Primo libro di Samuele 3

BIBBIA CEI 1974	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Il giovane Samuele continuava a servire il Signore sotto la guida di Eli. La parola del Signore era rara in quei giorni, le visioni non erano frequenti.	1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord before Eli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no manifest vision.
2 In quel tempo Eli stava riposando in casa, perché i suoi occhi cominciavano a indebolirsi e non riusciva più a vedere.	2 Then it happened that, on a certain day, Eli was lying in his place. And his eyes had dimmed, so that he was unable to see.
3 La lampada di Dio non era ancora spenta e Samuele era coricato nel tempio del Signore, dove si trovava l'arca di Dio.	3 And so, to prevent the lamp of God from going out, Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4 Allora il Signore chiamò: "Samuele!" e quegli rispose: "Eccomi",	4 And the Lord called Samuel. And responding, he said, “Here I am.”
5 poi corse da Eli e gli disse: "Mi hai chiamato, eccomi!". Egli rispose: "Non ti ho chiamato, torna a dormire!". Tornò e si mise a dormire.	5 And he ran to Eli, and he said, “Here I am. For you called me.” And he said: “I did not call. Return and sleep.” And he went away, and he slept.
6 Ma il Signore chiamò di nuovo: "Samuele!" e Samuele, alzatosi, corse da Eli dicendo: "Mi hai chiamato, eccomi!". Ma quegli rispose di nuovo: "Non ti ho chiamato, figlio mio, torna a dormire!".	6 And again, the Lord continued to call to Samuel. And rising up, Samuel went to Eli, and he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” And he responded: “I did not call you, my son. Return and sleep.”
7 In realtà Samuele fino allora non aveva ancora conosciuto il Signore, né gli era stata ancora rivelata la parola del Signore.	7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not been revealed to him.
8 Il Signore tornò a chiamare: "Samuele!" per la terza volta; questi si alzò ancora e corse da Eli dicendo: "Mi hai chiamato, eccomi!". Allora Eli comprese che il Signore chiamava il giovinetto.	8 And the Lord continued, and he called to Samuel still a third time. And rising up, he went to Eli.
9 Eli disse a Samuele: "Vattene a dormire e, se ti si chiamerà ancora, dirai: Parla, Signore, perché il tuo servo ti ascolta". Samuele andò a coricarsi al suo posto.	9 And he said: “Here I am. For you called me.” Then Eli understood that the Lord had called the boy. And he said to Samuel: “Go and sleep. And if he calls to you from now on, you will say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ ” Therefore, Samuel went away, and he slept in his place.
10 Venne il Signore, stette di nuovo accanto a lui e lo chiamò ancora come le altre volte: "Samuele, Samuele!". Samuele rispose subito: "Parla, perché il tuo servo ti ascolta".	10 And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, just as he had called the other times, “Samuel, Samuel.” And Samuel said, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”
11 Allora il Signore disse a Samuele: "Ecco io sto per fare in Israele una cosa tale che chiunque udirà ne avrà storditi gli orecchi.	11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “Behold, I am accomplishing a word in Israel. Whoever will hear about it, both his ears will ring.
12 In quel giorno attuerò contro Eli quanto ho pronunziato riguardo alla sua casa, da cima a fondo.	12 In that day, I will raise up against Eli all the things that I have spoken over his house. I will begin, and I will finish.
13 Gli ho annunziato che io avrei fatto vendetta della casa di lui per sempre, perché sapeva che i suoi figli disonoravano Dio e non li ha puniti.	13 For I have foretold to him that I will judge his house unto eternity, because of iniquity. For he had known that his sons acted shamefully, and he did not chastise them.
14 Per questo io giuro contro la casa di Eli: non sarà mai espiata l'iniquità della casa di Eli né con i sacrifici né con le offerte!".	14 For this reason, I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of his house will not be expiated, with victims or with gifts, even forever.”
15 Samuele si coricò fino al mattino, poi aprì i battenti della casa del Signore. Samuele però non osava manifestare la visione a Eli.	15 Then Samuel slept until morning, and he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli.
16 Eli chiamò Samuele e gli disse: "Samuele, figlio mio". Rispose: "Eccomi".	16 Then Eli called Samuel, and he said, “Samuel, my son?” And responding, he said, “I am here.”
17 Proseguì: "Che discorso ti ha fatto? Non tenermi nascosto nulla. Così Dio agisca con te e anche peggio, se mi nasconderai una sola parola di quanto ti ha detto".	17 And he questioned him: “What is the word that the Lord has spoken to you? I beg you that you may not conceal it from me. May God do these things to you, and may he add these other things, if you hide from me one word out of all the things that were told to you.”
18 Allora Samuele gli svelò tutto e non tenne nascosto nulla. Eli disse: "Egli è il Signore! Faccia ciò che a lui pare bene".	18 And so, Samuel revealed to him all the words, and he did not hide them from him. And he responded: “He is the Lord. May he do what is good in his own eyes.”
19 Samuele acquistò autorità poiché il Signore era con lui, né lasciò andare a vuoto una sola delle sue parole.	19 And Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground.
20 Perciò tutto Israele, da Dan fino a Bersabea, seppe che Samuele era stato costituito profeta del Signore.	20 And all of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, knew Samuel to be a faithful prophet of the Lord.
	21 And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh. For the Lord had revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh, according to the word of the Lord. And the word about Samuel went forth to all of Israel.