¹ 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:

² 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.

³ 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.

⁴ Now the day came, and Elcana offered sacrifice, and gave to Phenenna his wife, and to all her sons and daughters, portions:

⁵ But to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb.

⁶ Her rival also afflicted her, and troubled her exceedingly, insomuch that she upbraided her, that the Lord had shut up her womb:

⁷ 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.

⁸ 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?

⁹ 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:

¹⁰ As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears,

¹¹ 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.

¹² And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth.

¹³ 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,

¹⁴ And said to her: How long wilt thou, be drunk? digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much.

¹⁵ 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.

¹⁶ 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.

¹⁷ Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ 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.

²⁰ 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.

²¹ And Elcana her husband went up, and all his house, to offer to the Lord the solemn sacrifice, and his vow.

²² 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.

²³ 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.

²⁴ 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:

²⁵ And they immolated a calf, and offered the child to Heli.

²⁶ 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.

²⁷ For this child did I pray, and the Lord hath granted me my petition, which I asked of him.

²⁸ 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:

¹ The words of king Lamuel. The vision wherewith his mother instructed him.

² What, O my beloved, what, O the beloved of my womb, what, O the beloved of my vows?

³ Give not thy substance to women, and thy riches to destroy kings.

⁴ Give not to kings, O Lamuel, give not wine to kings: because there is no secret where drunkenness reigneth:

⁵ And lest they drink and forget judgments, and pervert the cause of the children of the poor.

⁶ Give strong drink to them that are sad: and wine to them that are grieved in mind:

⁷ Let them drink, and forget their want, and remember their sorrow no more.

⁸ Open thy mouth for the dumb, and for the causes of all the children that pass.

⁹ Open thy mouth, decree that which is just, and do justice to the needy and poor.

¹⁰ Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.

¹² She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.

¹³ She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.

¹⁴ She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.

¹⁵ And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.

¹⁶ She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.

¹⁷ She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.

¹⁸ She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.

¹⁹ She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.

²⁰ She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.

²¹ She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for dl her domestics are clothed with double garments.

²² She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering.

²³ Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.

²⁴ She made fine linen, and sold it, end delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.

²⁵ Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.

²⁶ She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.

²⁷ She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.

²⁸ Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.

²⁹ Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.

³⁰ Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.