Balam 17
1 Waaliwo omusajja eyabeeranga mu nsi ey’ensozi Efulayimu, erinnya lye Mikka.
And there was a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2 N’agamba nnyina nti, “Ebitundu bya ffeeza olukumi mu ekikumi ebyakubulako, n’okukolima n’okolima, nga mpulira, laba, effeeza eyo nze njirina. Nze nagitwala.” Awo nnyina n’amugamba nti, “Mwana wange, Mukama Katonda akuwe omukisa.”
And he said to his mother, The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me. I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son from Jehovah.
3 Awo bwe yakomyawo ebitundu bya ffeeza ebyo olukumi mu ekikumi, eri nnyina, nnyina n’amugamba nti, “Mpaayo effeeza eno eri Mukama Katonda, okuva mu mukono gwange ku lw’omwana wange, ekolebwemu ekifaananyi ekyole n’ekifaananyi ekisaanuuse, era ndimuzza gy’oli.”
And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, I verily dedicate the silver to Jehovah from my hand for my son to make a graven image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to thee.
4 Awo bwe yazza effeeza, nnyina n’addira ebitundu ebikumi bibiri ebya ffeeza, n’abiwa omuweesi wa ffeeza, n’abikolamu ekifaananyi ekyole n’ekifaananyi ekisaanuuse. Ne biteekebwa mu nnyumba ya Mikka.
And when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made of it a graven image and a molten image. And it was in the house of Micah.
5 Omusajja oyo Mikka yalina essabo. N’akola efodi, n’ebifaananyi ebyole n’ayawula omu ku batabani be okuba kabona we.
And the man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6 Mu biro ebyo tewaaliwo kabaka mu Isirayiri, era buli muntu yakolanga nga bw’alaba.
In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
7 Ne wabaawo omuvubuka ow’omu kika kya Yuda nga Muleevi, eyabeeranga mu Besirekemuyuda.
And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8 N’ava mu kibuga kya Besirekemuyuda n’atandika okunoonya gy’anaabera, n’atuuka mu nsi ey’ensozi eya Efulayimu mu nnyumba ya Mikka. Wabula yali akyali ku lugendo ng’akyanoonya aw’okubeera.
And the man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem-judah, to sojourn where he could find a place. And he came to the hill-country of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
9 Mikka n’amubuuza nti, “Ova wa?” Omuleevi n’amuddamu nti, “Nva mu Besirekemuyuda, era nnoonya we nnyinza okubeera.”
And Micah said to him, From where come thou? And he said to him, I am a Levite of Bethlehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
10 Mikka n’amugamba nti, “Beera nange, obeere kitange era kabona, nange ndikuwa ebitundu bya ffeeza kkumi ng’empeera, era ne nkuwa n’engoye n’emmere.” Omuleevi n’abeera naye.
And Micah said to him, Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten pieces of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy food. So the Levite went in.
11 Awo Omuleevi n’akkiriza okubeera n’omusajja oyo, era omuvubuka n’aba gy’ali ng’omu ku batabani be.
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man was to him as one of his sons.
12 Awo Mikka n’ayawula Omuleevi, era omuvubuka oyo n’abeera kabona we n’abeera mu nnyumba ya Mikka.
And Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13 Mikka n’ayogera nti, “Kaakano mmanyi nga Mukama Katonda anankoleranga ebirungi, kubanga nnina Omuleevi nga kabona wange.”
Then Micah said, Now I know that Jehovah will do me good, seeing I have a Levite for my priest.
