Fakamaau 17

1 Pea naʻe ai ʻae tangata ʻoe moʻunga ʻo ʻIfalemi, naʻe hingoa ko Maika.

There was a man named Micah who lived in the hilly area where the tribe of Ephraim live.

2 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe ia ki heʻene faʻē, “Ko e konga siliva ʻe taha afe mo e teau ʻe taha, ʻaia naʻe kaihaʻasi ʻiate koe, ʻaia naʻa ke kape ai, mo ke lea ki ai ʻi hoku ʻao foki, vakai, ʻoku ʻiate au ʻae siliva; ko au naʻaku ʻave ia.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe heʻene faʻē, “Ko ʻeku tama, ke ke monūʻia koe ʻia Sihova.”

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 Pea ʻi heʻene toe ʻatu ʻae konga siliva ʻe taha afe mo e teau ki heʻene faʻē, naʻe pehē ʻe heʻene faʻē, “Naʻe ʻosi ʻeku fakatapu hono kotoa ʻoe siliva kia Sihova mei hoku nima, pea mei heʻeku tama, ke ngaohi ʻaki ia ʻae meʻa fakatātā kuo tā mo e meʻa fakatātā kuo haka: pea ko eni, te u toe tuku ia kiate koe.”

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 Ka naʻa ne toe ʻatu ʻae ngaahi paʻanga ki heʻene faʻē; pea toʻo ʻe heʻene faʻē ʻo tuku ki he tufunga haka meʻa, ʻae konga siliva ʻe uangeau, ʻaia naʻa ne ngaohi ʻaki ʻae meʻa fakatātā kuo tā mo e fakatātā kuo haka: pea ne na tuʻu ʻi he fale ʻo Maika.

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 Pea naʻe ʻi he tangata ko Maika ha fale ʻo hono ʻotua, pea naʻa ne ngaohi ha ʻefoti mo e tamapua, pea naʻa ne fakatapui hono foha ʻe tokotaha, ʻaia naʻe hoko ko ʻene taulaʻeiki.

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 Pea ʻi he ngaahi ʻaho ko ia naʻe ʻikai ha tuʻi ʻi ʻIsileli, ka naʻe fai ʻe he tangata kotoa pē ʻaia naʻe lelei ʻi hono mata ʻoʻona.

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 Pea naʻe ai ʻae tangata talavou ʻe taha mei Petelihema Siuta ʻi he faʻahinga ʻo Siuta, ko e Livai ia, pea naʻe nofo ia ʻi ai.

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 Pea naʻe hiki ʻae tangata ko ia mei he kolo ko Petelihema Siuta ke ʻalu ʻo ʻāunofo ʻi ha potu te ne hoko ki ai: pea naʻe hoko atu ia ki he moʻunga ko ʻIfalemi ki he fale ʻo Maika, ʻi heʻene fononga.

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 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Maika kiate ia, “ʻOku ke haʻu mei fē? Pea pehē ʻe ia kiate ia, Ko e Livai au mei Petelihema Siuta, pea ʻoku ou ʻalu ke nofo ʻi ha potu pe.”

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 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Maika kiate ia, “Ke ta nonofo, mo au, pea ke ʻiate au ko e tamai mo e taulaʻeiki, pea te u ʻatu kiate koe ʻae konga siliva ʻe hongofulu ʻi he taʻu ʻe taha, mo e ngaahi kofu kotoa, pea mo e meʻakai.” Pea naʻe afe ki lotoʻā ʻae tangata Livai.

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 Pea naʻe fiemālie ai ʻae Livai ke na nonofo mo e tangata; pea naʻe tatau ʻae talavou kiate ia mo hono foha ʻe taha.

So the young man agreed to live with Micah. He became like one of Micah’s own sons.

12 Pea naʻe fakanofo ʻe Maika ʻae tangata Livai; pea naʻe hoko ʻae talavou ko hono taulaʻeiki, pea naʻe nofo ia ʻi he fale ʻo Maika.

Micah appointed him to be a priest, and he lived in Micah’s house.

13 Pea naʻe pehē ai ʻe Maika, “ʻOku ou ʻilo eni ʻe fai lelei ʻe Sihova kiate au, he kuo u maʻu ha [tangata ]Livai ke taulaʻeiki.”

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.”