Mpitsara 17
1 Nisy lehilahy tany amin’ ny tany havoan’ i Efraima, Mika no anarany.
There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
2 Ary hoy izy tamin’ ny reniny: Ilay sekely volafotsy zato amby arivo nalaina taminao, izay nasianao ozona sady nolazainao teo anatrehako, indro, ato amiko ny vola; izaho no naka azy. Dia hoy ny reniny: Hotahin’ i Jehovah anie ny zanako.
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 Ary rehefa naveriny tamin’ ny reniny ny sekely volafotsy zato amby arivo, dia hoy reniny: Atokako ho an’ i Jehovah mihitsy ity vola avy amin’ ny tanako ity ka hatolotro ho anao, ry zanako, hanaovana sarin-javatra voasokitra sy sarin-javatra an-idina, ary ankehitriny dia averiko ho aminao izy.
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 Ary rehefa naveriny tamin-dreniny ny volafotsy, dia naka volafotsy roan-jato ny reniny, ka nomeny ny mpanao an-idina hataony sarin-javatra voasokitra sy sarin-javatra an-idina; dia natao tao an-tranon’ i Mika izany.
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 Ary nanana tranon’ andriamanitra Mika sady efa nanao efoda sy terafima; ary ny zanany anankiray no natokany ka tonga mpisorony.
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 Tamin’ izany andro izany tsy nisy mpanjaka tamin’ ny Isiraely: fa samy nanao izay nataony ho marina avy ny olona rehetra.
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 Ary nisy zatovo avy any Betlehema-joda, tamin’ ny fokon’ i Joda, ary Levita izy sady nivahiny tao.
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 Ary ralehilahy niala tao an-tanàna Betlehema-joda hivahiny any amin’ izay azony hitoerana; ary nony nandeha izy, dia tonga tany amin’ ny tany havoan’ i Efraima tao an-tranon’ i Mika.
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 Ary hoy Mika taminy: Avy aiza moa ianao? Dia hoy kosa izy taminy: Levita avy any Betlehema-joda aho ka mandeha hivahiny eny amin’ izay azoko hitoerana.
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 Dia hoy Mika taminy: Mitoera atỳ amiko ianao, ary aoka ho raiko sy ho mpisoroko, dia homeko sekely folo volafotsy isan-taona sy fitafiana ary hanina. Dia niditra ilay Levita.
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 Ary nanaiky hitoetra tao amin-dralehilahy ilay Levita, ka dia tonga tahaka ny zanany izy.
So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
12 Dia natokan’ i Mika ilay Levita, ka dia tonga mpisorony izy ary nitoetra tao an-tranon’ i Mika.
Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
13 Dia hoy Mika: Fantatro izao fa hanisy soa ahy Jehovah, satria manana ity Levita ity ho mpisoroko aho.
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.”
