Ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo 17

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

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

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.”

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 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.”

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

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

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

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 Ɖekakpui aɖe si nye Levitɔ la nɔ Betlehem le Yuda,

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 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.

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

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 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.

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 Enɔ na Mika abe via ŋutsuwo dometɔ ɖeka ene.

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

12 Mika kɔ ɖekakpui la ŋu eye wòzu nunɔla nɛ.

Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s 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 Yahweh will do good things for me, because I have a man from the tribe of Levi to be my priest.”