Ndị Ikpe 17
1 E nwere otu nwoke si nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem, aha ya bụ Maịka.
In that time, there was a certain man, from mount Ephraim, named Micah.
2 Otu ụbọchị, Maịka gwara nne ya okwu sị ya, “I chetara puku na narị ego ọlaọcha shekel ndị ahụ funarịrị gị, nke i ji nʼihi ya bụọ onye zuru ya ọnụ nʼoge gara aga? Eji m ọlaọcha ahụ. Ọ bụ m weere ya.” Nne ya sịrị, “Ka Onyenwe anyị gọzie gị nwa m!”
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 Mgbe o nyeghachiri nne ya puku na narị ego ọlaọcha shekel ahụ, nne ya gwara ya sị, “Ana m edo ọlaọcha ndị a nsọ nye Onyenwe anyị nʼihi nwa m nwoke maka iji ya mee oyiyi a pịrị apị na arụsị a kpụrụ akpụ. Aga m emesịa nyeghachi gị ya.”
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 Ya mere, o nyeghachiri nne ya ọlaọcha ahụ, Nne ya weere narị ego ọlaọcha shekel abụọ wegara ọkpụ ụzụ ọlaọcha, onye jiri ya mee oyiyi a pịrị apị na ihe a kpụrụ akpụ. E tinyere ha nʼụlọ Maịka.
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 Nwoke ahụ bụ Maịka nwere ụlọ arụsị, o mere efọọd na arụsị ezinaụlọ dị iche iche, mee otu nʼime ụmụ ya ndị ikom ka ọ bụrụ onye nchụaja ya.
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 Nʼụbọchị ndị a, Izrel enweghị eze na-achị ha. Nʼihi nke a, onye ọbụla na-eme ihe ọbụla ọ chọrọ, na ihe ọbụla dị ya mma nʼanya.
In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
7 Otu nwokorobịa onye Livayị, sitere nʼobodo Betlehem nke dị na Juda, bụ onye binyere ndị agbụrụ 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 hapụrụ obodo ahụ, bụ Betlehem Juda ịchọ ọnọdụ nʼebe ọzọ. Mgbe ọ na-aga, ọ bịaruru nʼụlọ Maịka nʼala ugwu ugwu Ifrem.
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 Maịka jụrụ ya, “Ebee ka i si bịa?” Ọ sịrị “Abụ m onye Livayị si Betlehem dị na Juda. Ana m achọrọ onwe m ebe m ga-anọ.”
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 Mgbe ahụ, Maịka sịrị ya, “Soro biri nʼụlọ m, ghọkwara m nna na onye nchụaja, aga m akwụ gị mkpụrụ ego ọlaọcha shekel iri kwa afọ, nyekwa gị uwe, na ihe oriri.”
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 Ya mere, onye Livayị ahụ kwere nʼihe ọ gwara ya, nwokorobịa ahụ sooro ya biri ka otu nʼime ụmụ ya ndị ikom.
He agreed, and he stayed with the man. And he was to him like one of his sons.
12 Mgbe ahụ, Maịka nyere onye Livayị ahụ ọrụ, nwokorobịa ahụ ghọọrọ ya onye nchụaja, birikwa nʼụlọ ya.
And Micah filled his hand, and he had the young man with him as his priest,
13 Mgbe ahụ, Maịka kwuru, “Ugbu a, amaara m na Onyenwe anyị ga-agọzi m nke ukwuu, nʼihi na onye Livayị a aghọọla onye nchụaja m.”
saying: “Now I know that God will be good to me, since I have a priest from the stock of the Levites.”
