1 Kwakukhona umuntu waseRamatayimi Sofimu lasezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi ogama lakhe lalingu-Elkana indodana kaJerohamu ka-Elihu kaTholu kaSufi wakwa-Efrayimi;
2 wayenabafazi ababili, igama lomunye lalinguHana, igama lomunye lalinguPhenina; uPhenina wayenabantwana, kepha uHana wayengenabantwana.
3 Lowo muntu wenyuka emzini wakhe iminyaka ngeminyaka ukukhonza nokuhlabela uJehova Sebawoti eShilo. Kwakukhona lapho amadodana amabili ka-Eli, oHofini noFinehasi, bengabapristi bakaJehova.
4 Kwathi ngosuku u-Elkana ahlaba ngalo, wanika uPhenina umkakhe nawo onke amadodana akhe namadodakazi akhe izabelo;
5 kepha wanika uHana isabelo siphindwa kabili, ngokuba wayemthanda uHana, kepha uJehova wayesivalile isizalo sakhe.
6 Isitha sakhe samncokoloza kakhulu ukuba amthukuthelise, ngokuba uJehova wayesivalile isizalo sakhe.
7 Kwathi ukuba u-Elkana enze njalo iminyaka ngeminyaka, lapho enyukela endlini kaJehova, wamncokoloza kanjalo; ngalokho wakhala, akadlanga lutho.
8 Wayesethi u-Elkana umyeni wakhe kuye: “Hana, ukhalelani na? Awudli ngani? Inhliziyo yakho idabukeleni na? Angidluli yini amadodana ayishumi kuwe na?”
9 UHana wasukuma, nxa sebedlile eShilo, bephuzile. U-Eli umpristi wayehlezi esihlalweni sakhe ngasensikeni yomnyango wethempeli likaJehova.
10 Umphefumulo wakhe wawunomunyu, wakhuleka kuJehova, wakhala kakhulu.
11 Wenza isithembiso, wathi: “Jehova Sebawoti, ubheke nokubheka ukuhlupheka kwencekukazi yakho, ungikhumbule, ungakhohlwa incekukazi yakho, unike incekukazi yakho umntwana wesilisa, bese ngimnika uJehova zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe, kungathinti mpuco ekhanda lakhe.”
12 Kwathi esaqhubeka ukukhuleka phambi kukaJehova, u-Eli waqaphela umlomo wakhe.
13 UHana wayekhuluma enhliziyweni yakhe, kwabikizela izindebe zakhe zomlomo kuphela, kepha izwi lakhe lalingezwakali; ngalokho u-Eli wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe.
14 U-Eli wathi kuye: “Uyakudakwa kuze kube nini na? Susa iwayini lakho kuwe.”
15 UHana waphendula wathi: “Hhayi, nkosi, ngingowesifazane ohluphekileyo; angiphuzanga iwayini naphuzo olunamandla, kepha bengithulula umphefumulo wami phambi kukaJehova.
16 Ungasho ukuthi incekukazi yakho ingowesifazane omubi, ngokuba kungobuningi bosizi lwami nangokuncokolozwa kwami ngikhulumile kuze kube manje.”
17 Wayesephendula u-Eli ethi: “Hamba ngokuthula; uNkulunkulu wakwa-Israyeli makakunike okucelileyo kuye.”
18 Wathi: “Incekukazi yakho mayifumane umusa emehlweni akho.” Owesifazane wayesehamba, wadla, ubuso bakhe ababe busanyukumala.
19 Bavuka ekuseni kakhulu, bakhuleka phambi kukaJehova, babuya, bafika endlini yabo eRama; u-Elkana wamazi uHana umkakhe, uJehova wamkhumbula.
20 Kwathi sesiphelele isikhathi, uHana wakhulelwa, wazala indodana, waqamba igama layo ngokuthi uSamuweli, ethi: “Ngimcelile kuJehova.”
21 Lowo muntu u-Elkana wenyuka kanye nendlu yakhe ukuyonikela kuJehova umhlatshelo weminyaka nesithembiso sakhe.
22 Kepha uHana akenyukanga, ngokuba wathi kumyeni wakhe: “Hhayi aze alunyulwe umntwana; khona ngiyakumyisa ukuba abonakale phambi kukaJehova, ahlale khona njalo.”
23 Wayesethi u-Elkana umyeni wakhe kuye: “Yenza okuhle emehlweni akho; hlala uze umlumule; uJehova makaqinise izwi lakhe kuphela.” Owesifazane wayesehlala, wancelisa indodana yakhe waze wayilumula.
24 Eseyilumulile wenyuka nayo enezinkunzi ezintathu, ne-efa* lempuphu, nemvaba yewayini, wakuyisa endlini kaJehova eShilo; umntwana wayesemncane.
25 Bahlaba inkunzi, bamyisa umntwana ku-Eli.
26 Wathi: “E nkosi, kuphila komphefumulo wakho, nkosi yami, ngingowesifazane owayemi kuwe lapha, ekhuleka kuJehova.
27 Ngamkhulekela lo mntwana; uJehova unginikile lokho engakucela kuye;
28 ngalokho nami ngimnikele kuJehova; zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwakhe unikelwe kuJehova.” Bakhuleka kuJehova khona.