Incwadzi Yekucala YaSamuweli
1 Bekunendvodza yaseRamathayimu-sufi*+ lebeyihlala esifundzeni lesinetintsaba saka-Efrayimu+ lebekutsiwa ngu-Elkhana.+ Abeyindvodzana yaJerohamu, indvodzana ya-Elihu, indvodzana yaThohu, indvodzana yaSufi futsi angum-Efrayimu. 2 Abenebafati lababili; lomunye bekutsiwa nguHana, lolomunye kutsiwa nguPhenina. Phenina abenebantfwana, kodvwa Hana bekete. 3 Njalo ngemnyaka, Elkhana abekhuphuka asuke edolobheni lakubo kuze ayewukhonta* Jehova wemabutfo aphindze amentele imihlatjelo eShilo.+ Kulapho boHofni naFinehasi,+ emadvodzana lamabili a-Eli, bebabaphristi baJehova khona.+
4 Ngalelinye lilanga ngesikhatsi Elkhana enta umhlatjelo, waniketa Phenina umkakhe tincenye tawo waphindze waniketa onkhe emadvodzana nemadvodzakati akhe tincenye tawo,+ 5 kodvwa Hana wamniketa incenye lekhetsekile ngobe abeyintsandvokati yakhe. Nome kunjalo, Jehova abengakamuphi bantfwana.* 6 Ngetulu kwaloko, zakwabo bekahlale ahlupha Hana kuze amvise buhlungu ngobe Jehova abengakamuphi bantfwana. 7 Nguloko labekwenta umnyaka nemnyaka. Ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi Hana nakakhuphukela endlini yaJehova,+ zakwabo abemchukuluta kangangekutsi Hana bekabese uyakhala futsi angadli. 8 Kodvwa Elkhana indvodza yakhe watsi kuye: “Hana, ukhalelani, futsi awudli leni? Kungani uva buhlungu lobungaka?* Mine angisincono yini kuwe kunemadvodzana langu-10?”
9 Batsi nabacedza kudla nekunatsa eShilo, Hana wabese uyasukuma. Ngaleso sikhatsi, Eli umphristi abehleti esihlalweni ngasensikeni yemnyango welithempeli*+ laJehova. 10 Hana abecindzeteleke kakhulu, ngako wathantaza kuJehova+ futsi wakhala wangasathuli. 11 Wafunga watsi: “Awu Jehova wemabutfo, nawungabuka kuhlupheka kwencekukati yakho uphindze ungikhumbule, futsi ungayikhohlwa incekukati yakho, uyinike nemntfwana longumfana,+ ngitamnikela kuwe Jehova kuwo onkhe emalanga ekuphila kwakhe, futsi angeke aze ahhule enhloko.”+
12 Njengobe Hana abethantaza sikhatsi lesidze embikwaJehova, Eli abembuke emlonyeni. 13 Hana abekhuluma ngenhlitiyo, kutindzebe takhe kuphela lebetivevetela, kodvwa livi lakhe belingevakali. Ngako Eli abecabanga kutsi udzakiwe. 14 Eli watsi kuye: “Kutawuze kube ngunini solo udzakiwe? Yekela kunatsa leliwayini lakho.” 15 Hana wamphendvula watsi: “Cha nkhosi yami! Ngingumfati locindzeteleke kakhulu;* angikalinatsi liwayini nanobe yini ledzakanako, ngimane nje ngitfululela inhlitiyo yami* kuJehova.+ 16 Ungacabangi kutsi incekukati yakho ingumfati longenamsebenti, ngobe kuze kube ngunyalo bengisolo ngikhuluma ngisebuhlungwini lobukhulu futsi ngicindzetelekile.” 17 Ngemuva kwaloko Eli wamphendvula watsi: “Hamba ngekuthula. Shengatsi Nkulunkulu wema-Israyeli angakunika loko lokucele kuye.”+ 18 Hana yena watsi: “Shengatsi incekukati yakho ingatfola umusa emehlweni akho.” Wabese uyahamba, futsi wadla, nebuso bakhe abuzange busabonakala bujabhile.
19 Ngemuva kwaloko bavuka ekuseni kakhulu futsi bakhotsama embikwaJehova, babese babuyela endlini yabo eRama.+ Elkhana waya ecansini naHana umkakhe, futsi Jehova wamnaka.*+ 20 Kwatsi kungakapheli umnyaka,* Hana wakhulelwa wase ubeleka indvodzana, wayetsa+ ngekutsi nguSamuweli,* ngobe bekatsi: “Ngiyicele kuJehova.”
21 Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi, Elkhana wakhuphuka nayo yonkhe indlu yakhe kuyokwenta umhlatjelo waminyaka yonkhe kuJehova+ nekuyokwenta umnikelo wakhe wekufunga. 22 Kodvwa Hana akazange akhuphuke,+ ngobe watsi endvodzeni yakhe: “Lomntfwana ngitamletsa ngekushesha nje nasalunyuliwe; ngemuva kwaloko utawuvela embikwaJehova futsi utawuchubeka ahlala lapho.”+ 23 Elkhana indvodza yakhe wabese utsi kuye: “Yenta loko lokubona kukuhle.* Hlala ekhaya kuze kube ngulapho umlumula. Shengatsi Jehova angakwenta loku lokushito.” Ngako Hana wahlala ekhaya wanakekela indvodzana yakhe kwaze kwaba ngulapho ayilumula.
24 Watsi nje nasayilumulile, wayitsatsa wakhuphukela nayo eShilo, wahamba nenkunzi leneminyaka lemitsatfu nafulaha logcwele entfweni lengemalitha langaba ngu-22* kanye nembita lenkhulu leneliwayini,+ futsi wefika endlini yaJehova eShilo+ ahamba nalendvodzana yakhe leseyincane. 25 Babese bayayihlaba lenkunzi baphindze baletsa lomfana ku-Eli. 26 Hana watsi: “Ncesi nkhosi yami! Ngifunga kuphila kwakho* nkhosi, mine ngingulomfati lobekeme nawe kulendzawo athantaza kuJehova.+ 27 Bengithantazela kuba nalomfana futsi Jehova unginikile loko lengakucela kuye.+ 28 Nyalo sengimletsa* kuJehova. Kuwo onkhe emalanga ekuphila kwakhe, utawuba waJehova.”
Wabese* uyakhotsama embikwaJehova.