1
Palikuwa na mtu mmoja wa Rama, Msufi, wa nchi ya milima milima ya Efraimu, jina lake akiitwa Elkana, mwana wa Yerohamu, mwana wa Elihu, mwana wa Tohu, mwana wa Sufu, Mwefraimu
Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
2
naye alikuwa na wake wawili; jina lake mmoja akiitwa Hana, na jina lake wa pili aliitwa Penina; naye huyo Penina alikuwa na watoto, lakini Hana hakuwa na watoto.
He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3
Na mtu huyo alikuwa akikwea kutoka mjini kwake mwaka kwa mwaka, ili kuabudu, na kumtolea Bwana wa majeshi dhabihu katika Shilo. Na wale wana wawili wa Eli, Hofni na Finehasi, makuhani wa Bwana, walikuwako huko.
Year after year Elkanah would go up from his city to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Hosts at Shiloh, where Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests to the LORD.
4
Hata siku ile ilipofika Elkana alipotoa dhabihu, kumpa mkewe Penina sehemu, akawapa na watoto wake wote, waume kwa wake, sehemu zao;
And whenever the day came for Elkanah to present his sacrifice, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters.
5
lakini Hana humpa sehemu mara mbili; maana alimpenda Hana, ingawa Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo.
But to Hannah he would give a double portion, for he loved her even though the LORD had closed her womb.
6
Ila mwenzake humchokoza sana, hata kumsikitisha, kwa sababu Bwana alikuwa amemfunga tumbo.
Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her.
7
Tena mumewe akafanya hivyo mwaka kwa mwaka, hapo yule mwanamke alipokwea kwenda nyumbani kwa Bwana, ndivyo yule alivyomchokoza; basi, kwa hiyo, yeye akalia, asile chakula.
And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.
8
Elkana mumewe akamwambia, Hana, unalilia nini? Kwani huli chakula? Kwa nini moyo wako una huzuni? Je! Mimi si bora kwako kuliko watoto kumi?
“Hannah, why are you crying?” her husband Elkanah asked. “Why won’t you eat? Why is your heart so grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
9
Ndipo Hana akainuka, walipokwisha kula na kunywa huko Shilo. Naye Eli, kuhani, alikuwa akiketi kitini pake penye mwimo wa hekalu la Bwana.
So after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on a chair by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD.
10
Naye huyo mwanamke alikuwa na uchungu rohoni mwake, akamwomba Bwana akalia sana.
In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears.
11
Akaweka nadhiri, akasema, Ee Bwana wa majeshi, ikiwa wewe utaliangalia teso la mjakazi wako, na kunikumbuka, wala usinisahau mimi mjakazi wako, na kunipa mimi mjakazi wako mtoto mume, ndipo mimi nitakapompa Bwana huyo mtoto siku zote za maisha yake, wala wembe hautamfikilia kichwani kamwe.
And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
12
Ikawa, hapo alipodumu kuomba mbele za Bwana, Eli akamwangalia kinywa chake.
As Hannah kept on praying before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth.
13
Basi Hana alikuwa akinena moyoni mwake; midomo yake tu ilionekana kama anena, sauti yake isisikiwe; kwa hiyo huyo Eli alimdhania kuwa amelewa.
Hannah was praying in her heart, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. So Eli thought she was drunk
14
Ndipo Eli akamwambia, Je! Utakuwa mlevi hata lini? Achilia mbali divai yako.
and said to her, “How long will you be drunk? Put away your wine!”
15
Hana akajibu, akasema, Hasha! Bwana wangu, mimi ni mwanamke mwenye roho ya huzuni, mimi sikunywa divai wala kileo, ila nimeimimina roho yangu mbele za Bwana.
“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have not had any wine or strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD.
16
Usimdhanie mjakazi wako kuwa ni mwanamke asiyefaa kitu; kwa kuwa katika wingi wa kuugua kwangu na kusikitika kwangu ndivyo nilivyonena hata sasa.
Do not take your servant for a wicked woman, for all this time I have been praying out of the depth of my anguish and grief.”
17
Ndipo Eli akajibu, akasema, Enenda kwa amani; na Mungu wa Israeli akujalie haja yako uliyomwomba.
“Go in peace,” Eli replied, “and may the God of Israel grant the petition you have asked of Him.”
18
Naye akasema, Mjakazi wako na aone kibali machoni pako. Basi huyo mwanamke akaenda zake, naye akala chakula, wala uso wake haukukunjamana tena.
“May your maidservant find favor with you,” said Hannah. Then she went on her way, and she began to eat, and her face was no longer downcast.
19
Wakaondoka asubuhi na mapema, wakasali mbele za Bwana, kisha wakarejea na kufika nyumbani kwao huko Rama; Elkana akamjua mkewe Hana; naye Bwana akamkumbuka.
The next morning they got up early to bow in worship before the LORD, and then they returned home to Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her.
20
Ikawa, wakati ulipowadia, Hana akachukua mimba na kuzaa mtoto mwanamume; akamwita jina lake Samweli, akisema, Kwa kuwa nimemwomba kwa Bwana.
So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”
21
Kisha yule mtu, Elkana, na watu wote wa nyumbani mwake, wakakwea kwenda kumtolea Bwana dhabihu ya mwaka, na nadhiri yake.
Then Elkanah and all his house went up to make the annual sacrifice to the LORD and to fulfill his vow,
22
Bali Hana hakukwea; maana alimwambia mumewe, Sitakwea mimi hata mtoto wangu atakapoachishwa maziwa, hapo ndipo nitakapomleta, ili ahudhurie mbele za Bwana, akae huko daima.
but Hannah did not go. “After the boy is weaned,” she said to her husband, “I will take him to appear before the LORD and to stay there permanently.”
23
Elkana, mumewe, akamwambia, Haya, fanya uonavyo vema; ngoja hata utakapomwachisha maziwa; Bwana na alithibitishe neno lake tu. Basi yule mwanamke akangoja, akamnyonyesha mtoto wake, hata akamwachisha maziwa.
“Do what you think is best,” her husband Elkanah replied, “and stay here until you have weaned him. Only may the LORD confirm His word.” So Hannah stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24
Naye alipokuwa amekwisha kumwachisha maziwa, akamchukua pamoja naye, na ng'ombe watatu, na efa moja ya unga,na chupa ya divai,akamleta nyumbani kwa BWANA,huko Shilo ;na Yule mtoto alikuwa mtoto mdogo.
Once she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. Though the boy was still young, she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh.
25
Nao wakamchinja huyo ng'ombe, wakamleta mtoto kwa Eli.
And when they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli.
26
Akasema, Ee bwana wangu, kama iishivyo roho yako, bwana wangu, mimi ndimi yule mwanamke aliyesimama karibu nawe hapa, nikimwomba Bwana.
“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.
27
Naliomba nipewe mtoto huyu; Bwana akanipa dua yangu niliyomwomba;
I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him,
28
kwa sababu hiyo mimi nami nimempa Bwana mtoto huyu; wakati wote atakaokuwa hai amepewa Bwana. Naye akamwabudu Bwana huko.
I now dedicate the boy to the LORD. For as long as he lives, he is dedicated to the LORD.” So they worshiped the LORD there.