1Samweli nakaugubula ulonzi wa Mkulu Nguluwi kuli Isilaeli yeng'ha.
2Wafilisti nawekungajiza kuwatowa Waisilaeli, lowawele wochitowa, Waisilaeli nawasumigwa. Waisilaeli elufu zine nawakopoligwa kuli ngondo.
3Wamizi wa ngondo lowahiluche kuli kambi, wasekulu wa Isilaeli nawalonga, “Lekachoni Mkulu Nguluwi nakawakundiza Wafilisti watusumye lehano? Tuche tukaligale isanduku lya ilagano lya Mkulu Nguluwi kulawa Shilo, leka lilute hamwe na hetwe na kutulohola kulawa mmoko mwa wang'honyo wa hetwe.”
4Ahyo nawawalajiza vitumagwa ako Shilo, nawo nawaligala isanduku lya ilagano lya Mkulu Nguluwi Yawele na Mong'ho, yekale hagati ha vilumbigwe vili vifandile kota wahilisi, vigongomanyigwe na kuwichigwa mchanya mwa isanduku. Wala wana weli walume wa Eli, Hofini na Finehasi nawoya hamwe na lila isanduku lya ilagano lya Mkulu Nguluwi.
5Isanduku lya ilagano lya Mkulu Nguluwi lolifichile kuli kambi Waisilaeli weng'ha nawatowa luchenze kwa lizi ng'hulu mbaka isi yeng'ha naitigasika.
6Wafilisti lowahuliche luchenze alo, nawauza, “Luchenze lweng'ha alo kuli kambi ya Waebulaniya luna mana yachi?” Lowavizelele kota isanduku lya ilagano lya Mkulu Nguluwi nalyali lifichile kuli kambi ya Waisilaeli,
7Wafilisti nawadumba nawalonga, “Mlungu nakenjila kuli kambi. Tochona hetwe! Mbuli kota ayi hainalawila mbaka sambi.
8Tochona hetwe! Yalikohi yotulohola kulawa mmoko mwa milungu jiwele na ludali? Ajo ndo milungu jiwatowile Wamisili kwa magazo geng'ha ako kuchiwala.
9Lelo hemwe Wafilisti tikangaze. Mitowe kota walume, ama hebu mowa wapogozi wa Waebulaniya, kota hewo vyowawele wapogozi wa hetwe. Mitowe kota walume.”
10Wafilisti nawetowa ngondo, Waisilaeli nawalemwela na kudwina chila munhu haluga ha heye. Zuwa alyo nakwali kukopola kukulu ng'hatu, Waisilaeli nawajiliza wamizi elufu makumi gadatu (30,000) walingujenda kwa magulu.
11Isanduku lya ilagano lya Nguluwi naliholigwa, nawo wana weli walume wa Eli, Hofini na Finehasi, nawakopoligwa.
12Lelo zuwa lilila munhu yumwe wa nhanzi ya Benjamini nakabilima kulawa kuli kitowa ngondo na kuluta Shilo, mivalo ja heye jiwele jidejeche na yawele na nhimbwisi kumutwi kwa heye kulajila masinzo ga heye.
13Loyafichile, Eli yawele na lunhwinhwi mnhumbula ya heye kwa chiwalo cha isanduku lya ilagano lya Nguluwi, nayali yekalise kuli chigoda cha heye hafungo ha nzila yolola. Yula munhu loyafichile kuli muji na kulonga mbuli azo, wanhu weng'ha wa muji nawalila.
14Eli loyahuliche lizi lya chililo, nakauza, “Iyowe alyo lya choni?” Yula munhu nakaluta himahima kwa Eli na kumlonjela mbuli azo.
15Mhela awo Eli nayali na miyaka makumi tisa na nane na meho ga heye nagali gadozoche.
16Yula munhu nakamlonjela Eli, “Heni ndawa kuli ngondo sambi baha, mbilima kulawa kuli ngondo lehano.” Eli nakamuuza, “Mwanangu, mbuli za ndaze ako?”
17Ayo yegale mbuli nakalonga, “Waisilaeli nawawabilima Wafilisti. Wanhu wenji nawabagama na wana wa hegwe weli, Hofini na Finehasi, nawabagama na isanduku lya ilagano lya Nguluwi naliholigwa.”
18Hala loyalonjile isanduku lya ilagano lya Nguluwi, Eli nakagwa kwa kumbele kulawa kuli chigoda cha heye hafungo ha lwizi lwa muji. Eli loyagwile ahyo, singo ya heye naibeneka kwa vila nayali munhu yanenehe na sekulu, naye nakabagama. Eli nakawalongoza Waisilaeli kwa miyaka makumi gane.
19Mdala wa Finehasi, mhela awo nayali na himila, mhela wa heye wa kuponda nawali ufichile. Loyahuliche isanduku lya ilagano lya Nguluwi nalyali liholigwe na kahi mlume wa heye na mhaza wa mlume wa heye nawabagama, bahala nakasunzumala na kuponda. Ila nayali na usungu ng'hatu.
20Loyawele yobagama, wadala wawele womtanza nawamlonjela, “Uleche kugozola, nakuponda mwana mlume.” Ila hedichile ne kuhulichiza.
21Nakamchema mwana wa heye Ikabodi, yolonga, “Ukulu nawuka kuli Isilaeli,” kwa vila isanduku lya ilagano nalyali liholigwe na kwa chiwalo cha kubagama kwa mlume wa heye na mhaza wa mlume wa heye.
22Nakalonga, “Ukulu nawuka kuli Isilaeli kwa vila isanduku lya ilagano lya Nguluwi naliholigwa.”