Eccomi”.

Then Eli said, Samuel, my son. And Samuel answering said, Here am I.

17 Ed Eli: “Qual è la parola ch’Egli t’ha detta? Ti prego, non me la celare! Iddio ti tratti col massimo rigore, se mi nascondi qualcosa di tutto quello ch’Egli t’ha detto”.

And he said, What did the Lord say to you? Do not keep it from me: may God's punishment be on you if you keep from me anything he said to you.

18 Samuele allora gli raccontò tutto, senza celargli nulla. Ed Eli disse: “Egli è l’Eterno: faccia quello che gli parrà bene”.

Then Samuel gave him an account of everything, keeping nothing back. And he said, It is the Lord; let him do what seems good to him.

19 Samuele intanto cresceva, e l’Eterno era con lui e non lasciò cader a terra alcuna delle parole di lui.

And Samuel became older, and the Lord was with him and let not one of his words be without effect.

20 Tutto Israele, da Dan fino a Beer-Sceba, riconobbe che Samuele era stabilito profeta dell’Eterno.

And it was clear to all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba that Samuel had been made a prophet of the Lord.

21 L’Eterno continuò ad apparire a Sciloh, poiché a Sciloh l’Eterno si rivelava a Samuele mediante la sua parola, e la parola di Samuele era rivolta a tutto Israele.

And the Lord was seen again in Shiloh; for the Lord gave to Samuel in Shiloh the revelation of his word.