Atemmufoɔ 17
1 Ɔbarima bi tenaa Efraim bepɔ asase so a na wɔfrɛ no Mika.
In that time, there was a certain man, from mount Ephraim, named Micah.
2 Ɛda koro bi, ɔka kyerɛɛ ne maame sɛ, “Metee sɛ wodomee ɔkorɔmfoɔ a ɔwiaa wo nnwetɛbena kilogram dumienu firii wo nkyɛn no. Ɛyɛ, ɛnie. Me ara na mefaeɛ.” Ne maame kaa sɛ, “Awurade nhyira wo sɛ woaka nokorɛ.”
And he said to his mother, “The one thousand one hundred silver coins, which you had separated for yourself, and about which you had sworn in my hearing, behold, I have them, and they are with me.” And she answered him, “My son has been blessed by the Lord.”
3 Ɔde sika no maa no no, ne maame no kaa sɛ, “Mede saa nnwetɛbena kilogram dumienu ne fa yi ma Awurade. Mɛma wɔayɛ nsɛsodeɛ ne ohoni a wɔagu de ahyɛ me babarima animuonyam.”
Therefore, he restored them to his mother. And she said to him: “I have consecrated and vowed this silver to the Lord, so that my son would receive it from my hand, and would make a molten idol and a graven image. And now I deliver it to you.”
4 Enti ne maame de nnwetɛbena ahanu kɔmaa dwetɛdwumfoɔ na ɔde yɛɛ nsɛsodeɛ ne ohoni. Na wɔde sii Mika fie.
And when he restored these to his mother, she took two hundred of the silver coins, and she gave them to the silversmith, so that he might make from them a molten idol and a graven image. And it was in the house of Micah.
5 Mika yɛɛ asɔreeɛ na ɔyɛɛ asɔfotadeɛ ne efiefoɔ ahoni kaa ho. Ɛnna ɔhyɛɛ ne mmammarima no mu baako ɔsɔfoɔ.
And he also separated in it a little shrine for the god. And he made an ephod and theraphim, that is, a priestly garment and idols. And he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became his priest.
6 Saa ɛberɛ no na Israel nni ɔhene, enti na nnipa no yɛ deɛ wɔpɛ biara.
In those days, there was no king in Israel. Instead, each one did what seemed right to himself.
7 Ɛda bi, Lewini aberanteɛ bi a ɔfiri Betlehem a ɛwɔ Yuda
Also, there was another young man, from Bethlehem of Judah, one of his relatives. And he himself was a Levite, and he was living there.
8 bɛduruu saa beaeɛ hɔ wɔ Efraim asase so a ɔrepɛ baabi pa atena. Ɛbaa sɛ, ɔkɔsoɛɛ Mika fie.
Then, departing from the city of Bethlehem, he wished to sojourn wherever he would find it beneficial to himself. And when he had arrived at mount Ephraim, while making the journey, he also turned aside for a little while to the house of Micah.
9 Mika bisaa no sɛ, “Ɛhe na wofiri?” Ɔno nso buaa sɛ, “Meyɛ Lewini a mefiri Betlehem wɔ Yuda na merepɛ baabi matena.”
And he was asked by him where he came from. And he responded: “I am a Levite from Bethlehem of Judah. And I am traveling so that I may live where I am able, if I perceive it to be useful to me.”
10 Mika ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo ne me ntena ha, na wobɛyɛ agya ne ɔsɔfoɔ ama me. Mɛma wo nnwetɛbena gram ɔha ne dunan afe biara; mɛma wo ntadeɛ ne aduane.”
And Micah said: “Stay with me. And you shall be to me like a parent and a priest. And I will give to you, each year, ten silver coins, and a double-layered garment, and whatever provisions are necessary.”
11 Lewini no penee so na ɔbɛyɛɛ sɛ Mika mmammarima no mu baako.
He agreed, and he stayed with the man. And he was to him like one of his sons.
12 Enti, Mika hyɛɛ Lewini no ɔsɔfoɔ, na ɔtenaa Mika fie.
And Micah filled his hand, and he had the young man with him as his priest,
13 Na Mika kaa sɛ, “Menim sɛ Awurade bɛhyira me, ɛfiri sɛ, mewɔ Lewini a ɔresom sɛ me ɔsɔfoɔ.”
saying: “Now I know that God will be good to me, since I have a priest from the stock of the Levites.”
