The Danites
1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
Wakati huo alikuwako mtu mmoja wa nchi ya vilima ya Efraimu, ambaye jina lake alikuwa akiitwa Mika.
2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
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.
3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
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.
4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
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.
5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.
Basi mtu huyo Mika alikuwa na nyumba ya miungu, naye akafanya naivera, na kinyago, akamweka wakfu mmoja miongoni mwa wanawe, akawa kuhani wake.
6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Siku hizo hapakuwa na mfalme katika israeli; kila mtu alifanya hayo aliyoyaona kuwa ni mema machoni pake mwenyewe.
7 And there was a young man out of Beth-lehem-judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
Alikuwako mtu mmoja hirimu aliyetoka Bethlehemu-yuda, wa jamaa ya Yuda, aliyekuwa ni Mlawi, naye akakaa huko hali ya ugeni.
8 And the man departed out of the city from Beth-lehem-judah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
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.
9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place .
Mika akamwuliza, Watoka wapi wewe? Akamwambia, Mimi ni Mlawi wa Bethlehemu-yuda, nami naenda kukaa hali ya ugeni po pote nitakapoona mahali.
10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
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.
11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
Huyo Mlawi aliridhika kukaa na mtu huyo; kisha huyo hirimu akawa kwake kama wanawe mmojawapo.
12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Basi Mika akamweka wakfu huyo Mlawi, huyo hirimu, naye akawa kuhani wake, akakaa nyumbani mwa Mika.
13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
Ndipo Mika akasema, Sasa najua ya kwamba Bwana atanitendea mema, kwa kuwa nina Mlawi kuwa kuhani wangu.
