Abbootii Murtii 17
1 Namicha biyya gaara Efreem keessa jiraatu kan maqaan isaa Miikaayaa jedhamu tokkotu ture;
There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.
2 innis haadha isaatiin, “Meetiin kuma tokkoo fi dhibba tokko ulfaatu kan si duraa badee ani utuu ati nama si jalaa fudhate abaartuu dhagaʼe sun na bira jira; kan fudhates anuma” jedhe. Haati isaas, “Yaa ilma ko, Waaqayyo si haa eebbisu” jetteen.
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 Yommuu inni meetii kuma tokkoo fi dhibba tokko sana deebisee haadha isaatti kennettis, haati isaa, “Akka ilmi koo fakkii meetiin itti uffifame ittiin hojjetuuf ani meetii koo Waaqayyoof addaan baaseera. Ani ammas deebisee sittin kenna” jetteen.
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 Kanaafuu inni meetii sana deebisee haadha isaatiif kenne; isheenis meetii dhibba lama fuutee tumtuu meetiitti kennite; tumtuun sunis fakkii fi Waaqa tolfamaa ittiin hojjete. Fakkii fi Waaqni tolfamaan sunis mana Miikaayaa keessa kaaʼaman.
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 Namichi Miikaa jedhamu kunis galma Waaqa tolfamaa qaba ture; innis dirataa fi waaqota tolfamoo tokko tokko tolchee ilmaan isaa keessaa nama tokko luba godhate.
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 Bara sana Israaʼel keessa mootiin hin jiru ture; tokkoon tokkoon namaa waanuma isatti tole hojjeta ture.
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 Yeroo sanatti biyya Yihuudaa keessa dargaggeessa gosa Lewwii kan Beetlihem keessa gosa Yihuudaa gidduu jiraatu tokkotu ture.
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 Innis iddoo jireenyaa kan biraa barbaaduuf jedhee magaalaa sana dhiisee deeme. Utuma deemuus gara biyya gaaraa Efreem mana Miikaa dhufe.
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 Miikaanis, “Ati eessaa dhufte?” jedhee isa gaafate. Innis, “Ani nama Lewwii kan Beetlihem biyya Yihuudaatii dhufee iddoo jireenyaa barbaaduu dha” jedheen.
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 Miikaanis, “Na wajjin jiraadhuutii abbaa fi luba naa taʼi; anis waggaatti meetii kudhan siif kenna; uffata keetii fi nyaata kees nan dandaʼa” isaan jedhe.
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 Kanaafuu Lewwichi sun isa wajjin jiraachuuf walii gale; dargaggeessi sunis Miikaadhaaf ilmaan isaa keessaa akkuma nama tokkoo taʼe.
So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.
12 Miikaanis dargaggeessa Lewwii sana muudate; innis luba isaa taʼee mana isaa jiraate.
Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.
13 Miikaanis, “Erga Lewwichi kun luba koo taʼe, ani akka Waaqayyo waan gaarii naa godhu nan beeka” jedhe.
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.”
