Eyokuqala KaSamuweli
3 Phakathi naleso sikhathi, umfana uSamuweli wayekhonza + uJehova phambi kuka-Eli, kodwa izwi elivela kuJehova laliyivelakancane ngalezo zinsuku; imibono + yayingandile.
2 Ngolunye usuku u-Eli wayelele endaweni ayevame ukulala kuyo, amehlo akhe ayesefiphele; wayengasaboni. + 3 Isibani sikaNkulunkulu + sasingakacinywa, uSamuweli wayelele ethempelini *+ likaJehova, lapho uMphongolo kaNkulunkulu wawukhona. 4 UJehova wayesebiza uSamuweli. Yena wathi: “Ngilapha.” 5 Wagijima waya ku-Eli wathi: “Ngilapha, ngoba ungibizile.” Kodwa wathi: “Angikubizanga. Buyela emuva uyolala.” Ngakho wahamba wayolala. 6 UJehova waphinde wambiza wathi: “Samuweli!” USamuweli wavuka waya ku-Eli wathi: “Ngilapha, ngoba ungibizile.” Kodwa wathi: “Angikubizanga, ndodana yami. Buyela emuva uyolala.” 7 (USamuweli wayengakamazi kahle uJehova, ngoba uJehova wayengakaze akhulume naye.) + 8 Ngakho uJehova waphinde wambiza okwesithathu wathi: “Samuweli!” Wavuka waya ku-Eli, wathi: “Ngilapha, ngoba ungibizile.”
U-Eli wayesebona ukuthi nguJehova owayebiza umfana. 9 Ngakho u-Eli wathi kuSamuweli: “Hamba uyolala, uma ekubiza kufanele uthi, ‘Khuluma Jehova, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.’ ” USamuweli wahamba wayolala endaweni yakhe.
10 UJehova waphinde wambiza wathi: “Samuweli, Samuweli!” USamuweli wathi: “Khuluma, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.” 11 UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Bheka! Kukhona into engizoyenza kwa-Israyeli okuyothi noma ubani ozwayo ngayo, zombili izindlebe zakhe zinkeneneze. + 12 Ngalolo suku ngiyokwenza konke engikushilo ngo-Eli nendlu yakhe, kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekugcineni. + 13 Kumele umtshele ukuthi ngizoyahlulela kuze kube phakade indlu yakhe ngenxa yesono asaziyo, + ngoba amadodana akhe adelela uNkulunkulu, + kodwa akawakhuzi. + 14 Yingakho ngifungile endlini ka-Eli ngathi isono sendlu ka-Eli asisoze sahlawulelwa ngemihlatshelo noma ngeminikelo.” +
15 USamuweli walala kwaze kwaba sekuseni; wayesevula iminyango yendlu kaJehova. USamuweli wayesaba ukutshela u-Eli ngombono ayewubonile. 16 Kodwa u-Eli wambiza uSamuweli wathi: “Samuweli, ndodana yami!” Yena wathi: “Ngilapha.” 17 Wambuza wathi: “Utheni kuwe? Ngicela ungangifihleli. Kwangathi uNkulunkulu angakujezisa kanzima uma ungangifihlela noma yini kukho konke akushilo.” 18 Ngakho uSamuweli wamtshela konke, akamfihlelanga lutho. U-Eli wathi: “Kuvela kuJehova. Makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
19 USamuweli waqhubeka ekhula, uJehova wayenaye + futhi akazange avumele nelilodwa izwi likaSamuweli ukuba lingagcwaliseki.* 20 Wonke u-Israyeli kusukela kwaDani kuze kube seBheri-sheba waqonda ukuthi uSamuweli wayekhethiwe ukuba abe ngumprofethi kaJehova. 21 UJehova waqhubeka ebonakala eShilo, ngoba uJehova wayezambula kuSamuweli eShilo. Lokhu kwakwenzeka ngezwi likaJehova. +