Abahluleli 17

1 Indoda eyayithiwa nguMikha eyayivela elizweni lamaqaqa ako-Efrayimi

There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

2 yathi kunina, “Amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu alitshumi lanye athathwa kuwe njalo engakuzwa uwaqalekisa, sikimi lesosiliva; yimi engasithathayo.” Unina wathi, “UThixo kakubusise, ndodana yami!”

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 Esewabuyisele kunina amashekeli esiliva angamakhulu alitshumi lanye, unina wathi, “Isiliva sami ngisahlukanisela uThixo ngokuqinisekileyo ukuba indodana yami yenze isithombe esibaziweyo, sahuqwa ngesiliva. Ngizasibisela kuwe.”

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 Ngakho esesibisele kunina isiliva, unina wasethatha amashekeli angamakhulu amabili esiliva wawanika umkhandi wesiliva, wenza isithombe ngaso. Sabekwa endlini kaMikha.

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 UMikha lo wayelendawo yokukhonzela, njalo wenza isembatho semahlombe kanye lezithombe, wasebeka enye yamadodana akhe ukuba ngumphristi wakhe.

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 Ngalezonsuku u-Israyeli wayengelankosi; umuntu wonke ezenzela ayekubona kulungile kuye.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.

7 Ijaha laseBhethilehema koJuda elalingumLevi, elalihlala phakathi kwabosendo lukaJuda,

There was a young man out of Bethlehem Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he lived there.

8 lasuka kulowomuzi lidinga enye indawo yokuhlala. Ekuhambeni kwalo lafika endlini kaMikha elizweni lezintaba elako-Efrayimi.

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 UMikha walibuza wathi, “Uvela ngaphi na?” Lona lathi, “NgingumLevi ovela eBhethilehema koJuda, ngidinga indawo yokuhlala.”

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 UMikha wasesithi kulo, “Hlala lami ube ngubaba lomphristi wami, njalo ngizakupha amashekeli esiliva alitshumi ngomnyaka, izigqoko zakho kanye lokudla kwakho.”

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 Ngakho umLevi wavuma ukuhlala laye, njalo ijaha lelo lalinjengenye yamadodana akhe.

The Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was to him as one of his sons.

12 UMikha wabeka umLevi ukuba ngumphristi wakhe, njalo ijaha lelo lahlala endlini yakhe.

Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

13 UMikha wasesithi, “Khathesi sengisazi ukuthi uThixo uzakwenza okulungileyo kimi, njengoba umLevi lo esebe ngumphristi wami.”

Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will do good to me, since I have a Levite as my priest.”