1. Ngaloo mihla kube kungekho kumkani kwaSirayeli. Ngaloo mihla isizwe sakwaDan besizifunela ilifa lendawo yokuhlala; ngokuba kwada kwanguloo mhla, sibe sona singabelwanga lifa ngeqashiso, phakathi kwesizwe sakwaSirayeli.
2. Oonyana bakaDan besusa kumlibo wakowabo amadoda amahlanu, evela kwinani lawo lonke, amadoda anobukroti aseTsora nase-Eshtawoli, ukuba alihlole ilizwe, aligocagoce. Bathi kuwo, Hambani niligocagoce ilizwe. Afika kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim endlwini kaMika, alala khona.
3. Akubona ukuba angasendlwini kaMika, alifanisa ilizwi lendodana engumLevi, aphambukela khona, athi kuye, Ùziswe ngubani na apha? Wenza ntoni na kule ndawo? Ungantoni na apha?
4. Yathi kuwo, Wenjenje, wenjenje uMika kum; wandiqesha, ndaba ngumbingeleli kuye.
5. Athi kuyo, Khawubuze kuThixo, sazi ukuba iya kuba nempumelelo na indlela yethu esihambela yona.
6. Wathi umbingeleli kuwo, Hambani ninoxolo, iphambi koYehova indlela yenu eniya kuhamba ngayo.
7. Ahamba ke amadoda amahlanu afika eLayishe; ababona abantu abaphakathi kwayo, behleli bonwabile ngokwesiko lamaTsidon, bezolile, bonwabile; kungekho uwona nganto kubaphathi belo zwe; babekude kumaTsidon, bengatheni nabani.
8. Afika kubazalwana bawo eTsora nase-Eshtawoli. Bathi abazalwana bawo kuwo, Nitheni na?
9. Athi, Sukani, sinyuke siye kubo; ngokuba silibonile ilizwe; nalo lilihle kunene, ke nithe quthu. Musani ukunqena ukuhamba, niye kulihlutha ilizwe elo.
10. Xa nithe nafika, nofika kubantu abonwabileyo, kwilizwe eliphangaleleyo ngamacala omabini; ngokuba uThixo ulinikele ezandleni zenu, indawo apho kungàsweleke nanye into esehlabathini.
11. Kwanduluka ke kumlibo wakwaDan, eTsora nase-Eshtawoli, amadoda angamakhulu omathandathu, exhobe iimpahla zemfazwe.
12. Enyuka ke, amisa eKiriyati-yeharim yakwaYuda; ngenxa yoko bathi loo ndawo yiMahane yakwaDan* unanamhla. Nantso isemva kweKiriyati-yeharim.
13. Agqitha aya kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim, afika endlwini kaMika.
14. Ke kaloku aphendula amadoda amahlanu, abezé kulihlola ilizwe laseLayishe, athi kubazalwana bawo, Niyazi na ukuba kwezi zindlu kukho iefodi,* nemilonde-khaya, nomfanekiso oqingqiweyo, nomtyhido? Ke ngoko kuqondeni eniza kukwenza.
15. Aphambukela khona, angena endlwini yendodana engumLevi, endlwini kaMika, ayibuza ukuphila kwayo.
16. Athi amadoda angamakhulu amathandathu axhobe iimpahla zemfazwe, akoonyana bakwaDan, ema ekungeneni kwesango.