Ovisenginina vya Mika
1 Mehi rozondundu ra Efraim mwa turire omurumendu ngwa ri nena Mika. 2 Neye wa tja ku ina: “Ovimariva ovisilveri 1 100 mbya vakwa pove, nu mbi wa tjitira po osengiro, ndji mba zuva omuini, ovyo mbi vi na ami; owami omuini ngu mbe vi toora.”
Nu ina wa zira a tja: “Ngo serwe ondaya i Muhona, muatje wandje.” 3 Mika wa yarura ovimariva mbi ovisilveri 1 100 ku ina. Nu ina wa tja ku ye: “Ami me yapurire Muhona ovisilveri mbi kutja mbi tjurure osengiro komuatje wandje. Ovyo mavi sokuungurisiwa okutunga otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tji tja hongwa nu ku kwa tuwa osilveri. Nambano ovimariva ovisilveri mbi me vi kotora kove.” 4 Mika wa yarura ovimariva mbi ku ina. Nu ina wa toora ovimariva ovisilveri omasere yevari ne vi yandja komuhambure. Omuhambure ngwi wa ungura po otjiserekarera tjotjisenginina tji tja hongwa nu ku kwa tuwa osilveri; notjo tja kazikwa mondjuwo ya Mika.
5 Komuhingo mbwi Mika otja ri nondjuwo ye omuini yomerikotameneno kovisenginina. Eye wa ungura ombanda yokoviṱuve noviserekarera tjiva vyomukuru wotjisenginina, na ziki omuzandu we umwe a rire omupristeri we. 6 Momayuva ngo kamwa ri ombara mOisrael, nu auhe aa tjiti otja kombango ye.
7 Nu oruveze tjingero ndo pa ri omurumendu omutanda ngwa turire mObetlehem mehi ra Juda, ngwa zire momuhoko wa Juda. Eye wa ri Omulevi ngwa turire mo otja owozonganda. 8 Omurumendu ngwi wa tjinda okuza mObetlehem mehi ra Juda okukapaha poṋa puma munu omaturiro. Nu mouyenda we mbwi eye weya kehi rozondundu ra Efraim nga pondjuwo ya Mika. 9 Mika we mu pura a tja: “Ove mo zu pi?”
Neye we mu zira nai: “Owami Omulevi, me zu kObetlehem kehi ra Juda. Mbi ri mouyenda wokupaha pu me munu omaturiro!”
10 Nu Mika wa tja ku ye: “Kara puna ami mba, nu u rire tate omuyandjandunge nomupristeri ku ami; ombura aihe me ku pe ovisilveri omurongo, nozombanda novikurya.” 11 NOmulevi omutanda ngwi wa itavera okukara mondjuwo ya Mika; neye wa kara otja omuatje we. 12 Nu Mika wa zika Omulevi ngwi a rire omupristeri we, neye wa tura monganda ya Mika. 13 Mika wa tja nai: “Nambano me tjiwa kutja Muhona me ndji ṋingaparisa, tjinga ambi nOmulevi ngwi okurira omupristeri wandje.”
Micah Makes Idols and Hires a Priest
1 Micah belonged to the Ephraim tribe and lived in the hill country. 2 One day he told his mother, “Do you remember those 1,100 pieces of silver that were stolen from you? I was there when you put a curse on whoever stole them. Well, I'm the one who did it.”
His mother answered, “I pray that the Lord will bless you, my son.”
3-4 Micah returned the silver to his mother, and she said, “I give this silver to the Lord, so my son can use it to make an idol.” Turning to her son, she said, “Micah, now the silver belongs to you.”
But Micah handed it back to his mother. She took 200 pieces of the silver and gave them to a silver worker, who made them into an idol. They kept the idol in Micah's house. 5 He had a shrine for worshiping God there at his home, and he had made some idols and a sacred priestly vest. Micah chose one of his own sons to be the priest for his shrine.
6 This was before kings ruled Israel, so all the Israelites did whatever they thought was right.
7-8 One day a young Levite came to Micah's house in the hill country of Ephraim. He had been staying with one of the clans of Judah in Bethlehem, but he had left Bethlehem to find a new place to live where he could be a priest.
9 “Where are you from?” Micah asked.
“I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” the man answered, “and I'm on my way to find a new place to live.”
10 Micah said, “Why don't you stay here with me? You can be my priest and tell me what God wants me to do. Every year I'll give you ten pieces of silver and one complete set of clothes, and I'll provide all your food.”
The young man went for a walk, 11-12 then he agreed to stay with Micah and be his priest. He lived in Micah's house, and Micah treated him like one of his own sons. 13 Micah said, “I have a Levite as my own priest. Now I know that the Lord will be kind to me.”
