Ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo 17

1 Ŋutsu aɖe nɔ Efraim ƒe tonyigba dzi, eŋkɔe nye Mika.

Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim

2 Gbe ɖeka la, Mika gblɔ na dadaa be, “Wò klosalo akpe ɖeka kple alafa si nèbe ame aɖe fi, eye nèle fi ƒom le amea dem lae nye esi. Nyee fii.” Dadaa gblɔ nɛ be, “Mawu nayra wò le ale si nèʋu eme nam la ta.”

said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”

3 Mika trɔ ga la na dadaa eye dadaa gblɔ nɛ be, “Makɔ ga la ŋu atsɔ na Aƒetɔ la ɖe tawò. Mana woawɔ aklamakpakpɛ aɖe na wò eye woafa klosalo ɖe eŋu.”

And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”

4 Dadaa tsɔ klosalo alafa eve na klosaloɖaŋuwɔla aɖe wòwɔ aklamakpakpɛ aɖe da ɖe Mika ƒe aƒe me.

So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.

5 Legba la ƒe ha ƒomevi vovovowo nɔ Mika si eye wòtsɔ via ɖeka ɖo wo nunɔlae.

Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.

6 Le ŋkeke mawo me la, fia aɖeke menɔ Israel o eya ta ame sia ame wɔa nu sia nu si dze eŋu.

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

7 Ɖekakpui aɖe si nye Levitɔ la nɔ Betlehem le Yuda,

And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.

8 edzo le Betlehem be yeadi teƒe bubu aɖe anɔ. Le eƒe mɔzɔzɔ me la, eva ɖo Mika ƒe aƒe me le Efraim ƒe tonyigba dzi.

This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

9 Mika biae be, “Afi ka nètso?” Amedzro la ɖo eŋu be, “Levitɔe menye metso Betlehem le Yuda, mele teƒe nyui aɖe dim manɔ.”

“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”

10 Mika gblɔ nɛ be, “Nɔ gbɔnye eye nànye fofo kple nunɔla nam. Mana klosalo ewo wò ƒe sia ƒe hekpe ɖe wò nudodo, nuɖuɖu kple dɔƒe ŋu.” Levitɔ la lɔ̃ eye wòtsi anyi.

“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in

11 Enɔ na Mika abe via ŋutsuwo dometɔ ɖeka ene.

and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah.

12 Mika kɔ ɖekakpui la ŋu eye wòzu nunɔla nɛ.

Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.

13 Mika gblɔ be, “Menyae be Yehowa ayram azɔ elabena Levitɔ aɖee nye nunɔla le nye aƒe me.”

Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”