| 民長紀 |
Judges |
| 1厄弗辣因山地有一個人，名叫米加， |
1There was a man in the mountain region of Ephraim whose name was Micah. |
| 2-3他對自己的母親說：「有人拿去你那一千一百銀錢，對這事你曾起過誓，我也親自聽見你說：我要親手把這項銀錢奉獻給上主，為我兒做一尊神像。看，銀錢在這裏，是我拿了；如今還給你！」他的母親就說：「願我兒蒙上主祝福！」於是米加就把一千一百銀錢還給他的母親。 |
2He said to his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver over which you pronounced a curse in my hearing when they were taken from you, are in my possession. It was I who took them; so now I will restore them to you." |
| 4當他把銀錢還給他的母親以後，他的母親便拿出兩百銀子給了銀匠，請他製造一尊神像，安放在米加的家裏。 |
3 When he restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, she took two hundred of them and gave them to the silversmith, who made of them a carved idol overlaid with silver. |
| 5於是米加為這尊神像蓋了一座神廟，又做了「厄弗得」和「忒辣芬」，委派自己的一個兒子充任司祭。 |
4Then his mother said, "May the LORD bless my son! I have consecrated the silver to the LORD as my gift in favor of my son, by making a carved idol overlaid with silver." It remained in the house of Micah. |
| 6當時在以色列沒有君王，各人任意行事。 |
5Thus the layman Micah had a sanctuary. He also made an ephod and household idols, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. |
| 7當時有一個少年，他是個肋未人，從猶大白冷，即從猶大支派來到那裏作客。 |
6In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what he thought best. |
| 8這人離開猶大白冷，想找一個可寄居的地方；當他旅行的時候，來到厄弗辣因山地，米加的家旁， |
7There was a young Levite who had resided within the tribe of Judah at Bethlehem of Judah. |
| 9米加問他說：「你從那裏來？」他回答說：「我是個肋未人，由猶大白冷來，想找一個可寄居的地方。」 |
8From that city he set out to find another place of residence. On his journey he came to the house of Micah in the mountain region of Ephraim. |
| 10米加就對他說：「你住在我這裏罷！作我的師傅和司祭，我每年給你十塊銀錢，還照管你的吃穿。」米加挽留那肋未人， |
9Micah said to him, "Where do you come from?" He answered him, "I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and am on my way to find some other place of residence." |
| 11他遂同意住在米加那裏，他看待這少年好似自己的兒子。 |
10"Stay with me," Micah said to him. "Be father and priest to me, and I will give you ten silver shekels a year, a set of garments, and your food." |
| 12米加又委任了這肋未人，這人遂作了他的司祭，住在米加家中。 |
11So the young Levite decided to stay with the man, to whom he became as one of his own sons. |
| 13於是米加說：「如今我知道上主必施恩予我，因為有位肋未人作了我的司祭。」 |
12 Micah consecrated the young Levite, who became his priest, remaining in his house. |
