The First Book of Samuel

1 E get one man wey de live for Ra·math·a′im-zo′phim,* for the area wey mountains dey for E′phra·im. Na E′phra·im person e be and im name na El·ka′nah, the son of Je·ro′ham wey be son of E·li′hu, son of To′hu, son of Zuph. 2 Na two wife e get, one name na Han′nah, and the other one na Pe·nin′nah. Pe·nin′nah get children, but Han′nah no get children. 3 Every year, the man de comot* from im city to go worship* and do sacrifice to Jehovah of armies for Shi′loh. Na there the two sons of E′li, wey be Hoph′ni and Phin′e·has, de work as priests for Jehovah.

4 One day wey El·ka′nah do sacrifice, e give some part of the meat to im wife Pe·nin′nah, and to all the sons and daughters wey Pe·nin′nah get, 5 but e give Han′nah special part because na Han′nah e love, but Jehovah never give-am children.* 6 Apart from that one, the other wife de always use Han′nah do yeye,* so that e go make-am vex because say Jehovah never give-am children. 7 Na wetin e de do every year be that, anytime wey Han′nah go* the house of Jehovah, the other wife go de use-am do yeye sotey Han′nah go just de cry, and e no go chop. 8 But El·ka′nah im husband ask-am say: “Han′nah, why you de cry, why you no de chop, and why you no de happy at all? I no better pass ten sons for you?”

9 Han′nah come get up after them don chop and drink finish for Shi′loh. That time, E′li wey be priest sitdown for the chair wey near the door of the temple* of Jehovah. 10 Han′nah mind spoil no be small, so e start to pray to Jehovah and e just de cry sotey e no fit hold imself. 11 And e promise God say: “O Jehovah of armies, see as your servant de suffer. If you remember me and you no forget me your servant, and give me pikin wey be boy, I go give-am to Jehovah all the days of im life, and no razor blade go touch im head.”

12 E pray to Jehovah for long time, and as e de pray, E′li de look im mouth. 13 Han′nah be de pray inside im heart, but them no de hear im voice, na only im mouth de shake. So E′li think say e don drink. 14 E′li come tell-am say: “Which time drink go clear from your eye? Stop to de drink.” 15 Han′nah come answer-am say: “No be so my lord! Na woman wey im mind no settle at all I be. I never drink wine or anything wey get alcohol, but I de tell Jehovah everything wey dey my mind. 16 Make you no think say your servant na useless woman, because na wetin de really pain me and de worry me for mind, na im I don de talk about since.” 17 E′li come answer-am say: “Make you go well, and make the God of Israel give you the thing wey you don beg for.” 18 As e talk this one, the woman come talk say: “Abeg, make you continue to see your servant as better person.” Then the woman comot, go chop, and im face show say e no dey sad again.

19 Then, them wake up for early morning and bow down to Jehovah. After that one, them go back to their house for Ra′mah. El·ka′nah come sleep with im wife Han′nah, and Jehovah remember Han′nah. 20 Around one year,* Han′nah come get belle, and born boy pikin. E name-am Samuel,* because e talk say “na Jehovah I beg say make e give me this pikin.”

21 After some time, El·ka′nah and all im family travel again* to go do the sacrifice wey them de do to Jehovah every year, and so that e go give the offering wey e don promise. 22 But Han′nah no follow go,* because e tell im husband say: “Once I don stop to give the pikin breast, I go bring-am come give Jehovah and e go continue to stay there from that time go.” 23 Then im husband El·ka′nah tell-am say: “Do wetin you think say better pass.* You fit stay house until you don stop to give-am breast. Make Jehovah do this thing wey you don talk.” So the woman stay for house and take care of im pikin until e don stop to give-am breast.

24 As e just stop to de give the pikin breast, e carry-am go Shi′loh, and e still carry three years old bull, with one e′phah* of flour, and one big jar of wine. Na so e take bring the pikin come Jehovah house for Shi′loh. 25 Them come kill the bull and carry the boy go give E′li. 26 Then Han′nah talk say: “No vex my lord! True-true, my lord, na me be that woman wey stand with you for here that day, de pray to Jehovah. 27 Na this boy I pray to Jehovah say make e give me, and e don give me wetin I beg-am for. 28 Now, me self de carry-am* give Jehovah. Na Jehovah own e go be all the days of im life.”

Then e* bow down to Jehovah for there.