The Lord Speaks to Samuel
1-2 Samuel served the Lord by helping Eli the priest, who was by that time almost blind. In those days, the Lord hardly ever spoke directly to people, and he did not appear to them in dreams very often. But one night, Eli was asleep in his room, 3 and Samuel was sleeping on a mat near the sacred chest in the Lord's house. They had not been asleep very long 4 when the Lord called out Samuel's name.
“Here I am!” Samuel answered. 5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. What do you want?”
“I didn't call you,” Eli answered. “Go back to bed.”
Samuel went back.
6 Again the Lord called out Samuel's name. Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “What do you want?”
Eli told him, “Son, I didn't call you. Go back to sleep.”
7 The Lord had not spoken to Samuel before, and Samuel did not recognize the voice. 8 When the Lord called out his name for the third time, Samuel went to Eli again and said, “Here I am. What do you want?”
Eli finally realized that it was the Lord who was speaking to Samuel. 9 So he said, “Go back and lie down! If someone speaks to you again, answer, ‘I'm listening, Lord. What do you want me to do?’ ”
Once again Samuel went back and lay down.
10 The Lord then stood beside Samuel and called out as he had done before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
“I'm listening,” Samuel answered. “What do you want me to do?”
11 The Lord said:
Samuel, I am going to do something in Israel that will shock everyone who hears about it! 12 I will punish Eli and his family, just as I promised. 13 He knew that his sons refused to respect me, and he let them get away with it, even though I said I would punish his family forever. 14 I warned Eli that sacrifices or offerings could never make things right! His family has done too many disgusting things.
15 The next morning, Samuel got up and opened the doors to the Lord's house. He was afraid to tell Eli what the Lord had said. 16 But Eli told him, “Samuel, my boy, come here!”
“Yes, sir!” Samuel answered.
17 Eli said, “What did God say to you? Tell me everything. I'll ask God to punish you terribly if you don't tell me every word he said!”
18 Samuel told Eli everything. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord, and he will do what's right.”
The Lord Helps Samuel
19 As Samuel grew up, the Lord helped him and made everything Samuel said come true. 20 From the town of Dan in the north to the town of Beersheba in the south, everyone in the country knew that Samuel was truly the Lord's prophet. 21 The Lord often appeared to Samuel at Shiloh and told him what to say.
Muhona ma isana Samuel
1 Nomuzandu Samuel wa karera Muhona kehi yondjeverero ya Eli. Nu moruveze ndo ombuze ya Muhona aa i zuvaka oungundi, nu kaape kara omerimunikisiro wa Muhona. 2 Ouṱuku umwe Eli ngwa ngundiparere omeho, wa rarere metuwo re omuini. 3 Samuel wa rarere motjouyapuke tja Muhona mu mwa ri Otjipwikiro tjOmerikutiropamwe wa Muhona. Nemunine ra Ndjambi tjandje mari yaka. 4 Muhona wa isana Samuel, neye wa itavera a tja: “Owami ngwi!” 5 Samuel otja ya ku Eli na tja: “Owami ngwi. Ove we ndji isana.”
Nungwari Eli wa zira a tja: “Hi ku isanene; twende, karare.” Samuel otja yaruka na karara.
6 Muhona wa isana Samuel rukwao; neye wa penduka, a i ku Eli na tja: “Owami ngwi! Ove we ndji isana.”
Nungwari Eli wa zira a tja: “Hi ku isanene, muatje wandje; twende karare.” 7 Samuel tjandje ingee keya tjiwa Muhona; wina tjandje embo ra Muhona kariya zuvaka ku ye.
8 Muhona wa isana Samuel otjikando otjitjatatu; nu Samuel wa penduka, a i ku Eli na katja: “Owami ngwi! Ove we ndji isana!”
Eli otja tjiza kutja nangwari oMuhona ngwa isana omuzandu. 9 Eli arire tja tja nai ku Samuel: “Twende karare: Neye tje ku isana rukwao, itja nai: ‘Hungira, Muhona, omukarere woye ma zuu.’ ” Samuel otja yaruka na karara potjiraro tje.
10 Muhona otje ya, a kurama mbo na isana otja ovikando imbi ovitenga na tja: “Samuel, Samuel!”
Nu Samuel wa zira a tja: “Hungira, Muhona, omukarere woye ma zuu.”
11 Muhona wa tja nai ku Samuel: “Tara, ami me tjiti otjiṋa mOisrael, nu auhe ngwe tji zuu, omatwi we aeyevari maye ku ongo. 12 Meyuva ndo, ami me yenenisa ku Eli imbi avihe mbi mba tandera onganda ye, okuza kombutiro nga kondjandero. 13 Ami mbe mu tjivisa kutja mee kavera onganda ye nga ko nga aruhe mena rouhasemba mbwa tjitwa, ovazandu ve tjinga ave ndji yamburura, neye e he ve tjaerere. 14 Ami otji mba yanene onganda ya Eli kutja, tjiri, imbwi ouhasemba wonganda ya Eli kamaau hanganisiwa nombunguhiro yovinamuinyo poo yovikurya nga ko nga aruhe.”
15 Nu Samuel wa kara momara nga tji pa tji; tjazumba otja yezurura omivero vyondjuwo ya Muhona. Nungwari Samuel wa tira okutjivisa Eli otjirimunikise hi. 16 Nu Eli wa isana Samuel a tja: “Samuel, muatje wandje!”
Neye wa itavera a tja: “Owami ngwi!”
17 Nu Eli we mu pura nai: “Muhona we ku raere tjike? O horeke otjiṋa ngamwa atjihe eye tje ku raere.” Ndjambi me ku vere tji wa horeke otjiṋa atjihe tja hungire. 18 Samuel otje mu raera oviṋa avihe, nu ke mu horekere otjiṋa. Nu Eli wa tja: “Eye onguri Muhona; nga tjite ngamwa tji tji ri osemba ku ye.”
19 Samuel we kura, nu Muhona wa kara puna ye; nu Muhona ke na rimwe romambo we nde ha yenenisire. 20 NOvaisrael avehe okuza kOdan nga kOberseba va muna kutja Samuel, tjiri, omuprofete wa Muhona. 21 Nu Muhona wa kara pokurimunikisa mOsilo, me rimunikisire ku Samuel nu ma hungirire puna ye. Nembo ra Samuel iyari zuvaka nawa kOvaisrael avehe.
