1 Samuel 3
1 The child Samuel ministered to Yahweh before Eli. Yahweh’s word was rare in those days. There were not many visions, then.
Umfana uSamuyeli wakhonza phambi kukaThixo engaphansi kuka-Eli. Ngalezonsuku ilizwi likaThixo lalingandanga; kwakungelamibono eminengi.
2 At that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that he could not see),
Ngobunye ubusuku u-Eli, amehlo akhe ayesefiphala esebona kalufifi, wayelele endaweni yakhe yansuku zonke.
3 and God’s lamp hadn’t yet gone out, and Samuel had laid down in Yahweh’s temple where God’s ark was,
Isibane sikaNkulunkulu sasingakacitshi, njalo uSamuyeli wayelele phansi ethempelini likaThixo, lapho okwakulebhokisi lesivumelwano sikaNkulunkulu khona.
4 Yahweh called Samuel. He said, “Here I am.”
Uthixo wasembiza uSamuyeli. USamuyeli wasabela wathi, “Ngilapha.”
5 He ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He said, “I didn’t call. Lie down again.” He went and lay down.
Wagijimela ku-Eli wathi, “Ngilapha; ungibizile.” Kodwa u-Eli wathi, “Angikubizanga; buyela uyelala.” Ngakho wabuyela wayalala.
6 Yahweh called yet again, “Samuel!” Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” He answered, “I didn’t call, my son. Lie down again.”
Uthixo wambiza futhi wathi, “Samuyeli!” USamuyeli wavuka waya ku-Eli wathi, “Ngilapha; ungibizile.” U-Eli wathi, “Ndodana yami, Angikubizanga; buyela uyelala.”
7 Now Samuel didn’t yet know Yahweh, neither was Yahweh’s word yet revealed to him.
Ngalesosikhathi uSamuyeli wayengakamazi uThixo: Ilizwi likaThixo lalingakavezwa kuye.
8 Yahweh called Samuel again the third time. He arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; for you called me.” Eli perceived that Yahweh had called the child.
Uthixo wambiza uSamuyeli okwesithathu, njalo uSamuyeli wavuka waya ku-Eli wathi, “Ngilapha; ungibizile.” Lapho-ke u-Eli wabona ukuthi nguThixo owayebiza umfana.
9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down. It shall be, if he calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, Yahweh; for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
Ngakho u-Eli watshela uSamuyeli wathi, “Hamba uyelala, njalo nxa ekubiza wena uthi, ‘Khuluma Thixo, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.’” Ngakho uSamuyeli wahamba wayalala endaweni yakhe.
10 Yahweh came, and stood, and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak; for your servant hears.”
Uthixo weza wema khonapho, ebiza njengakuqala esithi, “Samuyeli! Samuyeli!” USamuyeli wathi, “Khuluma, ngoba inceku yakho ilalele.”
11 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of everyone who hears it will tingle.
Uthixo wasesithi kuSamuyeli, “Khangela, sekuseduze ukuba ko-Israyeli ngenze into ezakwenza indlebe zomuntu wonke okuzwayo lokho zincencethe.
12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even to the end.
Ngalesosikhathi ngizamelana lo-Eli, ngenze konke engakukhuluma mayelana lendlu yakhe kusukela ekuqaleni kusiya ekucineni.
13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons brought a curse on themselves, and he didn’t restrain them.
Ngoba ngamtshela ukuthi ngizakwahlulela indlu yakhe okulaphakade ngenxa yesono ayesazi; amadodana akhe ayehlambaza uNkulunkulu, yena wehluleka ukuwakhuza.
14 Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be removed with sacrifice or offering forever.”
Ngakho, ngayifungela indlu ka-Eli ngathi, ‘Icala lendlu ka-Eli kaliyikuhlawulwa ngomhlatshelo loba ngomnikelo.’”
15 Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of Yahweh’s house. Samuel was afraid to show Eli the vision.
USamuyeli walala phansi kwaze kwaba sekuseni wasevula iminyango yendlu kaThixo. Wayesesaba ukutshela u-Eli umbono,
16 Then Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son!” He said, “Here I am.”
kodwa u-Eli wambiza wathi, “Samuyeli, ndodana yami.” USamuyeli wasabela wathi, “Ngilapha.”
17 He said, “What is the thing that he has spoken to you? Please don’t hide it from me. God do so to you, and more also, if you hide anything from me of all the things that he spoke to you.”
U-Eli wabuza wathi, “Kuyini akutshiloyo kuwe na? Ungangifihleli. Sengathi uNkulunkulu angakujezisa, kube buhlungu kakhulu, nxa uzangifihlela loba kuyini akutshele khona.”
18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”
Ngakho uSamuyeli wamtshela konke, engamfihlelanga lutho. U-Eli wasesithi, “UnguThixo; kenze lokho akubona kukuhle emehlweni akhe.”
19 Samuel grew, and Yahweh was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
Uthixo wayeloSamuyeli ekukhuleni kwakhe, njalo kayekelanga lalinye lamazwi akhe liwela phansi.
20 All Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Yahweh.
Njalo u-Israyeli wonke kusukela eDani kusiya eBherishebha wakwazi ukuthi uSamuyeli wayebekwe ukuba ngumphrofethi kaThixo.
21 Yahweh appeared again in Shiloh; for Yahweh revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by Yahweh’s word.
Uthixo waqhubeka ebonakala eShilo, njalo khonapho waziveza kuSamuyeli ngelizwi lakhe.
