1 Amakhosi 10
1 Indlovukazi yaseShebha yathi isizwile ngodumo lukaSolomoni lokubambelela kwakhe ebizweni likaThixo, yaya kuye ukuba imlinge ngemibuzo enzima.
Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to test him with difficult questions.
2 Ekufikeni kwayo eJerusalema yayiqhuba udwende olukhulu, lamakamela ethwele iziyoliso, igolide elinengi kakhulu lamatshe aligugu, yafika kuSolomoni yakhuluma laye ngakho konke lokho okwakusengqondweni yayo.
She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. So she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.
3 USolomoni wayiphendula yonke imibuzo yayo, akubanga lalutho olwaba nzima enkosini ukuthi iyichasisele lona.
And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain.
4 Indlovukazi yaseShebha isiyibonile yonke inhlakanipho kaSolomoni lesigodlo ayesakhile,
When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, the palace he had built,
5 ukudla okwakusetafuleni lakhe, ukuhlaliswa kwezikhulu zakhe, izinceku zakhe lezembatho zazo, abaphathi benkezo bakhe, leminikelo yokutshiswa ayenzela uThixo ethempelini, yaphela amandla.
the food at his table, the seating of his servants, the service and attire of his attendants and cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he presented at the house of the LORD, it took her breath away.
6 Yathi enkosini, “Imibiko ebifika ezindlebeni zami elizweni lami ngengqubelaphambili langenhlakanipho yakho iqotho.
She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your words and wisdom is true.
7 Kodwa angizange ngikukholwe lokho ngaze ngafika mina ngokwami njalo ngazibonela ngawami amehlo. Ngempela, bengingatshelwanga ngitsho lengxenye nje; ukuhlakanipha kwakho lokuphumelela kwakho kuyayedlula imibiko engayizwayo.
But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told to me. Your wisdom and prosperity have far exceeded the report I heard.
8 Yeka intokozo abalayo abantu bakho! Ziyathokoza iziphathamandla zakho, zona ezima phambi kwakho zizwe inhlakanipho yakho!
How blessed are your men! How blessed are these servants of yours who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!
9 Udumo kalube kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho, yena othokoze ngawe wakubeka esihlalweni sobukhosi bako-Israyeli. Ngenxa yothando olunaphakade lukaThixo ku-Israyeli, ukubekile waba yinkosi, ukuze ugcine ukwahlulela ngemfanelo lokulunga.”
Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
10 Yanika inkosi igolide elingamathalenta alikhulu lamatshumi amabili, lenqwabanqwaba zeziyoliso lamatshe aligugu. Akuzange kulethwe iziyoliso ezinengi kangako futhi njengalezo indlovukazi yaseShebha eyazipha iNkosi uSolomoni.
Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones. Never again was such an abundance of spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
11 (Imikhumbi kaHiramu yaletha igolide livela e-Ofiri; njalo yethula lemithwalo emikhulu yamapulanka amahle lamatshe aligugu.
(The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.
12 Inkosi yasebenzisa amapulanka amahle njengezinsika zethempeli likaThixo kanye lesigodlo sobukhosi, lokwenza imihubhe lemiqangala yabahlabeleli. Akuzange kubuye kube lamapulanka amahle amanengi kangako angeniswayo elizweni loba abonwayo selokhu kwaba yilelolanga.)
The king made the almug wood into steps for the house of the LORD and for the king’s palace, and into lyres and harps for the singers. Never before had such almug wood been brought in, nor has such been seen to this day.)
13 INkosi uSolomoni yanika indlovukazi yaseShebha yonke into eyayiyifisa leyayicelayo, ngaphandle kwalokho ayinika khona kuphuma esigodlweni. Yasisuka lodwendwe lwayo yabuyela elizweni lakibo.
King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired—whatever she asked—besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned to her own country, along with her servants.
14 Isisindo segolide elalizuzwa nguSolomoni minyaka yonke lalingamathalenta angamakhulu ayisithupha lamatshumi ayisithupha lesithupha,
The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents,
15 kungabalwa inzuzo eyayivela emithelweni yabathengisayo labathenga bethengisa kanye leyayivela emakhosini wonke ama-Arabhu kanye lababusi belizwe.
not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.
16 Inkosi uSolomoni yenza amahawu amakhulu angamakhulu amabili ngegolide elikhandiweyo; lilinye langena amashekeli angamakhulu ayisithupha.
King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield.
17 Wenza njalo amanye amahawu amancinyane angamakhulu amathathu ngegolide elikhandiweyo, lilinye lilegugu lokuthathu kwegolide. Inkosi yawafaka esigodlweni seHlathi laseLebhanoni.
He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.
18 Inkosi yasisenza isihlalo sobukhosi esikhulu sisekelwa ngempondo zendlovu sihuqwe ngegolide elihle.
Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold.
19 Isihlalo sobukhosi sasilezinyathelo eziyisithupha, ngemva kwaso phezulu siyindingilizi. Emaceleni aso womabili sasilezeyamelo zengalo, yileso laleso kumi isilwane eceleni kwaso.
The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest.
20 Izilwane ezilitshumi lambili zazimi ezinyathelweni eziyisithupha, kusithi esisodwa esinyathelweni ngasinye ngapha langapha emaceleni esinyathelo. Akukho okufanana lalokhu okwake kwenziwa lakuwuphi umbuso.
Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.
21 Zonke inkezo zenkosi uSolomoni zazingezegolide, lazozonke izitsha zeSigodlweni saseGuswini laseLebhanoni zazingezegolide elicolekileyo. Akukho okwakwenziwe ngesiliva ngoba ngensuku zikaSolomoni igugu lesiliva lalilincinyane kakhulu.
All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.
22 Inkosi yayilemikhumbi yokuthengiselana eminengi eyayisolwandle iphathisana lekaHiramu. Yayiphenduka kanye ngemva kweminyaka emithathu ithwele igolide, isiliva kanye lempondo zendlovu, indwangu lenkawu.
For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
23 INkosi uSolomoni yawedlula wonke amakhosi omhlaba ngenotho langenhlakanipho.
So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
24 Umhlaba wonke weza kuSolomoni ukuzokuzwa inhlakanipho uNkulunkulu ayeyifake enhliziyweni yakhe.
The whole world sought an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart.
25 Minyaka yonke amlethela izipho zesiliva lezegolide, izembatho, izikhali leziyoliso, lamabhiza kanye lezimbongolo.
Year after year, each visitor would bring his tribute: articles of silver and gold, clothing, weapons, spices, horses, and mules.
26 USolomoni waqoqa izinqola zokulwa lamabhiza; wayelezinqola zokulwa eziyinkulungwane elamakhulu amane, amabhiza azinkulungwane ezilitshumi lambili ayewagcina emadolobheni awezinqola zempi amanye egcinwe kuye eJerusalema.
Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.
27 Inkosi yandisa isiliva kwangani ngamatshe eJerusalema, lezihlahla zomsedari zanda kwangani yizihlahla zomkhiwa wesikhamore emawatheni ezintaba.
The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.
28 Amabhiza kaSolomoni ayethengwe eGibhithe laseKhuwe, abathengi besikhosini babewathenga eKhuwe.
Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the royal merchants purchased them from Kue.
29 Bathenga inqola yempi eGibhithe ngamashekeli esiliva angamakhulu ayisithupha kanye lebhiza ngamashekeli alikhulu elilamatshumi amahlanu. Babuya bawedlulisa wonke bayawathengisela amakhosi amaHithi kanye lawama-Aramu.
A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty. Likewise, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of Aram.
