Judges 17
1 A man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
Waaliwo omusajja eyabeeranga mu nsi ey’ensozi Efulayimu, erinnya lye Mikka.
2 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!”
N’agamba nnyina nti, “Ebitundu bya ffeeza olukumi mu ekikumi ebyakubulako, n’okukolima n’okolima, nga mpulira, laba, effeeza eyo nze njirina. Nze nagitwala.” Awo nnyina n’amugamba nti, “Mwana wange, Mukama Katonda akuwe omukisa.”
3 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.”
Awo bwe yakomyawo ebitundu bya ffeeza ebyo olukumi mu ekikumi, eri nnyina, nnyina n’amugamba nti, “Mpaayo effeeza eno eri Mukama Katonda, okuva mu mukono gwange ku lw’omwana wange, ekolebwemu ekifaananyi ekyole n’ekifaananyi ekisaanuuse, era ndimuzza gy’oli.”
4 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.
Awo bwe yazza effeeza, nnyina n’addira ebitundu ebikumi bibiri ebya ffeeza, n’abiwa omuweesi wa ffeeza, n’abikolamu ekifaananyi ekyole n’ekifaananyi ekisaanuuse. Ne biteekebwa mu nnyumba ya Mikka.
5 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.
Omusajja oyo Mikka yalina essabo. N’akola efodi, n’ebifaananyi ebyole n’ayawula omu ku batabani be okuba kabona we.
6 At that time Israel didn't have a king— everyone did what they themselves thought was the right thing to do.
Mu biro ebyo tewaaliwo kabaka mu Isirayiri, era buli muntu yakolanga nga bw’alaba.
7 One young man, a Levite from the tribe of Judah had been living in Bethlehem in Judah,
Ne wabaawo omuvubuka ow’omu kika kya Yuda nga Muleevi, eyabeeranga mu Besirekemuyuda.
8 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.
N’ava mu kibuga kya Besirekemuyuda n’atandika okunoonya gy’anaabera, n’atuuka mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu mu nnyumba ya Mikka. Wabula yali akyali ku lugendo ng’akyanoonya aw’okubeera.
9 “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.”
Mikka n’amubuuza nti, “Ova wa?” Omuleevi n’amuddamu nti, “Nva mu Besirekemuyuda, era nnoonya we nnyinza okubeera.”
10 “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
Mikka n’amugamba nti, “Beera nange, obeere kitange era kabona, nange ndikuwa ebitundu bya ffeeza kkumi ng’empeera, era ne nkuwa n’engoye n’emmere.” Omuleevi n’abeera naye.
11 and agreed to stay with him. The young man became like a son to him.
Awo Omuleevi n’akkiriza okubeera n’omusajja oyo, era omuvubuka n’aba gy’ali ng’omu ku batabani be.
12 Micah ordained the Levite as his own priest and he lived in Micah's house.
Awo Mikka n’ayawula Omuleevi, era omuvubuka oyo n’abeera kabona we n’abeera mu nnyumba ya Mikka.
13 “I'm sure the Lord will bless me now, because I have a Levite as my priest,” Micah concluded.
Mikka n’ayogera nti, “Kaakano mmanyi nga Mukama Katonda anankoleranga ebirungi, kubanga nnina Omuleevi nga kabona wange.”
