Atiirĩrĩri 17
1 Na rĩrĩ, mũndũ wetagwo Mika wa kuuma bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ irĩma wa Efiraimu
There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
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.”
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 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.”
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 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.
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 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.
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 Matukũ-inĩ macio Isiraeli gũtiarĩ mũthamaki; o mũndũ ekaga ũrĩa oonaga kwagĩrĩire.
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 Mũlawii ũmwe mwanake kuuma itũũra rĩa Bethilehemu ya Juda, watũũraga thĩinĩ wa mũhĩrĩga wa Juda,
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 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.
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 akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Wee uumĩte kũ?” Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Niĩ ndĩ Mũlawii kuuma Bethilehemu ya Juda, na ndĩreetha kũndũ gwa gũtũũra.”
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 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.”
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 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Mũlawii ũcio agĩĩtĩkĩra gũtũũrania hamwe nake, na mwanake ũcio agĩtuĩka ta ũmwe wa ariũ ake.
So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
12 Ningĩ Mika akĩamũra Mũlawii ũcio, nake mwanake ũcio agĩtuĩka mũthĩnjĩri-ngai wake na agĩtũũra gwake mũciĩ.
Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
13 Nake Mika akiuga atĩrĩ, “Rĩu nĩndamenya atĩ Jehova nĩekũnjĩka wega, nĩgũkorwo Mũlawii ũyũ nĩatuĩkĩte mũthĩnjĩri-ngai wakwa.”
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.”
