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