< Waamuzi 17 >
1 Kulikuwa na mtu katika nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, na jina lake ni Mika.
And there is a man of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name [is] Micah,
2 Akamwambia mama yake, “Shilingi 1, 100 za fedha ambazo zilichukuliwa kutoka kwako, ambazo ulizungumza kwa kiapo, na kuniambia-tazama hapa! Ninazo fedha pamoja nami. Nimeziiba.” Mama yake akasema, 'Na Bwana atakubariki, mwanangu!'
and he saith to his mother, 'The eleven hundred silverlings which have been taken of thine, and [of which] thou hast sworn, and also spoken in mine ears; lo, the silver [is] with me, I have taken it;' and his mother saith, 'Blessed [is] my son of Jehovah.'
3 Alirejesha vipande 1, 100 vya fedha kwa mama yake na mama yake akasema, “Nimeweka fedha hii kwa Bwana, kwa ajili ya mwanangu kuifanya na kuchonga takwimu za chuma.
And he giveth back the eleven hundred silverlings to his mother, and his mother saith, 'I had certainly sanctified the silver to Jehovah, from my hand, for my son, to make a graven image, and a molten image; and now, I give it back to thee.'
4 Kwa hiyo sasa, ninawarejesha.” Alipokuwa amrudishia mama yake fedha, mama yake alichukua vipande mia mbili za fedha na akawapa mfanyakazi wa chuma ambaye aliwafanya kuwa sanamu na kuchonga takwimu za chuma, na wakawekwa ndani ya nyumba ya Mika.
And he giveth back the money to his mother, and his mother taketh two hundred silverlings, and giveth them to a refiner, and he maketh them a graven image, and a molten image, and it is in the house of Micah.
5 Mtu huyo Mika alikuwa na nyumba ya sanamu, naye akafanya efodi na nyumba ya miungu, naye akaajiri mmoja wa wanawe awe mkuhani wake.
As to the man Micah, he hath a house of gods, and he maketh an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrateth the hand of one of his sons, and he is to him for a priest;
6 Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme huko Israeli, na kila mtu alifanya yaliyo sawa machoni pake.
in those days there is no king in Israel, each that which is right in his own eyes doth.
7 Kisha kulikuwa na kijana mmoja wa Bethlehemu huko Yuda, wa jamaa ya Yuda, ambaye alikuwa Mlawi. Alikaa huko ili kutimiza majukumu yake.
And there is a young man of Beth-Lehem-Judah, of the family of Judah, and he [is] a Levite, and he [is] a sojourner there.
8 Mtu huyo aliondoka Bethlehemu huko Yuda kwenda kutafuta mahali pa kuishi. Alipokuwa akienda, afika nyumbani kwa Mika katika nchi ya mlima wa Efraimu.
And the man goeth out of the city, out of Beth-Lehem-Judah, to sojourn where he doth find, and cometh to the hill-country of Ephraim, unto the house of Micah, to work his way.
9 Mika akamwambia, Unatoka wapi? Huyo mtu akamwambia, Mimi ni Mlawi wa Bethlehemu huko Yuda, ninakwenda kutafuta mahali nipate kuishi.
And Micah saith to him, 'Whence comest thou?' and he saith unto him, 'A Levite [am] I, of Beth-Lehem-Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I do find.'
10 Mika akamwambia, “kaa pamoja nami, uwe baba yangu na kuhani wangu. Nitawapa vipande kumi vya fedha kwa mwaka, suti ya nguo, na chakula chako.” Basi Mlawi akaingia nyumbani mwake.
And Micah saith to him, 'Dwell with me, and be to me for a father and for a priest, and I give to thee ten silverlings for the days, and a suit of garments, and thy sustenance;' and the Levite goeth [in].
11 Mlawi alikuwa na furaha ya kuishi na mtu huyo, na huyo kijana kwa Mika akawa kama mmoja wa wanawe.
And the Levite is willing to dwell with the man, and the young man is to him as one of his sons.
12 Mika akamtenga Mlawi kwa ajili ya kazi takatifu, na huyo kijana akawa kuhani wake, naye alikuwa katika nyumba ya Mika.
And Micah consecrateth the hand of the Levite, and the young man is to him for a priest, and he is in the house of Micah,
13 Ndipo Mika akasema, Sasa najua ya kuwa Bwana atanifanyia mema, kwa kuwa Mlawi huyu amekuwa kuhani wangu.
and Micah saith, 'Now I have known that Jehovah doth good to me, for the Levite hath been to me for a priest.'