< Atiirĩrĩri 17 >
1 Na rĩrĩ, mũndũ wetagwo Mika wa kuuma bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ irĩma wa Efiraimu
In that time, there was a certain man, from mount Ephraim, named Micah.
2 akĩĩra nyina atĩrĩ, “Cekeri ngiri ĩmwe na igana rĩmwe cia betha iria cioirwo kuuma kũrĩ we, na iria ndaiguire ũkĩrumanĩra kĩrumi-rĩ, nĩ niĩ ndĩ nacio; nĩ niĩ ndacioire.” Nake nyina akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mũrũ wakwa, Jehova arokũrathima.”
And he said to his mother, “The one thousand one hundred silver coins, which you had separated for yourself, and about which you had sworn in my hearing, behold, I have them, and they are with me.” And she answered him, “My son has been blessed by the Lord.”
3 Rĩrĩa aacookirie cekeri icio ngiri ĩmwe na igana rĩmwe cia betha kũrĩ nyina-rĩ, nyina akiuga atĩrĩ, “Niĩ nĩndamũrĩra Jehova betha yakwa kũna nĩgeetha mũrũ wakwa athondeke mũhianano mũicũhie na mũhianano wa gũtwekio. Nĩngũgũcookeria.”
Therefore, he restored them to his mother. And she said to him: “I have consecrated and vowed this silver to the Lord, so that my son would receive it from my hand, and would make a molten idol and a graven image. And now I deliver it to you.”
4 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio agĩcookia betha ĩyo kũrĩ nyina, nake nyina akĩoya cekeri magana meerĩ cia betha na agĩcineana kũrĩ mũturi wa betha, ũrĩa wacithondekire mũhianano wa gwacũhio na mũhianano wa gũtwekio. Nayo ikĩigwo thĩinĩ wa nyũmba ya Mika.
And when he restored these to his mother, she took two hundred of the silver coins, and she gave them to the silversmith, so that he might make from them a molten idol and a graven image. And it was in the house of Micah.
5 Na rĩrĩ, mũndũ ũcio wetagwo Mika nĩ aarĩ na ihooero, nake agĩthondeka ebodi, na mĩhianano ĩmwe ya gũtwekio na agĩtua mũriũ ũmwe wake mũthĩnjĩri-ngai wake.
And he also separated in it a little shrine for the god. And he made an ephod and theraphim, that is, a priestly garment and idols. And he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.
6 Matukũ-inĩ macio Isiraeli gũtiarĩ mũthamaki; o mũndũ ekaga ũrĩa oonaga kwagĩrĩire.
In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
7 Mũlawii ũmwe mwanake kuuma itũũra rĩa Bethilehemu ya Juda, watũũraga thĩinĩ wa mũhĩrĩga wa Juda,
Also, there was another young man, from Bethlehem of Judah, one of his relatives. And he himself was a Levite, and he was living there.
8 akiuma itũũra-inĩ rĩu agĩthiĩ gwetha kũndũ kũngĩ gwa gũtũũra. Arĩ njĩra-inĩ agĩkora nyũmba ya Mika ĩrĩa yarĩ bũrũri-inĩ ũrĩa wa irĩma wa Efiraimu.
Then, departing from the city of Bethlehem, he wished to sojourn wherever he would find it beneficial to himself. And when he had arrived at mount Ephraim, while making the journey, he also turned aside for a little while to the house of Micah.
9 Mika akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Wee uumĩte kũ?” Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndĩ Mũlawii kuuma Bethilehemu ya Juda, na ndĩreetha kũndũ gwa gũtũũra.”
And he was asked by him where he came from. And he responded: “I am a Levite from Bethlehem of Judah. And I am traveling so that I may live where I am able, if I perceive it to be useful to me.”
10 Nake Mika akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Tũũrania na niĩ ũtuĩke baba na mũthĩnjĩri-ngai wakwa, na nĩndĩrĩkũheaga cekeri ikũmi cia betha o mwaka, na nguo ciaku cia kwĩhumba na irio cia kũrĩa.”
And Micah said: “Stay with me. And you shall be to me like a parent and a priest. And I will give to you, each year, ten silver coins, and a double-layered garment, and whatever provisions are necessary.”
11 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Mũlawii ũcio agĩĩtĩkĩra gũtũũrania hamwe nake, na mwanake ũcio agĩtuĩka ta ũmwe wa ariũ ake.
He agreed, and he stayed with the man. And he was to him like one of his sons.
12 Ningĩ Mika akĩamũra Mũlawii ũcio, nake mwanake ũcio agĩtuĩka mũthĩnjĩri-ngai wake na agĩtũũra gwake mũciĩ.
And Micah filled his hand, and he had the young man with him as his priest,
13 Nake Mika akiuga atĩrĩ, “Rĩu nĩndamenya atĩ Jehova nĩekũnjĩka wega, nĩgũkorwo Mũlawii ũyũ nĩatuĩkĩte mũthĩnjĩri-ngai wakwa.”
saying: “Now I know that God will be good to me, since I have a priest from the stock of the Levites.”