Fuit vir unus de Ramathaimsophim, de monte Ephraim, et nomen ejus Elcana, filius Jeroham, filii Eliu, filii Thohu, filii Suph, Ephrathæus:

There was a man of Ramathaimsophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elcana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliu, the son of Thohu, the son of Suph, an Ephraimite:

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.

et habuit duas uxores, nomen uni Anna, et nomen secundæ Phenenna. Fueruntque Phenennæ filii: Annæ autem non erant liberi.

And he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other Phenenna. Phenenna had children: but Anna had no children.

He had two wives, one called Anna, the other Phenenna, and this Phenenna had borne him sons, whereas Anna was childless.

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.

And this man went up out of his city upon the appointed days, to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Silo. And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord.

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.

Venit ergo dies, et immolavit Elcana, deditque Phenennæ uxori suæ, et cunctis filiis ejus et filiabus, partes:

Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions:

When the time came for Elcana’s sacrifice, Phenenna must have many portions, for a son here, a daughter there,

Annæ autem dedit partem unam tristis, quia Annam diligebat. Dominus autem concluserat vulvam ejus.

But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb.

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?

Affligebat quoque eam æmula ejus, et vehementer angebat, in tantum ut exprobraret quod Dominus conclusisset vulvam ejus:

Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up her womb:

And still she must endure bitter persecution from her rival, that did not scruple to make her childlessness a matter of reproach;

sicque faciebat per singulos annos: cum redeunte tempore ascenderent ad templum Domini, et sic provocabat eam: porro illa flebat, et non capiebat cibum.

And thus she did every year, when the time returned that they went up to the temple of the Lord: and thus she provoked her: but Anna wept, and did not eat.

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,

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?

Then Elcana her husband said to her: Anna, why weepest thou? and why dost thou not eat? and why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?

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?

Surrexit autem Anna postquam comederat et biberat in Silo. Et Heli sacerdote sedente super sellam ante postes templi Domini,

So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool before the door of the temple of the Lord:

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.

cum esset Anna amaro animo, oravit ad Dominum, flens largiter,

As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears,

Sad at heart, she prayed to the Lord with many tears,

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.

And she made a vow, saying: O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.

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.

Factum est autem, cum illa multiplicaret preces coram Domino, ut Heli observaret os ejus.

And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth.

Such was the prayer she went on repeating, there in the Lord’s presence; and Heli saw her lips moving as she did so;

Porro Anna loquebatur in corde suo, tantumque labia illius movebantur, et vox penitus non audiebatur. Æstimavit ergo eam Heli temulentam,

Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk,

her lips pronounced the secret petition, but with no sound. Heli thought her besotted with wine;

dixitque ei: Usquequo ebria eris? digere paulisper vinum, quo mades.

And said to her: How long wilt thou be drunk? digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much.

Come, he said, wilt thou always be at thy cups? Give thy stomach a rest from the wine that so bemuses thee.

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.

Anna answering, said: Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.

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.

Ne reputes ancillam tuam quasi unam de filiabus Belial: quia ex multitudine doloris et mœroris mei locuta sum usque in præsens.

Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till now.

Do not think of thy handmaid as a light woman; only sorrow and bitter anguish have wrung speech from me all this while.

Tunc Heli ait ei: Vade in pace: et Deus Israël det tibi petitionem tuam quam rogasti eum.

Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.

Go then, answered Heli, and peace go with thee; may the Lord grant the prayer thou hast made.

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.

And she said: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes. So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more changed.

I am thy handmaid, she said; thy favour is all I ask. Then she went back, and took food, sad-faced no longer;

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.

And they rose in the morning, and worshipped before the Lord: and they returned, and came into their house at Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: And the Lord remembered her.

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;

Et factum est post circulum dierum, concepit Anna, et peperit filium: vocavitque nomen ejus Samuel, eo quod a Domino postulasset eum.

And it came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

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.

Ascendit autem vir ejus Elcana, et omnis domus ejus, ut immolaret Domino hostiam solemnem, et votum suum.

And Elcana her husband went up, and all his house, to offer to the Lord the solemn sacrifice, and his vow.

When her husband Elcana went to offer the Lord due sacrifice, and pay his vow, taking all his household with him,

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.

But Anna went not up: for she said to her husband: I will not go till the child be weaned, and till I may carry him, that he may appear before the Lord, and may abide always there.

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.

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.

And Elcana her husband said to her: Do what seemeth good to thee, and stay till thou wean him: and I pray that the Lord may fulfil his word. So the woman stayed at home, and gave her son suck, till she weaned him.

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.

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:

And after she had weaned him, she carried him with her, with three calves, and three bushels of flour, and a bottle of wine, and she brought him to the house of the Lord in Silo. Now the child was as yet very young:

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.

et immolaverunt vitulum, et obtulerunt puerum Heli.

And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli.

When they brought the boy to Heli, to offer a bull-calf for him,

Et ait Anna: Obsecro mi domine, vivit anima tua, domine: ego sum illa mulier, quæ steti coram te hic orans Dominum.

And Anna said: I beseech thee, my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord: I am that woman who stood before thee here praying to the Lord.

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!

Pro puero isto oravi, et dedit mihi Dominus petitionem meam quam postulavi eum.

For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him.

And my prayer was for a son, the boy whom thou seest. I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord granted my request;

Idcirco et ego commodavi eum Domino cunctis diebus quibus fuerit commodatus Domino. Et adoraverunt ibi Dominum. Et oravit Anna, et ait:

Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life, he shall be lent to the Lord. And they adored the Lord there. And Anna prayed, and said:

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.