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| 1 ἄνθρωπος ἦ |
1 There was a man once called Elcana, that lived at Ramathaim-Sophim, in the hill-country of Ephraim; he was an Ephraimite born, descended from Suph through Jeroham, Eliu and Thohu. 2 He had two wives, one called Anna, the other Phenenna, and this Phenenna had borne him sons, whereas Anna was childless. 3 Never a feast-day would he keep in his own city; he must be at Silo, worshipping the Lord of hosts, and offering him sacrifice; there dwelt the Lord’s priests, Ophni and Phinees, the two sons of Heli. 4 When the time came for Elcana’s sacrifice, Phenenna must have many portions, for a son here, a daughter there, 5 and he was sad at heart as he gave Anna her single portion, for Anna he loved dearly. Why had the Lord denied her motherhood? 6 And still she must endure bitter persecution from her rival, that did not scruple to make her childlessness a matter of reproach; 7 year after year, when they went up to the Lord’s temple for the feast, it was ever the same. In tears she sat, with no heart for eating, 8 while her husband Elcana tried to comfort her. Anna, he said, what need to weep, what need to deny thyself food? What sorrow weighs on thy heart? Is it not worth the love of ten sons, the love I bear thee? | 1 Fuit vir unus de Ramathaimsophim, de monte Ephraim, et nomen ejus Elcana, filius Jeroham, filii Eliu, filii Thohu, filii Suph, Ephrathæus: 2 et habuit duas uxores, nomen uni Anna, et nomen secundæ Phenenna. Fueruntque Phenennæ filii: Annæ autem non erant liberi. 3 Et ascendebat vir ille de civitate sua statutis diebus, ut adoraret et sacrificaret Domino exercituum in Silo. Erant autem ibi duo filii Heli, Ophni et Phinees, sacerdotes Domini. 4 Venit ergo dies, et immolavit Elcana, deditque Phenennæ uxori suæ, et cunctis filiis ejus et filiabus, partes: 5 Annæ autem dedit partem unam tristis, quia Annam diligebat. Dominus autem concluserat vulvam ejus. 6 Affligebat quoque eam æmula ejus, et vehementer angebat, in tantum ut exprobraret quod Dominus conclusisset vulvam ejus: 7 sicque faciebat per singulos annos: cum redeunte tempore ascenderent ad templum Domini, et sic provocabat eam: porro illa flebat, et non capiebat cibum. 8 Dixit ergo ei Elcana vir suus: Anna, cur fles? et quare non comedis? et quam ob rem affligitur cor tuum? numquid non ego melior tibi sum, quam decem filii? |
| 9 |
9 Once, on such a visit to Silo, when eating and drinking was done, Anna rose up from her place and went to the temple door, where the priest Heli was sitting. 10 Sad at heart, she prayed to the Lord with many tears, 11 and made a vow: Lord of hosts, if thou wilt take good heed of this sorrow I bear, if thou wilt keep this handmaid of thine ever in remembrance, and grant her a son, then he shall be my gift to the Lord all his life long, a Nazirite unshorn. 12 Such was the prayer she went on repeating, there in the Lord’s presence; and Heli saw her lips moving as she did so; 13 her lips pronounced the secret petition, but with no sound. Heli thought her besotted with wine; 14 Come, he said, wilt thou always be at thy cups? Give thy stomach a rest from the wine that so bemuses thee. 15 Nay, my lord, said Anna, thou seest an unhappy woman, unburdening her heart in the Lord’s presence; there was no wine or strong drink here. 16 Do not think of thy handmaid as a light woman; only sorrow and bitter anguish have wrung speech from me all this while. 17 Go then, answered Heli, and peace go with thee; may the Lord grant the prayer thou hast made. 18 I am thy handmaid, she said; thy favour is all I ask. Then she went back, and took food, sad-faced no longer; 19 and next morning, when they had paid their devotions in the Lord’s presence, they went back home to Ramatha. And the Lord bethought him of Anna, when next Elcana took her to his bed; 20 so, in due time, she conceived and bore him a son. The name she gave him was Samuel, in token that he was a gift she had won from the Lord.