Regum I (1,9-20)
In diébus illis: Surréxit Anna, postquam coméderant et bíberant in Silo, et Heli sacerdóte sedénte super sellam ante postes templi Dómini. Cum esset Anna amáro ánimo, orávit Dóminum flens lárgiter et votum vovit dicens: “Dómine exercítuum, si respíciens víderis afflictiónem fámulæ tuæ et recordátus mei fúeris nec oblítus ancíllæ tuæ dederísque servæ tuæ sexum virílem, dabo eum Dómino omnes dies vitæ eíus, et novácula non ascéndet super caput eíus.” Factum est ergo, cum illa multiplicáret preces coram Dómino, ut Heli observáret os eíus. Porro Anna loquebátur in corde suo; tantúmque lábia illíus movebántur, et vox pénitus non audiebátur. Æstimávit ígitur eam Heli temuléntam dixítque ei: “Usquéquo ébria eris? Dígere paulísper vinum, quo mades!” Respóndens Anna: “Nequáquam, inquit, dómine mi; nam múlier infélix nimis ego sum: vinúmque et omne, quod inebriáre potest, non bibi, sed effúdi ánimam meam in conspéctu Dómini. Ne réputes ancíllam tuam quasi unam de filiábus Bélial, quia ex multitúdine dolóris et mæróris mei locúta sum usque in præsens.” Tunc Heli ait ei: “Váde in pace, et Deus Israel det tibi petitiónem, quam rogásti eum.” Et illa dixit: “Útinam invéniat ancílla tua grátiam in óculis tuis.” Et ábiit múlier in viam suam et comédit; vultúsque illíus non fuérunt ámplius sicut prius. Et surrexérunt mane et adoravérunt coram Dómino. Reversíque sunt et venérunt in domum suam in Rama. Cognóvit autem Elcána Annam uxórem suam, et recordátus est eíus Dóminus. Et factum est post círculum diérum concépit Anna et péperit fílium vocavítque nomen eíus Sámuel, eo quod a Dómino postulásset eum.
In those days: Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo. And Heli the Priest sitting upon a Stool before the posts of the house of our Lord, whereas Anna had a heavy heart, she prayed to our Lord, weeping aboundantly, and she vowed a vow, saying: O Lord of hosts, if regarding thou wilt behold the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give unto thy servant a man child: I will give him to our Lord all the days of his life, & the razor shall not come upon his head. And it came to pass, when she multiplied prayers before our Lord, that Heli observed her mouth. Moreover Anna spake in her heart, and only her lips moved, and voice there was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk, and said to her: How long wilt thou be drunk? Digest a little the wine, wherewith thou art wet. Anna answering, Not so, quoth she, my Lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and wine and whatsoever may inebriate, I have not drunk, but I have poured out my soul in the sight of our Lord. Account not thy handmaid as one of the daughters of Belial: for of the multitude of my sorrow and heaviness have I spoken until this present. Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel give thee thy petition, which thou hast asked him. But she said: Would God thy handmaid may find grace in thine eyes. And the woman went on her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more changed otherwise. And they rose in the morning, and adored before our Lord: and they returned, & came into their house to Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: and our Lord remembered her. And it came to pass after a certain compass of days, Anna conceived & bare a son, and called his name Samuel: because she asked him of our Lord.
