Abahluleli 17
1 Indoda eyayithiwa nguMikha eyayivela elizweni lamaqaqa ako-Efrayimi
And there was a man of the mountain of Ephraim, whose name was Michayhu.
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 spokest of also in my ears, —behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be my son unto the Lord.
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 he restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother; and his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand, for my son, to make a graven and molten image; and now I will give it back unto thee.
4 Ngakho esesibisele kunina isiliva, unina wasethatha amashekeli angamakhulu amabili esiliva wawanika umkhandi wesiliva, wenza isithombe ngaso. Sabekwa endlini kaMikha.
Yet he gave the money back unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the silversmith, who made thereof a graven and molten image; and it was 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 a house of god, and he 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: every man did what seemed right in his own eyes.
7 Ijaha laseBhethilehema koJuda elalingumLevi, elalihlala phakathi kwabosendo lukaJuda,
And there was a young man out of Beth-lechem-judah of the family of Judah, but he was a Levite, and sojourned there.
8 lasuka kulowomuzi lidinga enye indawo yokuhlala. Ekuhambeni kwalo lafika endlini kaMikha elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi.
And the man departed from the city, from Beth-lechem-judah, to sojourn where he could find [a place]; and he came to the mountain of Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he was pursuing his journey.
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 from Beth-lechem-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, Remain with me, and become unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver for the year, and suitable apparel, and thy victuals. And the Levite went in.
11 Ngakho umLevi wavuma ukuhlala laye, njalo ijaha lelo lalinjengenye yamadodana akhe.
And the Levite consented 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 remained 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 I know that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have obtained a Levite for priest.
