I Regum 10
1 Sed et Regina Saba, audita fama Salomonis in nomine Domini, venit tentare eum in aenigmatibus.
The queen of Sheba heard how famous Solomon was, so she came to Jerusalem to test him with tough questions.
2 Et ingressa Ierusalem multo cum comitatu, et divitiis, camelis portantibus aromata, et aurum infinitum nimis, et gemmas pretiosas, venit ad regem Salomonem, et locuta est ei universa quae habebat in corde suo.
She brought with her a very large entourage, with camels loaded with spices, large amounts of gold, and precious gemstones. She came to Solomon and asked him about everything she had on her mind.
3 Et docuit eam Salomon omnia verba, quae proposuerat: non fuit sermo, qui regem posset latere, et non responderet ei.
Solomon answered all her questions. There was nothing he couldn't explain to her.
4 Videns autem regina Saba omnem sapientiam Salomonis, et domum, quam aedificaverat,
When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon's wisdom, and the palace he had built,
5 et cibos mensae eius, et habitacula servorum, et ordines ministrantium, vestesque eorum, et pincernas, et holocausta, quae offerebat in domo Domini: non habebat ultra spiritum.
the food on the table, how his officials lived, how his servants operated and how they were dressed, the clothes of the waiters, and the burnt offerings he presented at the Lord's Temple, she was so astonished she could hardly breathe.
6 dixitque ad regem: Verus est sermo, quem audivi in terra mea
She told the king, “It's true what I heard in my own country about your proverbs and your wisdom!
7 super sermonibus tuis, et super sapientia tua: et non credebam narrantibus mihi, donec ipsa veni, et vidi oculis meis, et probavi quod media pars mihi nunciata non fuerit: maior est sapientia et opera tua, quam rumor, quem audivi.
But I didn't believe what they told me until I came and saw with my own eyes. In fact, I wasn't told the half of it—the extent of your wisdom far exceeds what I heard!
8 Beati viri tui, et beati servi tui, qui stant coram te semper, et audiunt sapientiam tuam.
How happy your people must be! How happy those who work for you, who stand here every day listening to your wisdom!
9 Sit Dominus Deus tuus benedictus, cui complacuisti, et posuit te super thronum Israel, eo quod dilexerit Dominus Israel in sempiternum, et constituit te regem, ut faceres iudicium et iustitiam.
Praise the Lord your God who is so pleased with you, who placed you on his throne as king to rule on his behalf. Because of the love of your God for Israel he has made them secure forever, and he has made you king over them to do what is fair and right.”
10 Dedit ergo regi centum viginti talenta auri, et aromata multa nimis, et gemmas pretiosas: non sunt allata ultra aromata tam multa, quam ea quae dedit regina Saba regi Salomoni.
She presented the king with one hundred and twenty talents of gold, huge amounts of spices and precious stones. Never before had there been spices like those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 (Sed et classis Hiram, quae portabat aurum de Ophir, attulit ex Ophir ligna thyina multa nimis, et gemmas pretiosas.
(Hiram's fleet of ships brought gold from Ophir, and also carried algum wood and precious stones.
12 Fecitque rex de lignis thyinis fulcra domus Domini, et domus regiae, et citharas lyrasque cantoribus: non sunt allata huiuscemodi ligna thyina, neque visa usque in praesentem diem.)
The king used the algum wood to make steps for the Temple and for the royal palace, and into lyres and harps for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen before in the land of Judah.)
13 Rex autem Salomon dedit reginae Saba omnia quae voluit, et petivit ab eo: exceptis his, quae ultro obtulerat ei munere regio. Quae reversa est, et abiit in terram suam cum servis suis.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she wanted, whatever she asked for. This was in addition to the usual gifts he had generously given her. Then she and her attendants returned home to her own country.
14 Erat autem pondus auri, quod afferebatur Salomoni per annos singulos, sexcentorum sexaginta sex talentorum auri:
The weight of gold that Solomon received each year was 666 talents,
15 excepto eo, quod afferebant viri, qui super vectigalia erant, et negotiatores, universique scruta vendentes, et omnes reges Arabiae, ducesque terrae.
not including that received from traders and merchants, and all the kings of Arabia and governors of the land.
16 Fecit quoque rex Salomon ducenta scuta de auro purissimo, sexcentos auri siclos dedit in laminas scuti unius.
King Solomon made two hundred shields of hammered gold. Each shield required six hundred shekels of hammered gold.
17 Et trecentas peltas ex auro probato: trecentae minae auri unam peltam vestiebant: posuitque eas rex in domo saltus Libani.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold. Each of these shields required three gold minas. The king placed them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
18 Fecit etiam rex Salomon thronum de ebore grandem: et vestivit eum auro fulvo nimis,
The king also made a great throne of ivory, and covered it with pure gold.
19 qui habebat sex gradus: et summitas throni rotunda erat in parte posteriori: et duae manus hinc atque inde tenentes sedile: et duo leones stabant iuxta manus singulas.
The throne had six steps, with a rounded top at the back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with lions standing beside the armrests.
20 Et duodecim leunculi stantes super sex gradus hinc atque inde: non est factum tale opus in universis regnis.
Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one on opposite ends of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
21 Sed et omnia vasa, quibus potabat rex Salomon, erant aurea: et universa supellex domus saltus Libani de auro purissimo: non erat argentum, nec alicuius pretii putabatur in diebus Salomonis,
All of King Solomon's drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. No silver was used, because it was not valued in the days of Solomon.
22 quia classis regis per mare cum classe Hiram semel per tres annos ibat in Tharsis, deferens inde aurum, et argentum, et dentes elephantorum, et simias, et pavos.
The king had a fleet of ships from Tarshish crewed by Hiram's sailors. Once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive with a cargo of gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23 Magnificatus est ergo rex Salomon super omnes reges terrae divitiis, et sapientia.
King Solomon was greater than any other king on earth in wealth and wisdom.
24 Et universa terra desiderabat vultum Salomonis, ut audiret sapientiam eius, quam dederat Deus in corde eius.
The whole world wanted to meet Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had placed in his mind.
25 Et singuli deferebant ei munera, vasa argentea et aurea, vestes et arma bellica, aromata quoque, et equos et mulos per annos singulos.
Year after year, every visitor would bring gifts—articles of silver and gold, clothes, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26 Congregavitque Salomon currus et equites, et facti sunt ei mille quadringenti currus, et duodecim millia equitum: et disposuit eos per civitates munitas, et cum rege in Ierusalem.
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. He kept them in the chariot towns, and also with him in Jerusalem.
27 Fecitque ut tanta esset abundantia argenti in Ierusalem, quanta et lapidum: et cedrorum praebuit multitudinem quasi sycomoros, quae nascuntur in campestribus.
The king made silver as plentiful in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar wood as plentiful as sycamore-figs in the foothills.
28 Et educebantur equi Salomoni de Aegypto, et de Coa. Negotiatores enim regis emebant de Coa, et statuto pretio perducebant.
Solomon's horses were imported from Egypt and Kue—the royal merchants purchased them in Kue.
29 Egrediebatur autem quadriga ex Aegypto sexcentis siclis argenti, et equus centum quinquaginta. Atque in hunc modum cuncti reges Hethaeorum et Syriae equos venundabant.
A chariot imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse a hundred and fifty. They also exported them to all the Hittite kings, and to the Aramean kings.
