Judges 17
1 There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
Sie pacl ah oasr sie mwet pangpang Micah su muta fineol uh in acn Ephraim.
2 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].”
El fahk nu sin nina kial, “Ke mwet se pisrala sie tausin siofok ipin silver yurum ac, nga sifacna lohng ke kom tuh fahk kas in selnga lain mwet sac. Liye, pa inge mani sac. Nga pa srukak.” Na nina kial ah fahk, “Wen nutik, LEUM GOD Elan akinsewowoye kom.”
3 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].”
Na ke Micah el akola in folokunla mani sac nu sin nina kial ah, na nina sac fahk, “Inge nga sifacna kisakin silver inge nu sin LEUM GOD, tuh kas in selnga nga tuh fahk ah in tia putati nu fin wen nutik. Silver inge fah nokomla sie ma sruloala orek ke sak.”
4 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.
Na wen sac el folokonang ipin silver inge nu sin nina kial ah, ac nina sac eisla luofoko ipin silver ac sang nu sin sie mwet etu orekma ke silver, su taflela sie ma sruloala ke sie sak, ac sang silver in nokomla nufon, na utukla ma se inge nu in lohm sel Micah.
5 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.
Oasr nien alu se lal Micah sifacna. El tuh orala kutu ma sruloala, oayapa sie nuknuk lun mwet tol pangpang ephod, na el sulela sie sin mukul natul ah in mwet tol lal.
6 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.
In pacl se inge wangin tokosra lun mwet Israel. Kais sie mwet sifacna oru ma el nunku mu suwohs ye mutal sifacna.
7 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.
In pacl sac pacna oasr sie mwet fusr ke sruf lal Levi su muta Bethlehem in acn Judah.
8 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.
El som liki acn Bethlehem in suk sie pac acn elan muta we, na el tuku ac sun lohm sel Micah su oan infulan eol uh in acn Ephraim.
9 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].”
Micah el siyuk sel, “Kom tuku ya me?” Na el topuk ac fahk, “Nga sie mwet Levi ac nga tuku liki Bethlehem in acn Judah. Nga suk sie acn tuh ngan muta we.”
10 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.”
Na Micah el fahk nu sel, “Fahsru muta yuruk. Nga lungse kom in oana sie papa nu sik ac mwet tol luk, ac nga fah moli nu sum ke ipin silver singoul ke yac se, oayapa sot nuknuk lom ac kite kom.”
11 So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
Mwet fusr Levi sac el insese in muta yorol, ac Micah el oral oana in ma natul.
12 Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
Micah el sang tuh elan orekma in mwet tol nu sel, ac el muta in lohm sel Micah.
13 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.”
Ac Micah el fahk, “Inge nga etu lah LEUM GOD El ac akinsewowoyeyu mweyen mwet Levi se pa mwet tol luk uh.”
