Léctio libri primi Samuélis (3,3b-10.19)
In diebus illis: Dormiébat in templo Dómini, ubi erat arca Dei. Et vocávit Dóminus Sámuel, qui respóndens ait: “Ecce ego.” Et cucúrrit ad Heli et dixit: “Ecce ego; vocásti enim me.” Qui dixit: “Non vocávi. Revertére; dormi!” Et ábiit et dormívit. Et Dóminus rursum vocávit Sámuel. Consurgénsque Sámuel ábiit ad Heli et dixit: “Ecce ego, quia vocásti me.” Qui respóndit: “Non vocávi te, fili mi. Revertére et dormi!” Porro Sámuel necdum sciébat Dóminum, neque revelátus fúerat ei sermo Dómini. Et Dóminus rursum vocávit Sámuel tértio, qui consúrgens ábiit ad Heli et ait: “Ecce ego, quia vocásti me.” Intelléxit ígitur Heli quia Dóminus vocáret púerum, et ait ad Sámuel: “Váde et dormi; et, si deínceps vocáverit te, dices: ‘Lóquere, Dómine, quia audit servus tuus.’” Ábiit ergo Sámuel et dormívit in loco suo. Et venit Dóminus et stetit et vocávit, sicut vocáverat prius: “Sámuel, Sámuel.” Et ait Sámuel: “Lóquere, quia audit servus tuus.” Crevit autem Sámuel, et Dóminus erat cum eo, et non cécidit ex ómnibus verbis eíus in terram.
In those days, Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was kept. Samuel was growing older; the Lord was with him, and none of his words fell unto the ground. And the Lord called Samuel, and he answered and said, “Here I am.” He ran at once to Eli and said, “Here I am, for thee called me.” Eli said unto him, “I did not call thou; go back and sleep.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called Samuel anon. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for thee called me.” Eli replied, “My son, I did not call thou; go back and sleep.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed unto him. So the Lord called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up, went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for thee called me.” Then Eli realized that it was the Lord calling the boy; and he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down; and if thou art called anon, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for thy servant is listening.’” So Samuel returned to his place and fell asleep. The Lord came anon and appeared, and He called as He had done before, calling him by name twice: “Samuel, Samuel.” Samuel replied, “Speak, Lord, for Thy servant is listening.” Now Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, and none of his words fell unto the ground.
