USamyela Wokuthoma
2 Yeke uHana wathandaza wathi:
Ngikhuluma ngesibindi phambi kwamanabami,
Ngombana ngiyathaba ngesindiswakho.
2 Akekho ocwengeke njengoJehova,
Akekho omunye ngaphandle kwakho,+
Begodu alikho idwala elinjengoZimethu.+
3 Lisani ukuzikhukhumeza nanikhulumako;
Akungaphumi nokuncani ukuzikhakhazisa emlonyenenu,
Ngombana uJehova nguZimu welwazi,+
Begodu nguye owahlulela kuhle izenzo zabantu.
5 Ebebanokudla kufuze basebenzele abanye bonyana bafumane uburotho,
Kodwana abalambileko abasalambi.+
8 Uvusa othobekileko ethulini;
Aphakamise oqhakileko ezaleni,*+
Bonyana abahlalise namakhosana,
Ababeke esihlalweni esihloniphekileko.
Iinsekelo zephasi ngezakaJehova,+
Begodu ubeke inarha phezu kwazo.
9 Unqophisa iindlela zabathembekileko bakhe,+
Kodwana abakhohlakeleko bazokuthuliswa ebumnyameni,+
Ngombana indoda ayiphumeleli ngamandlayo.+
10 UJehova uzokuphihliza abalwa naye;*+
Ilaka lakhe lizokuduma phezu kwabo njengezulu naliduma ezulwini.+
11 Ngemva kwalokho, u-Elikhana waya emzinakhe eRama kodwana umsanyana waba sisebenzi sakaJehova+ phambi kwaka-Eli umphristi.
12 Amadodana ka-Eli bekumadoda akhohlakeleko;+ bewangamhloniphi uJehova. 13 Nakhu ebewakwenza ngalokho abantu ebekufuze bakunikele abaphristi:+ Nanyana kunini umuntu nakenza umhlatjelo, umsizi womphristi bekeza aphethe iforogo ekulu nakusaphekwa inyama, 14 ahlabe ngesitjeni namkha kinanyana ngiyiphi ipoto. Lokho iforogo ebeyibuya nakho, umphristi bekazithathela khona. Ngilokho ebewakwenza eTjhilo kiwo woke ama-Israyeli ebewaya lapho. 15 Godu bekuthi umuntu owenza umhlatjelo angakathunyisi umhlwehlwe,+ umsizi womphristi eze kuye athi: “Nikela umphristi inyama yokubaswa. Angeze athathe inyama ephekiweko kuwe kodwana ufuna ehlaza.” 16 Bekuthi umuntu loyo nakathi kuye: “Abaqiniseke bona bathunyisa umhlwehlwe qangi,+ ngemva kwalokho ungazithathela nanyana yini oyithandako,”* umsizi bekathi kuye: “Awa, nginikela nje; nakungasinjalo ngizozithathela yona ngekani!” 17 Yeke isono sabasizi saba sikhulu khulu kuJehova,+ ngombana amadoda la bewangawuhloniphi umnikelo kaJehova.
18 Nje-ke uSamyela bekasebenzela uJehova,+ ambethe i-efodi yelineni,+ ngitjho nanyana bekamsanyana. 19 Godu unina bekamenzela ijasana enganamikhono, amphathela yona qobe mnyaka lokha yena nendodakhe nabazokwenza umhlatjelo waqobe mnyaka.+ 20 U-Eli wabusisa u-Elikhana nomkakhe wathi: “Kwangathi uJehova angakupha umntwana ngomma lo ukujamiselela lo enimuphe* uJehova.”+ Ngemva kwalokho, babuyela ekhaya. 21 UJehova wakhumbula uHana, wamupha imbeleko+ bese wabeletha amadodana amathathu namadodakazi amabili. Umsanyana okunguSamyela waragela phambili akhula phambi kwakaJehova.+
22 U-Eli besele aluphele khulu kodwana bekezwe koke ebekwenziwa madodanakhe+ kuma-Israyeli nokuthi bewalala nabafazi ebebasebenzela uZimu esangweni letende lokuhlangana.+ 23 Bekajayele ukuthi kiwo: “Kubayini niraga nokwenza izinto ezinje? Izinto engizizwa ngani kiwo woke umuntu manikelela wodwa. 24 Awa madodanami, umbiko orhatjheke ebantwini bakaJehova awusimuhle. 25 Nange umuntu onela omunye, omunye umuntu angamncengela kuJehova* kodwana nange umuntu onela uJehova,+ ngubani ongamthandazela?” Kodwana babhala ukulalela uyise ngombana uJehova bekaqunte ukubabulala.+ 26 Ngesikhatheso, uSamyela waragela phambili akhula begodu athandwa nguJehova nabantu.+
27 Umuntu kaZimu weza ku-Eli wathi: “Naku okutjhiwo nguJehova: ‘Akhenge na ngiziveze endlini kayihlo ngesikhathi baseGibhide baziingqila zendlu kaFaro?+ 28 Ukhokhwakho wakhethwa phakathi kwazo zoke iintjhaba zakwa-Israyeli+ bona abe mphristami, akhuphukele e-aldareni lami+ ayokwenza imihlatjelo, atjhise ipepho,* bekambathe i-efodi phambi kwami; nganikela nendlu kakhokhwakho yoke iminikelo yama-Israyeli eyenziwe ngomlilo.+ 29 Kubayini nina madoda nidelela umhlatjelwami nomnikelwami engiyale bona yenziwe endlinami?+ Kubayini uragela phambili uhlonipha amadodanakho ukudlula mina ngokuzinonisa ngeengcenye ezihle khulu zayo yoke iminikelo eyenziwa babantu bami u-Israyeli?+
30 “‘Kungebangelo ilizwi lakaJehova uZimu ka-Israyeli lithi: “Ngatjho ukuthi indlwakho nendlu kakhokhwakho zizokuhlala zikhamba phambi kwami.”+ Kodwana nje uJehova uthi: “Angeze ngisathoma ngombana ngizokuhlonipha abangihloniphako+ kodwana abangangihloniphiko bazokudelelwa.” 31 Qala! Kuza amalanga lapho ngizokuqeda amandlakho newendlu kayihlo begodu akunamuntu endlinakho ozokuphila bekaluphale.+ 32 Uzokubona isitha endlinami phakathi kwazo zoke izinto ezihle ezenzelwa u-Israyeli+ begodu angeze kusaba nomuntu olupheleko endlinakho. 33 Umuntu wendlwakho engimvumele bona aragele phambili asebenza e-aldareni lami uzokuphophaza amehlwakho begodu uzokulethela isizi kodwana inengi lendlwakho lizokufa ngesabula.+ 34 Okwenzeka emadodanenakho amabili uHofni noFiniyasi, kuzokuba sibonakaliso kuwe: Azokufa womabili ngelanga linye.+ 35 Ngemva kwalokho, ngizozikhethela umphristi othembekileko.+ Uzokwenza okuthabisa ihliziywami; ngizomakhela indlu ezokujama ngokungapheliko begodu uzokukhamba phambi kozesiwekwami qobe. 36 Nanyana ngubani oseleko ngendlinakho, uzokuza aguqe phambi kwakhe abawe umsebenzi bona afumane imadlana noburotho begodu uzokuthi: “Ngibawa ungenze umphristi bona ngizokudla uburotho.”’”+