Eyokuqala EkaSamuyeli
2 UHana wathandaza wathi:
Izitha zami ngiziphendula ngesibindi,
Ngoba ngiyathokoza ngezenzo zakho zokusindisa.
3 Yekelani ukukhuluma liziphakamisa,
Emilonyeni yenu akungaphumi amazwi okuzigqaja,
Ngoba uJehova nguNkulunkulu owazi konke,+
Njalo nguye ohlola zonke izenzo ngendlela efaneleyo.
5 Ababesutha sekumele badinge umsebenzi ukuze bathole ukudla,
Kodwa ababelamba sebesutha,+
Oyinyumba uzele abantwana abayisikhombisa,+
Kodwa lowo obelamadodana amanengi usesele yedwa.
7 UJehova uyenelisa ukwenza umuntu abe ngumyanga kumbe ukumenza anothe.+
Uyehlisa aphinde aphakamise.+
8 Uphakamisa abantukazana abasuse ethulini,
Aphakamise abayanga abasuse esilotheni,+
Abahlalise lezikhulu,
Abanike izihlalo eziphezulu.
Izisekelo zomhlaba ngezikaJehova,+
Njalo umhlaba uwubeke phezu kwazo.
9 Uyazilinda izindlela zabathembekileyo,+
Kodwa abenza okubi bazathuliswa emnyameni,+
Ngoba umuntu kanqobi ngamandla akhe.+
11 U-Elikhana wabuyela emzini wakhe eRama kodwa umfana wasala esenzela uJehova inkonzo engcwele+ ngaphansi kuka-Eli umphristi.
12 Amadodana ka-Eli ayesenza izinto ezimbi+ futhi engamhloniphi uJehova. 13 Nanku ayekwenza nxa umuntu ezonikela umhlatshelo wakhe:+ Kwakusithi nxa inyama eyayiphiwa abaphristi isaxhwatha, inceku yomphristi ibuye ithwele ifologwe elamazinyo amathathu, 14 ihlabe ngayo embizeni kumbe ebhodweni elezibambo ezimbili loba elesibambo esisodwa. Loba kuyini ifologwe eyayiphuma lakho umphristi wayekuthatha kube ngokwakhe. Lokhu yikho ababekwenza kubo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli ababesiza eShilo. 15 Umuntu owayezonikela umhlatshelo wayesithi engakatshisi lamafutha,+ inceku yomphristi ifike kuye ithi: “Nika umphristi inyama yokosa. Kafuni inyama ephekiweyo, ufuna eluhlaza kuphela.” 16 Umuntu owayenikela umhlatshelo wayephendula athi: “Mana baqale batshise amafutha,+ ubusuthatha konke okufunayo,” kodwa inceku yomphristi yona iphendule isithi: “Hatshi, ngipha khathesi, nxa ungafuni ngizayithatha ngenkani!” 17 Isono sezinceku zabaphristi saba sikhulu kakhulu kuJehova+ ngoba amadoda lawo ayengasayihloniphi iminikelo kaJehova.
18 USamuyeli wayesenza inkonzo engcwele+ phambi kukaJehova lanxa wayesesengumfana. Wayegqoka i-efodi* yelineni.+ 19 Minyaka yonke unina wayemthungela ijazi elincane elingelamikhono, abuye lalo nxa yena lomkakhe sebezokwenza umhlatshelo owenziwa minyaka yonke.+ 20 U-Eli wambusisa u-Elikhana lomkakhe wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova angenza ukuthi owesifazana lo akuzalele omunye umntwana ozathatha indawo yalowo elimnike* uJehova.”+ Ngemva kwalokho basuka babuyela emzini wabo. 21 UJehova wamkhumbula uHana waba labanye abantwana.+ Wazala abafana abathathu lamankazana amabili. Umfana uSamuyeli waqhubeka ekhula phambi kukaJehova.+
22 U-Eli wayesemdala kakhulu futhi wayekuzwile konke okwakusenziwa ngamadodana akhe+ kubo bonke abantu bako-Israyeli, lokuthi ayelala labesifazana ababesebenza emnyango wetende lokuhlangana.+ 23 U-Eli wayejayele ukuthi kuwo: “Kungani liqhubeka lisenza izinto ezinje? Zimbi kakhulu izinto engizwa abantu bonke bezikhuluma ngani. 24 Hatshi madodana ami, indaba le elokhu imemetheka phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova kayilunganga. 25 Nxa umuntu angonela omunye umuntu, omunye angamncengela kuJehova,* kodwa nxa angonela uJehova,+ ngubani ozamthandazela?” Loba kunjalo, amadodana ka-Eli kawazange amlalele uyise. UJehova wayesezimisele ukuwabulala.+ 26 Kodwa umfana uSamuyeli waqhubeka ekhula futhi ethandwa nguJehova labantu.+
27 Umuntu kaNkulunkulu wafika ku-Eli wathi kuye: “UJehova uthi: ‘Kanti angizange ngiziveze egcekeni yini kukhokho wakho lemuli yakhe ngesikhathi beseGibhithe, beyizigqili endlini kaFaro?+ 28 Phakathi kwezizwana zonke zako-Israyeli, ngakhetha ukhokho wakho+ ukuthi abe ngumphristi wami, ukuze aye e-alithareni lami+ ayekwenza imihlatshelo anikele langempepha futhi agqoke i-efodi phambi kwami. Abemuli kakhokho wakho ngabanika yonke iminikelo etshiswa ngabantu bako-Israyeli.+ 29 Kungani lina bantu liseyisa* imihlatshelo yami leminikelo yami engalitshela ukuthi liyenze endaweni engihlala kuyo?+ Kungani uhlonipha amadodana akho ukwedlula mina? Phela lizitika ngenyama enhle kakhulu kuyo yonke iminikelo enikelwa ngabantu bami bako-Israyeli.+
30 “‘Yikho uJehova uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli uthi: “Ngatsho sibili ukuthi abemuli yakho lekakhokho wakho bazaqhubeka bekhonza* phambi kwami.”+ Kodwa khathesi uJehova uthi: “Lokho akusoze kwenzakale ngoba labo abangihloniphayo yibo engizabahlonipha,+ kodwa abangidelelayo bazayangiswa.” 31 Ziyeza izinsuku lapho engizaqeda khona amandla akho lawemuli kayihlo ukuze kungabi lomuntu ozakhula abe lixhegu emulini yakho.+ 32 Lanxa kuyabe kulezinto ezinengi ezinhle ezenzakala ko-Israyeli, wena uzabona isitha endaweni engihlala kuyo.+ Akusoze kuphinde kube lomuntu okhula aze abe lixhegu endlini yakho. 33 Umuntu ovela emulini yakho engingasoze ngimsuse ekusebenzeni e-alithareni lami uzakwenza inhliziyo yakho ibe buhlungu kakhulu lamehlo akho afiphale. Inengi labemuli yakho lizabulawa ngabantu ngenkemba.+ 34 Okuzakwenzakala emadodaneni akho amabili, uHofini loFiniyasi, kuzakuba yisibonakaliso kuwe: Bonke bazakufa langa linye.+ 35 Ngizabeka umphristi othembekileyo+ ozakwenza lokho okufunwa yinhliziyo yami.* Ngizamakhela indlu ezahlala isikhathi eside njalo uzakhonza* phambi kogcotshiweyo wami kokuphela. 36 Loba ngubani emulini yakho ozasala uzakuya kuye afike amkhothamele acele umsebenzi ukuze athole imali lesinkwa. Uzathi: “Ngicela unginike umsebenzi wokuba ngumphristi ukuze ngidle ucezwana lwesinkwa.”’”+