[1] 21 When her husband Elcana went to offer the Lord due sacrifice, and pay his vow, taking all his household with him, 22 Anna stayed at home. She would not go, she told her husband, until the boy was weaned; then she would herself bring him into the Lord’s presence, and leave him there for ever. 23 Do as thou wilt, Elcana said; wait here till he is weaned, and may the Lord bring his own will to accomplishment. So she waited at home, and nursed her child till he was weaned. 24 And now that he needed her no longer, she took him with her to the Lord’s house in Silo, still so young. Three bulls, and a bushel of flour, and a skin of wine, were the offerings she made. 25 When they brought the boy to Heli, to offer a bull-calf for him, 26 Anna cried out, Listen, my lord! As thou art a living man, my lord, this is the same woman that stood here in thy presence, praying so eagerly! 27 And my prayer was for a son, the boy whom thou seest. I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord granted my request; 28 and now, in my turn, I make a grant of him to the Lord, a grant that shall be long as his life. Then they offered the Lord worship, and Anna made this prayer which follows. |
9 Surrexit autem Anna postquam comederat et biberat in Silo. Et Heli sacerdote sedente super sellam ante postes templi Domini, 10 cum esset Anna amaro animo, oravit ad Dominum, flens largiter, 11 et votum vovit, dicens: Domine exercituum, si respiciens videris afflictionem famulæ tuæ, et recordatus mei fueris, nec oblitus ancillæ tuæ, dederisque servæ tuæ sexum virilem: dabo eum Domino omnibus diebus vitæ ejus, et novacula non ascendet super caput ejus. 12 Factum est autem, cum illa multiplicaret preces coram Domino, ut Heli observaret os ejus. 13 Porro Anna loquebatur in corde suo, tantumque labia illius movebantur, et vox penitus non audiebatur. Æstimavit ergo eam Heli temulentam, 14 dixitque ei: Usquequo ebria eris? digere paulisper vinum, quo mades. 15 Respondens Anna: Nequaquam, inquit, domine mi: nam mulier infelix nimis ego sum: vinumque et omne quod inebriare potest, non bibi, sed effudi animam meam in conspectu Domini. 16 Ne reputes ancillam tuam quasi unam de filiabus Belial: quia ex multitudine doloris et mœroris mei locuta sum usque in præsens. 17 Tunc Heli ait ei: Vade in pace: et Deus Israël det tibi petitionem tuam quam rogasti eum. 18 Et illa dixit: Utinam inveniat ancilla tua gratiam in oculis tuis. Et abiit mulier in viam suam, et comedit, vultusque illius non sunt amplius in diversa mutati. 19 Et surrexerunt mane, et adoraverunt coram Domino: reversique sunt, et venerunt in domum suam Ramatha. Cognovit autem Elcana Annam uxorem suam: et recordatus est ejus Dominus. 20 Et factum est post circulum dierum, concepit Anna, et peperit filium: vocavitque nomen ejus Samuel, eo quod a Domino postulasset eum. 21 Ascendit autem vir ejus Elcana, et omnis domus ejus, ut immolaret Domino hostiam solemnem, et votum suum. 22 Et Anna non ascendit: dixit enim viro suo: Non vadam donec ablactetur infans, et ducam eum, ut appareat ante conspectum Domini, et maneat ibi jugiter. 23 Et ait ei Elcana vir suus: Fac quod bonum tibi videtur, et mane donec ablactes eum: precorque ut impleat Dominus verbum suum. Mansit ergo mulier, et lactavit filium suum, donec amoveret eum a lacte. 24 Et adduxit eum secum, postquam ablactaverat, in vitulis tribus, et tribus modiis farinæ, et amphora vini, et adduxit eum ad domum Domini in Silo. Puer autem erat adhuc infantulus: 25 et immolaverunt vitulum, et obtulerunt puerum Heli. 26 Et ait Anna: Obsecro mi domine, vivit anima tua, domine: ego sum illa mulier, quæ steti coram te hic orans Dominum. 27 Pro puero isto oravi, et dedit mihi Dominus petitionem meam quam postulavi eum. 28 Idcirco et ego commodavi eum Domino cunctis diebus quibus fuerit commodatus Domino. Et adoraverunt ibi Dominum. Et oravit Anna, et ait: |
[1] The name Samuel probably means ‘name of God’.
Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd
