ABAGWEBI 17

₁Kwaye kukho indoda yelasezintabeni zakwaEfrayim egama linguMika. ₂Yathi kunina, Iwaka lesilivere elinakhulu-nye elalithatyathwe kuwe, owashwabula ngenxa yalo, kananjalo wathetha ngalo ezindlebeni zam, yabona, isilivere leyo inam; yathatyathwa ndim. Wathi unina, Ùsikelelwe, nyana wam, nguYehova. ₃Walibuyisela kunina iwaka lesilivere elinakhulu-nye. Wathi unina, Ndiyingcwalisile yonke isilivere leyo kuYehova; iphuma esandleni sam ukuba ibe yeyonyana wam, enze umfanekiso oqingqiweyo nomtyhido; ndiyibuyisela kuwe ke ngoko. ₄Wayibuyisela ke kunina isilivere. Wawathabatha unina amakhulu omabini esilivere, wawanika umnyibilikisi, wenza ngawo umfanekiso oqingqiweyo nomtyhido; waba sendlwini kaMika.

₅Indoda leyo inguMika ibinendlu yoothixo, yayenze iefodi• nemilondekhaya; yayimisele omnye koonyana bayo, waba ngumbingeleli wayo. ₆Ngaloo mihla bekungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli; elowo wenza oko kuthe tye emehlweni akhe.

₇Ke kaloku kwakukho umfana waseBhetelehem yakwaYuda, wasemlibeni wakwaYuda, ongumLevi, engumphambukeli khona. ₈Yahamba indoda leyo, isuka kuloo mzi eBhetelehem yakwaYuda, yaya kuphambukela apho ingafumana indawo. Yafika kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim endlwini kaMika, ihamba uhambo lwayo. ₉Wathi uMika kuyo, Uvela phi na? Yathi kuye, NdingumLevi waseBhetelehem yakwaYuda; ndiya kuphambukela apho ndingafumana indawo. ₁₀Wathi uMika kuyo, Hlala nam, kum ube ngubawo nombingeleli; ndokunika mna ishumi lesilivere ngomnyaka, ndikuxhase ngento eziingubo nekukudla. Waya ke umLevi lowo. ₁₁Kwakholeka kumLevi ukuhlala nale ndoda. Loo mfana waba njengomnye woonyana bayo kuyo. ₁₂Wammisela uMika umLevi lowo, waba ngumbingeleli kuye umfana lowo; waba sendlwini kaMika. ₁₃Wathi uMika, Kaloku ndiyazi ukuba uYehova uya kundenzela okulungileyo; ngokuba ndinombingeleli ongumLevi.