哈拿的祷告
哈拿祷告说：
“我的心因耶和华快乐， 我的角因耶和华高举。 我的口向仇敌张开； 我因你的救恩欢欣。And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2“没有一位圣者像耶和华， 除你以外没有别的了， 也没有磐石像我们的神。There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
3不要夸口说骄傲的话， 也不要口出狂妄的言语， 因耶和华是有知识的神， 人的行为被他衡量。Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4勇士的弓折断， 跌倒的人以力量束腰。The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5饱足的人作雇工求食； 饥饿的人也不再饥饿。 不生育的生了七个； 儿女多的反倒孤独。They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
6耶和华使人死，也使人活， 使人下阴间，也使人往上升。The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
7耶和华使人贫穷，也使人富足； 使人降卑，也使人升高。The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8他从灰尘里抬举贫寒人， 从粪堆中提拔贫穷人， 使他们与贵族同坐， 继承荣耀的座位。 地的柱子属耶和华， 他将世界立在其上。He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.
9“他必保护他圣民的脚步， 但恶人却在黑暗中毁灭， 因为人不是靠力量得胜。He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10与耶和华相争的，必被打碎； 他必从天上打雷攻击他们。 耶和华审判地极的人， 将力量赐给所立的王， 高举受膏者的角。”The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
11以利加拿往拉玛回自己的家去了。那孩子在以利祭司面前事奉耶和华。And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.
以利的两个儿子
12以利的两个儿子是无赖，不认识耶和华。Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.
13这二祭司对待百姓的规矩是这样：凡有人献祭，正煮肉的时候，祭司的仆人就手拿三齿的叉子来，And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
14将叉子往盆里，或锅里，或釜里，或壶里一插，插上来的肉，祭司都拿了去。他们对所有上到示罗的以色列人都这样做。And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.
15甚至在未烧脂肪之前，祭司的仆人就来对献祭的人说：“把肉给祭司，让他烤吧。他不要拿你煮过的肉，要生的。”Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.
16献祭的人若说：“他们必须先烧脂肪，然后你才可以随意拿。”仆人就说：“不，你立刻给我，不然我就要抢了。”And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.
17这些年轻人的罪在耶和华面前非常严重，因为这些人藐视耶和华的祭物。Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.
撒母耳在示罗
18那时，撒母耳还是孩子，穿着细麻布的以弗得，侍立在耶和华面前。But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
19他母亲每年为他做一件小外袍，同丈夫上来献年祭的时候带来给他。Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20以利为以利加拿和他妻子祝福，说：“愿耶和华由这妇人再赐你后裔，代替从耶和华求来的孩子。”他们就回自己的地方去了。And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.
21耶和华眷顾哈拿，她就怀孕生了三个儿子，两个女儿。那孩子撒母耳在耶和华面前渐渐长大。And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
预言以利家遭祸
22以利年纪老迈，听见他两个儿子对以色列众人所做一切的事，又听见他们与会幕门前伺候的妇人同寝，Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23就对他们说：“你们为何做这样的事呢？我从这众百姓听见了你们的恶行。And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
24我儿啊，不可这样！我听到耶和华的百姓传出你们不好的名声☛“我听到...名声”或译“我听到你们的名声不好，你们使耶和华的百姓犯了罪”。。Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD's people to transgress.
25人若得罪人，有神☛“神”或译“审判官”。可以裁决；人若得罪耶和华，谁能为他代求呢？”然而他们还是不听父亲的话，因为耶和华想要他们死。If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.
26撒母耳这孩子渐渐长大，耶和华与人越发喜爱他。And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
27有神人来见以利，对他说：“耶和华如此说：‘你祖宗的家在埃及法老家☛“法老家”：死海古卷和七十士译本是“法老家作奴仆”。的时候，我不是向他们显现吗？And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?
28在以色列众支派中，我不是拣选他作我的祭司，上我的祭坛，烧香，在我面前穿以弗得吗？我不是将以色列人所献的火祭都赐给你祖宗的家吗？And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?
29你们为何践踏我所吩咐献在我居所的祭物和供物呢☛“你们为何.呢”：七十士译本是“你们为何贪婪地注视着我所吩咐献的祭物和供物呢”。？你为何尊重你的儿子过于尊重我，将我百姓以色列所献美好的祭物都拿去养肥你们自己呢？’Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?
30因此，耶和华－以色列的神说：‘我确实说过，你和你祖宗的家必永远行在我面前，但现在耶和华却说，我绝不会这样做。因为尊重我的，我必尊重他；藐视我的，他必被轻视。Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
31看哪，日子将到，我要折断你的膀臂和你祖宗家的膀臂，使你家中没有一个老年人。Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.
32你在以色列人享福的时候必看见我居所的衰败☛“你在.衰败”：七十士译本的一些抄本是“你必在痛苦中以贪婪的眼睛看着以色列人享福”。，你家中必永远没有一个老年人。And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.
33你家中的人，我没有从我坛前剪除的，必使你眼睛失明，心中忧伤。你家中所添的人口都必夭折。And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.
34你的两个儿子何弗尼、非尼哈所遭遇的事是给你的预兆：他们二人必在同一日死亡。And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.
35我要为自己立一个忠心的祭司，他行事必照我的心、如我的意。我要为他建立坚固的家，他必天天行走在我受膏者的面前。And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
36你家所剩下的人都必来叩拜他，求一块银子，一个饼，说：求你给我一个祭司的职分，好使我得点饼吃。’”And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.