Abahluleli 17
1 Kwakukhona-ke umuntu wentabeni yakoEfrayimi, obizo lakhe lalinguMika.
A man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2 Wasesithi kunina: Izinhlamvu zesiliva eziyinkulungwane lekhulu ezathathwa kuwe, owaqalekisa ngazo, njalo wakhuluma endlebeni zami, khangela, leyomali ikimi, mina ngayithatha. Unina wasesithi: Kawubusiswe eNkosini, ndodana yami.
told his mother, “Those eleven hundred shekels of silver that were stolen from you and that I heard you curse—I've got the silver. I was the one who took it.” Then his mother said, “My son, the Lord bless you!”
3 Wathi esezibuyisele kunina izinhlamvu eziyinkulungwane lekhulu zesiliva, unina wathi: Ngasengisehlukanisile lokusehlukanisela iNkosi isiliva sami sivela esandleni sami sibe ngesendodana yami, ukuze ngenze isithombe esibaziweyo lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa. Khathesi-ke ngizasibuyisela kuwe.
He gave back to his mother the eleven hundred shekels of silver. His mother announced, “I'm completely dedicating this money to the Lord. I'm handing it over to my son to have an idol carved, an image made with molten silver. So now I return it to you.”
4 Kodwa wayibuyisela imali kunina. Unina wasethatha izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingamakhulu amabili, wazinika umkhandi, owenza ngazo isithombe esibaziweyo lesithombe esibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa; zasezisiba sendlini kaMika.
After he'd returned the silver to his mother she gave two hundred shekels to a silversmith who made it into a carved idol, an image made with molten silver. They were kept in Micah's house.
5 Njalo lowomuntu uMika wayelendlu yabonkulunkulu, wenza i-efodi lamatherafi, wehlukanisa omunye wamadodana akhe, ukuze abe ngumpristi wakhe.
Micah had built a shrine for the idol. He also made an ephod and some household gods, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
6 Ngalezonsuku kwakungelankosi koIsrayeli; wonke umuntu wayesenza okwakulungile emehlweni akhe.
At that time Israel didn't have a king— everyone did what they themselves thought was the right thing to do.
7 Njalo kwakukhona ijaha leBhethelehema-Juda, elosendo lukaJuda, elalingumLevi, njalo lahlala njengowezizwe khona.
One young man, a Levite from the tribe of Judah had been living in Bethlehem in Judah,
8 Lowomuntu wasesuka emzini, eBhethelehema-Juda, ukuyahlala njengowezizwe lapho ayengathola khona indawo. Wafika entabeni yakoEfrayimi, endlini kaMika, ehamba ngendlela yakhe.
left Bethlehem to look for a different place to live. As he traveled through the hill country of Ephraim, he came to Micah's house.
9 UMika wasesithi kuye: Uvela ngaphi? Wasesithi kuye: NgingumLevi weBhethelehema-Juda, ngiya ukuyahlala njengowezizwe lapho engingathola khona indawo.
“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I'm a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” the man replied. “I'm looking for a place to live.”
10 UMika wasesithi kuye: Hlala lami, ube kimi ngubaba lompristi, mina ngizakunika izinhlamvu zesiliva ezilitshumi ngomnyaka, lezigqoko zokugqoka, lokudla kwakho. UmLevi wasengena.
“Come and stay here with me. You can be my ‘father’ and priest, and I'll give you ten shekels of silver a year, plus your clothes and food.” So the Levite went inside
11 UmLevi wavuma ukuhlala lalowomuntu; njalo ijaha laba kuye njengomunye wamadodana akhe.
and agreed to stay with him. The young man became like a son to him.
12 UMika wamehlukanisa umLevi, ijaha laselisiba ngumpristi wakhe, laba sendlini kaMika.
Micah ordained the Levite as his own priest and he lived in Micah's house.
13 UMika wasesithi: Khathesi ngiyazi ukuthi iNkosi izangenzela okuhle, ngoba ngilomLevi ongumpristi.
“I'm sure the Lord will bless me now, because I have a Levite as my priest,” Micah concluded.
