In the context of this conversation, the verb said may be better translated “replied” (Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, New American Bible) or “responded” (Bible en français courant). And in languages where the masculine and feminine pronouns are the same, it may be a good idea to supply the name “Hannah” in place of the pronoun she. Revised English Bible and New Century Version do this in English.

Your maidservant: here, as frequently in the Old Testament, the speaker refers to herself in the third person in order to show her submissive position with regard to Eli. Translators should seek to retain the politeness involved but should translate in a way that is natural in the receptor language. In some cases this may be done by beginning Hannah’s statement with something like “Please, sir….” See the comments on verses 11 and 16.

Find favor in your eyes: the Hebrew word translated as favor comes from the same root as the name “Hannah” and is a play on words. Find favor renders a common Hebrew idiom, meaning “to be considered or treated with kindness by someone.” The main problem with this expression is in deciding whether it is to be taken as a wish for the future (New Jerusalem Bible “May your servant find favor in your sight”) or as a statement about the present or immediate past (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh “you are most kind to your handmaid”). While the majority of versions seem to prefer the future meaning, the past meaning seems to fit the context better. Perhaps the best solution is to leave the question somewhat open, as does Revised English Bible, “May I be worthy of your kindness.”

The Hebrew says only that Hannah ate. In those languages that require an object for the verb “to eat,” the appropriate object seems to be a general word such as “food” (Good News Translation) or “something” (Revised English Bible, New International Version), without being more precise.

After the words went her way, the Septuagint adds “she entered her room and ate with her husband and drank.” This Greek text is the basis of the New Revised Standard Version and New American Bible translations: “Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband.” Translators are encouraged to follow the Masoretic Text here, as do Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation.

Her countenance was no longer sad: literally “and her face was no longer to her.” This expression occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament, and as the note in New Revised Standard Version states, the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Since Eli has just given her a blessing, the general meaning is probably correctly expressed in Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. The Septuagint reads “and her face no longer fell.” The Septuagint is followed by New Revised Standard Version, “and her countenance was sad no longer.” Some languages may prefer a positive rather than a negative statement of the same meaning: “she began to look happy again,” or possibly “the sadness disappeared from her face” (Bible en français courant).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .