U-Elikhana wayenza kanjalo minyaka yonke, uma enyukele endlini kaSimakade. UPhenina wayemchukuluza njalo uHana, ngakho-ke wakhala, akaze adla lutho. U-Elikhana umyeni wakhe, wathi kuHana: “Hana, ukhalelani na? Awudli ngani? Inhliziyo yakho idabukiswe yini na? Kanti angedluli yini kuwe amadodana alishumi na?”
UHana wasukuma lapho sebedlile, baphuza eShilo. U-Eli, umphristi, wayehleli esihlalweni sakhe ngasensikeni yomyango wethempeli likaSimakade. Umphefumulo wakhe wawunomunyu kakhulu; wakhuleka kuSimakade, wakhala kabuhlungu. Wenza isithembiso, wathi: “Simakade Wamabandla, impela uma ubheka, uyakubona ukuhlupheka kwencekukazi yakho. Ngikhumbule, ungayikhohlwa incekukazi yakho; yiphe incekukazi yakho umntwana womfana. Ngiyomnikela kuSimakade zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe. Akuyukuthinta nsingo ekhanda lakhe.”
Kwathi esaqhubeka nokukhuleka phambi kukaSimakade, u-Eli wawuqaphela umlomo wakhe. UHana wayekhuluma ngenhliziyo engaphumiseli mazwi ngomlomo, kwakunyakaza izindebe zomlomo kuphela. Ekubona lokho u-Eli, wacabanga ukuthi udakiwe. U-Eli wathi kuye: “Uyakudakwa kuze kube nini na? Susa iwayini lakho kuwe.”
UHana waphendula wathi: “Hhayi, nkosi, ngingowesifazane ohluphekileyo; angiphuzanga wayini naphuzo olunamandla, kodwa bengithulula umphefumulo wami phambi kukaSimakade. Ungasho ukuthi incekukazi yakho ingowesifazane okhohlakele, ngokuba kungenxa yobuningi bosizi lwami nangokuchukuluzwa kwami, yingakho ngikhuluma kuze kube manje.”
Wayesephendula u-Eli wathi: “Hamba ngokuthula; uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli makakunike okucelileyo kuye.”
Wathi: “Incekukazi yakho mayifumane umusa emehlweni akho.”
Owesifazane wayesehamba, wadla, ubuso bakhe ababe busanyukubala.
Bavuka ekuseni kakhulu bakhuleka phambi kukaSimakade, base bebuyela emuva endlini yabo eRama. U-Elikhana walala nomkakhe, uSimakade wamkhumbula uHana. Kwathi ngokuqhubeka kwesikhathi uHana wakhulelwa, wazibula ngendondana, wayiqamba igama wathi nguSamuweli, ethi: “Ngimcelile kuSimakade.”
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
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