I Samuelis 1

1 Fuit vir unus de Ramathaimsophim, de monte Ephraim, et nomen eius Elcana, filius Ieroham, filii Eliu, filii Thohu, filii Suph, Ephrathæus:

There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah [town] in the hilly area where [the tribe of] Ephraim lived. His father was Jeroham, his grandfather was Elihu, and his great-grandfather was Tohu. He belonged to the Zuph clan.

2 et habuit duas uxores, nomen uni Anna, et nomen secundæ Phenenna. Fueruntque Phenennæ filii: Annæ autem non erant liberi.

He had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had several children, but Hannah had no children.

3 Et ascendebat vir ille de civitate sua statutis diebus, ut adoraret et sacrificaret Domino exercituum in Silo. Erant autem ibi duo filii Heli, Ophni et Phinees, sacerdotes Domini.

Once every year Elkanah went up [with his family] from Ramah to Shiloh [city]. He went there to worship Yahweh, [the commander] of the armies [of angels], and to offer sacrifices to him. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, [helped their father to do the work as] priests of Yahweh there.

4 Venit ergo dies, et immolavit Elcana, deditque Phenennæ uxori suæ, et cunctis filiis eius, et filiabus partes:

Each time Elkanah offered sacrifices there, he gave some of the meat to Peninnah and some to each of her sons and daughters.

5 Annæ autem dedit partem unam tristis, quia Annam diligebat. Dominus autem concluserat vulvam eius.

But even though he loved Hannah very much, he gave her only one special amount of meat because Yahweh had not permitted her to give birth to any children.

6 Affligebat quoque eam æmula eius, et vehementer angebat, in tantum, ut exprobraret quod Dominus conclusisset vulvam eius:

And his other wife, Peninnah, would ridicule Hannah to make her feel miserable, because Yahweh had not allowed her to bear children.

7 sicque faciebat per singulos annos, cum redeunte tempore ascenderent ad templum Domini: et sic provocabat eam. porro illa flebat, et non capiebat cibum.

This happened every year. When they went up to the temple of Yahweh [at Shiloh], Peninnah ridiculed Hannah so much that Hannah cried and would not eat.

8 Dixit ergo ei Elcana vir suus: Anna, cur fles? et quare non comedis? et quam ob rem affligitur cor tuum? numquid non ego melior tibi sum, quam decem filii?

Then Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, (why are you crying?/please quit crying!) [RHQ] (Why are you not eating?/Please eat something!) [RHQ] Why are you so upset/sad? You have me; is that not more important to you than if you had ten sons? (OR, I [love you] more than your sons [would love you], even if you had ten sons.)”

9 Surrexit autem Anna postquam comederat, et biberat in Silo. Et Heli sacerdote sedente super Sellam ante postes templi Domini,

One year, after they had finished eating and drinking at Shiloh, Hannah stood up [to pray]. Eli the priest was nearby, sitting on a chair by the doorway of the sacred tent of Yahweh.

10 cum esset Anna amaro animo, oravit ad Dominum, flens largiter,

Hannah was very distressed, and she cried very sorrowfully as she prayed to Yahweh.

11 et votum vovit, dicens: Domine exercituum, si respiciens videris afflictionem famulæ tuæ, et recordatus mei fueris, nec oblitus ancillæ tuæ, dederisque servæ tuæ sexum virilem: dabo eum Domino omnibus diebus vitæ eius, et novacula non ascendet super caput eius.

She made a vow saying, “O Almighty Commander of the armies of angels, if you will look at me and see how miserable I am, and think about me and allow me to give birth to a son, then I will dedicate him to you [to serve you] for the rest of his life. And [to show that he is dedicated to you], (no one will ever [be allowed to] cut his hair/his hair will never be cut).”

12 Factum est autem, cum illa multiplicaret preces coram Domino, ut Heli observaret os eius.

As she was praying like that to Yahweh, Eli the priest saw Hannah’s lips [moving as she was praying].

13 Porro Anna loquebatur in corde suo, tantumque labia illius movebantur, et vox penitus non audiebatur. Æstimavit ergo eam Heli temulentam,

But Hannah was only praying silently; she was not making any sound. So Eli thought that she was drunk.

14 dixitque ei: Usquequo ebria eris? digere paulisper vinum, quo mades.

He said to her, “How long will you continue to get drunk [RHQ]? (Throw away your wine/Quit drinking wine)!”

15 Respondens Anna, Nequaquam, inquit, domine mi: nam mulier infelix nimis ego sum, vinumque et omne quod inebriare potest, non bibi, sed effudi animam meam in conspectu Domini.

Hannah replied, “Sir, I am not drunk! I have not been drinking wine or any other alcoholic drink. I feel very distressed and I have been telling Yahweh about how I feel.

16 Ne reputes ancillam tuam quasi unam de filiabus Belial: quia ex multitudine doloris, et mœroris mei locuta sum usque in præsens.

Do not think that I am a worthless/wicked woman! I have been praying like this because I am very distressed [DOU].”

17 Tunc Heli ait ei: Vade in pace: et Deus Israel det tibi petitionem tuam, quam rogasti eum.

Eli replied, “I wish/desire that things will go well for you. I desire that God, the one we Israeli people [worship], will give you what you requested from him.”

18 Et illa dixit: Utinam inveniat ancilla tua gratiam in oculis tuis. Et abiit mulier in viam suam, et comedit, vultusque illius non sunt amplius in diversa mutati.

She replied, “I want you to think highly/well about me.” Then she returned [to her family] and after she ate something, her face no longer looked sad.

19 Et surrexerunt mane, et adoraverunt coram Domino: reversique sunt, et venerunt in domum suam Ramatha. Cognovit autem Elcana Annam uxorem suam: et recordatus est eius Dominus.

Early the next morning, Elkanah and his family got up and worshiped Yahweh [again], and then they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah (slept with/had sex with) Hannah. Then Yahweh answered her prayer,

20 Et factum est post circulum dierum, concepit Anna, et peperit filium, vocavitque nomen eius Samuel: eo quod a Domino postulasset eum.

and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, [which sounds like the words in the Hebrew language that mean ‘heard by God’], because she said “Yahweh [heard me when] I requested from him [a son].”

21 Ascendit autem vir eius Elcana, et omnis domus eius, ut immolaret Domino hostiam sollemnem, et votum suum,

The following year, Elkanah again went up [to Shiloh] with his family to make the kind of sacrifice he made each year, and also to give a special offering to God that he had promised [to give him previously].

22 et Anna non ascendit: dixit enim viro suo: Non vadam, donec ablactetur infans, et ducam eum, ut appareat ante conspectum Domini, et maneat ibi iugiter.

But Hannah did not go [with them]. She said to her husband, “After I have weaned the baby, I will take him [to Shiloh and present him] to Yahweh, and he will stay there for the rest of his life.”

23 Et ait ei Elcana vir suus: Fac quod bonum tibi videtur, et mane donec ablactes eum: precorque ut impleat Dominus verbum suum. Mansit ergo mulier, et lactavit filium suum, donec amoveret eum a lacte.

Elkanah said, “Do what seems the best to you. Stay here until you have weaned him. What I desire is that Yahweh will [enable you to] do what you have promised.” So Hannah stayed at home and nursed her son until she weaned him.

24 Et adduxit eum secum, postquam ablactaverat, in vitulis tribus, et tribus modiis farinæ, et amphora vini, et adduxit eum ad domum Domini in Silo. Puer autem erat adhuc infantulus:

After she weaned him, even though Samuel was very young, she took him to the temple/house of Yahweh at Shiloh. [To offer as a sacrifice], she took along a three-year-old bull, [a sack containing] (20 pounds/9 kg.) of flour, and a container of wine.

25 et immolaverunt vitulum, et obtulerunt puerum Heli.

After the priest had slaughtered the bull [and offered it to Yahweh on the altar], Hannah and Elkanah brought the boy to Eli.

26 Et ait Anna: Obsecro mi domine, vivit anima tua domine: ego sum illa mulier, quæ steti coram te hic orans Dominum.

Then Hannah said to him, “Sir, (Do you remember me?/I solemnly affirm), I am the woman who prayed as I stood here beside you [several years ago].

27 Pro puero isto oravi, et dedit mihi Dominus petitionem meam, quam postulavi eum.

I prayed that Yahweh would enable me to give birth to a child, and this is the child whom I requested Yahweh to give me.

28 Idcirco et ego commodavi eum Domino cunctis diebus, quibus fuerit commodatus Domino. Et adoraverunt ibi Dominum. Et oravit Anna, et ait:

So now I am presenting him to Yahweh. He will belong to Yahweh as long as he lives.” Then Elkanah [and his family] worshiped Yahweh there.