In languages that distinguish masculine and feminine pronouns, the referent of the pronoun she may be perfectly clear. But where this distinction is not made, it may prove necessary to supply the name “Hannah” in order to make clear who is speaking. Also it may be helpful in certain languages to indicate more clearly to whom Hannah is speaking. Bible en français courant, for example, says “Hannah said to Eli.”
The words “Excuse me, sir” (Good News Translation) translate a Hebrew formula for beginning a conversation with a person of higher status or rank. Translators should use the appropriate functional equivalent in their language. Good News Translation does not, however, capture the fact that this is an oath formula nor indicate that Hannah is emphatically stating that she is the same woman whom Eli had seen there before. The translation “Hannah greeted Eli” (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) similarly fails to maintain the force of the Hebrew oath. Other passages where a similar oath formula is used are 2 Sam 11.11 and 14.19. It is probably legitimate in this context to translate “surely you remember me….”
Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord: Hannah reminds Eli that she was the woman several years earlier who had stood praying to the LORD (see 1.9-18). The words As you live, literally “life of your soul my lord,” are an oath formula. Hannah is swearing a solemn oath, and the sense is “I swear that I am the woman who was standing here.” Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje provides a good model here: “My lord, I swear by your life that I am that woman….” It will be recalled that the words my lord constitute a kind of politeness, but that they are not to be translated literally in most cases. A term like “sir” (Revised English Bible, New Century Version) will be much more natural. See the comments at verse 15.
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 .