Eyokuqala KaSamuweli
2 UHana wathandaza wathi:
Ndithetha neentshaba zam ndinesibindi,
Kuba kuyandivuyisa ukusindisa kwakho.
2 Akukho kwamntu ungcwele njengoYehova,
Akakho omnye ngaphandle kwakho,+
Yaye akukho liwa linjengoThixo wethu.+
3 Yekani ukuthetha ngekratshi.
Makungaphumi lizwi lokuzikhukhumalisa emilonyeni yenu,
Kuba uYehova unguThixo wolwazi,+
Yaye izenzo zabantu uzihlola ngokufanelekileyo.
Umfazi ongafumani bantwana uzele oonyana abasixhenxe,+
Kodwa lowo wayenoonyana abaninzi ushiywe engenamntu.*
6 UYehova uyabulala, kwayena ulondoloza ubomi.*
Wehlisela engcwabeni,* kwayena uyabanyusa abo basemangcwabeni.+
7 UYehova ubenza babe ngamahlwempu abantu, kwayena ubenza babe zizityebi.+
Uyathoba, kwayena uyaphakamisa.+
8 Uyamphakamisa umntu osweleyo eluthulini,
Uyawaphakamisa amahlwempu eluthuthwini,*+
Ukuze awahlalise neenkosana,
Ewanika isihlalo esizukileyo.
ZezikaYehova iintsika zomhlaba,+
Yaye ubeka phezu kwazo ilizwe elinemveliso.
9 Uyigadile indlela yabo banamathele kuye,+
Kodwa abenzi-bubi baza kuthuliswa ebumnyameni,+
Kuba ayingomandla awenza indoda iphumelele.+
11 Emva koko uElikana waya kwakhe eRama, kodwa yona inkwenkwana yasebenzela uYehova+ phantsi kukaEli umbingeleli.
12 Oonyana bakaEli babengabenzi-bubi,+ bemdelela uYehova. 13 Nantsi into ababeyenza ngezinto ezinikwa ababingeleli zisuka ebantwini:+ Nanini na kukho indoda ebingelelayo, xa kanye inyama ibila, isicaka sombingeleli sasisiza siphethe ifolokhwe enamazinyo amathathu, 14 size sihlabe esityeni okanye embizeni enemiqheba emibini okanye embizeni enkulu okanye embizeni enomqheba omnye. Umbingeleli wayezithathela nantoni na ebuye naloo folokhwe. Babesenza loo nto eShilo kuwo onke amaSirayeli awayesiza apho. 15 Kwakhona, kwanangaphambi kokuba loo ndoda ibingelelayo iqhumise ngamanqatha,+ isicaka sombingeleli sasisiya kuyo size sithi: “Nika umbingeleli inyama aza kuyoja. Akayifuni inyama ebilisiweyo, mnike engekaphekwa.” 16 Xa loo ndoda isithi kweso sicaka: “Bayeke baqhumise ngamanqatha kuqala,+ uze ke uzithathele nantoni na oyifunayo,” eso sicaka sasisithi: “Hayi, ndinike ngoku. Ukuba awundiniki, ndiza kuyoxutha!” 17 Ngoko isono sezicaka saba sikhulu kakhulu phambi koYehova,+ kuba loo madoda ayewudelela umnikelo kaYehova.
18 Yena uSamuweli wayesebenzela+ uYehova, enxibe* iefodi yelinen,+ nangona wayeseyinkwenkwana. 19 Umama wakhe wayedla ngokumenzela isambatho esincinci esingenamikhono, aze amphathele sona iminyaka ngeminyaka xa enyuka nomyeni wakhe ukuza kunikela umbingelelo waminyaka le.+ 20 UEli wamsikelela uElikana nomfazi wakhe, wathi: “Kwanga uYehova angakupha umntwana ngalo mfazi endaweni yalo kubolekiswe ngaye kuYehova.”+ Emva koko bagoduka. 21 UYehova wamkhumbula uHana, kangangokuba wamitha+ waza wazala oonyana abathathu neentombi ezimbini. Yona inkwenkwana uSamuweli yaqhubeka ikhula ithandwa nguYehova.*+
22 Ke yena uEli wayemdala kakhulu, kodwa wayezivile zonke izinto ezazisenziwa ngoonyana bakhe kuSirayeli wonke.+ Wayevile nokuba babelala nabafazi ababesebenza kumnyango wentente yokuhlangana.+ 23 Wayedla ngokuthi kubo: “Kutheni nisenza ezi zinto? Kuba zimbi izinto endizivayo ngani ezithethwa ngabantu bonke. 24 Hayini boonyana bam, imbi le nto ithethwa ngabantu bakaYehova ngani. 25 Ukuba umntu wona umntu, omnye unokumcelela uxolo kuYehova,* kodwa ukuba umntu wona uYehova,+ ngubani na onokumthandazela?” Kodwa babengalimameli ilizwi likatata wabo, kuba uYehova wayesele ezimisele ukubabulala.+ 26 Ngelo xesha, yona inkwenkwana uSamuweli yaya ikhula ngokukhula, yaye ithandeka kakhulu kuYehova nasebantwini.+
27 Kweza umntu kaThixo kuEli wathi: “Uthi uYehova: ‘Andizange na ndizityhile ngokucacileyo kwindlu katata wakho ngoxa babeseYiputa bengamakhoboka endlini kaFaro?+ 28 Yaye wakhethwa phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli,+ ukuze abe ngumbingeleli wam aze anyuke esibingelelweni sam+ ukuze abingelele, atshise isiqhumiso esiqholiweyo,* aze anxibe iefodi phambi kwam. Ndanika indlu kakhokho wakho yonke iminikelo etshiswa ngomlilo yamaSirayeli.*+ 29 Kutheni niwudelela umbingelelo wam nomnikelo wam endithe mawenziwe ndikwindawo endihlala kuyo?+ Kutheni usoloko uhlonipha oonyana bakho ngaphezu kwam ngokuzityebisa ngezona ndawo ziphambili zomnikelo ngamnye wabantu bam amaSirayeli?+
30 “‘Yiloo nto ilizwi likaYehova uThixo kaSirayeli lisithi: “Eneneni ndatsho ukuba indlu yakho nendlu kakhokho wakho, ziza kuhlala zihamba phambi kwam.”+ Kodwa ngoku uYehova uthi: “Soze ndiyivumele loo nto, kuba ndiza kubazukisa abo bandihloniphayo,+ kodwa abo bandidelelayo baza kudelelwa.” 31 Jonga! Kuza imihla apho ndiza kuphelisa amandla akho nawendlu katata wakho,* ukuze kungabikho ndoda eza kukhula ibe ndala endlini yakho.+ 32 Xa ndisenza izinto ezintle kwaSirayeli, wena uza kujongana notshaba kwindawo endihlala kuyo,+ yaye soze kuphinde kubekho ndoda endala endlini yakho. 33 Umntu wendlu yakho endingazukumyekisa ukusebenza esibingelelweni sam, uza kuwenza angaboni amehlo akho aze akuzisele intlungu, kodwa abaninzi bendlu yakho baza kubulawa ngekrele lamadoda.+ 34 Into eza kwehlela oonyana bakho ababini, uHofeni noFinehasi, iza kuba luphawu kuwe: Baza kufa ngemini enye bobabini.+ 35 Emva koko, ndiza kuzivelisela umbingeleli othembekileyo.+ Uza kwenza ngokuvisisana nento efunwa yintliziyo yam; yaye ndiza kumakhela indlu ehlala ihleli, kwaye uza kusoloko ehamba phambi komthanjiswa wam. 36 Nabani na oshiyekileyo endlini yakho uza kuza, aqubude kuye efuna imali nesonka, aze athi: “Ndicela undibeke kwesinye sezikhundla zobubingeleli ukuze nditye iqhekeza lesonka.”’”+