Abahluleli 17
1 Indoda eyayithiwa nguMikha eyayivela elizweni lamaqaqa ako-Efrayimi
And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name [was] Micah.
2 yathi kunina, “Amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu alitshumi lanye athathwa kuwe njalo engakuzwa uwaqalekisa, sikimi lesosiliva; yimi engasithathayo.” Unina wathi, “UThixo kakubusise, ndodana yami!”
And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred [shekels] of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver [is] with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed [be thou] of the LORD, my son.
3 Esewabuyisele kunina amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu alitshumi lanye, unina wathi, “Isiliva sami ngisahlukanisela uThixo ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba indodana yami yenze isithombe esibaziweyo, sahuqwa ngesiliva. Ngizasibisela kuwe.”
And when he had restored the eleven hundred [shekels] of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
4 Ngakho esesibisele kunina isiliva, unina wasethatha amashekeli angamakhulu amabili esiliva wawanika umkhandi wesiliva, wenza isithombe ngaso. Sabekwa endlini kaMikha.
Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred [shekels] of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
5 UMikha lo wayelendawo yokukhonzela, njalo wenza isembatho semahlombe kanye lezithombe, wasebeka enye yamadodana akhe ukuba ngumphristi wakhe.
And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6 Ngalezonsuku u-Israyeli wayengelankosi; umuntu wonke ezenzela ayekubona kulungile kuye.
In those days [there was] no king in Israel, [but] every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.
7 Ijaha laseBhethilehema koJuda elalingumLevi, elalihlala phakathi kwabosendo lukaJuda,
And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who [was] a Levite, and he sojourned there.
8 lasuka kulowomuzi lidinga enye indawo yokuhlala. Ekuhambeni kwalo lafika endlini kaMikha elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi.
And the man departed out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find [a place: ] and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
9 UMikha walibuza wathi, “Uvela ngaphi na?” Lona lathi, “NgingumLevi ovela eBhethilehema koJuda, ngidinga indawo yokuhlala.”
And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I [am] a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find [a place].
10 UMikha wasesithi kulo, “Hlala lami ube ngubaba lomphristi wami, njalo ngizakupha amashekeli esiliva alitshumi ngomnyaka, izigqoko zakho kanye lokudla kwakho.”
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten [shekels] of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
11 Ngakho umLevi wavuma ukuhlala laye, njalo ijaha lelo lalinjengenye yamadodana akhe.
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
12 UMikha wabeka umLevi ukuba ngumphristi wakhe, njalo ijaha lelo lahlala endlini yakhe.
And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13 UMikha wasesithi, “Khathesi sengisazi ukuthi uThixo uzakwenza okulungileyo kimi, njengoba umLevi lo esebe ngumphristi wami.”
Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to [my] priest.
