USamyela Wokuthoma
3 Njengombana isikhathi sikhamba, umsanyana onguSamyela bekasebenzela uJehova+ phambi kwaka-Eli kodwana ilizwi lakaJehova belingakavami emihleni leyo; imibono+ beyingakandi.
2 Ngelinye ilanga u-Eli bekalele ngekumbenakhe begodu amehlwakhe besele aphophele; bekangasakghoni ukubona.+ 3 Isibani sakaZimu+ besingakacinywa begodu uSamyela bekalele ngethempelini*+ lakaJehova, lapho bekunomFaji kaZimu khona. 4 Yeke uJehova wabiza uSamyela. USamyela waphendula wathi: “Ngilapha.” 5 Wagijimela ku-Eli wathi: “Ngizwe ungibiza, yeke ngilapha.” Kodwana u-Eli wathi: “Angikakubizi. Khamba uyokulala godu.” Yeke wakhamba wayokulala. 6 Godu uJehova wambiza wathi: “Samyela!” USamyela wavuka watjhinga ku-Eli wathi: “Ngizwe ungibiza, yeke ngilapha.” Kodwana u-Eli wathi: “Angikakubizi ndodanami. Khamba uyokulala godu.” 7 (Nje-ke uSamyela bekangakamazi uJehova, nelizwi lakaJehova belingakembulwa kuye.)+ 8 UJehova wambiza ihlandla lesithathu wathi: “Samyela!” USamyela wavuka watjhinga ku-Eli wathi: “Ngizwe ungibiza, yeke ngilapha.”
Yeke u-Eli walemuka ukuthi nguJehova obiza umsana lo. 9 Ngalokho u-Eli wathi kuSamyela: “Khamba uyokulala, nakangakubiza uthi, ‘Khuluma Jehova ngombana incekwakho ilalele.’” USamyela wakhamba wayokulala endawenakhe.
10 UJehova wafika wajama lapho, wabiza njengekuthomeni wathi: “Samyela, Samyela!” USamyela waphendula wathi: “Khuluma ngombana incekwakho ilalele.” 11 UJehova wathi kuSamyela: “Qala! Ngenza okuthileko kwa-Israyeli okuzokwenza nanyana ngubani ozwa ngakho athukwe.*+ 12 Mhlokho ngizokwenza ku-Eli koke engakutjho malungana nendlwakhe, kusukela ekuthomeni bekube sekugcineni.+ 13 Kufuze umtjele ukuthi ngiletha isahlulelo sasafuthi endlinakhe ngebanga lomtjhapho awaziko+ ngombana amadodanakhe anyefula uZimu,+ kodwana akawakhalimi.+ 14 Kungebangelo ngifunge endlini ka-Eli ukuthi umtjhapho wendlu ka-Eli angekhe uhlawulelwe ngemihlatjelo namkha ngeminikelo.”+
15 USamyela walala bekwasa; ngemva kwalokho, wavula iminyango yendlu kaJehova. USamyela bekasaba ukutjela u-Eli ukuthi uZimu utheni. 16 Kodwana u-Eli wabiza uSamyela wathi: “Samyela ndodanami!” Waphendula wathi: “Ngilapha.” 17 Wambuza wathi: “Uthini umlayezo akuphathise wona? Ngibawa ungangifihleli. Kwanga uZimu angakujezisa khulu nawungangifihlela ngitjho nelizwi linye lakho koke akutjele khona.” 18 Yeke uSamyela wayendlala njengombana injalo indaba le, azange amfihlele litho. U-Eli wathi: “NguJehova. Akenze okuhle emehlwenakhe.”
19 USamyela waragela phambili akhula, uJehova bekanaye+ begodu azange avumele nalinye lamezwakhe bona liwele phasi.* 20 U-Israyeli woke, kusukela kwaDani bekube seBheritjheba walemuka ukuthi uSamyela ubekwe bona abe mphorofidi kaJehova. 21 UJehova waraga nokubonakala eTjhilo ngombana uJehova wazembula kuSamyela eTjhilo ngelizwi lakaJehova.+