1
Wakati huo alikuwako mtu mmoja wa nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, ambaye jina lake alikuwa akiitwa Mika.
Now a man named Micah from the hill country of Ephraim
2
Naye akamwambia mama yake, Hizo fedha elfu na mia moja ulizonyang'anywa, ambazo uliweka kiapo kwa ajili yake na kusema masikioni mwangu, tazama, ninazo mimi hizo fedha; ni mimi niliyezitwaa. Mama yake akasema, mwanangu na abarikiwe na Bwana.
said to his mother, “The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you and about which I heard you utter a curse—I have the silver here with me; I took it.” Then his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD!”
3
Basi akamrudishia mama yake hizo fedha elfu na mia moja. Mama yake akasema, Mimi naziweka fedha hizi kabisa ziwe wakfu kwa Bwana, zitoke mkononi mwangu kwa ajili ya mwanangu, ili kufanya sanamu ya kuchonga, na sanamu ya kusubu; basi kwa hiyo nakurudishia wewe.
And when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she said, “I wholly dedicate the silver to the LORD for my son’s benefit, to make a graven image and a molten idol. Therefore I will now return it to you.”
4
Basi hapo alipomrudishia mama yake hizo fedha, mama yake akatwaa fedha mia mbili, akampa fundi mwenye kusubu fedha, naye akafanya sanamu ya kuchonga kwazo, na sanamu ya kusubu; ambazo zilikuwa ndani ya nyumba ya Mika.
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into a graven image and a molten idol. And they were placed in the house of Micah.
5
Basi mtu huyo Mika alikuwa na nyumba ya miungu, naye akafanya naivera, na kinyago, akamweka wakfu mmoja miongoni mwa wanawe, akawa kuhani wake.
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
6
Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme katika israeli; kila mtu alifanya hayo aliyoyaona kuwa ni mema machoni pake mwenyewe.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
7
Alikuwako mtu mmoja hirimu aliyetoka Bethlehemu-yuda, wa jamaa ya Yuda, aliyekuwa ni Mlawi, naye akakaa huko hali ya ugeni.
And there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who had been residing within the clan of Judah.
8
Mtu huyo akatoka katika huo mji, katika Bethlehemu-yuda, ili aende kukaa hali ya ugeni hapo atakapoona mahali; akafikilia nchi ya vilima vilima ya Efraimu katika safari yake, hata nyumba ya huyo Mika.
This man left the city of Bethlehem in Judah to settle where he could find a place. And as he traveled, he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.
9
Mika akamwuliza, Watoka wapi wewe? Akamwambia, Mimi ni Mlawi wa Bethlehemu-yuda, nami naenda kukaa hali ya ugeni po pote nitakapoona mahali.
“Where are you from?” Micah asked him. “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he replied, “and I am on my way to settle wherever I can find a place.”
10
Mika akamwambia, kaa pamoja nami, uwe kwangu baba, tena kuhani, nami nitakupa fedha kumi mwaka kwa mwaka, na nguo ya kuvaa, na vyakula. Basi huyo Mlawi akaingia ndani.
“Stay with me,” Micah said to him, “and be my father and priest, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your provisions.” So the Levite went in
11
Huyo Mlawi aliridhika kukaa na mtu huyo; kisha huyo hirimu akawa kwake kama wanawe mmojawapo.
and agreed to stay with him, and the young man became like a son to Micah.
12
Basi Mika akamweka wakfu huyo Mlawi, huyo hirimu, naye akawa kuhani wake, akakaa nyumbani mwa Mika.
Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house.
13
Ndipo Mika akasema, Sasa najua ya kwamba Bwana atanitendea mema, kwa kuwa nina Mlawi kuwa kuhani wangu.
Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, because a Levite has become my priest.”