Waamuzi 17
1 Palikuwa na mtu aliyeitwa Mika ambaye aliishi katika vilima vya Efraimu.
There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
2 Akamwambia mama yake, “Zile shekeli 1,100 za fedha zilizochukuliwa kwako, ambazo nilisikia ukizinenea maneno ya laana, hizi hapa; mimi ndiye niliyezichukua, lakini sasa ninakurudishia.” Ndipo mama yake akamwambia, “Bwana na akubariki, mwanangu.”
He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears—behold, the silver is with me. I took it.” His mother said, “May Yahweh bless my son!”
3 Alipozirudisha zile shekeli 1,100 za fedha kwa mama yake, mama yake akamwambia, “Mimi nimeiweka fedha hii wakfu kwa Bwana kwa ajili ya mwanangu kutengenezea kinyago cha kuchonga na sanamu ya kusubu. Mimi nitakurudishia wewe.”
He restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, then his mother said, “I most certainly dedicate the silver to Yahweh from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a molten image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.”
4 Hivyo akamrudishia mama yake ile fedha, naye mama yake akachukua shekeli mia mbili za hiyo fedha na kumpa mfua fedha, ambaye aliifanyiza kinyago na sanamu. Navyo vikawekwa ndani ya nyumba ya Mika.
When he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave them to a silversmith, who made a carved image and a molten image out of it. It was in the house of Micah.
5 Basi Mika alikuwa na mahali pa kuabudia miungu, akatengeneza naivera, pamoja na vinyago, na kumweka mmoja wa wanawe kuwa kuhani wake.
The man Micah had a house of gods, and he made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
6 Katika siku hizo Israeli hawakuwa na mfalme, kila mmoja akafanya kama alivyoona vyema machoni pake mwenyewe.
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.
7 Basi palikuwa na kijana mmoja wa Bethlehemu ya Yuda. Yeye alikuwa Mlawi aliyeishi miongoni mwa kabila la Yuda.
There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.
8 Huyu kijana akatoka katika mji huo wa Bethlehemu ya Yuda na kutafuta mahali pengine ambapo angeweza kuishi. Alipokuwa akisafiri, akafika nyumbani kwa Mika katika vilima vya Efraimu.
The man departed out of the city, out of Bethlehem Judah, to live where he could find a place, and he came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he traveled.
9 Mika akamuuliza, “Wewe umetoka wapi?” Akamjibu, “Mimi ni Mlawi kutoka Bethlehemu ya Yuda, ninatafuta mahali pa kuishi.”
Micah said to him, “Where did you come from?” He said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem Judah, and I am looking for a place to live.”
10 Ndipo Mika akamwambia, “Ishi pamoja nami, uwe baba yangu na kuhani wangu, nami nitakupa shekeli kumi za fedha, nguo na chakula.”
Micah said to him, “Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, a suit of clothing, and your food.” So the Levite went in.
11 Hivyo yule Mlawi akakubali kuishi pamoja naye, naye huyo kijana akawa kwake kama mmoja wa wanawe.
The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons.
12 Hivyo Mika akamweka wakfu huyo kijana Mlawi, naye huyo akawa kuhani wake na kuishi nyumbani mwake.
Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
13 Ndipo Mika akasema, “Sasa najua Bwana atanitendea mema, kwa kuwa Mlawi huyu amekuwa kuhani wangu.”
Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.”
