士師記 17
1 厄弗辣因山地有一個人，名叫米加，
A man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2 他對自己的母親說：「有人拿去你那一千一百銀錢，對這事你曾起過誓，我也親自聽見你說：我要親手把這項銀錢奉獻給上主，為我兒做一尊神像。看，銀錢在這裏，是握拿了；如今還給你! 」
told his mother, “Those eleven hundred shekels of silver that were stolen from you and that I heard you curse—I've got the silver. I was the one who took it.” Then his mother said, “My son, the Lord bless you!”
3 他的母親就說：「願我兒蒙上主祝福! 」於是米加就把一千一百銀錢還給他的母親。
He gave back to his mother the eleven hundred shekels of silver. His mother announced, “I'm completely dedicating this money to the Lord. I'm handing it over to my son to have an idol carved, an image made with molten silver. So now I return it to you.”
4 當他把銀錢還給他的母親以後，她的母親便拿出兩百銀子給了銀匠，請他製造一尊神像，安放在米加的家裏。
After he'd returned the silver to his mother she gave two hundred shekels to a silversmith who made it into a carved idol, an image made with molten silver. They were kept in Micah's house.
5 於是米加為這尊神像蓋了一座神廟。又做了「厄弗得」和「忒辣芬，」委派自己的一個兒子充任司祭。
Micah had built a shrine for the idol. He also made an ephod and some household gods, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
6 當時在以色列沒有君王，各人任意行事。米加收肋未為司祭
At that time Israel didn't have a king— everyone did what they themselves thought was the right thing to do.
7 當時有一個少年，他是個肋未人，從猷大白冷，即從猷大支派來到那裏作客。
One young man, a Levite from the tribe of Judah had been living in Bethlehem in Judah,
8 這人離開猷大白冷，想找一個可寄居的地方；當他旅行的時候，來到厄弗辣因山地，米加的家旁，
left Bethlehem to look for a different place to live. As he traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, he came to Micah's house.
9 米加問他說：「你從那裏來﹖」他回答說：「我是個肋未人，由猷大白冷來，想找一個可寄居的地方。」
“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” the man replied. “I'm looking for a place to live.”
10 米加就對他說：「你住在我這裏罷! 作我的師傅和司祭，我每年給你十塊銀錢，還照管你的吃穿。」米加挽留那肋未人，
“Come and stay here with me. You can be my ‘father’ and priest, and I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, plus your clothes and food.” So the Levite went inside
11 他遂同意住在米加那裏，他看待這少年好似自己的兒子。
and agreed to stay with him. The young man became like a son to him.
12 米加又委任了這肋未人，這人遂作了他的司祭，住在米加家中。
Micah ordained the Levite as his own priest and he lived in Micah's house.
13 於是米加說：「如今我知道上主必施恩於我，因為有位肋未人作了我的司祭。」
“I'm sure the Lord will bless me now, because I have a Levite as my priest,” Micah concluded.
