1 Samuel 3
1 Umntwana uSamuweli wayemkhonza uSimakade, phambi kuka-Eli. Izwi likaSimakade lalingavamile ngalezo zinsuku, nombono wawuyivelakancane.
2 Kwathi ngolunye usuku u-Eli elele endaweni yakhe namehlo akhe eseqala ukufiphala engasaboni kahle,
3 isibani sikaNkulunkulu singakacinywa, uSamuweli elele ethempelini likaSimakade lapho kwakukhona umphongolo kaNkulunkulu,
4 uSimakade wambiza uSamuweli; wathi yena: “Ngilapha.”
5 Wagijima waya ku-Eli, wathi: “Ngilapha, njengoba ungibizile.” U-Eli wathi: “Angikubizanga; buyela emuva uyolala.” USamuweli wahamba, wayolala.
6 USimakade wabuye wambiza futhi uSamuweli. USamuweli wavuka waya ku-Eli, wathi: “Ngilapha njengoba ungibizile.” U-Eli wathi: “Angikubizanga, ndodana yami, phindela emuva uyolala.”
7 USamuweli wayengakamazi uSimakade, nezwi likaSimakade lalingakembuleki kuye.
8 USimakade wabuye wambiza uSamuweli okwesithathu. USamuweli wavuka waya ku-Eli, wathi: “Ngilapha, njengoba ungibizile.” U-Eli wayeseqonda ukuthi nguSimakade obiza umntwana.
9 U-Eli wathi kuSamuweli: “Hamba uyolala, kuyothi uma ekubiza, uthi: ‘Khuluma, Simakade, ngokuba inceku yakho ilalele.’ ” Wayesehamba uSamuweli, wayolala endaweni yakhe.
10 USimakade wafika wema, wambiza njengalokhu ebenzile ngesikhathi esiphambili: “Samuweli, Samuweli!” USamuweli wathi: “Khuluma, ngokuba inceku yakho iyezwa.”
11 USimakade wathi kuSamuweli: “Bheka, ngizokwenza into kwa-Israyeli okuyothi bonke abezwa ngayo, ihlale inkeneza kuzona zombili izindlebe zabo.
12 Ngalolo lusuku ngiyakumehlisela u-Eli konke engamtshela ngakho mayelana nendlu yakhe, kusukela ekuqaleni kuze kube sekugcineni.
13 Ngimtshelile ukuthi ngizoyehlulela indlu yakhe kuze kube phakade, ngesiphambeko asaziyo; lokhu amadodana akhe azehlisele isiqalekiso, akaze awakhuza.
14 Ngakho-ke ngafunga mayelana nendlu ka-Eli ukuthi inkohlakalo yendlu ka-Eli ayisoze yahlangulwa ngomhlatshelo nangomnikelo kuze kube phakade.”
15 USamuweli walala kwaze kwasa, wavula iminyango yendlu kaSimakade. USamuweli wesaba ukumtshela u-Eli umbono.
16 U-Eli wayesembiza uSamuweli, wathi: “Samuweli, ndodana yami!” Wathi: “Ngilapha.”
17 U-Eli wathi: “Ukhulume izwi elithini kuwe na? Ungangifihleli lutho; uNkulunkulu makenze kanjalo kuwe, enezele futhi, uma ungifihlela izwi elilodwa lakho konke lokho akukhulume kuwe.”
18 USamuweli wamtshela konke, akamfihlelanga lutho. Wathi: “UnguSimakade; makenze okuhle emehlweni akhe.”
19 USamuweli wakhula, uSimakade wayenaye, wawafeza wonke amazwi kaSamuweli.
20 Wonke u-Israyeli kusukela kwaDani kuze kube seBheri Sheba wazi ukuthi uSamuweli uqinisiwe ukuba abe ngumphrofethi kaSimakade.
21 USimakade waqhubeka wabonakala eShilo, ngokuba wazembula kuSamuweli ngezwi likaSimakade.