Jongʼad Bura 17

1 Koro ne nitie ngʼat moro ma nyinge Mika mane oa e piny gode mar Efraim,

There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.

2 nowachone min mare niya, “Fedha ma pekne romo kilo apar gadek mane omayi kendo mane awinjo kikwongʼogo ngʼat mane okwale; an ema an kodgi.” Eka min mare nowachone niya, “Wuoda, mad Jehova Nyasaye gwedhi!”

One day he said to his mother, “I heard you curse whoever stole (1,100 pieces/28 pounds/13 kg.) of silver from your house. I am the one who took the silver, and I still have it.” His mother replied, “My son, I pray that Yahweh will bless you [for admitting that you took it].”

3 Kane odwokone min mare fedha ma pekne romo kilo apar gadekgo, min-gi nowachone niya, “Achiwo fedha maga duto ne Jehova Nyasaye mondo mi wuoda olosgo kido mopa mar nyasaye, omiyo koro aduogonigo.”

Micah gave all the silver back to his mother. Then she said [to herself], “I will give [some of] this silver to Yahweh.” And she said to her son, “My son, I want you to make an idol and a statue [from this silver]. So I will give [some of] this silver back to you [for making these things].”

4 Omiyo nodwokone min mare fedha, kendo min-gi nokawo fedha ma pekne romo kilo ariyo gi nus mi ochiwogi ne jatheth, mane olosogi e kido mar nyasaye milamo. Kendo noketgi e od Mika.

So when he gave all the silver to his mother, she took (200 pieces/about 5 pounds/1.6 kg.) of it to a (silversmith/man who made things from silver). With the silver that man made an idol and a statue, [and gave them to Micah]. Micah put them in his house.

5 Koro ngʼatni ma nyinge ne Mika neni gikare mar lemo, kendo noloso law mayom mar dolo miluongo ni efod kod nyisechegi kendo noketo achiel kuom yawuote kaka jadolo.

He had in his house a special (shrine/place for putting sacred things). He made a sacred vest and some small idols [and put them in this shrine along with the big idol and the statue]. Then Micah chose one of his sons to become his priest.

6 E kindeno Israel ne onge ruoth; kendo ngʼato ka ngʼato ne timo kaka ohero.

At that time, the Israeli people did not have a king. So [Micah and everyone else] did whatever they considered to be the right thing to do.

7 Rawera ma ja-Lawi moa Bethlehem e piny Juda, mane osebedo kodak gi anywola jo-Juda,

There was a young man who had been living in Bethlehem in the area where the tribe of Judah lives. He [wanted to work as a priest because he] was a member of the tribe of Levi.

8 nowuok Bethlehem mondo omany kama onyalo dakie. Kane pod odhi nyime gi wuoth, nodhi e od Mika mantiere e piny gode mag Efraim.

So he left Bethlehem to find another place to live [and work]. He came to Micah’s house in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.

9 Mika nopenje niya, “Ia kanye?” Nodwoke niya, “An ja-Lawi moa Bethlehem man Juda, kendo amanyo kama anyalo dakie.”

Micah asked him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I come from Bethlehem. I am from the tribe of Levi, and I am looking for a place to live [and work as a priest].”

10 Eka Mika nowachone niya, “Dag koda kendo ibed wuonwa kod jadolo, kendo abiro miyi fedha ma pekne romo robo mar kilo, gi lewni kod chiemo e higa.”

Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and you can become like a father [to counsel me], and be my priest. Each year I will give to you ten pieces of silver and some [new] clothes. And I will provide food for you.”

11 Omiyo ja-Lawino noyie dak kode, kendo wuowino ne chalone mana kaka achiel kuom yawuote.

So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.

12 Eka Mika noketo ja-Lawino kendo wuowino nobedo jadolone kendo nodak e ode.

Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.

13 Kendo Mika nowacho niya, “Koro angʼeyo ni Jehova Nyasaye biro timona maber, nikech ja-Lawi osebedo jadolo mara.”

Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will do good things for me, because I have a man from the tribe of Levi to be my priest.”