< Mpitsara 17 >
1 Tam-bohibohi’ i Efraime amy zay t’indaty atao Mikà.
There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
2 Le hoe re aman-drene’e, I volafoty arivo-tsi-zato nikamereñe ama’oy, i nititihe’o am-pitsanoñakoy, ingo te amako i volafotiy; izaho ty nandrambe aze. Le hoe ty rene’e, Tahie’ Iehovà irehe anako.
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 Aa ie nahere’e aman-drene’e i volafoty arivo-tsi-zatoy, le hoe ty rene’e: Toe hene navìko am’ Iehovà boak’ an-tañako ho a i ana-dahikoy i volafotiy, hitsenea’e sare pinàtepàtetse naho sare trinanake; aa le habaliko ama’o.
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 Aa ie nampoly ama’e i volafotiy, le nandrambesan-drene’e ty volafoty roanjato naho natolo’e ami’ty mpanao volafoty le namboare’e sare pinatetse naho sare trinanake, vaho tan-kiboho’ i Mikà ao izay.
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 Ie niañoñ’ay t’i Mikà, le nanan-kivohon-drahare, le nitsene hareañe naho terafime vaho nañory ty ana’e ho mpisoroñe
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 Ie henane zay, tsy amam-panjaka t’Israele vaho songa nanao ze tea’e am-pihaino’e ao ondatio.
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 Nisy ajalahy nte-Betlekheme e Iehoda, fifokoa’ Iehoda, nte-Levý, nañialo ao.
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 Niakatse an-drova Betlekheme e Iehoda re, hañialo amy ze toetse ho zoe’e; vaho ie amy lia’ey nivotrake Efraime an-kiboho’ i Mikà.
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 Le hoe t’i Mikà ama’e: Boak’ aia v’iheo? vaho hoe re ama’e: nte Levý iraho boake Betlekheme e Iehoda ao, mitaveañe mb’ amy ze mete hañialoako.
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 Le hoe t’i Mikà ama’e: Mimoneña amako atoa, soa t’ie ho rae naho mpisoroñe amako, le ho tolorako volafoty folo boa-taoñe naho fisikiñe vaho ty mahakama’o. Aa le nimoak’ ao i nte-Leviy.
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 Ninò’ i nte-Leviy ty himoneñe amy ‘ndatiy; vaho ni-hoe anak’ama’e i ajalahiy.
So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
12 Aa le noriza’ i Mikà i nte-Leviy vaho nanoeñe mpisoroñe i ajalahiy an-kiboho’ i Mikà ao.
Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
13 Le hoe t’i Mikà: Fantako te hañasoa ahiko t’Iehovà kanao aman-te-Levý ho mpisoroñe.
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.”